WithHalo: Combat Evolved, Bungie made video game history. Not only did it revolutionize first-person shooters on consoles, but it also put the original Xbox on the map, giving the console a killer app right out of the gate. The success ofHalosaw Bungie work on the series for nearly a decade straight, releasing its finalHalogame in 2010 before going on to create theDestinyfranchise. 2010’sHalo: Reachwas Bungie’s finalHalogame, and for nine years, it’s been an Xbox 360 exclusive. But nowHalo: Reachhas become part ofThe Master Chief Collection, seeing its release on PC for the very first time in the process.
Halofans on PC have been waiting forReachfor nine years, and they should be mostly satisfied by the experience.Reachdelivers one of the most emotionally-powerfulHalonarratives in the entire series, serving as a prequel to the events of the originalHaloand depicting the fall of the planet Reach to Covenant forces. Instead of taking on the role ofMaster Chief, players play as rookie Spartan Six, who joins Noble Team in an unwinnable battle against the Covenant.
Halo: Reach’s campaign takes a few levels to really get going, but the second half of the story hits all the right notes. Even though anyone that’s played the otherHalogames will know the fates of Noble Team going into the game, it’s still an effective, emotional journey and one of the more engagingHalostories. Any strictly PC gamers that have yet to experienceReach’s campaign should make it a point to do so.
Having said that,Halo: Reachon PC has some performance issues that aren’t present in the Xbox 360 version of the game, mainly in the form of occasional lag and stuttering during scenes.Halo: The Master Chief Collectionwas once known for having lot of technical issues, so it’s perhaps not all that surprising that theReachPC port isn’t quite up to the quality as fans may remember, but it’s likely that these issues will be fixed in future updates.
Occasional technical issues aside,Halo: Reachhas a solid campaign that’s playable with friends and is quite enjoyable. However, the real meat and potatoes of the game is its multiplayer component. PlayingReach’s multiplayer on PC is a revelation, with the added benefit of the mouse and keyboard setup making it feel like an almost entirely different game.Reach’s multiplayer on PC runs smooth as can be, with fast-paced action, a selection of great maps, and plenty of game modes forHalofans to try.
PlayingHalo: Reachmultiplayer on PCis a blast most of the time, but it still has features that may not necessarily appeal to allHalofans.Halopurists may still not be thrilled about the armor abilities, which are still in the game despite them being controversial back when it was originally released in 2010. To removeHalo: Reach’s armor abilities would be to fundamentally change the way the game plays, so it makes sense that they’re still in there, but it may mean some fans won’t spend nearly as much time withReach’s multiplayer as they will the multiplayer modes of otherHalogames.
Unfortunately, population already seems to be a problem with theHalo: Reachmultiplayer experience on PC. While standard 4v4 matches are easy enough to get into, we experienced difficulty finding games for other match types, like free-for-all. It’s possible that this is due to server issues of some kind, which wouldn’t be out of character for something tied toThe Master Chief Collection, but it also may not be a good sign forReach’s multiplayer longevity when it comes to the PC version.
Something else that hurts theHalo: Reachmultiplayer experience on PC is the lack of support for split-screen multiplayer or co-op. Split-screen has been a staple of theHalofranchise since the beginning, with onlyHalo 5removing split-screenand getting quite a deal of backlash for it. Many PC game ports abandon split-screen support for one reason or another, but it’s especially disappointing to see split-screen not included in aHalogame. The lack of split-screen makes it that much more difficult to play through the campaign in co-op with friends or join up with a buddy for some multiplayer matches.
The lack of split-screen also makes it more difficult for players to fully appreciateHalo: Reach’s Firefight mode. Firefight, for the uninitiated, is a co-op mode similar toGears of War’s Horde, first introduced to the series inHalo 3: ODST. Firefight inReachcan be a lot of fun with the right group of friends, though they will all need their own PC and copy of the game to play.
On the bright side, it shouldn’t be allthatdifficult for people to play the game.Halo: Reachis part of the Xbox Game Pass program, meaning that those interested in playing the game on PC can do so without actually buying it at full price. This makesHalo: Reach’s lack of split-screen sting a little less, because at least the game doesn’t have a significant price barrier that would keep people from playing together (assuming everyone that wants to play has access to their own PC, that is).
Halo: Reach’s lack of split-screen in the PC version means it’s not quite as fully-featured as the game is on Xbox 360 or Xbox One.Reachon PC also has some performance issues that weren’t found in the other versions. Even so,Reachon PC generally runs quite well and the mouse and keyboard controls will make it difficult for anyone to go back and play the game on console. For someHalofans on PC,Reachmay be 10 years too late, but others will have a great time playing through the campaign, battling it out in the online multiplayer arenas, and teaming up with friends to conquer Firefight.
Halo: Reachis out now for Xbox 360, as well as PC and Xbox One throughHalo: The Master Chief Collection. Game Rant reviewed the game on PC.
Halo Reach
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A slight deviation from the original Halo series, Halo Reach follows five members of an elite team as they navigate a hostile world
