#clips
Teased in Microsoft's E3 keynote, seen by yours truly and played by Totilo, here's a solid minute of gameplay in Halo: Reach's space combat sequence that GameTrailers just threw up on its site. Wait, that didn't come out right. More »
Oh, you've made your own assault rifle from Halo? That's cute. Wait, you've made your own Spartan suit? Meh, it's okay, we guess. See, the dudes at Peter Mander FX have ruined us forever, because they've produced about the best homage to Halo one could ever hope for: the ultra-realistic Elite suit you see above.
Largely comprised of plastic, TLC and dark magicks, the suit not only looks impressive, but it's animatronic. We can't imagine the blood, sweat and/or tears it took to produce such a lifelike recreation of this Covenant class, but we can get some idea from the video documenting the creation of this behemoth, which you can find past the break.
[Image source: Device Magazine]
I'm one of those rare gamers who prefer shooting computer controlled bad guys instead of good old-fashioned human beings. Competition doesn't bother me as much as the jerks on the other side; the whiny pre-teens, racists and cheaters. Forget about deathmatch. I'd rather cozy up on the couch and enjoy single-player.
Halo 3: ODST changed that, thanks to Firefight mode. Bungie took my love for slaughtering AI bad guys and fused it with team-based play, where up to four players work co-operatively to outlast progressively difficult waves of Covenant. It was essentially the best of both virtual worlds, where I satisfied my desire to murder bots while cracking jokes with friends.
That's why Halo: Reach is high on my radar. Firefight returns, but with a slew of new options that make it even more rewarding, starting with online matchmaking. Now you can play this mode 24/7 with anyone in the world. Yes, that means I could randomly wind up with three jerks, but at least one thing remains constant, and that's the Covenant. Even if my team goes rogue, I can still set off and murder aliens.
Before Bungie started work on creating a game based on the planet-glassing excitement that is the fall of Reach, discussions at the studio momentarily went in the direction of a Master Chief resurrection tale -- a direct continuation of the Halo trilogy's story as "Halo 4." Bungie community man Brian Jarrard told the MTV Multiplayer blog as much in a recent interview, saying, "Even before the idea to build a game based around Reach came about, a lot of other concepts were explored, up to and including a proper 'Halo 4,' where Master Chief was going to wake up from cryo-sleep and we were going to tell that story."
So he is in cryo-sleep and not dead?! ... Ahem, please excuse us. Jarrard continues, adding that while Reach is a prequel to the first Halo title, it's not meant just for hardcore fans of the trilogy. "We don't want to open up a whole bunch of doors that we're not going to close. By the end of this, it's all going to come to a nice, neat finish, and if people want to then go play the Halo trilogy, I think they'll have a better understanding of what's going on, but it's not required at all." He also confirms that the Chief is nowhere to be found in Reach (though, canonically speaking, the Chief is on the planet during the game's timeline), which just about breaks our fragile space heart into a million pieces.
#bungie
Bungie's writers considered extending the saga of Master Chief beyond Halo 3 - whose ending certainly left an opening for it - before settling on the prequel story of the Fall of Reach, the studio's community manager said. More »
The headline says it all: there's new footage of the Halo: Reach Firefight mode courtesy of Halo Waypoint. Keep an eye out for surprises like the return of the bubble shield. We also noticed that drop ships seem to appear on the HUD -- possibly after being marked by other players a laBattlefield.
#music
Watch the E3 live gamplay footage of Halo: Reach and, 67 seconds in, you might hear.... is that techno music? That's part of the game's soundtrack? Why, yes it is! More »
#e3
The next Halo game will probably have the toughest enemies in series history, I learned this morning when I wasn't flying a spaceship (!) in Halo: Reach. But they'll only be tough if you force their hand. More »
Marvel and 343 Industries have announced a new comic adaptation of the novel Halo: The Fall of Reach (not to be confused with the upcoming re-issue of the novel itself). The comic will be written by Brian Reed, who's work has worked in both comics and games. The art will be drawn by Felix Ruiz. For those unfamiliar with The Fall of Reach, the book covers events that took place before the original Halo game, including the creation of the Spartan II project and its indoctrination of John 117, better known to Halo fans as the Master Chief. Boot Camp #1, the first of four issues, will hit the shelves this September.
What's the biggest change being made for Bungie's final Halo game? Some would argue that the visuals, powered by a brand new graphics engine, make the greatest impact. Sure, Halo: Reach looks better than any Halo before it -- but that's not what I was taken aback by. Others would argue the lack of Master Chief makes Reach feel different from its predecessors. Yes, the Spartan-III jumps a bit differently, but that doesn't define Reach's new emotional direction. No, the biggest game-changer is this: the Covenant don't speak English.
Before you angrily hit the "Back" button on your browser, hear me out. In the previous Halo games, the Covenant were like movie villains; they could even quip one-liners at you. Some would even squeal, comically, as they ran away from an overpowered Master Chief. However, because Halo Reach isn't a story about a triumphant victory -- rather, a tragedy against an overwhelming alien force -- Bungie was left with a challenge: how do you reinvent the Covenant -- familiar to a generation of Halo gamers -- and make them threatening again? You make them truly alien.
While it may seem like a rather cosmetic change, this creative decision represents a maturity in Bungie's storytelling abilities. The developer wants you to take the story seriously -- so much so that the flaming helmet included in the $150 Legendary Edition can't be used in the campaign. (Apparently, having someone's head on fire in cutscenes drastically reduces its gravitas.)
#halo
The story behind Halo's most famous Spartan, Master Chief, is ready to be (re)told in comic book form this September. Marvel Comics will adapt Eric Nylund's bestselling novel prequel to Halo: Reach as part of a "graphic fiction event." More »
Look, E3 is a busy time around these parts. So busy that sometimes, somehow we manage to overlook something. Case in point, this trailer for the new Firefight mode in Halo: Reach. If, like us, you missed it last week, you should watch it now. If you've already seen it, you should watch it again anyway, because it's sweet.
#e3
One of the more intriguing reveals of Microsoft's E3 press conference was a brief glimpse of a spacefighter combat level in the upcoming Halo: Reach. The Bungie team gave a longer look at it during a closed-doors demonstration later. More »
#screengrab
Seriously. These life sized Halo Reach statues are too realistic to tempt me to climb over the barrier. As snapped by Stephen Totilo at the L.A. Convention Center. More »
There it is: Halo: Reach includes Firefight. Did any of us doubt it for a second? We certainly didn't, and our troops on location at a Reach event tonight have relayed some info relevant to your interests.
First of all, Firefight will include a new class: Medic. This Spartan comes packing a Dropshield ability -- the precursor to Halo 3's Bubble Shield.
But that's not even the best part: The new Firefight will have a host of customization options. Players can create their own tailor-made Firefight modes, changing the enemy types, weapon loadouts and other modifiers, including Covenant health and aggression. You could seriously create a mode where it's nothing but peace-loving Grunts, if you want. Then, you can fill out some info and share your custom version of Firefight through your file share.
Tonight's demo only has two playable maps, but we're working to confirm the total number planned for the final release.
One final interesting tidbit we'll leave you with is this: Bungie said Generator Defense in the Reach beta was actually a test for Firefight.
For your viewing and re-viewing (and re-viewing) pleasure, we've uploaded the official Halo Reach E3 trailer after the break. Yes, you can expect footage from the campaign, but even more exciting: space battles. Battles. In space.
#clips
Halo: Reach is out soon (September), so the time for fancy pre-rendered cutscenes is over. This E3 trailer, then, is all gameplay (or at least all in-engine). And yes, there are space battles. More »
The Halo assault rifle has had a difficult time earning respect. It was totally outshined by the pistol in Halo: CE, ditched entirely for Halo 2 and brought back again in Halo 3 -- only to lose the spotlight to the battle rifle. Now, thanks to a creative Halo fan, the assault rifle has been brought to life ... and completely nerfed. (Like, it's actually a Nerf gun -- get it?)
Taking a stock Nerf rifle and an "infamous knock off dollar store assault rifle," a modder known as Moz cobbled together this Halo assault rifle, adding custom pieces and paint. The best part: It actually works; albeit with a slightly lower rate of fire than an actual assault rifle. See it in action after the break.
As a quick, dirty and violent thank you to everyone that participated in the Halo: Reach beta -- and there were a lot of you -- Bungie has released a video montage of some of the greatest and weirdest moments captured by players. Check out the video above for some killer snipes, super sticks and some truly bizarre bugs.
While we're at it, why not share some of your own badass moments in the comments?
#clips
Bungie said goodbye to the Halo: Reach multiplayer beta with this highlight package of the best, brightest and baddest - with an acknowledgment of some of its own glitches - seen during the 17-day test. The game returns Sept. 14. More »
#microsoft
Halo fans who pick up Reach on its September 14 release date will score this attractive exclusive in-game Spartan Recon Helmet. Fans who wait until after launch day aren't really fans, now are they? More »
