Halo: Reach | |
---|---|
Developer(s) | Bungie |
Publisher(s) | Microsoft Game Studios |
Distributor(s) | Microsoft Studios |
Composer(s) | |
Series | Halo |
Platform(s) | Xbox 360 |
Release |
|
Genre(s) | First-person shooter |
Mode(s) |
Aggregate scores | |
---|---|
Aggregator | Score |
GameRankings | 92% |
Metacritic | 91/100 |
Review scores | |
Publication | Score |
1UP.com | A+ |
CVG | 9.2/10 |
Edge | 9/10 |
Eurogamer | 9/10 |
Famitsu | 34/40 |
Game Informer | 9.5/10 |
GamePro | |
GameSpot | 9.5/10 |
GamesRadar | 8/10 |
GameTrailers | 9.3/10 |
IGN | 9.5/10 (US) 10.0/10 (UK) |
OXM (US) | 9.5/10 |
OXM (UK) | 10.0/10 |
X-Play | |
The Guardian | |
The Daily Telegraph | 10/10 |
Halo: Reach is a first-person shooter video game developed by Bungie and published by Microsoft Game Studios for the Xbox 360 home video game console. The sixth installment in the Halo series, Reach was released worldwide in September 2010. The game takes place in the year 2552, where humanity is locked in a war with the alien Covenant. Players control Noble Six, a member of an elite supersoldier squad, when the human world known as Reach falls under Covenant attack.
After releasing Halo 3 in 2007, Bungie split into teams to develop two different games—what would become Halo 3: ODST and Reach. The developers decided to create a prequel to the original Halo game trilogy, freeing themselves from the obligation of addressing old story threads. As the game would take place on a human world doomed to be destroyed, they focused on making the environment a character unto itself. Longtime Halo composers Martin O'Donnell and Michael Salvatori returned to compose Reach's music, aiming for a more somber sound to match the story.
Reach was announced at the Electronic Entertainment Expo 2009 in Los Angeles, California, and the first in-engine trailer was shown at the 2009 Spike Video Game Awards. Players who purchased ODST were eligible to participate in a Reach multiplayer beta in May 2010; the beta allowed Bungie to gain player feedback for fixing bugs and making gameplay tweaks before shipping the final version. Microsoft gave Reach its biggest game marketing budget yet and created award-winning live-action commercials, action figures, and interactive media to promote the game.