We’re a bit undecided on the sprint power-up as it feels less in key with the Halo way of doing things but hey, these guys need all the help they can get. There’s no dual-wielding here either, further demonstrating that you’re not so good at the fighting thing as you might like to be.Īlongside that is a surprisingly emotive storyline that reminds you that this is the end of an era for these soldiers, even if it leads into the beginning of Halo: Combat Evolved where you’ll feel far more souped-up. Without the focus on Master Chief, you get the benefit of being what it’s like to be part of a Spartan crew, giving you more of a sense of the world around you and tossing in a fair bit of vulnerability too, much like Halo 3: ODST. It might be halfway down our list but remember - this is quite the list. Setting everything up nicely, Halo: Reach is an admirable prequel. Expect more melancholy than outright epic action here. It’s a bold move for the franchise but one that pays off. You can’t help but wonder if your guy simply wandered down the wrong recruitment office one day and got in too deep. It takes a little adjustment at first but it ties nicely into Halo 3‘s story giving you some insight into what it’s like to be a humble soldier rather than the almighty Master Chief. A lot of the time, you’ll be wandering around lonely parts of New Mombasa, seeking out clues to figuring out what just happened in war. There are still plenty of enemies to shoot at and some nice set pieces but this is a quieter affair. Instead of playing as Master Chief, you’re a soldier who’s dealing with a mystery. Not everyone is going to like it so highly ranked. Halo 3: ODST marks a significant change of pace to any other Halo game and look, we get it. As you should, you’ll immediately feel part of something bigger making this the perfect opening game to something that we doubt anyone could have envisaged would become such a big deal one day. And yes, the weapons might feel dated by later Halo standards but they still pack a punch. The enemy AI is a little dated at times but that can work in your favour thanks to clusters stoically refusing to run away from a carefully tossed grenade so we don’t consider that as a downside by any means. Who wants to be chased by a seemingly never-ending infestation after all? It’s another one full of memorable set pieces even right down to a strange affection we still feel for a Flood-infested library that’s simultaneously a bit tedious and yet surprisingly tense too. Feeling as fresh as it did back then with only a few minor gripes, it’s a very close second to Halo 3. The game that started it all, Halo: Combat Evolved has aged remarkably well for a 20-year-old game. You’ll feel like a part of an over-the-top space opera even if you weren’t paying much attention to the story beforehand. Designed to ‘finish the fight’, it doesn’t, of course but there’s still that sense of victory and finality to it. Even shooting at the likes of a humble Jackal or Grunt still feels pretty good and satisfying. Everything about it is well-balanced so you get to enjoy the return of the Assault Rifle and the sense that every firefight actually feels reasonably potent and meaty.
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