Game 3 - Halo: Reach (MP) - Week 2 - Jan 20

alo: Reach was a game that most my high school friends played but I never did (excluding a few times at a friends house) having owned a PlayStation 3. A few of my closer friends, and diehard Halo fans despised the game. Why you ask? The game added sprint, and other abilities that ruined the high skill ceiling and map control which Halo was all about. According to them it was "CODified". Cornering frags, weapon spawns, choke points, superior ground, headshots, double taps, etc was an art to them. The games were all skill and the only thing that could break that fact was poor latency.

I jumped on to MCC to get all the games as I've always wanted to play through the original Master Chief saga, but decided to wait until they were all out to play through the campaigns. Instead I was curious to see what the MP was like. And I have to say.... It's even worse on PC from what I can tell. Not because of technical issues (I haven't noticed a single bug) or a toxic community. But for one single reason. Everyone plays Slayer and you start with a DMR. Now this wasn't as much as an issue on Xbox I imagine but starting with a high damage semi-automatic rifle that can hit anyone from across most maps is ridiculous. Why use any automatic weapons? Literally ever again? No one does. It's all DMRs. The game isn't Halo anymore.Where are the iconic needlers and plasma pistol? Left on the ground because the DMR is better. I'm not a fan of the abilities either, map control is gone when you can run to the rocket launcher with sprint. Now there are no fights over key points and resources, those resources are abilities. I think 343 Studios could have solved the core issue of the DMR, albeit boldly, by starting you with the classic kit of assault rifle and magnum instead. But there are other design choices - which many suspect to have been a testbed for Destiny - that would have always permitted me from enjoying this installment as much as the original trilogy.

Edit 1 8/3/20: I noticed playing Halo CE they've released an experimental AR mode in Reach - I'll have to check this out and give an update on my thoughts - I hope people are playing the mode.