There's a Halo: Reach multiplayer beta test coming to Xbox LIVE next spring, have you heard? You'll need to have your Halo 3: ODST disc to participate. And while we wait for the first official Bungie/Microsoft-sanctioned details and images to release (which may be before year's end), playtesters are doing the community a service with, yep you guessed correctly: leaks.
The internets are exploding today with alleged off-screen screenshots of Halo: Reach's pre-alpha build, apparently taken from a Microsoft/Bungie play session. For the record: Bungie have been quite clear that Reach has been undergoing both in-house, as well as take-home testing for a while now; so yes, it is playable. According to the images -- which, again, were captured with a cell phone, and depict a work-in-progress version of the game more than a year off -- we can see not only what is likely the multiplayer we'll be getting access to in roughly six months time, but also a glimpse at what appears to the single-player element. That is evidenced by the addition of the 4-squadmate HUD in the lower corner of one of the screens, which would confirm that Reach indeed sports the rumored squad-based (to some extent) campaign hinted by the teaser trailer.
Additional details gleaned from the images are few and far between, give their quality and still-in-question authenticity. But let's be honest: they're probably real. Rumored features online suggest that Reach includes drop-in co-op, perks, a sprint ability, and even an improved 1-shot Battle Rifle (above) - but that remains to be seen.
Hit the jump to see the rest of the screens, showing off new Covenant weapons, Reach's all-new graphics tech, the main menu, a rocket launcher staring down another Spartan, the familiar Warthog and Spartan laser (with much improved modeling), and more. Kind of a lot to take in all at once, so digest the intel slowly. Who knows when, or if, this will get commented on. The real question here is: how pissed off is Bungie, and who is going to be killed in their sleep tonight by their ninjas?
[Update]: Microsoft have issued a "Microsoft doesn't comment on rumors or speculation" response. As well, Bungie have been actively banning users. Make of that what you will.
TrackBack URI for this entry
written by kamanashi, November 05, 2009
-
- +3
-
-
