Halo: Reach Preview

Zippitydoo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wTD6ciXxM6U

Rob2D

Your link is broken there. Heres a working one: http://www.gametrailers.com/video/halo-reach-spike-tv/59813

So now that its been revealed (aside from those leaked pics last month) what do we think? Let the speculation begin!

OhThePenguin

I think it looks promising. The trailer didn't reveal too much but I wasn't expecting that much anyways.

The new engine looks good and we got to see the BR and Sniper which is cool

Rob2D

Yes, nice indeed to see a new engine. And the battle rifle is a welcome return! Story wise it has an ODST type feel to it which I like. If they manage to combine that with the epic scale of the previous games then I think they're on to a winner. Perhaps the time is coming to give The Fall of Reach another read to refresh the memory!

OhThePenguin

I don't know how close to the Fall of Reach the game will be. None of the characters remind me of anyone from the book except for the big guy (can't remember his name in the book)

Also is the main character Master Chief?? He doesn't remind me of him, just the look of him, he seems more timid in the trailer, altough he doesn't talk and he is refered to as a lone wolf.

Rob2D

I don't think its him. Its another surprise i'd say. Suppose we'll find out when the media blowout happens mid-January.

Optimus Prime

Id say its defo the chief , has to be.. the new guy etc.. i had no interest in odst but i have to say i loved this trailer.. cant wait to see more.

Overature

OhThePenguin wrote: »

I don't know how close to the Fall of Reach the game will be. None of the characters remind me of anyone from the book except for the big guy (can't remember his name in the book)

Also is the main character Master Chief?? He doesn't remind me of him, just the look of him, he seems more timid in the trailer, altough he doesn't talk and he is refered to as a lone wolf.

the cheif 117 guy from the book is the master cheif from the other halos

Rob2D

Its been a long time since I read Reach but I don't think John was ever on the ground during the events. Wasn't it him that ordered the SPARTANS down to the surface, and they were presumed dead when the planet was glassed. Plus the guy in the trailer wasn't wearing the Chief's armour.

OhThePenguin

Rob2D wrote: »

Its been a long time since I read Reach but I don't think John was ever on the ground during the events. Wasn't it him that ordered the SPARTANS down to the surface, and they were presumed dead when the planet was glassed. Plus the guy in the trailer wasn't wearing the Chief's armour.

Exactly, and was he not the commander/leader of all the Spartans. He didn't look like he was in charge in the trailer.

But that was just the opening cinematic, maybe a lot happens throughout the campaign, we'll just have to wait and see

Rob2D

Yeah, Chief a commanding officer and he was in orbit the whole time. My money is on it being Buck. They mentioned that he survived Reach in ODST and its more or less been confirmed by Bungie that he'll be back for this one. So I'm saying Buck.

OhThePenguin

I don't think its Buck, he's not a spartan after all. But he probably will make an appearance in the game at some stage.

Rob2D

I thought it looked a bit like ODST armour at first but upon closer inspection there is a spartan insignia. If you download the version with subtitles you get their names.

OhThePenguin

Cool, didn't realise that, downloading it at the moment

Zippitydoo

Cool video I thought, loved the lighting and covenant ship they're flying towards at the end.
Graphics looked pretty impressive which is always a good sign, though whether or not they'll be like that in the final game is debateable.
Kinda disappointed about the different coloured spartan armour, dunno why they did that, liked the standard green. Overall looks good though.

Rob2D

They had different armour colours in the books as far as I recall. It'll be quite exciting to see if those in game graphics will hold up as you say.

OhThePenguin

I read on another forum that the trailer was made using the ingame engine, don't know if this is true as I didn't see it on Bungie.net, but if it is true then those graphics are pretty impressive

Rob2D

I heard its meant to be in game as well. They don't say as much but in the last weekly update Bungie said its definitely not CG and but the first cinematic.
http://www.bungie.net/News/content.aspx?type=topnews&cid=24069

At this stage what with Gears 2 and everything the xbox should be quite capable of pulling this off in game.

Zippitydoo

Yeah it is definitely in game material, but If I remember correctly Halo3 didn't quite look as good as the trailers. Ah **** it I don't really care as long as the gameplay is good, games are looking too shiny for me these days anyway :pac:

It's all about multiplayer for me!

Rob2D

Yeah, as long as it still has that Halo magic I'm sold!

OhThePenguin

I'm goin to buy it anyway, so trailers aren't goin to sway me either way.

Can't wait for the Beta in the Spring

OhThePenguin

More info available here: http://www.gamespot.com/news/6242904.html?tag=latestheadlines;title;1

Rob2D

I'll add to that!
http://www.bungie.net/Forums/posts.aspx?postID=39626001

And this makes for interesting reading:
http://www.bungie.net/Forums/posts.aspx?postID=39633213

And I also can't wait for the BETA. Gotta try that new BR!

Zippitydoo

They talk a lotta ****e on that bungie forum!

Rob2D

You just gotta pick out the good stuff!

robby^5

Looks quite good graphically. Some things that were easy to pick up on were each Spartan looks like they'll have their own class (you have the heavy guy, crazy guy with the skull painted on an knife strapped to his shoulder, the sniper etc.) also the references to not being a lone wolf must mean it'll be a squad based shooter, so a its a new direction for the series.

If Bungie are following the books then a chief cameo is likely since he is in orbit at the time and jumps away to the first halo from Reach.

Also I think Chief is the highest ranking Spartan, I've not read the books in a while but I remember it being said he wasn't the fastest or the strongest Spartan, but he had leadership quality or something along those lines. I must re-read the book but I believe chief would've given the Spartans the order to get into the fight on Reach as iirc

All the spartans on reach were supposed to be on Pillar of Autumn for a mission to take a covenant leader hostage but things went pear-shaped in orbit and The Pillar jumped away to the first halo

correct me on that if I'm wrong...it's been yars since I read it!

Rob2D

No, you're spot on there with your reckoning! The Chief was indeed in orbit with Linda and James on a mission to destroy a Covenant ship that had the coordinates of earth.

Zippitydoo

Re reading the book after watching that trailer- couldn't resist!

One thing that does seem strange is that the Spartans don't all seem to know eachother- the new guy- whereas in the book they all grew up and trained together. Guess this could be explained easily enough though... new Spartan projects etc. Just hope they don't enlist one of the characters from ODST as a Spartan or something stupid like that.

Rob2D

There was another SPARTAN II class but the story goes that it failed. The Chief's class only went up to #150, and not even all of them graduated. Notice how Jorge-052 asks if anyone survived Peagasi?

In 2545, the UNSC sent in 300 Spartan-III super-soldiers from Beta Company to destroy the refinery in Operation: TORPEDO. They successfully destroyed the refinery, crippling the Covenant supply lines, but came out with the apparent death of 298 out of the 300 Spartans of Beta Company. Because of this, Lucy-B091, one of the two surviving Spartans, was so shocked from the incident that she became mute and could not (or chose not to) speak anymore.

Due to way Lone Wolf's size and gait appear in the trailer some have theorised that it may actually be a woman. I thought that Lucy fit that description (no talk and all). I went back over Ghost of Onyx and found that she stayed at Camp Currahee and helped in the training of the SPARTAN III's until 2552. The same year that Reach happens. The Pegasi & SPARTAN III ops could explain the remark that Carter makes when he says: "I read your file, even the parts ONI didn't want me to". Now as of October 31st 2552, Lucy got caught up in the whole Onyx thing but Reach happens 2 months before that, so is it possible she was there and is in fact Lone Wolf???? I shall investigate this further.

Rob2D

Wait no, that theory didn't pan out.

Zippitydoo

So it has to be the 1 remaining spartan that survived? I have to read ghosts of onyx never did, just finished re-reading fall or reach though, great stuff. I guess they're gonna have to have a story preventing the covenant from glassing reach straight away so the storyline of Halo:Reach can take place...