Halo: Reach

Halo: Reach is another entry in the massively popular first-person shooter franchise that follows a group of space marines as they battle against the Covenant, an invading alien species that has wiped out most of humanity's colonies. Players can blast through the story mode, test their skill in multiplayer battles, and even flex their creative muscles in a few customizable game modes. In comparison to its predecessors, Reach offers a gameplay experience that's more grounded and realistic, while still providing plenty of moments of sci-fi intensity. For any fan of previous games in the franchise, Halo: Reach is a must-play.

Main Game Features

• Fight against the Covenant in 10 distinct missions
• Solo, cooperative, and multiplayer modes
• Create your own maps with Forge mode

Story

In Halo: Reach you play as Noble Six, a new member of the elite squad of supersoldiers known as Noble Team. Acting as a prequel to the first game in the series, Halo: Combat Evolved, Halo: Reach details humanity's last stand against the brutal and violent aliens known as the Covenant. As the invaders start to overtake one of the last remaining human planets known as Reach, Noble Team must fight back or suffer a terrifying fate.

Across ten missions, players will complete a variety of objectives, including blowing up Covenant carrier ships, searching for an alien artifact underground, and much more. While the individual characters of Noble Team are somewhat underdeveloped, their plight to survive during the Covenant invasion is one of the best stories in the entire Halo franchise.

Gameplay

This first-person shooter offers tons of different modes and gameplay experiences to enjoy, ranging from an in-depth story mode to a slew of competitive multiplayer options. Regardless of what mode you choose, the gameplay remains mostly the same. Players utilize a sizable arsenal of weapons to take down their foes, including traditional rifles, pistols, and even some alien weaponry like the iconic Energy Sword. Halo: Reach introduces different loadouts that can be selected at the start of multiplayer matches, allowing players to choose between sprinting, using a jetpack, and more. Multiplayer matches can be enjoyed locally or online against players around the world, with dozens of different mode variants. In addition to classic modes like Team Deathmatch and Capture the Flag, players can also enjoy their ideal competitive experience by using custom matches, which let you tweak a variety of options.

There are two other standout offerings in the game, including Forge mode and Firefight. In Forge mode, players can create and customize their very own maps, placing buildings, vehicles, spawn points, and more. When combined with custom game modes, Forge makes it easy to create your ideal multiplayer scenario. If you're simply interested in killing hordes of alien enemies, Firefight provides an excellent avenue for explosive mayhem. In each match of Firefight, you'll have to defend your base against waves of Covenant who grow more powerful with each successive round. Both Forge and Firefight are quality game modes that offer tons of replayability.

Conclusion

Generally speaking, Halo: Reach is easily one of the best games in the entire franchise, thanks to its variety of game modes, the strength of the overall plot, and consistently enjoyable shooting mechanics. The story is more realistic than any of its predecessors, resulting in an action-packed adventure that's surprisingly emotional.

Pros

• Satisfying variety of enemies
• Excellent multiplayer maps and modes
• Firefight is a great cooperative experience

Cons

• Some equipment items are frustrating
• Story characters are underwhelming
• No battle rifle