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GoozerNation Arcade
Getting to Know the Halo: Reach Beta
JudoChinX
May 4, 2010
May 3rd was the opening day of the public beta for Halo Reach's multiplayer. To get started, make sure you own a copy of Halo 3: ODST, pop in the disk, and when you're at the game's main menu, select the play beta option, and you'll then begin a rather sizable download totalling just over 1GB. This probably took about 20 minutes to download on my residential Comcast connection, so it was pretty quick. Once that was done, again select the play beta options, and you're off.
Some of the first things you'll notice after you start the beta are the changes made to the multiplayer lobbies. On the right side of the screen you'll see both your party and any friends currently playing. From there you can choose to join their game, invite them to join your game, and so on. Halo 3 was and probably still is the best multiplayer lobby system that the Xbox 360 has ever seen, so seeing some excellent improvements on that is truly a welcome sight. Once you're done ogling at the sleek new menu system, go ahead and start the matchmaking, and after you find enough players to start a game, something that only took mere moments, you'll then have a chance to cast your vote for a map and game type of your choice. The most popular choice wins, and so the game begins.
Once in the game, you can choose from a handful of loadouts for your use. If you've not already heard, Halo Reach does away with pickups such as overshields and active camouflage. Instead, you'll select a special ability when starting your match.
The first option is to allow your character to sprint. If you've played the Modern Warfare franchise, then you pretty much know what you're getting into here. Toggle your ability by hitting the left bumper on your controller and you begin running. Though probably the least interesting of your available abilities, sprinting allows you to quickly get up and personal with an enemy, or, if in a bad situation, retreat.
The second option is active camouflage. Active camouflage allows you to toggle a cloak over your character. It's timed, and it will recharge, but you'll want to choose the times you use this ability wisely. One thing that's been changed from the other Halo games is that when active camo is, well, active, you'll find yourself unable to hear anything around you. It's kind of ironic that in order to make yourself less visible to enemies, you have to rely more on your sense of sight than ever before. This is probably the ability you'll want to go with if you prefer sniping.
The next choice is called armor lock. In effect, it's sort of like an overshield, but prevents you from moving while activated. The longer you hold down the left bumper, the more charged you become while in this shielded state. Upon releasing the left bumper, you'll unleash an EMP wave that knocks out your opponents' overshields, and the more charged you allow your armor lock to become, the greater its effect will be. While in the armor locked state, you'll be invulnerable to attacks, so I find that this is best something activated when being barraged by grenades.
The last thing you can get in your loadout is a jet pack. It's been a long time since we saw a Tribes game, so if you've been missing that aerial first person shooting action, Halo: Reach has you covered. Just like every other new ability here, hit the left bumper on the Xbox 360 controller and you'll begin flying through the air. You can only boost for a limited time, so make sure that you save some fuel for your landing (fall damage has made a comeback in Halo: Reach). After a bit of time, you'll again be able to use this piece of equipment.
If for some reason you've not yet procured your copy of the beta, be sure to get in soon. This is a pretty short beta, lasting only from May 3rd until May19th, so if you want to play Reach before this fall, you'll need to act quickly. Long time Halo fans are sure to enjoy what has to be the biggest change to this series' multiplayer. If you never really got into Halo, and are looking for a break from Modern Warfare 2 or Bad Company 2, check it out. It's a pretty refreshing change.
