Halo Reach Is No Halo 3

Halo Reach couldn’t have picked a better time to come out. After the Summer doldrums, where the only big games included StarCraft 2, Mafia II, and maybe even NHL 11, Halo Reach hits at the peak of summer/fall boredom just before the Christmas season storm.



But will it sell more than Halo 3? I initially said no… Am I wrong? Read on.



Halo 3 was a monster, selling over 11 million units through today’s date. It did most of its damage during the first four weeks out, selling more than 5.5 million units. It was a phenomenon.



Do Do, DoDoDo. Do, DoDoDo…



Phenomenon.



At the time of Halo 3′s launch, gamers were clamoring for the first new Halo on the next-gen system. There were Mountain Dew promotions, Master Chief was everywhere. I don’t feel that same vibe this time around. Sure, there’s a lot of Halo Reach commercials, but where are the Burger King tie ins? The Mountain Dew flavors? (the current promotion is very understated.) The prime time news stories?



It seems that this time around, things are different. Halo Reach seems much less marketable. There’s no Master Chief. Without the titular character from three of the previous games, people may not immediately identify with the new “Halo Game”. Furthermore, it’s a prequel to one of the most convoluted universes in gaming.



Reach is more Empire Strikes Back than Return of the Jedi. Kind of a downer in tone… Plus, it has to fight the brand fatigue of three Halo games in almost 4 years.



These are the reasons why I don’t think it will sell as well as Halo 3. On the other hand, Halo Reach couldn’t have come out at a better time. There’s really nothing to play right now. Mafia II didn’t live up to the hype and StarCraft 2 is for PC gamers… Sure Civ 5 comes out soon, but it’s more likely to cannibalize the SC2 players than the Halo Reach players. So, in the midst of essentially a quiet period of gaming, Halo Reach came out and BAM! Everybody is on it.



Another factor, in favor of Halo Reach selling more than Halo 3, is the simple fact that there’s a much larger install base of Xbox 360 owners. Plain and simple, there’s just more people to buy the product. Maybe because of that you don’t need the huge media blitz to sell consoles. I dunno, but it’s a powerful fact on the side of those that think Reach will sell more copies.



Of course what I’m saying is based on generalities. Anecdotal evidence. I’m not really basing it on anything real, other than a gut feelings…But…



First day Reach sales reported by Microsoft appear to be less than the sales for Halo 3. Read all about it.



My gut tells me that Reach won’t sell more than Halo 3. My head tells me that my heart is wrong. I just don’t see that Reach is as easily marketable, compelling or as well known of a story to drive 11 million people to purchase the game.

Remember Halo: Reach

Contrarian Corner is a feature meant to take a critical look at some recently-released games, a place for a more holistic discussion of titles which have been the recipient of either an abundance of single-minded praise, or an undue amount of criticism. Our intent is not to contradict or undercut our own reviews, but rather to expand the spectrum of discussion on some of the most important games of each year. If you're interested in joining that discussion, keep reading.



Make sure to read Erik Brudvig's Halo: Reach review for IGN's official thoughts on the game. And be forewarned -- if you haven't finished the game, massive spoilers will be discussed below.









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I didn't play Halo in full until 2006. I'd just come back to Los Angeles after two years in Madagascar. I'd moved into a spare bedroom a friend from college had at his apartment in Hollywood. I'd just quit a job at a small movie company after three days because I realized my boss was full of shit, though well-intentioned shit. I was out of money and totally unsure of what I was supposed to do next. I had slowly depleted my savings with the occasional relief of working as an extra and reading scripts for IFC. I had downloaded the Halo demo on the used iMac I'd bought to send resumes and search for job listings. After playing through the demo three times I finally decided to get a full version to catch up with the game that had so dramatically moved shooters forward.



Halo reminded me of the The Wizard of Oz. I'd shot through the feco-viscera of Quake, DOOM, Hexen, and Heretic in college, but I wasn't expecting to start a first person shooter whose main enemy was a furry midget with a conch on it's head. I thought a musical sequence might be about to come to life the first time I heard one of these grunts put his hands up and wobble away from me screaming, "He's a monster!" It was a lovely compliment to the snortling baritone of the Elites' surprised exclamations, "What, what, whaaaaat?!" With a few coordinated pirouettes the game could just as naturally become The Wiz in Space. The sense of exaggeration extended to the gameplay, requiring a literal hosing of bullets to short an enemy's shield before you could do any bodily damage. Levels were built around arenas in which you'd go from hosing to hosing rather than headshot to headshot.



It's been nine years since Bungie released the first game, and in the interim they've worked on nothing else, refining this absurd world of munchkins, purple armor, and elastic bullet streams. Halo: Reach is the end of all that. The neon theatricality has become a memento mori set against a perpetual sunset lowering itself over hardscrabble mountains. There are still moments of wonder, like the sense of scale in the launch sequence preceding the space combat mission, or the moments of jet pack platforming around the white towers of New Alexandria. But the pleasures are put in the uncomfortably tight spaces between the colony's collapsing architecture. Most of the story missions pivot on a point of failure. The fighting in New Alexandria isn't to turn back the invaders, but stall them long enough to evacuate the innocents. Likewise, the extreme gamble of going into space and docking on a Covenant ship is a strategic hail mary that succeeds but the scale of its success is quickly put into minuscule context when a new armada of Covenant ships subsequently come into orbit.



Reach likewise plays a game of Six Little Spartans with Noble Team, fingering each squad member for death as the story sinks downward. You don't play as Master Chief, but you might as well be. Noble Six isn't quite as dexterous as Johnny Halo, but the differences are marginal. You might be able to absorb one less bullet or not jump quite as high, but you've still basically wearing a super hero armor suit. Six isn't outspoken either, which is a vapid choice for the story being told. Gordon Freeman can get away with not talking because he's surrounded with spastics who react to him in such identifiable ways that you can at least begin to read personality traits into him. When Master Chief played the strong and quiet type it felt like a tactical dodge, not wanting to tempt audience disbelief by giving him the wrong voice.



Reach is specifically focused on squad personality, and appropriately so. Killing off six main characters is an utter waste if there aren't any personality traits through which their losses can be measured. Lose the funny guy and suddenly the group doesn't laugh so much any more. Lose the fearless leader and everyone squabbles about what to do next. The gang in Noble Team isn't as dramatically fanned out as that, they're more variations on the self-assured alpha gunner. And at their center is another mute. In the real world stoicism is a bad sign. Sociability is a sign of self-confidence and recognition of how vital close friendships can be. The quiet ones are, we fear, the sociopaths. The brooding poops who one day snap and go on a stabbing spree when someone says "margarine" one time too many. I suppose it's apt that you play a silent lurker given the volume of killing you'll have to do, but it still feels unnecessarily dull. Bungie had the courage to introduce lustrous purples and greens into the video game color palate, I don't understand why giving a character a powerful voice both in and out of combat remains such a risk.





It's especially conspicuous after ODST so effectively used its colorful characterizations and coupled with subtle links to gameplay. Gone is the labored wheeze that signaled damage in ODST. I'd think a subtle reinforcement of genuine pain running beneath the gunfights would enhance the power of the story and its myriad sacrifices. After a decade working on the same essential game concept, Bungie might have done more to intensify its themes in gameplay, rather than leaving them marooned to the cutscenes and the smoky orange sadness of the skybox.



There are a lot of fantastically dramatic moments in the story. Scenes of someone realizing hope is lost but deciding to stay behind and die so the group can continue a little further occur again and again. The ending scene after the credits is great as far as it goes, the game finally leaves players in an arena they won't be able to get out of. The Pillar of Autumn has Cortana's AI kernel safely cruising towards Halo and Noble Six is now officially expendable. You get control of her for another few minutes as waves of Covenant come for you. There's only enough ammo and health to prolong death, but not prevent it. Before you're completely overrun the game shows your visor cracked permanently, giving you a literally shattered view of the world as you scramble for just another few minutes.



A few missions earlier, one of your squadmates dies in a nearly identical scenario on a covenant ship. Later another character takes a plane on a suicide run into a Scarab to create a small opening. One teammate is sniped just at the moment where everything seemed like it might have been okay. If you're interested in emotional gameplay these scenarios are over-ripe. And in Reach they're all cutscenes. The lone example of theme and feeling trumping competitive interest happens after the end credits have finished. The only way this could have been a bigger cop out is if they'd reserved that five minute section for DLC. If a game is supposed to be about tragedy and loss, it ought to be about that in the moment to moment gameplay. Reach should have been built around 30 seconds of failure and pain instead of 30 seconds of fun. It's still the same 30 seconds of fun but the art team has been given a huskier color palate, which is somehow intended to transform the system into something it's not.



Reach is the most feature-rich and varied Halo game, but it's hard not to wonder if the difference between it and the original is enough to merit a decade of tinkering. There's Forge, Firefight, 4 person co-op, a leveling system that ties to character customization, and a big array of multiplayer maps and options. It makes the small list of bullet points from the first game seem tragically incomplete. Reach is as much a perpetual environment as it is an individual experience. It's not an escapist story, but an escapist world that aims to be habitable in perpetuity. It's a magical fishbowl that's always rearranging itself, rewarding loyal players with a simultaneous sense of familiarity and newness.



I finished Reach in two sittings, led from one compulsive pleasure-puzzle to the next. There were no easy places to step away, each lull put some suggestive variation of shooting just over the next ridge. When I thought about starting the game again the next day, trying a harder difficulty of dipping into one of the other modes I couldn't imagine what else there would be to get from the game. I've circle-straffed, tossed grenades and rushed enemies for a finishing melee attack, hidden nervously behind boxes waiting for my shields to regenerate. Thinking of doing it all again, in a slightly different order, and with slightly different objectives and rewards didn't seem like much of an escape. It was starting to feel constrictive, discovery was becoming repetition. Experimentation with new ideas was instead becoming confirmation that most of the old ideas still work.





More Halo: Reach Opinions



Optimism is at the heart of escapism. All great works of escapism are about self-affirmation, which is central to Halo and the idea of Master Chief. It's a big, gaudy, interactive "Yes we can." This was hypnotic when I was broke, out of work, and had no idea what I would do next in my life. It was an irresistible experience, being cut off on a strange planet, with its indifferent sprawl and inscrutable alien architecture, fighting against enemies who seemed genuinely alive and unpredictable. I knew I'd win in the end, but I didn't know how. So I kept coming back, chipping away at the story, learning a new tactic with each arena and its different arrangement of enemies, weapons, and vehicles.



I often think about what I get in return for my time with video games. I've found the most compulsively playable games are also the ones that leave me feeling the most used and hollow afterward. When I think back on what I did in Reach, it's hard to know why I did any of it. Nothing connects, the patterns that emerge from one arena to the next don't build towards a grand confrontation. Nor do they truthfully connect to an emotional idea other than the laughing gas giggle of winning at something for 30 seconds and then repeating it again in a slightly different context. The alien wonder and elastic heroism of the original have become rote, a formula of Greek symbols without a hypothesis to prove.



I hate playing games with other people. Board games, card games, word games--they all seem like a waste of time, an exploitation of our competitive distractibility. It's built into the names we have for them, they're pastimes categorized by their efficiency in distracting us. When this ethos comes in video game form, built as a persistent playroom that continually refreshes itself, it feels uncomfortably like jumping into oblivion. There's something sinister about Reach and its repetition of the now wheezing theme of heroism and self-sacrifice. It's become an elaborate delusion that makes it possible for an excitable and creative group of millions to yoke themselves into a virtual community for the primary purpose of accelerating the passage of time. It's a neon prison so perfectly constructed its prisoners come to their cells with pleasure and don't need to be locked in. And make no mistake, this prison is getting hungrier. It wants you too. One more round. One more mission. One more imperative to play the hero in a fishbowl, so you won't think about how much oxygen is left in the water. They might change the water and add a castle, but you'll eventually notice you're still swimming in circles.

New Halo Reach Achievements Revealed

Halo Insider  here, writing for Halo Reach Game News to provide you with the latest info and news about Reach, Bungie's progress, trivia, vidocs, speculation, what the fans are up to and 'The tr7th about how The Fight Began!' in Full Halo Glory (TM).



There will be spoilers! If you don't want to know NE thing about Halo: Reach, slowly back away from the internet now - though, from the beginning, you know the end....





Friday, October 29Noble Map Pack Achievements Revealed

Urk tells all in the Bungie update about Noble Maps Pack Achievements:



Dave Candland tells me that some of you were asking about DLC achievements this week. In an act of selfless generosity, he sent the latest artwork my way so you could thoroughly ogle it.







Totally Worth It









50 Points



Earn a Double Kill from the Grave in multiplayer Matchmaking.





Both Barrels







50 Points



Earn a Double Kill with the shotgun in multiplayer Matchmaking.



Cross-Mappin'







50 Points



Kill a player at long range with the DMR in a matchmade Slayer game.



You Ate All the Chips







42 Points



Collect all of the flags in a matchmade Stockpile game.



You Blew It Up!







13 Points



Blow up the research facility in a matchmade Invasion game on Breakpoint.



Poppin' & Lockin'







25 Points



Destroy a vehicle using Armor Lock in a matchmade game.



Offensive Driver







20 Points



Earn a kill in a matchmade Rocket Race game.

There Are many lelemts about Halo Reach that I give a thumbs up to and a lot of elents that have been added that degrade the gamers enjoyability and increases your gaming anguish!! Here's A Little of Both.....:






My Pros:



1) Voting sytem - This is my favorite addition. The Veto system in 3 was so awful. None of the above will become very awesome when the full game is out.



2) Weapon Diversity - Is it completely even? No. But it is already a lot better than 3 and keep in mind this is what the beta is for. You see everyone using a cluster*expletive deleted* of weapons. A good example was my first beta game when I went +23 using Plasma Rifle for most of my kills. Its no longer BR or bust.



3) Classes - Definitely adds spice to the game. The fact that you can switch with each respawn is great. Sprinting up to someone with a Hammer, turning invis with a Sniper, and Armor Lock when Rockets come after you, make me happy.



4) Maps - The fight seems to be everywhere. One thing I haven't seen, is someone always camping one spot. This game seems to promote staying on the move. No one spot is completely easy to hold down.



5) Active Roster - Just a fun little tweek to make it easy to get a group together.



6) Playlists - They added some new challenges to the game. Headhunter can piss you off sometimes. I tend to die before I get to the goal even though I've done most of the killing. Invasion and Generator Defense are the 2 I play the most, though.







My Cons:



1) Grenades - My biggest aggravation with the game. They are completely overpowered. Something needs to be turned down. Either the radius or damage. If you see a grenade fly ANYWHERE near you, go ahead and be ready to respawn. If they want to make grenades realisitic, then guns need to be also.



2) Pistol - They paraded this as the CE pistol. Its not. Its rate of fire is great, but the damage seems to be toned down a little too much. I don't want a 2-shot, but I can unload a full clip without killing them.



3) Jetpack - Its a fun class, but it doesn't tie in with Halo at all. Where was Master Chief's jetpack? Did they forget how to build them during the times of Halo 1-3?



4) Invisibility - I don't like how it scrambles the radars of you and your teammates.



5) Voting - Reward the people that take the time to vote. If you don't vote, you don't get counted as voting option 1. If NO ONE votes, then go ahead and let it do option 1.



6) Divisions - Way too easy to get into the high ones. I'm pretty good, but I'm nowhere near pro. I made Onyx for some reason. I thought that class was supposed to be the unicorn of slayer? And you very rarely see someone in the lower 2 ranks, even when doing the other playlists.

Halo Reach Launches Three New Maps

.Want to see more of the new maps in the first DLC pack for Halo: Reach? Look no further, as Bungie has just released a new teaser for the Noble Map Pack, which takes you on a whirlwind tour through the three new multiplayer maps that will be included in the pack.





Above: A teaser for the Halo: Reach Noble Map Pack



Here are the official descriptions and multiplayer details for each map from Bungie:



Tempest – “Though we may never fully understand these devices, it is not our nature to leave ancient stones unturned.” This abandoned shoreline facility bends both sea and sky to an unnatural purpose, but the ground itself has quickly become another all too familiar battlefield. Though the two opposing symmetrical bases may never reveal their ancient purpose, both now offer makeshift shelter and access to strategic routes perfectly suited for small and large scale skirmishes alike. Tempest supports 8 – 16 players and offers a variety of modes including Free for All, Team Slayer, Team Objective and Big Team Battle. Tempest also provides players with a huge Forge palette, allowing them to create new custom map variants that can be shared with the community-at-large.



Anchor 9 – “Orbital dockyards provide rapid refuelling and repairs for a variety of UNSC vessels.” Within the confines of this low orbit dry-dock, UNSC craft undergo rapid repair and rearmament in support of the enduring war effort. But for the small squads of infantry who now fight over the mirrored interior hallways and open central hangar bay, this platform no longer provides any safe harbour – whether the close quarters combat is occurring inside or out of its artificial gravitational field. Anchor 9 allows 2-8 players to face off in game variants including Free for All, Team Slayer and Team Objective.



Breakpoint – “ONI officials believe the data buried within this artefact is key to our survival.” Atop this icy precipice, the Invasion continues. These modular archaeological labs were never intended to withstand such a large scale onslaught of Covenant military power, but the information being extracted here may prove vital to humanity’s survival. In response to the imminent Covenant threat, UNSC ground and air assets have been deployed to bolster entrenched Spartan countermeasures. This dig site must yield salvation, or it will become a grave. Breakpoint offers multiplayer mayhem for 8-16 players, and supports the Invasion and Big Team Battle game variants.



The Noble Map Pack, which will include Tempest, Anchor 9, and Breakpoint, is scheduled to release on November 30 for 800 Microsoft Points on XBLA. However, the new multiplayer content will also be sold at retail outlets.

.Second Halo Reach Playlist Update is Live

As we mentioned recently, a second playlist update would be coming to Halo Reach in October. That playlist update is now live, including many playlist changes, the most notable of which are a new Team Snipers playlist and a couple new Forge map variants.



Here is the full list of updates.



Playlist Changes



•Team Snipers playlist added

•Living Dead (Infection) playlist added

•Infection, Safe Havens, Race, Rally, Headhunter Pro, and all Classic gametypes removed from Rumble Pit playlist

•All Snipers gametypes removed from Team Slayer playlist

•1 Flag Classic and Headhunter Pro removed from Team Objective playlist

•Multiflag Classic, 1 Flag CTF, 1 Flag Pro, and 1 Bomb Assault will no longer be playable on Hemorrhage in the 8 player Team Objective playlists due to the size of the map.

•Oddball and Hot Potato will no longer be played on Boardwalk in Team Objective playlist

•SWAT, all classic gametypes, and The Cage map will no longer appear in Multi Team playlist

•Rocket Race will no longer appear only in slot 3 of map voting

•Multiflag removed from Boneyard and Spire in Big Team Battle playlist

•Invasion playlist now has 3 voting options

•Friendly Fire removed from Firefight

•Firefight playlist gametypes will be a full set rather than just 1 round.

•Crash Site removed from Score Attack

•Mythic Score Attack added

•Other weapons can no longer be picked up in Sniper Attack

Map Changes



•Glitch on Zealot that would allow you to shoot from space and back down into the map has been fixed

•Softkill zones added to top of sniper buildings on Asylum

•Respawn zones reworked for slayer on Boneyard

•Respawn zones reworked on Hemorrhage

•Warthog respawn timer changed to 120 seconds on Hemorrhage

Gametype Changes



•Respawn timer in CTF is now 10 seconds

•Classic CTF gametypes now require the flag at base to score, and flag returns happen with just a touch

•Flag no longer required to be at base to score in non-classic CTF gametypes

•Flag return time changed to 10 seconds (with 30 second reset) on small maps for 1 Flag gametypes

•Flag return time changed to 30 seconds (with 45 second reset) on all other CTF gametypes

•Respawn timer in Assault is now 10 or 15 seconds depending on the size of the map

Campaign Matchmaking goes live, level cap being raised next month.

Halo: Reach's multiplayer is getting another fresh lick of paint as campaign matchmaking finally goes live and Bungie announces the level cap is to be raised in November.



Alongside the launch of campaign matchmaking Bungie announced (via its comprehensive weekly update) a slew of tweaks in its weekly update with Team Snipers and Living Dead being added to the playlists while Rumble Pit has been streamlined.



The long-awaited raising of the level cap was also given a date of sorts, and it's due to be unlocked once the community has completed 117 million daily and weekly challenges – a feat that's due to be achieved sometime in November according to Bungie's estimates.



Halo: Reach has proved quite popular since its September release – we certainly liked it, and so it seems did some 3.3 million people in the US at last count.

Halo: Reach Review – “It’s Time To ‘Reach’ Reach”

   

I’ve played Halo for years and I can safely say that the series has had a huge effect on my life. I’ll never forget the LAN parties me and my friends had on half days in high school – these were truly awesome times. When I think back about Halo 2 and 3 I wonder if I was caught up in Microsoft’s hype machine. I’m not saying they we’re bad games, they we’re actually great games but like I’ve said before I feel like that with each subsequent Halo release Bungie slowly took away what made the franchise so special – Simplicity.



With Reach Bungie has changed all this, they’ve removed most of the features that over complicated the series and added new features that make the tried and true Halo formula feel fresh. Halo: Reach is the result of Bungie spending ten years perfecting the Halo franchise.





The single player campaign’s plot line is very simple, you follow Noble Team as they deal with the Covenant assault on one of the UNSC’s most important outposts, the planet Reach. The story is engaging and it is caped off by one of the best endings I have ever experienced in a video game – the final chapter is a truly moving experience and I’m very pleased that Bungie chose to keep it in the game. I’ve read interviews where Bungie’s creative director, Marcus Lehto, explained how including the ending was a subject of debate among the development team. I’m glad it wasn’t left on the cutting room floor.



The more linear plot line keeps the game focused and moving a long at a break neck pace. Every single player level is engaging and exciting, none of them cause the game to drag or get boring unlike other iterations in the Halo franchise. One particular level and my personal favorite Halo level ever, The Long Night Of Solace, is perhaps the single best level I have ever played in a first person shooter. I was quick to criticize the space combat Bungie showed off at this years E3 but it was great and definitely didn’t feel tacked on at all. Bungie managed to integrate this mini-game like feature in such a seamless fashion that it fit perfectly into the games overall feel. The anti-gravity space portion of the levels were also ridiculously fun and fresh.



The campaign is dark, realistic, fresh and most importantly a whole lot of fun – it’s an experience no Halo fan or gamer for that matter should miss.



Bungie made the right decision by creating an entirely new graphics engine for Reach, Halo 3′s was starting to look seriously dated. The result is possibly one of the best looking games on the Xbox 360. Reach does lag occasional when there are multiple enemies and vehicles on the screen, especially when your playing with multiple people on one Xbox. This is disappointing but it doesn’t really damage the game’s overall experience and it doesn’t occur that often. It would have been nice if Bungie spent a few more months polishing the game off but I imagine that’s difficult when Microsoft is probably breathing down your neck to get the game out the door. Overall the graphics have a much more realistic feel when compared to Halo 3 and this perfectly compliments the game’s darker tone.



The inclusion of new vehicles that are actually fun to drive, the Falcon, Sabre, and Revenant are also welcome additions to the franchise. Unlike past new weapons each new inclusion fits perfectly into the Halo universe and is expertly balanced.



The new armor abilities also simplify Halo 3′s item system and make the game generally much more balanced than past Halo games. The hologram ability, the only ability not included in the Reach Beta, seems rather stupid at first but it is extremely useful in sniper matches. Even though I’m a seasoned Halo veteran I often fall for this silly ploy – sometimes it’s hard to tell who’s the actual player and who’s the hologram. Fall damage has also been drastically toned down from the beta, it was difficult to avoid killing your self when jet packing across maps – I died numerous times because of this.



I’m also a fan of the new health pack system, maybe it’s just nostalgia speaking but it reminds me of Halo: CE and ads a sense of urgency to the single player. I don’t bother rushing in to a swarm of elites because I know that my health won’t fully regenerate unless I find a health kit. Martin O’Donnell’s music is once again amazing, he manages to capture the monk like Halo theme of older games but also still gives Reach’s music a fresh and engaging sound. The title music is particularly breath taking.



One of my main complaints about Reach’s multiplayer mode is the lack of map variety. A few of the multiplayer maps are remakes from Halo 3 and Halo 2 which is great for gamers looking to replay them but it’s also lazy on Bungie’s part. I would have liked to see these remakes included in the game but also a lot more new maps. A few of the remakes from matchmaking are Forge World maps so they all look very similar, this is also somewhat disappointing. I’m sure Bungie will release multiple map packs during the games life span and I can almost guarantee that one will appear on the Xbox Live marketplace very soon.



Another complaint I have about multiplayer is the game’s matchmaking mode. The removal a visible ranking system and social playlists irks me quite a bit. Rankings gave me something to work towards every time I played Halo 3 and social playlists we’re perfect for when I wanted to play games with my girlfriend who isn’t that great at Halo. I realize why bungie did this, to try to keep the community in one single playlist and decrease the amount of time it takes to find games, but that doesn’t mean I really like it. The new arena is Bungie’s new playlist for competitive ranked gaming but it’s a somewhat confusing method and is rather time consuming. Apparently you need to play three games a day for six days until you are assigned a division. Then after that you play other gamers in your division and are given the opportunity to move to a higher level. It sounds cool and gives you something to work towards on a monthly basis because it resets every season.



The inclusion of Halo: ODST’s firefight mode is also great, there’s nothing like jumping into a game with a few friends and blindly blasting away at the Covenant. The fact that it supports matchmaking now to is also great, if your down one friend you can still create a four person team. I still wish Bungie included a server list in Reach, Forge World is an amazing tool and the ability to share maps with other users is a great feature but without a server or game list you can only play your creations with people on your friends list. With all the content included in Reach I find it strange that Bungie still didn’t add this feature in their swan song to the Halo franchise.



As soon as you start playing it’s very easy to tell that Halo: Reach is culmination of 10 years of game design. As someone who’s been playing Halo since the franchise began I can safely say that this is by far the best game in the series. It even surpassed Halo: Combat evolved – for a nostalgic person like my self this is not an easy feat for a game developer to accomplish.



Game Judgment’s Christopher Goodchild will also be reviewing Reach so be on the look out for his opinion on Bungie’s latest epic over the next few days.



Pros



-Great single player experience



-Possibly one of the most content rich games ever released on the Xbox



-Great multiplayer experience



Cons



-The game lags when there are too many enemies on the screen



-Lack of multiplayer map variety



- No game or server list for custom games



Overall Rating 9.5/10



Reccomendation: Buy it!

Halo Reach:Second Thoughts

A Quick Tip For Earning Credits.....


After playing Reach for almost 9 days straight now, I think I’m ready to give a full review of it.



There is so much to cover in this review that I might be sitting here for an hour getting everything written. Firstly, the basics.



Halo: Reach is the prequel to Halo 1 (not the sequel to Halo 3, kids) and the best in the series in my opinion. The controls are great and the game runs very smoothly, and I’ve found no bugs or glitches in my time of playing. I expected nothing less than this when I heard of the game for the first time.



This game has the hardest campaign in Halo history, and I’m not just saying that. Grunts, Jackals, and Brutes are pretty similar to their Halo 2 (not 3, I really think they got dumbed down in that one) counterparts, but Elites are freakin’ HARD. Most are like Halo 1 Zealots, without the swords (most of the time). While it is hard, the storytelling is excellent, the best in the series. I think it’s the best campaign in the series for it’s difficulty and story.



Forge was introduced in Halo 3, and while clunky, was revolutionary for it’s time. Reach keeps the same ideas from 3′s forge, and improves on almost everything. Instead of tediously rotating and spinning blocks, Reach introduces rotation snaps, precision editing, and even COORDINATE EDITING. Instead of constantly dealing with the laws of physics, Reach lets you put objects in midair and even lets objects phase through walls. Reach’s forge is AWESOME. Custom games return, but, require a bit more work to execute than 3′s. I don’t want to explain it, but, there is a wonderful thread on bungie.net detailing how to do it. Theater mode remains relativity unchanged.



Most people know to buy Halo for it’s multiplayer, and I can’t agree more. You don’t have to play the already excellent campaign to love this game to death. Matchmaking is greatly improved, instead of individual rankings per playlist, you retain one rank for the whole game, which I like better because you can’t get matched with Captains all the time on Team Slayer. It even lets you choose whether to play with loud, quiet, rude, polite, lone wolves, or team players, but, it doesn’t always work like it should. It also introduces co-op matchmaking, which I really like. Firefight is now a gametype and not a mode, allowing for custom games to play with your friends. Cool.



Returning from Halo 3 is the File Share. File Share sounds like what it is, it lets you share gametypes, forge maps, and films with your friends. However, to keep more than six files in your share, you need to subscribe to Bungie Pro, which (I think) is ten greenbacks a months to share a ton of files at a time.



Reach is a wonderful game, and makes my #3 favorite game of all time. Problems, while there, are very sparse.

Halo: Reach launched exclusively for the Xbox 360 on September 14, and before the week was out, Microsoft and Bungie already had a significant win to tout. During its first 24 hours on the market, Halo: Reach logged sales to the tune of $200 million in the US and Europe alone. That figure easily bested Halo 3's $170 million day-one sales, though it also came up well shy of the $310 million high-water mark set by the multiplatform Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2.




Today, Bungie has returned to offer a more granular look at the performance of its final entrant in the Halo franchise before shifting focus to its Activision project. Though Bungie didn't offer a specific player count, the Washington-based developer said that Reach's number of online unique users during the first week of availability was equivalent to that of Halo 3's unique online users over the past 45 days.





Halo: Reach's opening week figures easily bested Halo 3's.

As far as concurrent users go, Halo: Reach's first-week numbers surpassed Halo 3's all-time high by more than 65 percent, Bungie said. The studio went on to note that more than 70 million games were played from September 13-20, with more than 2 million files uploaded to the File Shares server. In terms of playtime, gamers have spent more than 5,901 years combined in online games.



Despite the solid performance, Halo: Reach was not the top Xbox Live title for the week of September 13 in terms of unique users. After some confusion, Infinity Ward's Modern Warfare 2 retained its seat atop the play chart, still going strong since its November 2009 launch. Bungie noted today, though, that its "sources" indicate that Halo: Reach has managed to unseat Modern Warfare 2 into week two.

 

Above: Halo Reach! Finish the fight! Oh… wait a minute…



In case you missed the marketing blurb posted up by every single gaming publication on the planet, Halo: Reach introduces a brand new mechanic into the series with armor abilities. Each of these perks adds quite a bit more bang to your run-of-the-mill Halo multiplayer match. While advanced strategies regarding each armor ability are still in their fledgling stages, online play has already demonstrated quite a few “do’s” and “don’ts.”









Sprint



Above: Haul ass in Halo: Reach



What is it?



The Sprint armor ability is exactly as it sounds: you run faster when it’s activated. Halo fans have been begging for a sprint feature since Halo: Combat Evolved. Well, it only took around 9 years to get the coding right, but Bungie has finally delivered.









Do’s

Me First! Me First!!



Sprint affords you a much higher mobility than anyone else on the battlefield (you know; assuming that they aren’t also using Sprint). Take advantage of that to snatch up your favorite startup weapons and vehicles.



Sure, your team of Major League Gaming hopefuls will probably be bitching the entire match about how you don’t know what the hell you’re doing. F#$@ those guys. You’re the one who gets to drive the Scorpion Tank while equipped with the rocket launcher and sniper rifle; not them.



Peace Out





Above: RUN!!!



While fighting to your last breath over and over again is all heroic and whatnot, living looks much better on the scoreboards. Should an enemy get the drop on you and take out half your shields before you even know what’s going on, don’t turn to face your assailant. Show everybody what a skittish little bunny rabbit you are by hauling ass out of there. Seriously. Leg it to somewhere safe to recover and counterattack.



Melee Marathon Man



The Sprint armor ability is a godsend for all of you plasma sword-wielding sociopaths. The technique is simple enough. Run like Hell towards the person you want to plasma shank. Make sure to stop sprinting once you are within close proximity of your prey, as you cannot attack while sprinting.









Don’ts

The One-Man Army



Being the first one to get a kill is awesome; rushing ahead of your team to engage the enemy is not. You’re fast, not invincible. There’s nothing special about being the first to get a bunch of enemy ordinance lodged in your teeth.



Stick with your team, chief.


Above: Halo Reach! Finish the fight! Oh… wait a minute…



In case you missed the marketing blurb posted up by every single gaming publication on the planet, Halo: Reach introduces a brand new mechanic into the series with armor abilities. Each of these perks adds quite a bit more bang to your run-of-the-mill Halo multiplayer match. While advanced strategies regarding each armor ability are still in their fledgling stages, online play has already demonstrated quite a few “do’s” and “don’ts.”









Sprint



Above: Haul ass in Halo: Reach



What is it?



The Sprint armor ability is exactly as it sounds: you run faster when it’s activated. Halo fans have been begging for a sprint feature since Halo: Combat Evolved. Well, it only took around 9 years to get the coding right, but Bungie has finally delivered.









Do’s

Me First! Me First!!



Sprint affords you a much higher mobility than anyone else on the battlefield (you know; assuming that they aren’t also using Sprint). Take advantage of that to snatch up your favorite startup weapons and vehicles.



Sure, your team of Major League Gaming hopefuls will probably be bitching the entire match about how you don’t know what the hell you’re doing. F#$@ those guys. You’re the one who gets to drive the Scorpion Tank while equipped with the rocket launcher and sniper rifle; not them.



Peace Out





Above: RUN!!!



While fighting to your last breath over and over again is all heroic and whatnot, living looks much better on the scoreboards. Should an enemy get the drop on you and take out half your shields before you even know what’s going on, don’t turn to face your assailant. Show everybody what a skittish little bunny rabbit you are by hauling ass out of there. Seriously. Leg it to somewhere safe to recover and counterattack.



Melee Marathon Man



The Sprint armor ability is a godsend for all of you plasma sword-wielding sociopaths. The technique is simple enough. Run like Hell towards the person you want to plasma shank. Make sure to stop sprinting once you are within close proximity of your prey, as you cannot attack while sprinting.









Don’ts

The One-Man Army



Being the first one to get a kill is awesome; rushing ahead of your team to engage the enemy is not. You’re fast, not invincible. There’s nothing special about being the first to get a bunch of enemy ordinance lodged in your teeth.



Stick with your team, chief.

The do's and don'ts of Halo: Reach's armor abilities


An online idiot's guide to how not to get murdered in multiplayer with Reach's snazzy new armor abilities

Words: Jordan Baughman, GamesRadar US

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Above: Halo Reach! Finish the fight! Oh… wait a minute…



In case you missed the marketing blurb posted up by every single gaming publication on the planet, Halo: Reach introduces a brand new mechanic into the series with armor abilities. Each of these perks adds quite a bit more bang to your run-of-the-mill Halo multiplayer match. While advanced strategies regarding each armor ability are still in their fledgling stages, online play has already demonstrated quite a few “do’s” and “don’ts.”









Sprint



Above: Haul ass in Halo: Reach



What is it?



The Sprint armor ability is exactly as it sounds: you run faster when it’s activated. Halo fans have been begging for a sprint feature since Halo: Combat Evolved. Well, it only took around 9 years to get the coding right, but Bungie has finally delivered.









Do’s

Me First! Me First!!



Sprint affords you a much higher mobility than anyone else on the battlefield (you know; assuming that they aren’t also using Sprint). Take advantage of that to snatch up your favorite startup weapons and vehicles.



Sure, your team of Major League Gaming hopefuls will probably be bitching the entire match about how you don’t know what the hell you’re doing. F#$@ those guys. You’re the one who gets to drive the Scorpion Tank while equipped with the rocket launcher and sniper rifle; not them.



Peace Out





Above: RUN!!!



While fighting to your last breath over and over again is all heroic and whatnot, living looks much better on the scoreboards. Should an enemy get the drop on you and take out half your shields before you even know what’s going on, don’t turn to face your assailant. Show everybody what a skittish little bunny rabbit you are by hauling ass out of there. Seriously. Leg it to somewhere safe to recover and counterattack.



Melee Marathon Man



The Sprint armor ability is a godsend for all of you plasma sword-wielding sociopaths. The technique is simple enough. Run like Hell towards the person you want to plasma shank. Make sure to stop sprinting once you are within close proximity of your prey, as you cannot attack while sprinting.









Don’ts

The One-Man Army



Being the first one to get a kill is awesome; rushing ahead of your team to engage the enemy is not. You’re fast, not invincible. There’s nothing special about being the first to get a bunch of enemy ordinance lodged in your teeth.



Stick with your team, chief.





Above: Mr. Blue Guy thought he was a badass. Now look at him. LOOK AT HIM!





Another do of JetPack, hijacking an air vehicle, especially an UNSC helicopter and dropping it off a cliff then jetpacking away, but not after hovering away from the battlefield with two helpless enemy Spartans onboard.



I alo  have to say that active camo is my fav.... another do is sorta camping but its fun for awhile in the beginning, rush a power weapon and leave it there, go camo and just wait, when u get ur first bite kill that sucka


The Don't for the Drop Shield reminds me of a team who was seriously overusing the thing, so I charged into the shield they were hiding in a fired a rocket inside it. Sure, it was a suicide, but I got an Overkill out of it.
 
Halo Reach is awesome in every way and we all know it!! If you haven't witnessed the best game of 2010 Halo Reach yet, buy it below for only $50.00 Dollars:
 
 

Halo Reach Price Reduced

 












 
    In the game, you meet Noble Team and for the first time, players will fight alongside a squad of iconic Spartan soldiers. Each one with deadly talents as unique as their individual personalities and customized gear. It is an intense campaign that lets you live the events that set the stage for the Halo trilogy as the UNSC and Covenant clash at the height of their military power. Halo Reach takes a massive leap forward through all-new engine technology designed to take full advantage of next-generation graphics, audio, special effects, AI and animation. This game is the definitive multiplayer experience. It builds on the success of its predecessors, setting a new standard for competitive gameplay, customization, variety, and community integration. There is no question this is a great game. The only question left is why you have not bought it yet. It would make a great gift also.




I4U News brings you daily shopping tips on new releases, pre-orders, hot deals, sales events and unique gadgets. Read the latest Shopping Tips now.

With Latest Launch, Halo Could Reach New Heights

   
     This special Halo: Reach kit consists of a metal briefcase that opens to revel a series of Halo-related items.



(Credit: Matt Fitzgerald/CNET) There's probably no better way to determine who's a hard-core Xbox player and who's not than this: do they play Halo?



On November 15, 2001, the then relatively low-profile video game development studio Bungie, which at the time was owned by Microsoft, released what would become one of the most significant game titles ever--Halo: Combat Evolved.



No one knew it at the time, but this storyline, spelled out in the game's manual--for Microsoft's original Xbox, not the Xbox 360--ushered in what is now nine years and the six titles of what is easily one of the most successful franchises in entertainment:





The year is 2552. Planet Earth still exists, but overpopulation has forced many of her former residents to colonize other worlds. Faster-than-light travel is now a reality, and Earth's unified government, through the United Nations Space Command, has put its full weight behind the colonization effort. Millions of humans now live on habitable planets in other solar systems. A keystone of humanity's colonization efforts is the planet Reach, an interstellar naval yard that builds colony ships for civilians and warships for the UNSC's armed forces. Conveniently close to Earth, Reach is also a hub of scientific and military activity.









Thirty-two years ago, contact with the outer colony Harvest was lost. A battlegroup sent to investigate was almost completely destroyed; only one badly damaged ship returned to Reach. Its crew told of a seemingly unstoppable alien warship that had effortlessly annihilated their forces.



This was humankind's first encounter with a group of aliens they eventually came to know as the Covenant, a collective of alien races united in their fanatical religious devotion. Covenant religious elders declared humanity an affront to the gods, and the Covenant warrior caste waged a holy war upon humanity with gruesome diligence. After a series of crushing defeats and obliterated colonies, UNSC Admiral Preston Cole established the Cole Protocol: no vessel may inadvertently lead the Covenant to Earth. When forced to withdraw, ships must avoid Earth-bound vectors--even if that means jumping without proper navigational calculations. Vessels in danger of capture must self-destruct.



On Reach, a secret military project to create cyborg super-soldiers takes on newfound importance. The soldiers of the Spartan-II project rack up an impressive record against the Covenant in test deployments, but there are too few of them to turn the tide of the war.



Existing Spartan-II soldiers are recalled to Reach for further augmentation. The plan: board a Covenant vessel with the improved Spartan-IIs and learn the location of the Covenant home world. Two days before the mission begins, Covenant forces strike Reach and annihilate the colony. The Covenant are now on Earth's doorstep. One ship, the Pillar of Autumn, escapes with the last Spartan-II and makes a blind jump into deep space, hoping to lead the Covenant away from Earth.





In the worlds of video games, there are many developers and publishers that herald their franchises as among the most successful of all time. Of course, it can be hard to measure which are actually the most successful of all time, since there are many different metrics--unit sales, revenues, number of users, hours of play, and so on. But there is no doubt that Halo counts among the top tier, joining the likes of Guitar Hero, Call of Duty, The Sims, and so on. According to VGChartz, which tracks sales, the five existing Halo titles--Halo, Halo 2, Halo 3, Halo Wars, and Halo 3: ODST--have sold a total of 33.5 million units for the Xbox, and that doesn't include additional versions of some of those titles that were released for Windows and other platforms.



Of course, among console players, no one has played any Halo title on any of Sony's PlayStations, or Nintendo's Wii, given that the franchise has always been an Xbox exclusive. And while Bungie developed four of the five existing titles, there was a brief moment in 2009 (Halo Wars) when Ensemble Studios took over for Bungie, which had severed official ties with Microsoft in 2007. But with Halo 3: ODST and now, Halo: Reach, he now independent Bungie stepped right back into the breach and took back the Halo reins--and returned it to the top of the charts after Halo Wars' less than stellar sales performance.



And while it's been years since Microsoft released its Xbox 360 and moved the Halo franchise onto that platform with the massively successful Halo 3, it was only recently that the very last players were forced to step away from playing Halo 2 on Xbox Live via their original Xboxes.



Over the years, Halo has become such a cultural touchstone that not only is there a movie version in the works--it is scheduled for a 2012 release--but "Lord of the Rings" director Peter Jackson is on board as its executive producer, and actor Kevin James is said to be slated to play Master Chief.



Now, with Halo: Reach finally in stores--and likely on millions of players' Xboxes--the franchise has taken its next step. Last February, Bungie let the cat out of the bag, revealing that the game is a standalone prequel to the franchise, offering fans a fully original story and a number of new characters, as well as a scale beyond what the developer has done with any previous Halo title. At the time the company said that the new game will have a much darker story line than its predecessors and is centered around "a key turning point in the Human-Covenant War," said Bungie creative director Marcus Lehto.



In the game, which takes place in 2552, the planet Reach is mankind's final line of defense against the Covenant, as well as home to the human military, the Spartan program. Halo: Reach focuses on the Noble Team, a single group of Spartans, led by a character called Carter 259.



But, if you're reading this, you're no doubt one of the hard core. And you already knew all this.



.The following products are available:

Halo: Reach Pre-Orders Pass 2 Million Worldwide

Halo: Reach Pre-Orders Pass 2 Million Worldwide

  It was never in doubt that Halo: Reach would be one of the biggest games of the year, but with the release of the game now less than a week away, Bungie brings you the latest pre-order figures and week one predictions.

Anybody who has been following our Americas Pre-Orders charts will have seen that total pre-orders in the Americas (USA, Canada, Latin America) has now surpassed 1.6 million units and that the pre-order pattern for Halo: Reach to date has been very similar to that of the Xbox 360 version of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 released last year as shown in the comparison graph below:

Halo Reach Will Surpass COD In The Long Run

Halo Reach VS CoDMW2

Outside of the Americas, total pre-orders to date have surpassed 500,000 units with nearly half of that coming from the United Kingdom. We expect total pre-orders to hit just over 2.5 million units prior to launch, suggesting a day one of around 3 million units and a week one of around 4.25 million units (using pre-order to week one ratios for similar titles). To see how this compares with other recent mega-hits see the table below:

Halo Reach Retail $59.99 [Free shipping]

Halo Reach Limited Edition Retail $79.99

Halo Reach Legendary Edition Retail $149.99

Halo Reach Controller Retail $ 39.99

VGChartz expects Halo: Reach to perform very similarly to the Xbox 360 version of Modern Warfare 2 in the Americas, but going by historical trends and Reach pre-orders to date, sales in EMEAA (Europe, Middle-East, Africa and Asia) will only represent around 30% of the Americas sales compared to 50% for a typical Call of Duty title on Xbox 360 - hence why worldwide totals are predicted to fall short of Modern Warfare 2 on Xbox 360. That said, we do expect Reach to perform around 10% higher than Halo 3 did in the first week and become the fastest-selling Halo title of all time.So, where is the best place to preorder Halo reach? Amazon, Best Buy, Gamestop, Or Target? There are two types of offers being handed out to people preordering Halo Reach: Gift Cards or Exclusive Multi- Threat Armor. If you preorder Halo Reach at Best Buy Or Amazon you receive a complimentary $20.00 dollar gift card or credit with your purchase. This seems like the best deal to me and I already consigned on ordering it Online from Amazon. At Gamestop you receive elusive Multi-threat armor which is attractive to you hardcore gamers who want to get the jump on all of your friends. But, for us meagerly gamers inclined toward a free $20.00 dollar gift card, then Amazon or Best Buy is the best way to go.



Halo: Reach releases on September 14th exclusively for Xbox 360. Be sure to check back after launch where I  will reveal our estimates for week one figures.

Halo Reach is going to be Available In 4 Days!!!Yes, that's right so I'm going to tell you when you should pre-order yours, if you haven't. Where to pre-order Halo Reach. And What each exclusive package contains and the prices of each. So Halo fans, This is what you should do to get ready for Halo Reach:

   alt="Microsoft Store" src="http://ad.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/show?id=wnUDfL3SW98&bids=166833.10000219&subid=0&type=4&gridnum=11">

1. Stop Playing Halo 3! By continuing to play Halo 3 you are only wasting your time and ours by not finding out more about Halo Reach and how to pre-order it. Forget about every strategy or maneuver in Halo 3. In Halo Reach, there are completely different controls and the ninja and other BR tactics are none existent. So, MLG players. Get ready to transition to other objectives like stockpile, invasion, generator defense, headhunter, or CTF. That's right, the DMR is a single shot weapon and is fair to all people for mastering it, so no more getting four-shotted by a MLG player continuously. The DMR can kill an opponent via a four-shot but it can't shoot nearly as fast as the BR in Halo 3. No MLG, only cool objective games in Halo Reach.
2.  Pre-order You Copy of Halo Reach NOW because the fastest, cheapest way to get your copy is online via Microsoft Store: [automatic elite premium armor when ordering from Microsoft online]
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
      alt="Microsoft Store" src="http://ad.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/show?id=wnUDfL3SW98&bids=166833.10000219&subid=0&type=4&gridnum=11">
   
   

   
   

   Or Better Yet, Right Here On Amazon:
   
   For New Tab Go Here: http://astore.amazon.com/haloreach-beta-updates-preorders-20:
   
   

Xbox 360 Wireless Headset

3.Halo Reach Wireless Xbox 360 Headset: http://astore.amazon.com/haloreach-beta-updates-preorders-20/detail/B003O6EEN6: 

Product Features

• Features all the functionality of the Wireless Headset, a distinctive silver color and artwork created by Bungie that was inspired by Halo: Reach, the blockbuster prequel to the award-winning Halo trilogy.
• The Best-Selling Headset on the Market. 
• Best quality for the price, rated number one on headset review sites.

4. Buy Halo 3: ODST

http://astore.amazon.com/haloreach-beta-updates-preorders-20/detail/B001HWB68K

Halo 3: ODST is a standalone expansion for Halo 3 that for the cost of 30 USD includes 2 discs that features all DLC packs and a new multiplayer mode. ODST is a whole new campaign about an ODST squad in the ruins of New Mombasa during the events of Halo 2. You can buy it at Microsoft Or Amazon for only 30 dollars now:

   alt="Microsoft Store" src="http://ad.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/show?id=wnUDfL3SW98&bids=166833.10000219&subid=0&type=4&gridnum=11">

.
Halo Reach is a prequel to the main Halo trilogy and takes place before the events of Halo: Combat Evolved. Halo Reach is a completely new game due out fall of 2010 and it campaign is based on the defense of planet Reach.The Storyline Features the last battle between the Spartans And Covenant For Earth.Anyways, by buying Halo 3:ODST you're discontinuing Halo 3, which will be beneficial toward your speed of acclimation to Halo Reach and you're playing a new and exciting plot-line with some new features.

4. Reserve Your Halo Reach Copy At Best Buy And Receive A Complimentary $20.00 Dollar Gift Card

 Best Buy Outlet Store

 

:








5. Pre-Order The Halo Reach Limited Or Legendary Edition From Best Buy Where You Get:


From Amazon:

Halo Reach Limited Edition [80 dollars]

  http://astore.amazon.com/haloreach-beta-updates-preorders-20/detail/B002I0JF0Q 

• Fastest shipping arrival time
• Cheapest Prices
• Ability To use gift cards and personalize your copy

Or At Best Buy Where The Incentives Are:

1.  If you reserve a copy of the limited or legendary editions you will receive three months of Xbox Live Gold for free.
2. Reserve a standard copy of Reach and you get one month for free. 
3. They also throw in 500 Reward Zone points as well as an extra incentive just in case that matters to you.
4. Receive a $20.00 Dollar Best Buy Gift Card

Product Features

Edition: Limited Edition

• Game Disc in custom case modeled after a recovered ONI data module
• A custom in-game Elite armor set for use in Reach's multiplayer modes
• Artifact Bag containing a brand-new piece of the extended Halo universe: The personal notes and documents of the creator of the SPARTAN program: Dr. Catherine Halsey
• Dr. Halsey's ONI Security Badge
• Embroidered Spartan II Patch

Product Features

Edition: Legendary Edition

Halo Reach Legendary Edition

• Noble Team statue expertly crafted by the artisans at McFarlane Toys. Individually molded and hand-painted
• UNSC-themed custom packaging
• An exclusive in-game Spartan armor effect
• Complete contents of the Halo: Reach Limited Edition, including: ONI data module box, Dr. Halsey’s Journal, Embroidered Spartan II patch, Dr. Halsey’s ONI Badge, and the Limited Edition Elite in-game armor

Play And Charge Kit On Xbox 360 Controller

6. Get A Play-n-Charge-Kit So you don't run out of battery power come September 14, 2010.

   Imagine yourself putting  in Halo Reach for the first time so excited about your new armor that you can hardly take a slurp of that diet coke, and then as you're getting into true "gamer euphoria" your controller goes out. You look down at your controller and there's no light. Your batteries failed you. A guaranteed way to never have your controller lose power and become disconnected during Matchmaking ,or while you're gaming in general, is to buy a play-n-charge kit. These are lifesavers for your pocket book and your gaming reputation. You never have to worry about buying batteries again. They charge while you play and NEVER Go Out. Get yours here Starting At $7.58  [Now comes in red, black, and green]
http://astore.amazon.com/haloreach-beta-updates-preorders-20/detail/B003F2X200

7. When The Game Changes so has to your gaming gear. Halo Reach is bringing the intensity of gaming to the world and you better come equipped and ready to play. The perfect compliment to your play and charge kit is a gamer-optimized Halo Reach Wireless Controller. This boss features grip indentations specifically designed for better aiming, grip, and comfort taking your gaming to another zip code! This is the latest design and technology in Gaming controllers all available for you to excel at Halo Reach to your potential. Get Yours Here, Again at Amazon where you'll find the best price and fastest shipping time.

http://astore.amazon.com/haloreach-beta-updates-preorders-20/detail/B003O6HOAG

8. Have trouble finding a valid reason to buy a larger, flat-screen TV, plasma TV, Or LCD TV? Well, now you have one. Study shows [This is a legit study] that gamers who played with a 37 Inch-42 Inch LCD TV performed better than gamers who played on smaller TVs [around 24 inches]   and those who played on plasma TVs. LCD TVs size 30 inches to 40 inches are the best to game on because:

• They are cheaper than plasma TVs
• Better contrast/brightness
• No glare
• evenly lighted
• Better graphics

So, Don't worry about the expenditure of buying a LCD TV. You can find a quality one, as described above, for around 400 dollars [On Ebay Less]
Here's A Great {Place To Buy Quality, Cheap LCD TV's:
http://astore.amazon.com/haloreach-beta-updates-preorders-20/detail/B003O6HOAG

Or

Best Buy Outlet Store Cheap Tv's

9. Buy a sleeker, More Halo Reach Friendly Xbox 360:

• You need more memory sopace
• you need better connection and technology
• Prevent all problems
• Order a Halo Reach Console Bundle [Cheapest option combined]

1. The Xbox 360 Elite
2. The Xbox 360 4 GB With Kinect
3. The Xbox 360 250GB Console
4. The Xbox 360 Pro  4 Gb refurbished [170 dollars]

http://astore.amazon.com/haloreach-beta-updates-preorders-20

10. Clean- Out, redesign, and upgrade your Gaming Room:

   That's right. Take out the vacuum cleaner and wipe off your console, controllers, and TV. The best prevention from your Xbox 360 form retaining the Three Rings of Death is to always keep your gaming environment as cool, and clean as possible [trust me, I figured it out the hard way].This means dusting your room and clearing it all form lint, dust, and floating debris that can harm the function of your Xbox 360, and ultimately mark the terminal end of your gaming. Always, keep your Xbox 360 off your rug, because debris can just openly float right inside those crevices in your Xbox 360 Shell and cause you big problems in the future. Is it worth it to ya to have a cleaner, better smelling, overall flattering gaming experience just for a hour a month to clean-up your gaming room? I mean, really all it takes is putting the Xbox 360 on top of a table or placing it in a self-cooling fan stand [bought one after my 1st Xbox 360  my old one   lapsed terminal due to overheating] . Better yet, save yourself the chores and just buy a fan stand for your Xbox 360, trust me: well worth the investment:   http://astore.amazon.com/haloreach-beta-updates-preorders-20?_encoding=UTF8&node=82

11.Save Some Money:

We all know gaming can be an expensive hobby but we all have to have our cigarettes[ That's not a pun, I'm comparing the addict level of gaming to smoking]!!So, cancel that Netflix membership of 10 dollars per month and switch to buying from your local Redbox where all DVD's are only one dollar.The point is, you don't want to miss your car payment just because you purchased Halo Reach, so find the best deals[ Amazon.com] and forget all of the rest. The main thing you should be worried about is not breaking the bank not if you purchase recon armor for 150 dollars!! So go, on order your Halo Reach Copy  smartly from Amazon While There Still Available: http://astore.amazon.com/haloreach-beta-updates-preorders-20?_encoding=UTF8&node=1:

Halo Reach Full Preview As Title Nears Release

 Launch Date: September 14, Approx. Five Days

Halo Reach The Most Anticipated Game Of 2010

Halo, the epic Xbox series needs no introduction and neither does Halo: Reach, the latest, and possibly last, installment hitting the UK on September 14th – in less than a week’s time. With the full version already released to the press, an open multiplayer beta and a pirated leak, we already know a whole lot about the monster title and, fortunately, it’s all good – very very good.
Next big Halo game

The very last we’ve seen of Bungie was the Halo 3: ODST expansion released nearly a year ago and really, with Halo 3 coming out in 2007, fans have been longing for a major advancement in the popular series; well, Halo Reach is it, in a big way. Not only is it the next major title, but it actually initiates some very fundamental changes, unlike other titles in the series. Development on the game was already wrapped up a month ago, and, for those fans honest enough not to download a pirated copy, all that’s left to do is wait. Of course, in the meanwhile we can devour every piece of information available and, so, we present to you a preview of the major changes, most single-player campaign and multiplayer related, that Halo fans can expect.
Multiplayer looking good

Halo Reach Is Going To Be Awesome

We’ll start with the multiplayer, since this aspect makes up 95% of any Halo player’s game time. Moreover, with Halo: Reach’s open multiplayer beta for anyone who bought ODST, there aren’t a lot of surprises and we already have the low down on most all the details. Aside from a few complaints regarding the power of blast grenades, or the overpowered plasma launcher, the Halo: Reach multiplayer Beta was very well received by reviewers and Halo fans alike.
New modes, weapons, and game mechanics

With its entirely new engine, jetpacks, different classes, assassination kills from behind, armour, customisable emblems and, most noticeably, new mechanics which affect your character’s movement and shooting, the Reach multiplayer has a lot of, very cool, additions and changes. Then there are the new gameplay modes, including Invasion, Headhunter, which sees you collecting skulls off of dead players, Stockpile and Generator Defense, not to mention improvements made to well known modes like Arena and Forge. The best part: nearly all the changes and improvements made to the multiplayer have been for the better or have added a new dimension to the gameplay. Although it’s taken some getting used to for the Halo faithful, we can say with confidence that Halo: Reach actually feels like a truly new Halo game, without breaking anything in the process.

10X better than Halo 3?

Halo Reach producer Joseph Tung, himself an avid Halo multiplayer fan, calls the online gaming action in Reach ten times better than Halo 3. He’s not just being hyperbolic, as there actually is enough here to make the action feel different and better than Halo 3: ODST – maybe not ten times better, but you get the idea. Moreover, with Bungie making the necessary tweaks based on the beta feedback, we can only expect the online Xbox live action to be even more improved from what beta testers experienced earlier this year.
Epic campaign promised

While multiplayer might steal the Halo show, there are still plenty of people who enjoy, or even prefer, the campaign mode, whether playing co-op or single player. Bungie, it seems, have produced something truly epic for the fans in terms of the story, and gameplay.
Setting

The game is set in 2552, before the first Halo game took place, and, as the title indicates, takes place on the human colony of Reach. Of course, as any Halo players know, Reach later gets completely destroyed (save for one man) and we get to relive these cataclysmic events in Halo Reach.
Huge battles including some in space

The setting makes for some much larger, more cinematic battle sequences, which help the player feel truly involved an actual doomed war. Even some space battles are included (as you can see from the trailer below). We couldn’t ask for a better or more epic setting and Halo: Reach definitely looks set to deliver big time on the campaign front as well.

Last Halo game?

The Halo series is not officially officially over, but with Bungie now working with Activision and not Microsoft, there’s a very good chance Halo: Reach is the 10 year FPS series’ last hurray. Or at least, it will be the last Halo game developed by Bungie. At any rate, Halo: Reach, with its new engine, game mechanics, much improved graphics, overhauled multiplayer and very promising looking campaign mode, looks to be one of the biggest hits of 2010 and a definite must-have for any Halo fan or Xbox 360 owner.

halo-reach-legendary-edition-xbox-360
Photo: Microsoft

Why go limited when you can go legendary?

With Bungie leaving and Halo possibly ending forever, simply releasing Halo: Reach along with a standard limited edition wasn’t enough; No, Microsoft had to do something special, something legendary. Officially known as the Halo Reach Legendary Edition, this extra packed version of the game includes all the extras of the standard Halo Reach limited edition, including a developer journal, elite armour for multiplayer use, and goodies about the Halo universe, as well as something more. That something more is an actual specially crafted and fairly large Noble Team statue, with all team members attached, a unique on-fire Spartan helmet that you can show off in multiplayer, and a very cool looking UNSC themed box with everything packed inside. Of course, a legendary collector’s edition demands a legendary price, although die-hard Halo fanboys shouldn’t have too much justifying the £100 or so we’ve seen it going for.So, get your regular, Limited, Legendary, Or Halo Reach Bundle Below. How much are you willing to dish out for your dominance in Halo Reach?

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