X10: Halo: Reach Fact Sheet @ Gaming Target

Written by John Scalzo on February 12, 2010

News: First real details on Bungie's Halo prequel.

Microsoft released a new fact sheet for Halo: Reach at yesterday's X10 media event and the briefing includes a bevy of new information about Bungie's final Halo project.

The company also announced that a bunch of special edition Halo: Reach accessories will launch alongside the game this Fall. Among the items announced were a Halo: Reach-branded wireless headset, wireless controller and Zune player. A special edition Halo: Reach Xbox 360 console is also in the works. But Microsoft wasn't ready to reveal anything else about these Halo: Reach extras.

However, all of the new information in this Halo: Reach fact sheet is straight from Bungie:

Title: Halo: Reach
Publisher: Microsoft Game Studios
Developer: Bungie
Format: Xbox 360
ESRB Rating: Pending
Price: TBD
Availability: Fall 2010

Product Overview
УHalo: Reach,Ф developed exclusively for Xbox 360 by acclaimed developer Bungie, is the blockbuster prequel to the best-selling Xbox franchise of all time. It represents the culmination of Bungie's 10 years of experience crafting groundbreaking УHaloФ games that have raised expectations for what can be achieved in a video game.

In УHalo: Reach,Ф players experience the fateful moments that forged the УHaloФ legend. It's the story of Noble Team, a squad of heroic Spartan soldiers, and their final stand on planet Reach, humanity's last line of defense between the terrifying Covenant and Earth. This darker story is echoed by grittier visuals amid a backdrop of massive, awe-inspiring environments. Characters, enemies and environments are rendered in amazing detail by an all-new engine designed to deliver epic-scale encounters against the cunning and ruthless Covenant.

Once the campaign is over, the battle continues online with an unparalleled multiplayer experience that expands on the award-winning suite of features that helped define the Xbox Live experience.

The УHalo: ReachФ multiplayer beta, on track to be the largest beta program of its kind on any console, is expected to see millions of participants when it begins May 3. Players can access the multiplayer beta on Xbox Live through the УHalo 3: ODSTФ disc.

Features

Meet Noble Team: For the first time, players will fight alongside a squad of iconic Spartan soldiers, each with deadly talents as unique as their individual personalities and customized gear.

An intense campaign: Live the events that set the stage for the УHaloФ trilogy as the UNSC and Covenant clash at the height of their military power. New weapons and abilities complement the familiar УHaloФ arsenal for the largest-scale battles ever witnessed in the УHaloФ universe. Fiercely cunning artificial intelligence (AI) adds depth and complexity to each encounter, helping make every play-through a unique and epic experience.

Stunning technical advancements: УHalo: ReachФ takes a massive leap forward through all-new engine technology designed to take full advantage of next-generation graphics, audio, special effects, AI and animation while continuing to expand on the campaign, cooperative and multiplayer sandbox in a way that only УHaloФ can.

The definitive multiplayer experience: УHalo: ReachФ builds on the success of its predecessors, setting a new standard for competitive gameplay, customization, variety and community integration.

Unparalleled feature suite: УHalo: ReachФ expands on the industry-leading suite of features found in УHalo 3,Ф including four-player cooperative campaign play, split-screen support, saved films, screenshots and exciting new surprises that have yet to be revealed.