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Halo: Reach load times compared: hard drive install vs disc
If you're a hardcore FPS multiplayer ... player, odds are you'll see the business end of Halo: Reach's loading screen countless times over the next few months. According to a quick test conducted by Examiner, you're going to want to install Reach to your hard drive if you value your free time, as doing so reportedly cuts down load times drastically for just about all of the game's modes. Some of the sped-up load times are too fast to resist -- for instance, according to Examiner, an installed Reach can load a custom game in 9.7 seconds, as opposed to 28.7 seconds uninstalled. That would give us an extra 19 seconds to spend getting shot over and over and over again!
The Daily Grind: Would you play a Halo MMO?
More than a few of us here at Massively dabble with single-player games when we're not on the clock, whether it be real-time strategy, roleplaying, first-person shooters, or some genre-bending hybrid. Every so often, a major release comes along that transcends its particular niche in the game industry and gets everyone talking. Love it or hate it, Halo: Reach is such a title. Released to much critical acclaim this week, the title is currently chewing its way up the sales charts as bazillions of gamers trade Master Chief for Noble Six and partake of Bungie's swansong in the series that put them (as well as Microsoft Games and the Xbox) on the map. The question of the day, dear readers, is twofold: Are you checking out Reach, and more appropriately, would you play a Halo MMO?
Halo: Reach co-op requires hard drive, 4GB Xbox 360 Slims have to go solo [update: MS responds]
Bad news for some of you who wanted to Remember Reach with some of your closest pals: Halo Reach's excellent co-op functionality requires an Xbox 360 hard drive. While that's unfortunate for all non-hard drive owning Xbox 360 gamers, it's especially worrisome for those of you who recently jumped into a 4GB Xbox 360 S. While they finally (quietly) released a hard drive for the new console, the $130 asking price is a hefty barrier to entry if you're looking for some co-op fun. Microsoft's official Halo: Reach FAQ page confirms the shortcoming: Q1: The error "One or more players do not have an Xbox 360 Hard Drive. An Xbox 360 Hard Drive is required to play co-op on Xbox LIVE or system link" occurs when I try to play. Why? A1: One or more players do not have a certified Xbox 360 hard drive attached to their Xbox 360 console. Some multiplayer aspects of Halo: Reach require an Xbox 360 certified hard drive.Nukezilla further confirms that USB memory sticks can't fill in for the absent storage and UK gamers will have to wait until later this month to get the £80 hard drive. Evidently, this limitation was present in Halo 3: ODST as well. Anyone affected by this issue? Update: Microsoft has informed Eurogamer that the issue is "temporary" and that the company is "working to resolve it." [Thanks, Arafat!]
Year of Xbox Live Gold and free Halo Avatar item for $30
You may have noticed the above advertisement on the Xbox 360 dashboard -- we've yet to encounter this ourselves, but we've been assured it's there. Engadget writer @rjcc first tipped us off on the deal, which adds a year to your Xbox Live Gold membership, along with the pictured Halo: Reach helmet above. Get 'em both for $29.99, because we all know Xbox Live won't be that cheap for long.
Mega64: Halo spoils another Cabela's game launch
We're not sure how Cabela's could be so consistently unaware of the games landscape, but we'd be remiss if we said we weren't glad. Otherwise, we wouldn't get hilarious videos from Mega64, like the one we've embedded past the break. We don't want to ruin the ending for you, but let's just say the Cabela's guys are ready to finish the fight. [Thanks, Tyler]
Halo: Reach data pad location guide videos
Over on Halo Reach Planet -- the fansite, not the actual planet -- all 19 of Halo: Reach's hidden data pads have been discovered and their locations documented. Head past the break for the video walkthroughs -- only after you've finished the campaign on your own, of course ... having undoubtedly missed a few of these side-story Easter eggs.
PSA: Free Halo: Reach Xbox Dashboard theme available
You can dress your Xbox Dashboard in something Halo: Reachy today with the release of the free Invasion Theme. It's now available to download from the Xbox Live Marketplace. Check out a scenic preview gallery after the break. (I know, I know -- my friends have darn good-looking Avatars.)
Video: Bungie previews Halo: Reach's 'The Cage'
Out on the grind? Take a breather and check out this developer walkthrough of the Halo:Reach Forge World map, the Cage. Don't worry -- you'll be home soon enough.
Halo: Reach players: Form your own noble Joystiq team
So, you and your Needler are gonna charge the Covenant solo, huh? Man, who do you think you are, Master Chief? Real Spartans know that having a good team backing you up is the only thing that separates those who attain Halo glory from the ones that make sad Halo ads about. But if you're aiming to get a group of guys and gals you trust together, where can you turn? Why, here, of course! Hop down to the comments and share your gamertag and find others doing the same. Party up and load out for a day of Covenant-stomping joy. Who knows, maybe you'll even fall in love?* *Note: This will almost certainly not happen.
Sumthing Else releasing Halo: Reach soundtrack
Tradition dictates that a new Halo game be accompanied by an official soundtrack release, and Halo: Reach is no different. Sumthing Else Music Works has announced that it will release the Halo: Reach original soundtrack both digitally an in a 2 CD set. The soundtrack will be available for download from iTunes and Sumthing Digital on September 14, the release date of Halo: Reach. Fans of physical media will have to wait a bit longer, as the CD set won't hit retailers until September 28. Those who pre-order on Amazon can snag the soundtrack for $13.99, two bucks off the standard price. You can preview the album now at Sumthing Digital.
Halo: Reach causing Red Ring of Death (emblems)
And you thought the Covenant were scary! Seriously though, Halo: Reach doesn't cause the dreaded Red Ring of Death, but you can massage the emblem editor to make one for your Spartan. The image is part of a primer on Spartan customization, earning credits and uploading content to your file share.
Halo: Reach Walmart ad doles out the smack talk between friends
Jim Gaffigan summed up the "merits" of camping rather well, which we point out because there's a new Walmart ad that shows you how to deal with a friend stupid enough to go camping the night Halo: Reach launches. Personally, we'd never befriend somebody who had their priorities that mixed up.
Halo: Reach promo stunt has Spartan flying over Trafalgar Square
Spartans are supposed to do "Legendary" things. But apparently this wannabe Spartan stuntman went for the easy setting. Jet-packing over Trafalgar Square without a single plasma shot fired at you? Weak.
Halo Waypoint refreshed for Reach release
343 Industries has updated Xbox Live's Halo Waypoint so it'll be all nice and Reach-ready upon your triumphant return from the store with Bungie's latest in hand late night tonight. Head past the break for a video detailing the new features, look and exclusive content.
Metareview: Halo: Reach
It probably comes as no surprise to you that reviews for Halo: Reach have universally come down on the high-ish side of the score spectrum -- our own review included. But what about all the words that preceded those lofty figures? Those are worth checking out as well -- so, without further ado, here's a few more outlets' non-numerical insight on the finale of the Halo franchise. 1UP (A+): "Bungie has managed to do something that eluded George Lucas years ago: create a prequel to a beloved sci-fi series that not only simply works, but is at times better than the installments it precedes." IGN (9.5/10): "Whether you like playing with friends like me or you're more of a lone wolf, Halo: Reach has evolved to the point where it'll make everyone happy. It's a fitting end to Bungie's involvement with the franchise, one that both references the past and injects new life into a tried and true formula." GameTrailers (9.3/10): "Now four games into the series there's no denying that the campaign is starting to lose some of its moxie, yet there's just enough revelation here for fans to cling to. But let's be honest. You're going to decide to buy based on its multiplayer component and this is where it delivers in spades. Master Chief may be retired, but calling this a Halo game is no reach." Eurogamer (9/10): "Reach is an encore, a victory lap, a crowd-pleasing last hurrah for a series that most definitely won't end here, but will just as definitely never be the same again. Halo deserves another game this good, and Reach is a deserving tribute." Giant Bomb (4/5): "While I do feel that the formula has worn thin in a few spots, Reach feels like a love letter from the developer to its fans. If you're one of those fans, you should have this game." %Gallery-101913%
Halo Reach review: Please, Bungie, don't go
"Remember Reach." This is the tag line for Halo: Reach, the direct prequel to the Halo trilogy about a team of Spartans and their presumed fate -- a last stand against the Covenant invasion of the human-colonized Planet Reach. Did I say, "Halo trilogy?" Here's a better tag line: "Forget ODST." Last year's Halo game, Halo 3: ODST, was conceived as an expansion but clumsily formed into a full-priced retail release. It was not a bad game, but it was a lesser Halo game -- by design. Worst case scenario: You started to think Halo, and Bungie's interest in the franchise, was on the decline. So, forget ODST. Reach is Bungie's final Halo game. Let's not sour this seriously sweet farewell. %Gallery-101913%
WRUP: Halo: Reach review this weekend, TGS next week
This Sunday at 00:00 (12AM EST) you'll be able to find out what the internet thinks about Halo: Reach, Bungie's goodbye to the series. We hope you'll stop on by. [Update: Our Halo: Reach review is now live!] Also, next week is the start of Tokyo Game Show, the last major gaming convention of the calendar year. Several things are already on the docket, including announcements planned by EA, Capcom and Microsoft. So, what's everyone playing this weekend? Because we know what everyone is playing next.
Video: Halo: Reach's Firefight, as previewed by Bungie
We don't know what you guys are pumped for most in Halo: Reach, but for us it's easily the new Firefight mode. That's why we had to share this video, which does an amazing job at slowing down time and making our wait that much tougher. Join us by checking out the video past the break.
Xbox UK boss: Halo Reach will outsell Call of Duty: Black Ops
As the UK-based director of Xbox and Entertainment at Microsoft, it's Stephen McGill's job to boast about upcoming games, even ones that seem to have the whole "hype" thing in the bag. "We have huge expectations," McGill said of Halo: Reach, speaking to Eurogamer at a launch event. What are Halo's chances, a platform-exclusive game, at besting a franchise that's only increased in popularity (and earnings) with each iteration?
Noble Pix: Halo Reach Legendary Edition unboxing
Swaddled in cotton, and hand-delivered by a MJOLNIR-clad stork, please welcome the newest addition to our video game family: Halo: Reach Legendary Edition. We didn't want to deprive you of the joys of living vicariously through this delivery, so we broke out the ol' DSLR and snapped off some pics, found in the gallery below. And don't worry, we'll be giving this mammoth package away to one of you soon enough. [Update: Now with shaky cam video, embedded after the break.] %Gallery-101873%
