Riddle me this. What do you get when you combine one of the greatest gaming franchises with new elements that make an already SICK experience even SICKER? A breathtaking, adrenaline pumping, screaming experience that can leave even the greatest singer in the world hoarse. I'm talking about the Halo Reach multiplayer beta people! It's here, it's new, it's raw, and it will literally stick you in the face with a high speed plasma grenade. Lets break down some of the new elements in this epic multiplayer experience, shall we?Guns, guns, guns, and more guns. Halo is known for it's futuristic and alien weaponry, so you're probably wondering what's new right? The old Halo 3 favs are back such as the Assault Rifle, Shotgun, Sniper, Grav Hammer and Rocket Launcher. Not really anything new with these other than an aesthetic overhaul. What you want to know about are the new guns right? Right?! Of course you do! Up at bat first is the DMR (Designated Marksman Rifle), and probably one of the most enjoyable additions to the metal-death cast. This puppy is the grandfather of the BR and spits out single bursts instead of 3. Don't worry though, cause grandpappy is sippin on some potent oil that will take down the toughest foes in 5 blasts. Yep just 5. For you math geeks out there, that's 4 to break the shield and 1 to the dome to drop 'em for good. Next is the Magnum, one of my personal favorites. Before you piss and moan, this puppy has the scope from Halo CE, and the ability to churn out rounds faster than E. Honda can throw out slaps. It is a perfect companion in up-close, sticky situations. In the hole is the grenade launcher. This thing does just what you think it does: shoot grenades. There is one detail though, hold down the trigger after firing and the round won't explode until you let go. You know what that means right? The deadliest game of wall ball you've ever played.
Next up is the covenant weaponry, because it wouldn't be Halo without them! Old favorites return such as the Plasma Pistol, Needler, and Energy Sword. Basically the same story as the human weapon vets; new look, same function. Hey if it ain't broke don't fix it, right? The plasma rifle's cousin gets it's 15 minutes, and is apply named the Plasma Repeater. Eh I won't waste my time....yeah it's basically the same as the plasma rifle. Up next is the Needle Rifle! This baby is the covenant's answer to the DMR and shoots needles instead bullets. A favorite among aliens and my fellow DPad contributor Keith "I'll rip your face off and teabag your dead body" Morris. A deadly addition to the lineup. And now we've reached the Focus Rifle. Imagine if you mixed the sentinel beams from Halo 2 with the covy sniper. Yeah......a gun that shoots concentrated death.....enough said.
New guns aren't the only thing that the Reach Beta offers! Armor abilities give you the power to turn your spartan into a moving tank and might be one of the greatest additions to ANY video in GAMING HISTORY. Ok so maybe they're not that amazing, but damn do I love them. These are simply abilities that you pick every time that you spawn and give you 1 special power. There are 4 abilities to choose from; Armor Lock, Sprint, Jetpack, and for the pussies, Active Camo. Armor Lock lets your spartan turn his shield into an impenetrable force field that nothing can penetrate. However, this effect only lasts a short while and enemies can wait for you to come out of it and then continue to kill you, but it's perfect for getting out of sticky situations. Sprint lets you.....sprint. Jetpack lets you......fly. And for all you pussy ass bitches (whew excuse my French) out there who can't fight up close and personal, there's Active Camo.
With all these new toys, Halo Reach takes the original Halo formula and kicks it up a notch. It's like when you find your favorite shirt that you haven't seen in years in your closet, and then you throw it away because your mom bought you a better shirt. The new game modes are an absolute blast to play as well. For instance, in the past all I cared about was killing any and everyone I saw, no matter what the game type was. But in the Reach Beta I found myself running for flags like a starved fat kid running after the last cookie on Earth. Yeah it's that fun. But hey this is a multiplayer beta, which means it's more fun to play with your friends (assuming you have any)! Thats not to say that it doesn't have it's bugs and glitches though. Buuuuuut seeing as how I don't want to waste my time or yours with those, I will direct you to Bungie's weekly update that describes all them in detail---- http://www.bungie.net/News/content.aspx?type=topnews&link=BWU_050710.
I personally give this beta an A+ and HIGHLY recommend playing it. And hey who knows, maybe you'll run across me in those crazy playlists! If you happen to be one of the people who crosses my path, I feel sorry for you. But hey what are you waiting for!? Grab a buddy, some snacks, a fierce competitive attitude, and pop in that ODST disc and start fragging!
--> Questions, concerns, or input? No prob, email Justin Weakley the gamer with no morals at jweakle2@utk.edu
No comments:
Post a Comment