Love it or hate it, the Halo franchise is, for lack of a better word, one of the main pinnacles of first-person shooting gameplay, across the board. It's easy to point out that the series would probably struggle on the PC, that nothing about it is particularly realistic, or that while first person shooting gameplay has progressed into the realm of role playing games, team-based zombie killing, plot-based multiplayer, Halo has largely ignored most of those gimmicks. Sometimes it can even feel a little vanilla, that underneath all of those bright colors and crazy weapons is a standard feel-good shooter that will always do what it does very, very well. From four-player online or couch play co-op, to the fantastic 16-person multiplayer endeavors, the game is tightly balanced and infinitely malleable. Almost any shooting experience can be pulled from the game, and the flexibility it allows its players is almost unmatched. Though the series has its detractors, it is undeniable that Bungie and Microsoft have made games that shine in their ability to tap into the fun of first person gameplay. And considering I've had the opportunity to play Halo: Reach, probably the most-anticipated Xbox 360 game of the year through completion, as well as hours upon hours of multiplayer skirmishes, I've had more than a solid taste of what's to come. Until our review embargo lifts in little over a week, read on for my hands-on impressions of what many call the gaming event of the year.
Now, while I was shown the entirety of the campaign, I am only allowed to discuss two of the campaign maps: Nightfall and Tip of the Spear. For the 10-12 hours it will take to take to complete the game, players will discover the fall of the planet Reach, learn about the events that lead up to Halo: Combat Evolved. Players fill the role of Noble-6, the latest addition to Noble team as they deal with the oncoming onslaught of the covenant forces. It's a plot that fans of the Halo franchise will enjoy, but for everyone else, it's just a fantastic opportunity to play as a Spartan that is teal. Or pink. That's actually where most players will start off with Reach. Like ODST, Nobel-6 is fully customizable and his (or her) physical characteristics will show up in game. As players play through the campaign and in multiplayer matches, credits will be earned to buy modifications to their Spartan. While most of the modifications are simple, barely noticeable add-ons, the most insanely expensive additions include the voice option for Master Chief, lightning that shoots off the body, and even confetti that will explode from your body upon death. It's a weird tongue-in-cheek modification, and only the most dedicated and high-level players will be rocking such goofy additions. Death confetti, clearly, is a sign of honor. Anyway, about three missions in, Noble-6 finds himself teamed up with one of his fellow Spartans (the game, like the previous ODST, will often pair you with one or more invincible AI controlled characters) in a night time mission called...Nightfall.
Equipped with the brand new DMR, a super powerful sniper rifle that can take out even the most powerful of Elites with one shot, Noble-6 and crew works through the level like any other Halo games. Enemies are clearly a little smarter, jumping away from grenades and paying attention to my position from across the map. Playing on Heroic difficulty, it's clear that the game is Halo through and through. The mission ends at a hydroelectric power plant, and the Spartans team up with some locals in defending the position. You'll often find NPCs to join you in the battles, and they actually hold up quite well. Many a time I relied upon them to get through a tough spot. These NPCs are rather capable, and will be common throughout the campaign. You'll also have the opportunity to see gigantic animal life take the fight against the Covenant, creating a three-way battle. It's all very exciting, but at the end of the day is a very Halo experience. Tip of the Spear changed mixed things up a bit. In this mission, Noble-6 is paired up with Kat, the icy cool female Spartan on your team, and the two of you are tasked with dealing with some Covenant anti-air cannons while racing about on a Warthog. Posing problems are the nasty Wraith tanks and the Ghosts, as well as the powerful new midsize Covenant vehicle, the Revenant, which looks like a red hot rod and makes short work of the enemies on the field. The pressing issue of Tip of the Spear is probably the anti-air cannons you have to deal with.
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