I played through this game in co-op mode during two 5-6 hour gaming sessions (one day each of the last two weekends). That covered the entire storyline start to finish, and we had to replay two missions due to a change in gamer tag.
First and foremost, I've been extremely critical of the Halo series previously. I've called the entire franchise the most overrated games ever. This game has changed my opinion a bit. Why?
Fantastic storytelling. More so than in any other Halo, this game is immersible. Not just because an actual good story is told, but because the levels are filled with background that make them feel so much more alive. Every level is filled with NPCs running for cover, NPCs fighting alongside you, constant radio chatter, explosions and gunfire in the background, etc.
That, more than anything else, is what makes this a great game.
This game is actually a prequel in the Halo franchise. It's cool, but at the same time, limiting. Don't expect to see really incredible new weapons or anything because it would ruin the original games.
The story features you as the new #6 on a special forces team called Noble. Your 6 man team is on Reach and sent to investigate a loss of communications with some remote colony. (If you've never played Halo and want to avoid spoilers, go to the next paragraph.) What is suspected to be rebels turns out to be the Covenant invasion force. That's when the fun starts.
The storyline flows well, and the cinematics can be quite cool. Each mission features new objectives, new locations, and sometimes even new gameplay. The new gameplay is pretty kick ass, if a bit simplistic. In fact, if this was a PC game I'd expect that we'd already be seeing stand alone mods just for that gameplay. (Hint: Think of a hugely popular game from the 90s with an X in the title from a genre that has gotten almost no attention since then.)
Now for the bad part...that's it. Everything else in the game is the same as the previous games just with a better paint job.
Did you read my first paragraph? We beat the damn game in 10-12 hours, and that's running through a few missions twice. 10-12 hours of storyline is pretty shitty for a $60 game.
There is multiplayer, yes, but it's like the late nights of the PC world. Death match. Death match? Who the fuck does that anymore?!? They also have versions of assault, capture the flag, etc. It's all cool stuff, for certain, but you're on a console...not exactly a haven of FPS skills...no offense!
I hear the co-op gets tougher as you add more folks, and of course there are other difficulty levels.
If this comes out for PCs, it's a no brainer purchase, but I'd wait until it hit $20. Ditto for the consoles. $20 is a decent price for a well told 10-12 hour story with the same old gameplay.
Yes, this game changed my opinion of Halo, but only on a story telling level. I think the guys at Bungie are smart as hell and know what they're doing, but let's be honest, Halo didn't do anything that wasn't already out there. The lone exception being how alive they made the battlefield seem in this latest game. The Halo franchise features a good story with good gameplay, but it irritates the shit out of me that moron console only players think it's fresh and original. (Thus my belief that the franchise is overrated.)
Still, that being said, I've played them all, and enjoyed them all. They're really good games, just not "the best ever".
I recommend Halo Reach for any FPS player, including folks who aren't familiar with the Halo story. In fact, I think someone should send a copy to Lucas to show him how prequels should be done...
8 out of 10.