Acting as a prequel to Combat Evolved, and providing a good exposition of the events that resulted in the discovery of the first Halo ring, Reach stands as one of the most accomplished and self-assured games in the series, providing a fitting swansong for Bungie. For the first time in the series history, players enjoyed a story that featured other Spartans, and the tale of Reachs destruction proved to be one of the most gripping and emotionally engaging narratives crafted by Bungie. The plot benefitted from being relatively straightforward and focussed, with the gradual demise of Noble Team forming the central theme. Not only were the characters and battles memorable, but they also seemed to matter. Most memorable of all is the final epilogue stage, where a stranded Noble Six, having ensured humanitys survival, is overwhelmed by Covenant forces. All of the core FPS elements were polished to near-perfection, but Bungie proved that they werent afraid to try new things, as their inclusion of a spaceship combat level proved. Multiplayer was as addictive as ever, and the introduction of daily and weekly challenges provided yet another hook to keep players glued to their consoles.
History student, aspiring author, lover of all things videogame and movie related, dislikes goat's cheese. Constantly trying not to be Mark Corrigan from Peep Show. Also has Twitter: @AlexHBrookes