10 Best Video Game Prequels

7. Halo Reach

Halo Reach Noble 3
Bungie

Halo: Combat Evolved began with the destruction of the human colony Reach and, throughout the years, fans were told how integral this planet and its fall were to the story. The last days of this planet were the battlegrounds for a bold mission which saw a group of SPARTANS save the AI Cortana before she fell into enemy hands.

The final Halo game that original developers Bungie made, appropriately, was Halo Reach, which allowed fans to explore the planet for the first time and meet the soldiers who sacrificed themselves for the success of their mission. Standing out from Halo's standard sci-fi pageantry, Reach was a darker and more despairing story that put players in the shoes of those soldiers.

Every SPARTAN who took to the fields of Reach will remember the gut-punch that was the final objective: "Survive". Fighting in the haze for as long as possible, knowing this is a story that can't be changed.

Mechanically, the introduction of armour abilities changed how every player approached Halo's familiar combat, with sprinting and jetpack usage making things more fluid and chaotic. It also grew the multiplayer portion of the series in every way; both the standard PVP approach as well as the co-operative Firefight mode, and a bigger, more badass level creator.

A sublime bow out for Bungie and a superb prequel.

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Coming from a content creation background that now spans over two decades, Psy cut her teeth on personal video production and community radio. Originally joining the team as a writer and presenter, she added video editing duties to her responsibilities over time and became the longest-standing editor of the irreverent gaming show Tues Your Own Adventure. Psy has worked on many previews and reviews, long-form editorials (either her own, or supporting as an editor), as a frequent quizmaster and more. Praised for the two-pronged attack of her hard work ethic and light-hearted editing style, Psy is otherwise known as a font of retro video game knowledge which has caused her to rack up many quiz wins. Outside of WhatCulture, Psy runs First Aid Spray Podcast - a long-running channel that focuses on Resident Evil in all of it's forms. You can follow her on BlueSky at http://psywhite.bsky.social and Instagram at http://instagram.com/therealpsywhite