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Halo: Combat Evolved and the battle for boats
During development of the original Halo: Combat Evolved, Bungie actually created a working boat. One map in particular was discussed during today's Bungie panel at PAX 2010 -- an area with several islands where the player would have to navigate from one to the other via watercraft. Bungie showed a video of an early rendering of the craft in use, which very much looked like a futuristic version of a cigarette boat. In the end, it was cut from the game -- not because it didn't handle well, but because "it wasn't fun." Personally, we would've liked to try our hand at aquatic Haloing, but then again we're huge fans of Miami Vice.
Halo: Reach campaign co-op matchmaking confirmed
Plumbed from the depths of Bungie's latest weekly update by ThatVideogameBlog comes confirmation that Halo: Reach will support campaign co-op matchmaking. In the simplest and, may we say, least Bungie way to do it, public acknowledgment of the expected functionality was given in response to a Bungie.net user asking, "Can I haz Campaign Matchmaking?" The answer, in one word: "Yes." And with that, Bungie has confirmed that all three major Reach game modes -- regular ol' multiplayer, Firefight and co-op -- will support the developer's excellent matchmaking experience. Though this news is overwhelmingly good for Halo fans, we're pretty worried about what it'll do to our work days.
Halo: Reach snagged early from Microsoft's servers [update]
Continuing in the sad tradition of Halo 2 and 3 before it, Halo: Reach has apparently been leaked. Modders at Game-Tut.com found a way to trick Microsoft's servers, which are currently hosting the full game download. The download is intended for select media and only accessible with a code -- well, until Game-Tut apparently cracked that security measure. The site has yet to openly leak the files to the general public. It appears that the game is leaking other places as well. At least one video released shows off a tour of Forge in the game's Firefight mode, and spoilers for the game can be found everywhere from Bungie's official forums to NeoGAF (if you really want to see them, you can find them yourself). While Microsoft and Bungie will be hosting the usual slate of Halo review events around the world in the coming weeks, it appeared as though the companies were relaxing around the usually tightly-controlled media access to the series by uploading the game to Xbox Live. Unfortunately, the system proved vulnerable to the insatiable demand for Halo, which facilitated another early game leak for this high profile franchise. Update: A Microsoft spokesperson told Joystiq, "We are aware of claims being made regarding a security exploit related to Halo: Reach and are aggressively investigating the matter. We have no further details to share at this time."
Halo: Reach live-action short goes on patrol
Bungie fans -- and more specifically, Halo fans -- are feverish in their dedication. This tenacity is exemplified by the recent discovery of a hidden live-action short for the studio's forthcoming game, Halo: Reach. Bungie forum user "Canuckian" discovered the short (embedded after the break) by poring over the code from the "rememberreach" ARG, where a handful of Windows Media video file names were found. After replacing the first ARG video's URL with the names of the WMV files found in the code, only one video worked: "Patrol." In the clip, a trio of UNSC troops engage in brief, hurried discussion about the civilian rebellion on Reach and Noble Team's efforts to calm the "insurgents." The other videos -- "balloon," "hybrid long," "hybrid short," "new life," and "spaceport" -- aren't functional as of right now, but presumably will go live as we draw closer to the Halo: Reach launch. [Thanks, Zeridian]
GameStop hosting Halo: Reach promo tomorrow night, August 6
GameStop is keeping the lights on late this Friday to host an "after hours" Halo: Reach promotion at 1,100 stores across the United States. The event seems to revolve around a video featuring an MLG guy giving tips and tricks for Reach (that you can't use yet), along with supposedly new in-game footage and a raffle for a Legendary Edition of the game (that you can't take home until launch day). There will also be "text-to-win sweepstakes" for an opportunity to win a life-sized Halo statue. The marketing opportunity begins Friday, August 6, at 9PM (local time) and lasts 90 minutes. GameStop has a page to check whether your local locations are hosting the video vignette and raffle.
Halo: Reach achievements revealed, Forge showcased
Bungie's previously teased achievements for Halo: Reach's have finally been revealed through its latest update. 49 achievements can be earned across the campaign, multiplayer and firefight. We've dropped them after the break. If that weren't enough, there's a whole mess of new Bungie-created Forge maps on display. The update says they won't necessarily make it into multiplayer matchmaking, but if they pass "the same rigors our expertly crafted multiplayer spaces demandm" we could be sticky-grenading people's faces on those maps when the game ships this September. Ha-cha! [Thanks, Measlesopolis]
Swag Saturday: Halo 3: ODST [update]
Update: We've closed the comments, folks! Keep an eye on your inbox! Everyone and their mothers might be plugging away at StarCraft 2 all weekend, but we've got another grip of space marines for you to catch up with: the ODSTs. In the run up to Halo: Reach's launch, we thought giving out last year's chapter in the Halo franchise couldn't hurt. Don't forget it's got the entire Halo 3 multiplayer experience packed in -- oooh, and beta access to Reach! Oh, right. Anyway, let us know in the comments below what's got you most excited about the final Halo game from Bungie and you could win yourself a copy! To enter this giveaway: Leave a comment telling us what's got you most excited for Halo: Reach. You must be 18 years or older and a resident of the US or Canada (excluding Quebec). Limit 1 entry per person. This entry period ends at 5:31PM ET on Sunday, August 1. At that time, we will randomly select one winner to receive a copy of Halo 3: ODST for the Xbox 360 (ARV $29.99). For a list of complete rules, click here.%Gallery-72961% What is Joyswag? Since we don't keep the games and merchandise we receive for review or promotional purposes, it becomes "Joyswag," which is passed along to our readers. Please note that Joyswag may be in "used" condition. For more info on our policy, click here.
Halo: Reach Limited Edition package shots drop in
For nearly three months you've stared long and hard at the $150 Legendary Edition of Halo: Reach, but let's face it -- handing over $80 for the Limited Edition is a lot more palatable. Here's what you'll get: Custom case modeled after a recovered ONI data module In-game Elite armor set for multiplayer Artifact bag, which contains the personal notes and documents of the creator of the Spartan program: Dr. Catherine Halsey Dr. Halsey's ONI security badge An embroidered Spartan II patch Seventy bucks saved! %Gallery-97430%
Halo: Reach getting plasticized by McFarlane Toys
Did you really expect any less? Of course Halo: Reach is getting a full line of toys ... er, action figures, with which you can tastefully decorate your abode. Also, those of you attending the upcoming San Diego Comic-Con will find an "exclusive" figure only available there (or until it's decided that it gets sold everywhere else). We've got a full list of the wares just after the break, and pictures can be found over on Spawn.com.
Halo Elite costume sets the bar for DIY
Oh, you've made your own assault rifle from Halo? That's cute. Wait, you've made your own Spartan suit? Meh, it's okay, we guess. See, the dudes at Peter Mander FX have ruined us forever, because they've produced about the best homage to Halo one could ever hope for: the ultra-realistic Elite suit you see above. Largely comprised of plastic, TLC and dark magicks, the suit not only looks impressive, but it's animatronic. We can't imagine the blood, sweat and/or tears it took to produce such a lifelike recreation of this Covenant class, but we can get some idea from the video documenting the creation of this behemoth, which you can find past the break. [Image source: Device Magazine]
Preview: Halo: Reach (Firefight)
I'm one of those rare gamers who prefer shooting computer controlled bad guys instead of good old-fashioned human beings. Competition doesn't bother me as much as the jerks on the other side; the whiny pre-teens, racists and cheaters. Forget about deathmatch. I'd rather cozy up on the couch and enjoy single-player. Halo 3: ODST changed that, thanks to Firefight mode. Bungie took my love for slaughtering AI bad guys and fused it with team-based play, where up to four players work co-operatively to outlast progressively difficult waves of Covenant. It was essentially the best of both virtual worlds, where I satisfied my desire to murder bots while cracking jokes with friends. That's why Halo: Reach is high on my radar. Firefight returns, but with a slew of new options that make it even more rewarding, starting with online matchmaking. Now you can play this mode 24/7 with anyone in the world. Yes, that means I could randomly wind up with three jerks, but at least one thing remains constant, and that's the Covenant. Even if my team goes rogue, I can still set off and murder aliens. %Gallery-96257%
Bungie considered a 'Halo 4' before proceeding with Reach
Before Bungie started work on creating a game based on the planet-glassing excitement that is the fall of Reach, discussions at the studio momentarily went in the direction of a Master Chief resurrection tale -- a direct continuation of the Halo trilogy's story as "Halo 4." Bungie community man Brian Jarrard told the MTV Multiplayer blog as much in a recent interview, saying, "Even before the idea to build a game based around Reach came about, a lot of other concepts were explored, up to and including a proper 'Halo 4,' where Master Chief was going to wake up from cryo-sleep and we were going to tell that story." So he is in cryo-sleep and not dead?! ... Ahem, please excuse us. Jarrard continues, adding that while Reach is a prequel to the first Halo title, it's not meant just for hardcore fans of the trilogy. "We don't want to open up a whole bunch of doors that we're not going to close. By the end of this, it's all going to come to a nice, neat finish, and if people want to then go play the Halo trilogy, I think they'll have a better understanding of what's going on, but it's not required at all." He also confirms that the Chief is nowhere to be found in Reach (though, canonically speaking, the Chief is on the planet during the game's timeline), which just about breaks our fragile space heart into a million pieces.
Halo: Reach Betabusters: things you probably didn't know about the beta
For as much as you've been tirelessly playing (or trying to play) the Halo: Reach beta, we're sure there are some things you didn't know. Example: did you know that you can actually kill somebody by hitting them in the face with a grenade? Yup, totally possible. How about a tried-and-true way to avoid fall damage? It's a lot simpler than you may think! Thanks to Defend The House -- of Modern Warfare 2 Mythbusters fame -- we now know how. And you too can feel the Quickening-like surge of power that is knowledge by simply heading past the break and watching the first episode of Halo: Reach Betabusters. Enjoy!
Halo: Reach beta visually dissected by Digital Foundry
Well, we knew it was bound to happen sooner or later, right? First things first: Yes, Halo: Reach is apparently running at a full 720p according to Digital Foundry's review of the beta thus far (so many Ps!). And, like Halo 3 before it, the Reach beta achieves a near constant 30 frames-per-second of highly frenetic gameplay, albeit dropping a few every now and then during, um ... explosive situations (let us once again remind you that the game is still in beta). In fact, aside from the occasional screen tear and a bit of a "ghosting" issue ("frame bending" -- two or more images being blurred together -- can sometimes result in objects on screen not appearing solid, as seen in this image), DF is quite impressed with the beta's visual presentation, not to mention the gameplay. The three pages on the beta go into far more detail than we've dropped into this post, and, well, we've got a lot more Reach to play, so we'd encourage you to read more right here.
Waypoint's Halo Reach content schedule, Avatar award teased
The Halo: Reach marketing machine is working overtime this week, as Halo Waypoint will release new content everyday until the Beta launches on May 3. If that isn't a big enough tease for you, the schedule of content the team at Waypoint sent to us still has a few "To be announced" placeholders. It's bad enough Halo fans need to wait, but waiting for the content provided to help diminish the wait for the Beta is just cruel, guys. Here's the Halo Waypoint schedule of content for the days leading to the Halo: Reach Beta. In a recent Reach ViDoc, an Avatar award is briefly mentioned by designer Luke Smith as the only thing beta testers will start with when they begin their testing duties on May 3. Halo Waypoint will also see a title update sometime before the beta launches. While it's unconfirmed if the two are related, Team Waypoint recently tweeted more "details" would be released regarding an image of a "Halo: Reach Beta Tester" Avatar hoodie recently uncovered by NeoGAF; it's looking likely that this is the gear you could be getting for playing the Halo: Reach beta. The content schedule for Halo Waypoint can be found after the break.
Halo: Reach 'Pre-Beta' video walkthroughs, gameplay footage
Note: This footage is best viewed in high definition. Click 'HD' to enable it. Halo fanatics will finally get their hands on Halo: Reach when the multiplayer beta, included with the purchase of Halo 3: ODST, is activated next week. You've already read our impressions but now you get to see some of the action, with hours of Halo: Reach Pre-Beta footage carefully trimmed down to the essentials. By showing the new armor customization options, control changes, comparisons to Halo 3 and Halo 3: ODST and full gameplay matches in high definition, we're hoping to answer as many of your questions as we can before you get your own quality time with Reach on May 3.
Halo: Reach to stretch across 3 retail editions [update]
A series of tips and a report from a reputable Cheap Ass Gamer indicate that there might be three retail editions of Halo: Reach offered when the game ships later this year: a standard edition, a limited edition and ... the "Legendary Edition." We'll give you a moment to catch your breath after dropping that bombshell on you. Ready? Good. An alleged Best Buy ad, to be circulated next week, reveals that the retail packages will range in price from $60 for the standard game to $150 for the Legendary Edition, with the "limited" iteration of Reach falling in at $80. As you might imagine, the standard version supposedly comes with just the game itself, while the limited version is said to also include a "special limited edition case, collectibles and in-game armor," according to the ad. The $150 option allegedly contains all of the contents of the limited edition, in addition to even more "unique packaging" and in-game armor, plus a "Legendary Noble 6 Sculpture." When asked for comment, Microsoft issued its standard response: "We don't comment on rumor or speculation." We'd suggest to those of you pining for Reach's Legendary Edition to wait a bit -- we hear these things tend to eventually drop in price to something much, much more reasonable. If you just can't wait, though, Best Buy, and no doubt other major retailers, will reportedly begin accepting your pre-orders next week. Update: Microsoft has confirmed the trio of Reach retail editions. [Thanks Lgndryhr and everyone else who sent this in!]
Halo: Reach 'Invasion' mode unveiled on latest GTTV
Aha! That's why no one's talking about it! The first video and details on Halo: Reach's "Invasion" mode were shown off exclusively in last night's episode of GameTrailers TV, with Bungie additionally dishing some deets about the game we'd yet to hear. As we already know, Invasion is a game mode that's only available in Boneyard (also scantly detailed until now) and, as promised, features a ton of vehicles. The multi-tiered level unlocks in "three phases (similar to Bad Company 2's "Rush" mode), with various weapon loadouts and vehicles becoming available alongside it. Among the smattering of new footage, Bungie reps introduce the human grenade launcher and plasma launcher, two exciting looking additions to the Halo arsenal. Unfortunately, when pressed on whether or not ODST's Firefight mode would be making a return appearance in Reach, Bungie's Chris Carney says that the mode "is not in the beta" and he's "not sure what those guys have planned." As you might expect, there's also a tease that we'll hear more about the game (campaign mode specifically) "in June."
Halo: Reach multiplayer modes blown wide open
[1UP] As we predicted with our last post on Halo: Reach, the flow of information on Bungie's final Halo game -- well, the beta, anyway -- has now become steady and consistent. Today's exclusive preview of the beta's new multiplayer game types (read: not CTF/Slayer/etc.) at 1UP is further evidence of just such a trend, detailing the Headhunter, Invasion, Stockpile and Generator Defense (quaintly dubbed "Network Test 1 Beta" by Bungie internally) multiplayer modes. Read on after the break for all the details.
Bungie bids funny farewell to Halo 2 online multiplayer
Click image for more lulz As today is the last full day you'll get a chance to enjoy Halo 2, Bungie has apparently gone and pulled the joke lever. In preparation for tonight's festivities, we went online to download all of the extra maps for the game and get a round of practice in, only to find a few peculiar messages -- like the self-esteem booster you see above. For the most part, the messages are pretty jovial, though there are a few odd ones that take it a bit too far. Head into the gallery below to check 'em all out. %Gallery-90846%
