Halo: Reach Matchmaking: Brace For Carnage...

Double Kill, Triple Kill, Overkill Killtacular, Killtrocity, Killmanjaro, Killastrophe, Killpocalypse,  Killionaire Skullamanjaro!!!! Halo is back and it's multi player has arrived in all of it's expected glory. Halo has fundamentally changed the way people think about the Xbox, but more importantly how people think about FPS's. You will almost always hear people compare any new FPS to Halo (and Call of Duty). That's because Halo was really the first game to bring in the whole gaming community together to kick ass and take names together. Reach is no exception. When Chris and myself decided to split the reviews up, I had initially expected I would have to easier time. I could not have been more wrong. The matchmaking for Reach proved to be just as in depth and original as when Halo was first released. Sure, it's the same game at it's core, but the tweaks additions and upgrades to the game has given it such a great feel, that I ended up having to look at so much more than I thought. This game has really blown me away. Again.

     I suppose a good place to start, is to first assume you have played Halo matchmaking. Primarily because well... that makes my "job" easier (job.. right..). That being said, I do still want to talk about some fundamentals of Halo. Halo has always been about the weapons the vehicles and the fast paced firefights. Unlike more realistic FPS' Halo's use of shields, vehicles, Equipment(Halo3), and a plethora of unique weapons, provided the potential for long tactically involved match's. Balancing the huge selection of all these facets made Halo unique to the FPS world. That, still remains, and has been improved. The first major change of the matchmaking, as far as how each match plays, are the additions of the load-outs. These behave allot like the way the equipment did in Halo3, with one major change. They are permanent. For example, when you start a match (depending on the game type) you select a load-out. Let's pretend you choose Sprint. Now, while you are playing you can activate your load-out and sprint around the map! Whoo! Supa Fast! All load-outs have a cool down, represented as a circle right above the team scores in the bottom left of the screen. Pretty intuitive, not to intrusive, a good addition to the HUD, as well as making the game a little more interesting. 
    So let's talk about the load-outs. I won't list all of the combination of load-outs, because there are about 1 billion of them (ok maybe not... but there are allot). I will however introduce each individual ability. 

Armor Lock: This one might be my favorite. It allows you to crouch down into an impenetrable shield for a short amount of time(6seconds). During this time you are unable to move or attack, you are essentially immobilized, however invulnerable. The bonus is this, if you do hold the shield for the full 6 seconds(you can turn it off before this happens) you will emit this wave that will eat all shields around you, including your own. Great for beating in faces.

Jet Pack: Pretty self explanatory. You fly. I found it really difficult to control, because you simply fly the direction you are moving, and up. Watch your fuel level, because fall damage will still make you sad... and dead.

Active Camo: Again, something we have seen before in the form of power-ups. While active, you are invisible and all nearby radars (again, including your own) just go crazy with red dots. The more you move/shoot, the less invisible you are. Get it? Got it? Good.

Sprint: Uhh... you sprint....

Hologram: This one is a pretty sweet new idea. When activated, you spawn an exact copy of yourself that just runs towards the spot you were targeting when you activated it. It doesn't shoot, jump, or turn, it simply runs in straight line until it arrives at it's destination, at which point it will stand. Last for 10 seconds. Distractions are great.

Drop Shield: This one we have seen before in previous equipment. You drop a shield that cannot be penetrated by bullets, lasers, grenades, etc. A player can however run into the shield and roflstomp you that way, but you knew that.

Evade: This one is... cool but not creative. It's just a super juke. You lunge (and do a pretty sweet flip in the air) in the direction you are moving. If you got the fast aim, this one is pro.

So there are also new weapons. Which is awesome, they introduced "new" Covy Carbine, in the form of the Needle Rifle. It's the covenant compliment to the Spartans new Battle Rifle, called the DMR. The DMR, instead of firing a burst of bullets, shoots one powerful shot. Similarly, the Needle Rifle shoots a needle, which explodes the way Needles do. We have grenade launchers (even a plasma grenade launcher!!), energy cannons, and all the typical shotguns, sniper rifles, rocket launchers and energy swords that we have all grown to love. The new weapons are easy to figure out and add more excitement and fun to an already extensive arsenal of potential death bringers. For a full, far to in depth look (for my taste) at all the weapons for Reach, check it out.
Oh also, new vehicles. Go play the game and find them. While you are at it, use the Armor Lock while a ghost charges you, and be prepared to laugh. Allot.

More new stuff!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It is after all, a new game, amirite?! Of course.
So, new game modes, that's fun. The only play list that really caught my interest was called Invasion.

Whoo. None of my friends (except Chris) have the game yet, so I have not been able to experience these play lists in all of their glory.

All in all. It's Halo. The new engine makes the game look even more beautiful and shows what fans have always known the 360 can do. The weapons are new, they are shiny; the explosions are fiery and real. The maps, remade and new, are prettier and more detailed then they have ever been. It's a fresh skin, a new look, and an wonderfully innovative way to make a franchise that has already been around for 9 years feel unique. I had initially been worried that this was going to be another re skinned Halo3 (the way ODST felt to me) but after spending some serious time with Reach's match making, I am thoroughly pleased to say this is truly a new game, worth every dime.

Final Score, 10/10 no clever comparison.