Halo: Reach

Halo: Reach is an exercise in nostalgia and in this case, it’s not a bad thing. It’s a testament to how well the original gameplay of the first Halo game holds up even after an entire generation.

Yes, it looks brand new, what with the game’s engine built from scratch ”“ in fact, it’s one of the best looking games this year ”“ but Halo was never about the graphics. It’s always been about the gameplay. The controls are slick, the AI fantastic and the weapons feel just right. Throw in some sweet power-ups such as jet packs and invisibility that add depth and strategy to the gameplay, and you have a very potent combination for sheer awesomeness.

For those of you who haven’t read the novels of the Halo universe, Halo: Reach lays the foundation for events that followed in the franchise from the classic Halo: Combat Evolved all the way up to 2007’s monster hit, Halo 3. It has you along with your team, defending the planet of Reach from the alien race known as the Covenant.

Unlike the previous generation, though, the single-player campaign doesn’t have you playing as the Microsoft mascot Master Chief; rather you don the role of another super soldier, Noble 6 who is a part of an elite squad of equally skilled warriors known as the Noble Team. So, much unlike the other games, you’ll rarely feel alone in Halo: Reach with at least one squad member joining in the carnage.

While the story is average at best and the screen time given to the supporting characters is barely enough to make you feel for them, the game showcases what Bungie, the developers, do best:  build tight, action-packed sequences of gameplay. Even more impressive are the fantastic multiplayer modes with everything from the staple team death match to the Firefight mode, which has you and your friends up against waves of enemies. Along with some sweet customisation options and the robust Forge map editor you’ll find yourself immersed in multiplayer goodness long after you’re done with the single-player campaign.

There you have it, this is perhaps going to be the last installment in the Halo franchise this generation and it delivers in spades. So lock and load for one last mission and several more with your friends once you’re done, you won’t regret it.