320°

GamesRadar: Halo: Reach - A Halo-Hater's Hands-On

GamesRadar: I've never liked Halo. I've never liked it at all. In fact I've always found it to be utterly pointless. And I know I'm not alone. I know a lot of you feel the same way about Microsoft's plasma-spraying juggernaut, despite the years of quadra-hype.

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gamesradar.com
Bigpappy5124d ago

This game will sell off of the charts for several reasons. The main being that millions of people already know what it is and would buy it just to have the latest version. The other biggie, is that it will be the last by Bungie for the foreseeable future.

-Alpha5124d ago (Edited 5124d ago )

All that is true. However, I'd like to give credit to Bungie and say that they have done a great job doing what they do. Reach is set to be one of the biggest games this year, the other one being GT5. It's got brand power but thank God Bungie is not lazy. Unlike someone like IW and MW2 they truly are not making a carbon copy of their old game and selling it off of hype. When they make a sequel they mean to make a good one. They aren't tossing in a crapload of things in Multiplayer and calling it a day, they are carefully adding features and testing the s*it out of them. That is what I really appreciate.

Anyways, this article was decent. Good to see perspective from other people instead of seeing the same "omg, this was so cool, I luv Halo" article.

@Kigmal

Good point. I'm assuming he has some sort of appreciation for the game but maybe he really does just hate it. And to BS Police below, you are right, his reasons seem a little silly but the article isn't about him hating Halo, it's about Reach's preview. Would be interesting to see him explain his hate though. At least he seemed to like the game. It seems that the "Halo hater" is just a gimmick to get hits, but I could be wrong: his whole bit about why Halo sucked seemed irrelevant since the article's thesis was about Reach

Bnet3435124d ago

It's ok to hate a game, but actually writing about it? I thought it was funny when I read this:

"I know a lot of you feel the same way about Microsoft’s plasma-spraying juggernaut, despite the years of quadra-hype."

Ironically, he is contributing to that "quadra-hype" (whatever the hell that means) by writing a hands-on (attention). He hates Halo so much that he wrote a preview for it. When's the last time you've heard of someone write a preview for a game they hated?

kaveti66165124d ago

The experience I get out of Halo never depends on how many weapons there are or how many customizable features or stuff like that. Halo is just an extremely balanced game, and not a lot of games have that feature. Team Fortress 2 even underwent a long period of balance issues because Valve was releasing the updates for each class individually. And Cod has too many balance issues because of the customizable weapons and perks, and because of the glitches the game sucks.

Halo games aren't for everyone, but it appears a lot of people like the game. And it's a high quality game. Just because someone doesn't like it, doesn't mean it sucks. It just means the game is not for them. I can't play Call of Duty because it's too fast-paced for me.

nveenio5124d ago

I don't believe for one second that this guy is a Halo hater. Why? Because he called it "utterly pointless". Someone who hates a game doesn't call it "pointless". It's the nature of any game to have a point. There is nary a game in history that could be called pointless. This guy likes Halo but wrote this for hits. Period.

bioshock12215124d ago

Well this person who hates Halo apparently likes Halo Reach for those who don't want to read it. A pretty good preview good to see he liked it and was having fun and changed his mind on Halo.

IdleLeeSiuLung5124d ago (Edited 5124d ago )

It seems any game that sells millions, there are always a vocal few that hates the game.

GAM3R715124d ago (Edited 5124d ago )

O'rly? It just so happens I hated Heavy Rain, and found it pointless. I hated Indigo Prophecy for the same reasons: QTE gameplay, and ugly animations....neither feel like "games". So, it really is possible to hate a game AND think it's pointless.

TROLL EATER5123d ago

even the haters can stop hating, except for the jealous ps3 trolls

nveenio5123d ago

You called it pointless because you are a moron, as is anyone that can't grasp the point of Heavy Rain. I hate Halo. Absolutely hate it. Not because it's pointless, though. I understand the point, it just doesn't appeal to me, and I assume that's how you feel about Heavy Rain. You just lack the communication skills to voice your opinion properly. That's okay, though. If you read around N4G, you'll see that you're not alone....

....wait...maybe that's not okay...

+ Show (6) more repliesLast reply 5123d ago
SpartanZero5124d ago

You never liked Halo then we can all agree that you are an idiot anybody who never liked Halo is an idiot end of story

spunnups5124d ago

The simple fact that you can't sprint and at times felt like we were playing in Slow-Mo left a bitter taste in my mouth. Of course, it doesn't deter me from enjoying the game for what it is.

-Alpha5124d ago

Why does he have to like Halo? Hate is a strong word. Surely he appreciates what the game does and how strong of a developer group Bungie is. He can hate whatever he likes. I "hate" the Resistance series for being overly generic and boring as hell, but I can sure as hell appreciate Insomniac for doing 60 player online and 8 player co-op. The writer isn't an idiot for it, he just simply has a different opinion.

bioshock12215124d ago (Edited 5124d ago )

Did you not read the Preview he said he liked it despite hating the other Halo games he likes Halo Reach. He apparently feels like the other Halo games were to simple and this Halo actually has meat on it's bones he said something like that and actually had a lot of fun.

JonnyBigBoss5124d ago

I don't like Halo. Purchased Halo 1 for PC the week it came out and same story with Halo 2, although Halo 2 was obviously a gift from an uncle who has no idea what games I like. Never beat either game and couldn't care for the guns, characters or graphics.

tplarkin75124d ago

"Halo Haters" are either PC gamers or PS3 gamers.

Cevapi885124d ago

the fact that so many people ACTUALLY CARE what this guy says is really sad....its his opinion...if somebody wrote about how how they despised GT5 or GoW III wont make me go out and yell "YOU GODDAMN BASTARD!!!"....in the end im still going to pick those games up...everybody has their own tastes...games are entertainment...

im surprised people are so defensive about games that they like...just enjoy it for yourself...it doesnt matter what someone else says when you are having fun

could you imagine if we got the same reaction when people critique the hell out of movies...Transformers II the movie was seen as being terrible...it didnt stop it from making over $800 million

thief5123d ago

Alpha Male
Care to remind us why resistance is "overly generic and boring as hell" and Halo is not? The most generic shooter series right now is Halo, in every aspect - cliched story and characters, generic shooting mechanics, level design. Its true that Halo was a pioneer when it comes to shooters on consoles (though Goldeneye would dispute that) but today if a Halo game came out with a different name, it would get 8/10 and be dismissed for being so awfully generic

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Another One5124d ago

I find it funny that all the stuff he thought made Halo Reach a "proper FPS" were the things that the other Halo games did so well and made the game interesting to me. The team work, tactics and overall variety made it great.

Just another person that only ever played slayer or never bothered to try and get into the story who jumped to conclusions. To the author I say, welcome to the Halo we've been playing for 10 years. It's always been that good.

Halo3 MLG Pro5124d ago

Possibly the dumbest article on this site yet. And that's saying a lot with the utter trash this site gets.

-Alpha5124d ago (Edited 5124d ago )

He's allowed to hate it. I didn't understand his reasoning ("it was pointless"), but he is allowed to dislike it if he likes.

I don't mind seeing articles from the perspective of someone who doesn't like the game. He seems to have done a decent job writing it up. One may claim a hater has bias, but one can also claim a super-fan writing a Halo article also has bias. Yet we never hear anyone complain about a fan's writeup.

@BS Police

True. I would like to see him explain his hate in a separate article. At least he liked Halo Reach. I am very excited for it myself.

GiantEnemyCrab5124d ago (Edited 5124d ago )

GamesRadar is just like Destructoid. Nothing to take seriously or give any credibility to what they do.. They just do jokes and sarcasm for hits because they can't get any real gaming news.

5124d ago
The BS Police5124d ago

You are correct that he doers not have to like Halo and I agree with you completely on that. However, somone who has alot of experience playing Halo can tell that his reasons for hating Halo are flawed.

FantasyStar5124d ago (Edited 5124d ago )

BS Police, unless you've played Quake 3 or very much like fast-paced shooters like UT2k4 (or UT in general) that exist only on PC: I don't think your opinion need be read. Being able to see both sides of how a Quake-veteran looks at Halo is the best way to move discussion forwards.

We already know Halo fans will love Halo. We also know that anyone that doesn't like UT or Quake can't ever understand where Houghton is coming from. So if you do fit the criteria of a "Halo Fan" and a "UT Fan": I would love to read your take on the Halo issue. Otherwise, your opinion will be classified as "biased" and a waste of both our times.

Just know I'm not attacking you or anything, but I've read the same "his opinion is wrong for X reasons" many times just to learn afterwards that the person writing it is far too overzealous for his own good.

palaeomerus5124d ago

I liked Quake 2, Tribes, Quake 3, Team Arena, Unreal Tournament, Unreal Tournament 2K3/4, Team Fortress 2, and many others. I also like Halo, Halo2, Halo3, ODST, and expect to like Reach. I liked CounterStrike, Halflife 2, F.E.A.R., Jedi Knight, Jedi Knight 2, Call of Duty, COD2, COD3, CoD4:MW, W@W, CoD2, Battlefield, Battlefront, etc. and I still don't find Houghton's "case" for disliking Halo very compelling nor his attribution of its success to mega-hype and the supposed myopia of its fans. It all sounds like a bunch of poorly thought out, elitist bunk to me.

I'm not really a fan of Unreal Tournament 3. I also didn't like Unreal Championship 2. I generally don't enjoy Time Splitters games either. Yet somehow I've never tried to dismiss any of those as bad games that should be hated by right thinking gamers because of how they play.

FantasyStar5124d ago (Edited 5124d ago )

I think it has much to do with how he wants a game to be what he likes, but when he doesn't see that: he hates it for what it lacks instead of what's already there.

Yeah, I've played and enjoyed all the games you've listed. I still play TF2 and CS:S on a regular basis and have recently played CoD:WaW again for that WW2 itch. But I also enjoy the Halo franchise as well. Maybe he has no friends? I found that Halo is best enjoyed with your friends, some food, drinks, and Xbox Live.

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jdktech20105124d ago

That guys needs to get over himself....it's not our fault that you neglected the parts of the game you think aren't there. Geeze, that's all I'm gonna say here

FantasyStar5124d ago (Edited 5124d ago )

Whatever you may think, he's entitled to whatever standards he sets for himself. No matter how high they are.

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90°

6 Friendliest Characters in Games

GF365: "Oftentimes, video games have characters who are antagonistic and really not very pleasant. Here are some of the friendliest characters in games where you might not otherwise expect to find them."

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gamefreaks365.com
thorstein254d ago

Dogmeat: *bark!*

Translation: you are dead to me.

JSONEHUNDRED254d ago

You can probably add Karlach to this from BG3

150°

10 Best Lore-Rich Video Games

Talented writers can build worlds that are as wondrous as real-life. Here are the best lore-rich video games for you to get immersed in.

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gamefreaks365.com
shinoff2183490d ago

How'd fallout not make the list. Atleast over cyberpunk, tales , and halo. Fallout been around since what 96 98 and has 5 6 games into it. It's full of lore when you play it. I'd even add star ocean to a point.

robtion489d ago

Agree Fallout should be on there.

MadLad489d ago

And somehow Planescape Torment doesn't even make the list.

Crows90489d ago

Hollow knight surpasses these.

shinoff2183489d ago

In lore? I must be missing something

Crows90489d ago (Edited 489d ago )

Yes in lore. Easily missed... absolutely. Never played a game that had me loving the world and lore behind it as much as that one. Most of course wouldn't be able to experience it since it is a more difficult game.

DarXyde489d ago

I can't speak for all titles on this list, but by the time you get to Dark Souls III, the lore is a bloody tapestry of intricacy

Crows90488d ago

Played them all. Im not saying the games on the list dont have good lore...I just think hollow knight had more lore that is hidden but present and more easily explored and accessed. The souls games have tremendous lore but theyre mostly hidden and stay that way unless you look for it and research it. The lore is not very accessible.

DarXyde488d ago

Crows90,

I think that's a somewhat fair assessment. For me, the Souls games are less upfront about the lore, but it does invite your fascination through NPCs, items, locations, bosses, etc. There's this kind of natural progression where the picture becomes just clear enough by doing the essential tasks, but it really makes you want to explore every inch of the world.

TheColbertinator488d ago

Suikoden and Legend of Heroes also have massive lore setups.

agent13488d ago

narration is more important than lore i'd rather watch the story and characters in a more cinematic way instead of searching for notes and stuff that's why i love sony exclusive games like uncharted and gow and hate from software games

shinoff2183488d ago

The article was top ten lore in video games. I think they did a bad job picking games out. I know what you mean though. I just like a variety of games and genres.

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220°

Halo’s best Bungie campaign has its worst feature fixed after 12 years

Halo’s best ever campaign mode developed by Bungie has had its most annoying feature fixed after more than a decade, making the sci-fi FPS game better than ever

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pcgamesn.com
SullysCigar574d ago

Awesome news - so can we look forward to playing Halo: Infinite with no online issues circa 2033?

just_looken574d ago

"You can download the improved Reach AI mod at Mod DB" This was a mod 343 did nothing so the online will be fixed in our dreams.

SullysCigar573d ago

Par for the course with 343.

Profchaos573d ago

They did say they had a 10 year plan for infinite we just all assumed it would be DLC could of been a 10 year netcode rollout.

But seriously this is a mod the community won't be able to modify infinite in the same way

Cikatriz_ESP574d ago

Combat Evolved was the best campaign, and it's not even close.

just_looken574d ago

You should have tried this version of reach when it first came out remastered for a year there was no sound because 343 could not locate the sound files.

It was a special challenge.

badz149573d ago

more like the bunch at 343i are simply mentally challenged

ACEMANWISE574d ago

Well I guess 12 years is faster than most fixes. I guess this is a cheap way to "remaster" something nowadays.....by just fixing something that used to always be broken.

zidane1341573d ago

Did you even read the article? This is a mod to improve AI from back almost 2 gens ago. Nobody is claiming this is remastering anything. Yeesh.

Crows90573d ago

Halo is dead. Microsoft has other shooter franchises it cares more about now. 343 are no longer Xbox golden studio. They are likely to shift things around or even close it all together and give the IP to someone else.

343i decided to pummel the IP into the ground...and when they see it didn't quite look like Glenn's face they decided to just keep on pummeling. Not sure if Glenn is the IP or the fanbase in this case though.

Profchaos573d ago

343 were never the golden studio they were a hastily thrown together b team when bungie said we want to do something else cya

Crows90573d ago

Well ...I didn't want to say it but I agree. Makes you wonder why Microsoft gave them the IP and didn't keep Bungie or any of the talent they acquired from any studio.

CobraKai573d ago

“ Halo Infinite, Halo 3, or Halo: Combat Evolved. It’s hard to say which of the sci-fi FPS games offers the best experience all round.”
He lost me with Halo Infinite.

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