It has been nearly ten years since game developer Bungie Studios released their first game in the Halo series, “Halo: Combat Evolved.” A decade later, having released two sequels and a spin-off/expansion game, the Halo series has sold over 34 million copies worldwide. The franchise as a whole has generated sales of more than $1.7 billion, with Bungie’s games prior to Reach making up to $1.5 billion.
Brian Schuster, a sophomore in chemical engineering and former co-vice president of the Multiplayer Gaming Club, finds that the Halo games gives gamers a unique experience with its strong game mechanics and tight controls.
“Halo offers a fantastic experience, something I’ve never experienced in other games,” Schuster says, “It was all I played when I first got it, and it has been really special to me.”
By the time “Halo 2” was released, Microsoft’s online multiplayer service Xbox Live was up and running, and Bungie introduced its adept Matchmaking system for finding multiplayer online. Having helped give FPS games a dominant position on the console gaming platforms, Bungie then brought online multiplayer gaming to the consoles in full-force as well.
“I’ve met people in other countries on Xbox Live, and the Matchmaking system is one of the best things about the Halo series,” Schuster says.
In May 2010, Bungie released the Halo Reach Beta, which allowed gamers to play test a small sample of the multiplayer game play experience. Players of the public Beta were given a chance to see and try out the new features offered by “Halo Reach.”
Teja Yarlagadda, a junior in aerospace engineering, was able to test the new features in the Beta.
“I really like the jetpack and fast sprint action. I am not too excited about losing the equipment like the bubble shield and the shield drain, but I guess since the jetpack rules it’s okay,” Yarlagadda says. “I think in Reach the fast-paced action will be diminished a little, and the more strategic Call of Duty-style camping/sniping will be more in play.”
Since the release of the last major Halo installment, “Halo 3”, Bungie has reworked the game engine and given “Halo Reach” a more dark and gritty feel to its improved graphics and physics.
“The art style seems a bit more realistic, and it has gone a long way from Halo 3, but the multiplayer maps seem better,” Yarlagadda says. “We have yet to see the rest of them and how the campaign looks.”
The campaign mode of “Halo Reach” was not available or shown in the Reach Beta, and so far fans can only speculate as to what the final campaign experience and story will be like based on the glimpses seen in game trailers released by Bungie.
Tony Dao, a sophomore in chemical engineering, considers the campaign an integral part of what makes Halo great.
“Halo sets itself apart from other games with its deeply rich environments, involving campaign story, its multitude of innovative weapons, and a huge competitive online community,” Dao says. “Halo: Reach’s features will undoubtedly add to the diversity of the Halo game play, as well as to encourage the development of new strategies for the gaming community.”
Two game modes returning in “Halo Reach” from previous Halo titles include the expanded Forge mode, a map editing kit, and an improved Firefight, a survival game mode where players are pitted against waves upon waves of enemies.
Teja Yarlagadda likes the level of customization that the Firefight in Reach will offer, but doesn’t know how it will feel overall. “The weapons are going to change, so while I like the concept of Firefight, the weapons can make it supremely hard or totally easy,” Yarlagadda says.
Brian Schuster explains that the potential of the expanded Forge mode could bring back the user-created maps featured strongly in “Halo 3”.
“Not only is it a huge playground for construction, but it also brings a whole new dynamic into game play,” says Schuster.
The success of the Halo series is a testament to the talent and innovation of Bungie Studios. With the imminent September 14th release of “Halo Reach”, said to be the last Halo game by Bungie Studios, expectations and hopes for the game are higher than ever. From its tight controls to its many game modes and features, “Halo Reach” is sizing up to be the biggest Halo game in the series yet.
“Obviously it’s not the first FPS game, but it’s popular because there are certain aspects of it that make it so re-playable,” Schuster says. “It caters to new and old players with weapons that fit different playing styles, and is a great game for everybody.”
