It's an edited copy and paste from something that I posted about on my Facebook page a little while back. September 14th to be exact. The anniversary of Halo: Reach.
I wish I could say that I loved the game. Sadly...I did not. The game did many things right, but it also did many things wrong and the entire game could have been so much more. It truly had potential...but I (and many other long-time die-hard fans) feel that Bungie missed the mark with Reach.
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The Story:
Many people consider the overall story-arc of Halo Reach to be one of the best in a Halo game...and I agree. However, Reach's campaign was not what I was expecting. There are also many things wrong within the game, that conflict with with existing canon. Such as the existence of the Spartan IIIs, the lack of/replacement of certain weapons that we know existed at the time (ex: the plasma rifle being replaced with the plasma repeater), and the addition of weapons that did not exist during the events of Halo CE. However, they have explained the lack of these weapons in CE by saying that the Pillar of Autumn was an older style vessel...a Halcyon-class cruiser...and therefore, it did not have an up to date armory.
Additionally, many people (including myself) were left wanting so much more out of Reach. The planet was the home to the Spartan program...yet we play as a squad of Spartan IIIs and ONE Spartan II during its final days? Why not an entire squad of SIIs? Why were the SIIIs needed?
I am not saying that the characters were terrible. I thoroughly enjoyed watching Spartans interact with each other and I grew to like each and every one of them. However...Jorge, the only SII, was perfect. His attitude, his relationship with Halsey, his self-sacrifice, and his overall bad-assery...Bungie nailed it. They really drove home what it was like to be a Spartan...whether it be an SII or an SIII.
All that being said, Halo Reach's story was good and a lot of fun to play. Many of us, were simply left wanting more from the planet where it all began...the planet that every Spartan II calls home.
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The Multiplayer:
Reach's multiplayer worked. It wasn't broken and it was playable. Playable enough for me to reach the rank of Eclipse before the release of Halo 4.
I played Halo Reach's multiplayer simply because it was the newest game at the time and its the game all of my friends were playing. To me, it was just too different. The addition of so many new features, game modes, and weapons...it just wasn't the same.
Armor abilities? Stockpile? Headhunter? The needle rifle? Plasma launcher? Grenade launcher? ...armor lock? >_____>
It was a Halo game, but it wasn't Halo. Bungie tried way too many new things. Innovation is wonderful, but not when it hinders the existing status quo.
That's not to say that I didn't have my fair share of fun with Reach's multiplayer...
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With a new franchise that is free from the constraints of the Halo name, Bungie is now free to innovate and create whatever they want. They can develop a game that not only wants to be played by millions, but one that they themselves, want to play. A world that allows for creative expression and all the innovation they can muster. Halo Reach was clear evidence of Bungie desperately wanting to create something new. With a game like Destiny, they finally have the freedom to do that...and I simply can't wait.
---------------------
The Story:
Many people consider the overall story-arc of Halo Reach to be one of the best in a Halo game...and I agree. However, Reach's campaign was not what I was expecting. There are also many things wrong within the game, that conflict with with existing canon. Such as the existence of the Spartan IIIs, the lack of/replacement of certain weapons that we know existed at the time (ex: the plasma rifle being replaced with the plasma repeater), and the addition of weapons that did not exist during the events of Halo CE. However, they have explained the lack of these weapons in CE by saying that the Pillar of Autumn was an older style vessel...a Halcyon-class cruiser...and therefore, it did not have an up to date armory.
Additionally, many people (including myself) were left wanting so much more out of Reach. The planet was the home to the Spartan program...yet we play as a squad of Spartan IIIs and ONE Spartan II during its final days? Why not an entire squad of SIIs? Why were the SIIIs needed?
I am not saying that the characters were terrible. I thoroughly enjoyed watching Spartans interact with each other and I grew to like each and every one of them. However...Jorge, the only SII, was perfect. His attitude, his relationship with Halsey, his self-sacrifice, and his overall bad-assery...Bungie nailed it. They really drove home what it was like to be a Spartan...whether it be an SII or an SIII.
All that being said, Halo Reach's story was good and a lot of fun to play. Many of us, were simply left wanting more from the planet where it all began...the planet that every Spartan II calls home.
 |
| Jorge can be seen here on the far left. |
The Multiplayer:
Reach's multiplayer worked. It wasn't broken and it was playable. Playable enough for me to reach the rank of Eclipse before the release of Halo 4.
I played Halo Reach's multiplayer simply because it was the newest game at the time and its the game all of my friends were playing. To me, it was just too different. The addition of so many new features, game modes, and weapons...it just wasn't the same.
Armor abilities? Stockpile? Headhunter? The needle rifle? Plasma launcher? Grenade launcher? ...armor lock? >_____>
It was a Halo game, but it wasn't Halo. Bungie tried way too many new things. Innovation is wonderful, but not when it hinders the existing status quo.
That's not to say that I didn't have my fair share of fun with Reach's multiplayer...
---------------------
With a new franchise that is free from the constraints of the Halo name, Bungie is now free to innovate and create whatever they want. They can develop a game that not only wants to be played by millions, but one that they themselves, want to play. A world that allows for creative expression and all the innovation they can muster. Halo Reach was clear evidence of Bungie desperately wanting to create something new. With a game like Destiny, they finally have the freedom to do that...and I simply can't wait.
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