Initial Impressions – Halo Reach Beta

The Halo Reach multiplayer beta was made available to the public today so I thought I would download it and give it a go.

Here’s a screenshot of the first time I got to use the jetpack. I was so happy flying around.

I spotted another player and flew in for the kill!

The guy shot me in the johnson and then teabagged me afterwards =(

For the uninitiated, Halo Reach is the final Halo game to be made by Bungie before they move onto bigger and better things.  Its also the first time they’ve entirely overhauled the multiplayer component of the game since Halo 3 was launched nearly three years ago.  As well as new maps and new weapons, the most significant introduction into this version of Halo is different class types, so it plays sort of like a Team Fortress lite.  The differing abilities (flying, speedrun, turtle and camo) are all assigned to a single button so its nothing too complex or radical and the ability to fly around the map isn’t as potentially game-breaking as you could imagine.

I’ll also add that Halo is pretty much the only game I really play online, aside from when I run into Mike and then we play football.  What appeals to me about Halo multiplayer is how its possible for me to hold my own as an average player even though I play with no finess whatsoever.  My tactic very seldom strays from unloading an assault rifle clip into the other guy and then dashing up to him and using melee to the face.  Rinse and repeat.

So far, I’ve found in Halo Reach that this is a lot harder to do.  They’ve slightly weakened the assault rifle and the…thing that has replaced the battle rifle is completely nerfed.  I used to be somewhat decent with the BR but now the reticle on it is all weird and I can’t get used to it.  Fortunately, the flying and camo abilities are great fun so I’m still enjoying myself.

These are just early impressions at this stage and I look forward to playing online with some friends to get a better idea of the game.  I was planning on playing a few rounds tonight with Dom but yesterday he dropped a bottle of wine and cut his hand.  Dude got five stitches and its right in the palm of his hand where the tendons are so he literally can’t click the trigger buttons on the Xbox controller.  Talk about lousy timing.

Dom’s injury