Editor's Note: We are giving away EIGHT download codes for the Halo: Reach
Noble Map Pack, click here to enter the contest and get this DLC for free.
Eager Halo fans waiting for new content after the September 14th release of Halo Reach won’t have to wait much longer, the Noble Map Pack will be released this Tuesday November 30th, 2010 as a 3-map pack DLC that blows away Halo 3’s Legendary and Mythic map packs with diverse variety. The three maps that make-up the Noble Pack consists of: Anchor 9, Tempest, and Breakpoint, with each offering unique size, settings, and play. The maps can be looked at as small, medium and large and make for a good combination for both slayer and objective game types. Let’s begin with the smallest of the 3; Anchor 9 features one of Halo Reach’s newest features: zero gravity. Anchor 9 is set on the Saber defense base high in space above the planet Reach that the player helps defend during the single-player campaign. A huge shield door in the hangar bay provides a barrier for players as they fight in between gravity and zero gravity inside and outside the map. It offers a choice of risk-reward as going outside the shield door can gain the player the rocket launcher, but can also leave the player vulnerable to players knocking them off in empty space below.
Inside the base players can look forward to close combat fighting with a lot of twist and turns that make for some truly intense cat-and-mouse firefights. The second map in the trio, Tempest is a medium sized map that for both Team Slayer and Team Objective game types. Tempest is set with two forerunner bases that each has UNSC machine-gun turrets to repel attacks from the other team. Each base has a pair of man cannons that equip players with a means of quick travel into the action. There are also numerous tunnels for sneaking into the other team’s base or for making a quick escape with the flag in objective base game types. Tempest will force good team work and communication to deal with numerous ways a team can infiltrate and escape via the tunnels and man cannons. While large enough to provide a good 4v4 objective game, Tempest will be better set for Invasion or Big Team Slayer than the smaller Anchor 9. The last and largest of the Noble Pack is Breakpoint. Breakpoint is a Big Team Battle lover’s dream come true. With the snow-covered backdrop it will bring back memories of Halo CE’s Sidewinder and Halo 2’s Containment.
The map features 2 Banshees, 1 Falcon, 3 Ghosts, and 1 Warthog to explore as players fight it out over connected bases that make for good close quarter combat. The map also has the Spartan Laser, Rocket Launcher, and Sniper Rifle to make a great balance between vehicle and on-foot combat. This is by far my favorite map of the three because there is just so much variety in the play styles that can be used to navigate the map. The Noble Map Pack also adds 7 new achievements for an additional 250 gamer points. With some of the achievements being very easy such as the DMR long range kill to some being very hard such as getting a double-kill from the grave, the Noble Map pack should satisfy the Halo player’s lust to kill for many months to come. The maps are superbly done and make a great addition to the Halo Reach line-up.
Final Recommendation: Buy It
The Halo: Reach Noble Map Pack achievements are:
- Totally Worth It: 50g: Earn a Double Kill from the grave in multiplayer Matchmaking.
- Both Barrels: 50g: Earn a Double Kill with the shotgun in multiplayer Matchmaking
- Cross-Mappin’: 50g: Kill a player at long range with the DMR in a matchmade Slayer game.
- You Ate All the Chips: 42g: Collect all of the flags in a matchmade Stockpile game.
- You Blew It Up!: 13g: Blow up the research facility in a matchmade Invasion game on Breakpoint.
- Poppin’ & Lockin’: 25g: Destroy a vehicle using Armor Lock in a matchmade game.
- Offensive Driver: 20g: Earn a kill in a matchmade Rocket Race game.
