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.
Note: This footage is best viewed in high definition. Click 'HD' to enable it.
Like Halo 3 before it, Halo: Reach changes the the default controls players have grown accustomed to. Melee is pushed to the Right Bumper while reload has been returned to the 'X' button. We walk you through it all, and take a peek at Theater Mode.
Note: This footage is best viewed in high definition. Click 'HD' to enable it.
With equipment years away from development (within the Halo timeline, that is), Reach includes special armor abilities that players can select during multiplayer matches. Here we walk you through the abilities we played with during the Pre-Beta and give you a quick montage of the weaponry found in the upcoming online test.
Note: This footage is best viewed in high definition. Click 'HD' to enable it.
At first glance, Halo: Reach might not appear to be a visual upgrade from previous entries in the series but put side-by-side and you'll notice the changes immediately. To show off some of these changes, we've compiled a video comparing HD footage of Halo 3 and Halo 3: ODST to Halo: Reach.
Note: Footage of 'Boneyard' is best viewed in high definition. Click 'HD' to enable it.
Note: Footage of 'Powerhouse' is best viewed in high definition. Click 'HD' to enable it.
Note: Footage of 'Sword Base' is best viewed in high definition. Click 'HD' to enable it.
Not sure why they changed the buttons again but I'm sure it will feel natural in a few days of play. Honestly I liked "rb" reload/action. I was figuring they would just have "X" for the armor and leave the rest the same.
I assume they changed the controls in part so that people can turn and melee at the same time. I hold the controller differently (right trigger with middle finger, face buttons/bumper with index) so I'm just going to use the Recon control scheme where B is melee and RB is reload. The other changes seem pretty small.
Releasing games around the start of a semester wasn't enough for Bungie now they have to release the beta for that game during finals week... damn you Bungie!!!
couldn't agree with you more. finals are coming for me in 3 weeks time and i just got starcraft beta and now its going to be halo beta. holy shit man i might just fail college
LOVE entering my age seven times in one post. Wish there was a better system for online video of M rated games (this isn't just Joystiq, but everywhere).
Entering your age is like DRM... it doesn't really do shit when it comes down to it... all it really does is annoy everyone. They should just add a 5 second prelaunch video that says the video is intended for mature audience and have the person have to press play again.
This is the only method that will hold up in court. The method that Morisato proposed would mean you could easily click without realising what you were "agreeing" to. With this age input you are making a concious choice, meaning you are aware of the fact you are lying if you put in a false age to watch the video.
I was always curious of the legalities of it....but hell...when a Rated 'M' show comes on TV all they do is say "Viewer discretion is advised" I would think the internet would be the same since its not as restrictive as TV.....well at least outside of China I mean
One things for sure I'm buying this game day 1 and just can't wait for the beta gotta get used to the controls to prepare me for the full retail game when it releases.I wonder if microsoft is going to make a big launch party like they did when halo 3 came out with master chief present.
Being generally not into Halo and totally bored by the screen, I read it and thought "hm... somebody is actually naming a game "REICH.." that's surprising."
I have not been this excited about a halo game since the halo 3 beta...i am so not going to do anything else except play this for the entire duration of the beta!
Last time it was only going to be open for a couple weeks, but since Live crashed Bungie decided to leave it open for an extra week, so about 3 weeks last time.
It's worth mentioning that there are alternate control schemes, including one named (what else?) Recon, which switches the controller back to Halo 3 settings.
I haven't gotten there yet and Ars had already shown the screenshots in their Beta writeup, so I put it down in advance since I didn't see a mention in the writing.
I'm guessing Left Bumper and X are swapped because if you're holding X to use your ability, you're not going to be able to hit the melee button with your thumb.
