Halo Reach Thread


Recommended Posts

Pretty good analysis, and I think he's probably spot on!

My main gripe remains whether or not this game is fresh enough for a $60 price tag. Its a legitimate complaint and I hope you all don't think I'm bitter at life here.

I love(d) the Halo franchise since launch, but I don't see anything really evolutionary here to "upgrade" to borrow a pc term. With what they've done with forge and added content, what's stopping them from adding DLC equipment or possibly weapons?

I wouldn't worry, it looks like an awesome and wholly new game worth a '$60 price-tag'. I'm assuming hardly any of us will pay that much any way. I feel much better about shelling out full price for this than any other game.

Hell, I might just have to buy a new Xbox that isn't banned!

Disagree with you 100%.

He's right. Just compare the games side by side:


  • Halo CE
  • No Dual Wield
  • Campaign power ups
  • Enemies - only four kinds of covenant, Hunters died from one shot to the back with a precision weapon. Flood could not be melee'd to death practically, one hit kills difficult on them.
  • Enemy vehicles had independent health bars.
  • Covenant had no long range precision weaponry, but their close combat weaponry was extremely effective with its freeze ability and the unwieldable Sword/Fuel Rod.
  • Fall Damage
  • 4 of the two grenade types
  • Melee had no lunge or assists
  • Health packs
    Halo 2
  • Dual Wielding
  • Addition of Carbine, Brute Shot, Wieldable Sword, Beam Rifle, SMG's, Rocket lock on and Battle Rifle. Removal of Assault Rifle and plasma freeze
  • Replacement of turret with new version. Covenant given warthog counterpart along with the numerous duplications fro their weapons. Health is now reliant on player.
  • No campaign power ups
  • Introduction of Buggers (worst Halo enemy ever) and Brutes (good idea, bad execution).
  • Arbiter takes spotlight, not MC.
  • Brute Shot had bounce
  • No health, shield only system
  • Melee lunge added in.
  • Intense Auto-aim and Aim Assist
  • Scorpion gets a cockpit hatch, loses speed and reload timer
  • Flood can drive vehicles, new Sentinel type
  • Introduction of Assault and Xbox LIVE! + heavily customizable gametypes
  • Boss battles in Campaign.
  • Elites and Brutes main enemy.
    Halo 3
  • Forge
  • Replay Theater
  • More customization
  • Armor perms
  • Needler single wield
  • Sword gets ammunition
  • Brute Hammer, Laser, missile pod, turrets, spiker, mauler, spike nade, incendiary grenade, Assault Rifle and equipment introduced
  • Melee toned down, but patched to create tie's.
  • Magnum made stronger
  • Covenant lose warthog counterpart
  • Classes of enemies more pronounced, new flood types, but all flood is very susceptible to melee or headshot.
  • No campaign power ups
  • Vehicle health tied to character, vehicles added include the Mongoose, AA Wraith, Chopper, other Brute Warthog counterpart and the Scarab (not a vehicle in Halo 2)
  • Battle Rifle dominates gameplay, easy to find easy to get and supply with ammo.
  • Levels become complex and graphically interesting, modifying the simple gameplay of the original games with excess geometry that throws off precision grenade throws or gets in the way of character movement.
  • 2 grenades of each type over the original four.
  • Brutes main enemy

ODST went back to the Halo CE formula, despite still being a bit contaminated with equipment and Brutes. It lacked dual wielding, had health and stamina (health and shields), health packs, etc. Halo Reach, however, looks like even more confusion. Equipement being replaced by Perms, jetpacks, cloak, etc. But they are bringing back the Halo CE pistol and are fixing the BR as the DMR. Made the Carbine more cannon like by turning it into the Needle Rifle. What I also hope to see is the return of Plasma Freeze to an extent, but I doubt that will happen. All these games are entirely different, and none of them are even remotely the same as Halo CE other than ODST. Halo Reach may come close, depending on how it plays.

He's right.

I still disagree 100%. All 3 (or 4 if you count ODST) felt the same and played the same to me. Of course each new game brought different features and options. That isn't what we have been discussing. Halo Reach looks like Halo is Halo still, but with many improvements.

I still disagree 100%. All 3 (or 4 if you count ODST) felt the same and played the same to me. Of course each new game brought different features and options. That isn't what we have been discussing. Halo Reach looks like Halo is Halo still, but with many improvements.

There certainly no doubt in my mind, a very convincing argument has been put forth showing the exact minute gameplay differences between different Halo games.

You cou;d've maybe Rambo'd them all, but you wern't playing them properly...

There certainly no doubt in my mind, a very convincing argument has been put forth showing the exact minute gameplay differences between different Halo games.

Yup...and in the end...it's halo is halo is halo. There is nothing we can do to change your opinion. It's subjective.

Yup...and in the end...it's halo is halo is halo. There is nothing we can do to change your opinion. It's subjective.

Halo is nothing but different. Halo CE was different than every other shooter at the time, and from even its future iterations. Halo is Halo, Halo 2 is Halo 2, and Halo 3 is Halo 3. All the games had their own blend of mechanics and had entirely different game play philosophies. I agree they all felt like Halo to an extent, but none of them played like the original.

  • Like 3

Yup...and in the end...it's halo is halo is halo. There is nothing we can do to change your opinion. It's subjective.

This is why it sells so well. Why fix something that's not broken. If a Halo game didn't play like a Halo game, well, I'm not sure how I'd feel about it :P

-Spenser

Ya except you get three different games and 3 different experiences in each three installments. There is nothing subjective about it, its a fact which even Bungie would admit to. If they were the same, why "upgrade" and simply stick to Halo 1? PC version has online multiplayer.

Whatever trips your trigger man wink.gif

I think the point is that just because they are labeled Halo doesn't mean they are the same game. Just like Half Life is very different in its experience than Half Life 2. The same can be said for the episodes even since the game itself was a bore fest riddled with mini-puzzles every two seconds. Other good examples would be the Prince of Persia games, all of which were very different from each other. Same can be said for the CoD games and Battlefield games. No two games give the same experience unless they are very, very good sequels.

I said Halo is Halo is Halo. You put Halo in, and you know you are playing Halo. Halo has a feel, Halo has an artistic direction, Halo has many things. But it's Halo.

The same can be said for almost every sequel game out there. Forza is Forza is Forza. You know what Forza is when you play it. It has an art direction, it has a feel, it has features that you have come to expect from the Forza IP. Auction houses, extensive online feature set, tuning, livery, custom parts. You know you are in Forza when playing it. Splashing on a new menu UI, adding cockpits, adding polygons, adding tire deformation, adding video editing, adding new cars, etc adds/changes the Forza game experience. But it's still Forza.

I can go into Halo CE, then jump into Halo ODST (and most likely Reach) and feel Halo and instantly recognize and play it as Halo. Because it's Halo. I would never sit down in front of COD or Resistance and mistakenly think I am looking at or playing Halo.

I can go into Halo CE, then jump into Halo ODST (and most likely Reach) and feel Halo and instantly recognize and play it as Halo. Because it's Halo. I would never sit down in front of COD or Resistance and mistakenly think I am looking at or playing Halo.

Have you ever tried to sprint in Halo, lol?

The point people are making is that Halo 1 physics is not Halo 2 physics is not Halo 3 physics and will not be Reach physics.

The game STILL is Halo and yes, we'll know that Halo 1 is Halo 3.. That's common sense. It's a series on the same g'damn game.

It just doesn't have the same game physics. It DOES play differently in terms of stuff like bullet spread with BR, reticule with a pistol, gravity, melee, and a plethora of others.

They all have been reworked with each release, so it's all completely different style of gameplay.

When I hop into Halo 2, it's not the same game physics as Halo 3. I know it's Halo because .. it's a Halo game I'm playing. It does NOT play the same whatsoever.

End of story.

  • Like 1

Have you ever tried to sprint in Halo, lol?

Nope, but I am looking forward to it. As noted in this thread, Halo Reach has caught my attention big time, and I really am looking forward to it. The jet packs are exciting because they remind me a little of the way Unreal used to play back in the days on PC.

Nope, but I am looking forward to it. As noted in this thread, Halo Reach has caught my attention big time, and I really am looking forward to it. The jet packs are exciting because they remind me a little of the way Unreal used to play back in the days on PC.

Meh, the jetpacks sorta put me off. It seems too much like Tribes for my liking. I understand that they are a replacement for the portable grav lift but they still put me off. Regardless it shouldn't effect me too much since I probably just won't use them.

Meh, the jetpacks sorta put me off. It seems too much like Tribes for my liking. I understand that they are a replacement for the portable grav lift but they still put me off. Regardless it shouldn't effect me too much since I probably just won't use them.

Well, I am interested to see how they implement them. It could turn out to be better than we thought or worse. Wasn't there word that they might be pick ups? It's new gameplay options, so I think it might be well liked. Just a guess though.

Well, I am interested to see how they implement them. It could turn out to be better than we thought or worse. Wasn't there word that they might be pick ups? It's new gameplay options, so I think it might be well liked. Just a guess though.

Well some are thinking positively: Grifball + Jetpacks = Quidditch! Who's With Me?!

Well some are thinking positively: Grifball + Jetpacks = Quidditch! Who's With Me?!

I love how they changed the game up by adding the user invented grifball and making in the rotation. However, I SUCK at it. I will just suck more with Jetpacks :)

This topic is now closed to further replies.
  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
  • Posts

    • Save up to 87% on ChatPlayground AI lifetime subscriptions by Steven Parker Today's highlighted deal comes via our Apps + Software section of the Neowin Deals store, where for only a limited time, you can save up to 87% on ChatPlayground AI: lifetime subscriptions. ChatPlayground AI puts the world’s top AI models in one powerful interface, letting you enter a single prompt and instantly compare outputs from multiple models to choose the perfect response for your needs. Boost productivity and creativity with access to the latest AI giants like GPT-4o, Claude Sonnet 4, Gemini 1.5 Flash, DeepSeek V3, and dozens more — all in one window. Whether you’re chatting, coding, generating images, or refining prompts, ChatPlayground AI equips you with advanced tools like prompt engineering, image/PDF chat, saved conversations, and AI image creation, plus priority support to keep your workflow seamless. Access the world’s best AI models Side-by-Side Comparisons: Enter one prompt & instantly view results from multiple AI models to find the best output for your needs 40+ AI Models: Includes GPT-4o, Claude Sonnet 4, Gemini 1.5 Flash, DeepSeek V3, Llama, Perplexity, and many more Multi-Function Platform: Access AI for chat, image generation & coding all within a single interface Web Browser Extension: Offers a Chrome extension to seamlessly integrate the platform into your browsing workflow Boost productivity with powerful features ChatPlayground Interface: Designed for seamless AI model comparison in one window Prompt Engineering: Refine & optimize your prompts for better, more accurate responses Chat with Images & PDFs: Upload visuals and documents to get context-aware answers Saved Chat History: Keep track of past conversations for reference & ongoing projects AI Image Generation: Create high-quality visuals powered by top AI image models Priority Customer Support: Get faster assistance whenever you need it What you'll get with the Unlimited Plan Includes unlimited messages/month Built for prompt engineers, startups, and teams who run experiments nonstop Includes priority access to new features and future models Good to know Length of access: lifetime Redemption deadline: redeem your code within 30 days of purchase Access options: Desktop Max number of device(s): Unlimited Available to both NEW & Existing users Updates included A lifetime subscription to ChatPlayground AI (Unlimited Plan) normally costs $619, but you can pick it up for just $79 for a limited time - that represents a saving of $530 (87% off). Click the link below for more details, always check terms and specifications before making a purchase. Get this ChatPlayground AI (Unlimited) for $79 (was $619) There are also two other discounted plans to choose from. Although priced in U.S. dollars, this deal is available for digital purchase worldwide. Support queries If you have queries or need support for any of the Neowin Deals, please use the contact form here. Neowin Deals are managed and sold by StackCommerce who represent Neowin on an affiliate basis. Why we post these deals We post these because we earn commission on each sale so as not to rely solely on advertising, which many of our readers block. It all helps toward paying staff reporters, servers and hosting costs. So for those that keep moaning and complaining, be thankful we're still online for you to even do that. Other ways to support Neowin Whitelist Neowin by not blocking our ads Create a free member account to see fewer ads Make a donation to support our day to day running costs Subscribe to Neowin - for $14 a year, or $28 a year for an ad-free experience Disclosure: Neowin benefits from revenue of each sale made through our branded deals site powered by StackCommerce.
    • I like Tidal, but it still does not control devices from the mobile/app and still no surround support. And yeah re: above comment I still get a lot of network errors and I am on a 4/4 Gbit Fiber connection.
    • Aren`t "security features" and "AI model that can see your screen" a tad diametric!
    • Samsung, Amazon extend 990 PRO 2TB NVMe SSD deal beyond Prime Day 2026 by Sayan Sen Recently, we had Amazon's Prime Day 2026 sales wherein there were several great deals including on SSDs. One of those discounted components was the Samsung 990 PRO SSD as the 2TB variant of it was selling for $370, a very good price after a long time. Although that deal was supposed to expire today, Amazon has now extended that sale further (purchase link under the specs table down below). The 990 PRO is a PCIe Gen4 NVMe SSD and still one of the fastest drives available today for under $400. Speaking of fast, sequential reads and writes are rated at 7450 MB/s and 6900 MB/s, respectively. The random throughputs for reads and writes are 1400K IOPS and 1550K IOPS, respectively. The 990 PRO is based on Samsung's 7th Gen V-NAND flash, and it too is TLC. It packs 2 gigs of LPDDR4 DRAM cache, which helps the random performance. The endurance rating for this is 1200 TBW (terabytes written), which should be sufficient for most users. The Samsung 990 PRO is compatible with the PlayStation 5, but if you are going to use the 990 PRO on a PC, check out the Samsung Magician app that lets you track your drive's health, update its firmware, customize various settings, and more. The technical specs of the Samsung 990 PRO 2TB are given in the table below: Specification Value Form Factor M.2 2280 Interface PCIe Gen 4.0 x4, NVMe 2.0 NAND Flash Samsung V-NAND TLC Controller Samsung In-house Controller Cache Memory Samsung 2GB Low Power DDR4 SDRAM Sequential Read Speed Up to 7,450 MB/s Sequential Write Speed Up to 6,900 MB/s Random Read (4KB, QD32) Up to 1,400,000 IOPS Random Write (4KB, QD32) Up to 1,550,000 IOPS Random Read (4KB, QD1) Up to 22,000 IOPS Random Write (4KB, QD1) Up to 80,000 IOPS Operating Temperature 0°C to 70°C Reliability (MTBF) 1.5 Million Hours Endurance 1,200 TBW (Total Bytes Written) Get it at the link below: Samsung 990 PRO SSD 2TB NVMe SSD (MZ-V9P2T0B/AM): $369.99 (Sold and Shipped by Amazon US) Good to know This Amazon deal is U.S. specific, and not available in other regions unless specified. We only use first-party seller links (at the time of article publishing); ensure that you purchase from a first-party seller link only. Check out Today's Deals on Amazon | or our recent tech deals. Become a Prime member (for Students or SNAP) via Neowin Get Prime Access - Prime for half price (for qualifying Medicaid, EBT, SNAP) Subscribe to Prime Video, Audible Plus, Music Unlimited or Kindle Unlimited via Neowin As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases
  • Recent Achievements

    • Reacting Well
      NovaEdgeX earned a badge
      Reacting Well
    • Week One Done
      NovaEdgeX earned a badge
      Week One Done
    • One Year In
      BA the Curmudgeon earned a badge
      One Year In
    • Conversation Starter
      rosiecharles earned a badge
      Conversation Starter
    • First Post
      KMilenkoski1202 earned a badge
      First Post
  • Popular Contributors

    1. 1
      +primortal
      539
    2. 2
      +Edouard
      266
    3. 3
      PsYcHoKiLLa
      151
    4. 4
      Steven P.
      98
    5. 5
      macoman
      66
  • Tell a friend

    Love Neowin? Tell a friend!