April 21, 2010

Halo: Reach Beta Hands-On Metapreview


These people actually got to play the Halo: Reach multiplayer beta!  Here's what they want us to know ...

Joystiq:
"The studio is enlarging the scope of Halo multiplayer, seemingly setting its sights on the team-based shooters that dominate today's online play. The essential "Haloness" is ever present in Reach, but the new Load Outs and Armor Abilities, plus the credit-based customization system that will play a bigger role in the final game, suggest that Bungie is looking to expand the engagement of its community into areas new to Halo. Still, there are growing pains to get through, and I'm interested to see how Bungie works out these issues throughout the beta."

IGN:
"In the hours I spent with the beta, I found that the changes definitely nudged the experience in a different direction while retaining a distinct Halo feel. Some of the changes will be jarring to seasoned players, but hopefully the beta will help sort out what works and what doesn't."

Kotaku:
"If you bought ODST or held on to it just to get in the beta, what you get on May 3 should justify those decisions. You're getting four new ways to play a new Halo, and the game's new traits add plenty of spice to tried-and-true matches. We were running around mostly experimenting with armor abilities, maps and gametypes, without benefit of any fundamental strategy or body of knowledge of how to apply our new talents. In plenty of circumstances Halo: Reach will feel like something new. But not unfamiliar."

1up:
"... Reach's new multiplayer modes and its refined matchmaking system, may prove to be window-dressing for Bungie's work behind the curtain to change how gamers play Halo. If Reach really can appeal to casual and fanatical players alike, if it can pull in newcomers to play alongside hardcore fans, and then keep them all playing a little bit every day -- that would be no small accomplishment. But then, Bungie is pouring a decade of experience into this, their last outing in the Halo universe, in order to make Reach the definitive Halo game."

CVG:
"Purists will be glad to hear that traditional game modes such as Slayer, Capture the Flag and King of the Hill still feature - but we reckon you'll be far more interested in the new stuff Reach brings to the plasma rifle-filled table."
GameSpot:
"Needless to say, there's a lot to the Halo: Reach beta--and for good reason."
Eleven.
More.
Days.

1 comment:

  1. Yeah, I was hesitant at first but I will be buying this one. We should all buy it, seeing how it will Bungie's last halo. I'm sure it won't be the last halo game though.

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