Most of the time this blog is dedicated to happenings in Riot Games’ League of Legends, but I do occasionally branch out and play other games. Halo is one such game, and I’m always excited by the announcement/experience in the latest the franchise can offer. I got to play a bit of the Reach beta, and there was a lot to like (finally, a needle rifle). There was a lot I didn’t like, too, but I can hold my judgements for a release version of the game.
For now, you can see some of Bungie’s thoughts on the beta in the video above. There are some great shots, and I love that they included an ugly section for all the things that just shouldn’t be happening. Hopefully those will all be fixed by September 14th, when Reach officially launches.
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More and more video games are turning to live action shorts to serve as commercials in the months leading up to release. Perhaps the most notable was the Halo:ODST trailer last year, but there were also shorts for Assassin’s Creed II, Alan Wake, and Ghost Recon:Future Soldier. We can now add another to the list for Bungie’s latest and last Halo project, Halo:Reach.
The Reach short will debut tomorrow night at 9PM PST. The short, which was directed by Noam Murro, details the story of Carter 259, the Spartan squad leader you’re sent to control for the title’s campaign. More specifically, you’ll get to see how Carter evolved from your average marine into a suited-up badass Covenant killing machine.
If you’ve been thinking about getting a 360 or need to replace your recently dead unit there’s a new bundle coming that just might be perfect. Amazon just added a listing for a 2010 Spring bundle that includes Forza 3, Halo 3: ODST and a 120GB Elite 360 for just $299.99. The deal should be available this coming Tuesday, March 9th from Amazon.
Really, this is about the best deal I’ve seen. The kit includes two great games and even nets you beta participation for Halo: Reach through ODST. Really, it’s like three games for the price of a console. This bundle also launches the same day as the Final Fantasy XIII bundle that runs $399. That one includes two controllers, the game, and a 250GB hard drive.
Either way, you get a really solid bundle at an incredible price. Can’t really ask for much more than that.
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Ever since Microsoft announced Project Natal there has been speculation about which blockbuster titles would see motion controlled support. What’s more blockbuster than Halo? Nothing. But thankfully, Bungie confirmed it won’t be making Reach with Natal capabilities.
The confirmation came after a leaked screenshot showed a targeting reticule off to the side of the screen.
“Halo: Reach is NOT a Natal title and is being developed expressly with the traditional Xbox 360 controller in mind.”
Just to assuage any doubt, Bungie included the bug report for the anomaly along with it’s denial of Natal support. The full post was a “mythbusters” post, resolving other rumors like HUD and crosshair customization. You can find all those goodies at the Bungie website.
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As with the last several Halo titles, Reach already has some “leaked footage.” It gets the quotes because really, it could be fake. It could be viral marketing. It could even be leaked footage, but whatever the case, this thing is questionable.
The video opens on the boot screen, which features this message:
Welcome to the Halo: Reach Public Beta, the experience you are about to enjoy is an early sample of a few multiplayer and single-player levels from Halo: Reach, launching exclusively on Xbox 360 later this year. Until then, drive [sic] into Activities or Campaign and have a blast.
The text is pretty sloppy, which makes me lean toward the fake side of the boat. The video also leaks a new mode called “Murder Mode” that supposedly allows you to kill enemies without being seen. I could have sworn that was the bludgeon to the back of the head move. Also, why would it be called “Murder Mode?” Why not call it a “Murder Skill,” unless it allows you to become invisible for an extended period of time, which really isn’t so different from the Arbiter’s cloak skill in Halo 3.
More and more video games are turning to live action shorts to serve as commercials in the months leading up to release. Perhaps the most notable was the 
