Halo: Reach "Carnage Carnivale" Vidoc - HO ... LEE ... CRAP

"'Campaign' prepares an amazing table, but 'Multiplayer' is your meal." - Luke Smith, Bungie Designer

These are the first words of Bungie's latest video documentary titled "Carnage Carnivale" (it actually has some accented letters to sound more French or Italian or something; I don't know how to put those in).  These guys make probably the best vidocs across the gaming world.  Plus they love their job.  And when you watch them talk about what they're making, it doesn't look like they're doing a "job" but doing what they love and it's then you know that they're putting their hearts and energy into the best product they can make.

Halo: Reach could possibly be the best game of the year.

Watch the video below and TELL ME that you don't feel a sense of excitement and anticipation.  Ten days!  That's all we have left for just the multiplayer beta.  Things will change by the time it's released so who knows how much better it will be when it's finished.  In the video (below), we get some great new gameplay, showing the Armor Abilities from first person (there's an Elite evade at the 1:12 mark!), the new weapons (the DMR looks like a beast, and the new Covenant weapons look great), the bigness of the maps, and the graphics looks even more polished than Halo 3.

Did I already say Halo: Reach could possibly be the best game of the year?

I did?  I'll say it again in bold, all caps, italicized and underlined and ending with an exclamation point.

HALO: REACH COULD POSSIBLY BE THE BEST GAME OF THE YEAR!

(I have to say, there is some bleeped language I'm not a fan of, but the overall video is amazing.)



The Reach beta and Alan Wake are tearing my heart apart!

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.

Halo: Reach Beta on GTTV; To Bungie, Thanks for Making the Wait Worse

Geoff Keighley has got to be one of the luckiest guys on the planet.

Taking an exclusive trip to Bungie, GameTrailers TV showcased none other than that little beta demo that's gonna be released, oh, I dunno, at some point in the near future; I'm not really keeping up on it.  But for those couple of people out there who are excited about it, you might be interested in watching the episode (embedded after the jump).  It's loaded with lotsa new multiplayer gameplay, as well as a well-deserved smack to the SMG.

Of major note is the discussion of the Invasion gametype.  It sounds as if it's Spartans vs. Elites (of which I'm confused because I think that's another gametype?) on vehicle heavy maps that become more open as each side progresses.  Loadouts and vehicle options begin few in number, but part of the goal in Invasion is to unlock areas of (your side?) of the map that grants more loadouts and vehicles.  We'll have to see how this plays out but it looks like Big Team Battle enthusiasts will rejoice and I actually might want to try some more BTB than my normal, what, like ten times ever?

Overall, the new innovations Bungie has made don't mess with the Halo mechanics but expand them while also simplifying.  For me, one of the biggest pieces of "innovation" is no dual wielding.  While this seems like a step back, Bungie really made an attempt to make the experience not any more full than it already is.  Now that I think of it, I really didn't dual wield much, anyway, preferring the trusty Battle Rifle over dual Spikers any day.  New weapons are mentioned (human and Elite grenade launchers!), your teammates can save you if someone is in the middle of an assassination animation, and June will be when we'll probably receive more news about the campaign.

So, whenever this little thing comes out, I hope enough people want to play it to help Bungie out a little; they've worked hard on this small project that probably won't receive any attention.

Whatever, everybody and every grandma is going to be playing this on May 3rd.  Watch the episode after the jump.  Now.

(Thanks, Joystiq)

Halo: Reach - Headhunter Multiplayer Mode Explained, et. al.

Via IGN with the full interview at 1up, Bungie is slowly unveiling more and more about the new features we are eagerly anticipating in the beta for their Halo swan song, Halo: Reach.  The clock is ticking far too slowly towards May 3rd, but to tide us all over they spoke with Thierry Nguyen of 1up about 3 1/2 of the new modes in the Reach multiplayer suite (3 1/2, you ask?  Read on.)

First up is Headhunter.  What I thought to be a head-shot only affair turns out to be a looting bonanza.  The goal is to collect and drop off at certain scoring zones as many skulls as you can.  You collect these little trophies when someone is killed.  If you're killed before you can return your collection to a zone, you drop them all.  You can carry multiple skulls with full Armor Ability and weapon use.  It sounds frantic especially when you factor in that a waypoint above your character tells everyone how many skulls you're carrying, drawing even more attention when you have 10+.  We'll see how popular it becomes and which version performs better, the Free-for-All or Team matchups.

Next is Stockpile, a cross between Territories and Capture the Flag.  Oh good, I thought to myself, two modes I didn't play much having a baby.  Awesome.  A little sarcasm there, but in reading about the mode I'm really excited about this one!  Similar to Headhunter in collecting points in scoring zones, four flags spawn randomly around the map (random in order, not in placement).  To score points, your team must have a flag in its scoring zone for at least 10 seconds.  The points add up when you have more than one flag.  Even if an enemy has infiltrated your defenses and is holding one of your flags, if it's been in there for 10 seconds you still get the points despite it being in the mangy hands of the evil side.  This mode could be crazy nerve wracking and I'm really looking forward to it.

The other two modes are Generator Defense and Invasion.  I won't go into details here because I want you to read the article.  I will say however that it is a 3-on-3 objective gametype (which we all expected).  Invasion is still under wraps (See?  1/2 of a mode), but it's the only mode available on the Boneyard map and the only one with vehicles.  To quote, it going to be "vehicle-full frenzy!"

Read the full article and also enjoy some pretty cool new screens (at least, I haven't seen them before!)

Halo: Reach Beta Details: "All of the New Hotness"

IGN must know someone on the inside of Bungie studios because they dropped a great 5-page bomb exploding with Halo: Reach Multiplayer Beta details!  Well, ok they probably don't "know someone" and it's just because they're one of the major video game magazine sites in the world and know everyone everywhere ... I just wish I knew someone at a game company :*(

Weird crying aside, the new multiplayer beta information that IGN received from their Bungie interview causes tears to well up behind my gamer eyes in a more regular kind of way.  Here's the skinny:

• We'll be given four maps to play on:  Swordbase, Powerhouse, Overlook, and Boneyard
• The main gametypes offered include, but are not limited to: Slayer, Headhunter, Invasion and, Generator Defense (more on that after the jump break)
• Many of the new weapons will be placed around the maps so Bungie can track the data they need, which means a lot of fun experimenting for us!
• Man-cannons!
• Vehicles!
• Jetpacks! (more on that after the j.b., too)
• Loadouts - I'm not sure what they mean (pg. 5), but it sounds like it's dictated by gametypes?  At least for the beta? 

There are also some really pretty pictures of the maps, which you can see if you continue reading below or check out the article!

Halo: Reach, New Matchmaking Details

I've never heard of this website before, but shacknews (via Bungie.net) ran through some of the excitingly ambiguous things we saw in that latest Halo: Reach multiplayer beta trailer.  Explained are:

Active Roster - Thought to be some kind of drop-in-drop-out mechanic, it's more of a pre-game lobby interface that tells you what all your friends are doing if they're playing Reach.  This would eliminate/lessen the use of the forever-loading Guide and provide an overall streamlined nature to Halo multiplaying.  Very cool.

Arena - This is for the more hardcore players with a great new ranking structure that sounds like athletic standings, "daily rankings" being a feature.  Geared more for the higher echelons, it doesn't discourage the low-levels as long as people play mainly against same skilled players.  Could be neat, especially with a prominently displayed global leaderboard ...

Various voting changes - The coolest is perhaps more veto options that allow for vetoing specific match elements instead of the whole thing.  For example, still want to play Shotty Snipes but not on this map?  Veto the map only!  Also, you can kind of customize your account how you typically like to play, whether you're "chatty" or "quiet," want to win or just have fun, "polite vs. rowdy," and even whether you like to play alone or are team-minded.

Speaking of customizing, no mention as to the Loadout situation, so we'll just have to drool over these pics and read and re-read the article because there's more in it than I've mentioned here.  This is a must read!

Halo: Reach Multiplayer Beta Trailer Speculations

IGN makes some very nice observations and predictions in their Rewind Theater about yesterday's exciting Reach multiplayer beta trailer.  Enjoy below!

Halo: Reach Xbox 360 Video - IGN_Rewind Theater: Multiplayer Trailer

Halo: Reach Multiplayer Beta Trailer!!!

I'm excited about Halo multiplayer again!  At least until it frustrates me.

But new game modes, gameplay mechanics ... the beta is gonna be something special.

Watch the trailer below and make sure you wipe the drool from your mouth afterward.

Halo: Reach Xbox 360 Trailer - Multiplayer Trailer

Countdown timer soon to follow!

Halo: Reach - Wha?

Read this.

Bungie is one of the masters of teasing.

I wanna know!!!

Halo: Reach, Will Be the "Definitive Halo," More Like Halo: CE

Normally, this story would be saved for my news segment, "The Daily Sync," or whatever I decide to call it in the future, but to me I'm jolted with encouragement that I can't wait until later.  Who needs a Jolt with an article like this?

And I'll be honest, witchya.  When 2010 started, all I knew about Reach was it was a prequel Halo title, and more than likely I was gonna buy it and finagle a day off from work to play it from midnight on.  I've always liked the story, probably more than the solid gameplay (which I do like, sans multiplayer).  One of my favorite levels was Cortana from Halo 3 because it was this awesome rescue mission, a mission with a personal purpose against towering (and Legendarily-frustrating) odds.  Another favorite Halo thing of mine ... the Arbiter.  Compared to Master Chief, the Arbiter has a much more meaningful story arc, very much a Pauline character, and my favorite in the cast of the trilogy.

All this to say, I prefer story and campaign above all.  I play Halo for it's story and appropriate gameplay mechanics over twitchy multiplayer.  And thankfully, there's an article out today that encourages me.

The Daily Sync for January 22nd, 2010

22 days into 2010.  I can't tell yet if the year is going by slowly or quickly, but January sure feels like it's zooming by.  And with all these flashes of days, I'm doing my best to spot the stories that grab my attention.  They mainly make me happy, not necessarily anyone else, so now I guess I've just revealed and spoiled my sinister scheme of despotly controlled video game media propaganda.  I guess I'll kindly work for Andrew Ryan now (or Fontaine ... ?).


  A lot more Reach today and ... some ... thing ... is happening January 26th ...

The Daily Sync for January 21st, 2010

About 500 or so gaming news articles pass in front of my eyes daily.  There is a lot of stuff that happens everyday, so don't let anyone say video games are for the lazies; these people are hard at work!  However, despite the myriad of information, nothing really tickled my fancy.  They may tickle others', but not mine today.  I do my best to section out the big news, however, but it's pretty much what I think is huge.  To each his own!  I hope you like what I choose as headliners!

Anyway, like I've said in a previous Daily Sync, no big news is no big deal.  It just means something else that's big is cooking, biding it's time for the right moment to surface ...

I can't even think of a good entice to click below, so you might as well just click.

There's a couple of viiideeeeooos ...

Most Anticipated Xbox 360 Games of 2010, Part II

Here are my remaining three Most Anticipated Xbox Games of 2010 (in alphabetical order).  Click here if you missed Part I.

The Daily Sync for January 14th, 2010

 

Today's edition of my favorite video game news articles of the day includes a new Batman: Arkham Asylum, the unreality of button mashing, and the eagerly anticipated first details of Bungie's mega-hyped Halo: Reach!