Halo: REACH - "From the beginning, you know the end"

[SevenInchScrew]

The first DLC was announced today. The "Noble Map Pack" is coming November 30, 2010 for 800 space bucks, and includes 3 new maps, along with 10 more achievements worth 250 points.

http://www.bungie.net/News/content.aspx?type=topnews&cid=29224


Anchor 9
"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 harbor whatsoever – 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.

Tempest
"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.

Breakpoint
"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 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.

 

[PCtoMAC?]

DLC looks cool...

I finally made it to the final level on my legendary run. I am still confounded by how much the difficulty level varies so much from battle to battle. Anyway almost done!

 

[rezenclowd3]

I hope to never be caught reading a video game book That's not saying I have anything to be caught over though

Actually, I have to take that back. I read just about anything related to Formula 1, but that's different as it happens IRL

Ok, I hate to admit that I do like the daily challenges in Reach. I still ***** loathe achievements though....

 

[SevenInchScrew]

Actually, I have to take that back. I read just about anything related to Formula 1, but that's different as it happens IRL

Yes, because as we all know, only things that happen in real life are interesting.

 

[hazza.jockel]

Has anyone noticed that the scoring is sometimes a bit off in matchmaking? I was playing today and the in game scoreboard said i had 17 kills but the stats after the game said i had 22. Also everyone scores added up to be way more then 75 which is impossible as it is first to 75. (no suicides or betrayals)

Is breakpoint a re-make of a halo 2 extra map?

I hope to never be caught reading a video game book That's not saying I have anything to be caught over though

What would it make you look nerdy?? May i remind you that this is an online forum about computers.

 

[SevenInchScrew]

Is breakpoint a re-make of a halo 2 extra map?

No

 

[Dr McKay]

Mike-Romeo Team, Form up ^^

 

[PCtoMAC?]

I'm starting to actually like Halo multiplayer, I am still terrible at it but its growing on me. I think its mainly becuase its not Modern Warefare 2 so I'll just have to see if its got the staying power for me.

 

[rezenclowd3]

What would it make you look nerdy?? May i remind you that this is an online forum about computers.

Dude, have you SEEN my picture in the "Macrumors Pics" thread? I AM the definition of a nerd. (Though I at least look/dress "normal") I friggen race "pro" RC Cars, I fix computers, setup servers, airbrush rc car bodies, watch Star Trek, Farscape and BSG!) I am a nerd, but not going to read a book that goes along with a video game. Give me some Ben Bova or Issaac Asimov material instead. Well, almost done with just about everything Asimov wrote...

Shoot, I used to mod orig Xbox's and have used just about every 2nd gen and newer chip that was released for it.....only a nerd would do that I stay VERY far from Dungeons and Dragons, Warhammer and Japanese Anime ;-)

 

[micahR]

I am really loving the whole multiplayer of Reach. I am not that good at multiplayer, but I having a whole lot of fun. And Firefight is my number one seed, I just wish death had a bigger penalty.

I really hoping Microsoft re-releases Halo 1 and 2, using the reach engine.

 

[SevenInchScrew]

And Firefight is my number one seed, I just wish death had a bigger penalty.

Firefight is great fun, especially Score Attack. I play the crap out of that. There was another playlist update today, tweaking Firefight, along with some other things. They have bumped regular Firefight up from 1 round to a full set, so that is nice. Also, Bungie mentioned in an update recently that they were going to probably down the road add in a "Firefight Classic" mode to Matchmaking. That would be like it was in ODST, where your team has a limited number of lives for the team. They also said they will probably be adding a Legendary difficulty option as well, so that will bump up the challenge quite a lot.

I really hoping Microsoft re-releases Halo 1 and 2, using the reach engine.

Halo Anthology, with all 5 games, all updated using the Reach engine. Believe!

 

[micahR]

Firefight is great fun, especially Score Attack. I play the crap out of that. There was another playlist update today, tweaking Firefight, along with some other things. They have bumped regular Firefight up from 1 round to a full set, so that is nice. Also, Bungie mentioned in an update recently that they were going to probably down the road add in a "Firefight Classic" mode to Matchmaking. That would be like it was in ODST, where your team has a limited number of lives for the team. They also said they will probably be adding a Legendary difficulty option as well, so that will bump up the challenge quite a lot.

I played the updated firefight last night and it was 10 times better with the new tweaks. I love the fact that if you don't kill all of the covies with the allotted time, the game is over. I just need sniperfight and rocketfight to be moved into their own category.
If they add in a limited number of lives, then I will definitely have to change my play style.

 

[whooleytoo]

Yep, the game has some datapads in all of the various levels. Much like the Terminals in Halo 3, and the Audio Logs in ODST, these are sort of hidden. They all tell a different bit of side story, or back story. Not really required, per se, but they do give some good info if you do hunt them down.

Thanks. I think I saw one, but obviously didn't stand close enough to be prompted to read it. Pity, as I think things like this - and the Terminals in Halo 3 - do add a lot of depth/backstory to the game. I'm just not sure if I want to go back to the start in Legendary to find them all - I'm not sure how I got past some levels the first time!

She sealed herself off because of the Covenant attack on Sword Base, to try and keep herself and her research safe. At least, that is what I took of it.

That might be it. Strange that they don't really explain that in the game.

Yep, both Halo 1 & 2 work just fine on the 360. They have turned off the old Xbox Live servers, so obviously you won't be able to play Halo 2 online, but the campaigns from both games will work fine.

Halo Wars >> Reach >> Halo 1 >> Halo 2 >> ODST >> Halo 3

Cheers - I'd forgotten about Halo Wars; I haven't played that. Does that include the 'first contact' between humans & Covenant?

I also read up a little of the Halo storyline on the wikis, and - while it's possible that they simply skim the surface of it - the rest of the storyline not shown in the games does seem a bit weak and superficial to me. Which is strange, as Bungie storyline/characters are typically nice and enigmatic!

Also I read that Reach may not be the last Halo game. Is the world visible at the end of the Halo 3 cinematics a hint to another game, or just 'keeping their options open'?

 

[SevenInchScrew]

Cheers - I'd forgotten about Halo Wars; I haven't played that. Does that include the 'first contact' between humans & Covenant?

No, the events that take place during that game are after battle has already started. "First Contact" and the start of the Human/Covenant war happened 6 years earlier than the events of Halo Wars, which in turn is about 20 years before Reach and the following games.

First Contact = 2525
Halo Wars = 2531
Reach/CE/2/ODST/3 = 2552

Also I read that Reach may not be the last Halo game. Is the world visible at the end of the Halo 3 cinematics a hint to another game, or just 'keeping their options open'?

Well, Reach was the last Halo game that Bungie are going to make, but you can pretty much guarantee that MS (the owners of the Halo IP) are going to keep it going for as long as they can. It's a cash cow, and a big company like that loves cash cows. Frank O'Connor, one of the writers/creative directors of the Halo universe and games, talked about the ending of Halo 3 at Comic-Con this year. When asked if we would ever find out what happened to Chief and Cortana, he said, and I quote....

We'd have to be the world's biggest a**holes to not follow through on a cliffhanger like that .... we certainly haven't seen the last of the Master Chief.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7sUVQuyRHY4#t=4m50s

Given that the planet seems to be of Forerunner origin, and there being a new series of books based around the Forerunners coming early next year, I'm going with that as the basis of "Halo 4", whatever/whenever that happens.