Reach, the planet, falls to the Covenant forces and is destroyed by aerial bombardment.

That can't be a spoiler at this point, can it? The 2001 Halo novel was called The Fall of Reach, for crying out loud. It's not a subtle reference in the world of Halo. We know that Master Chief is the last surviving Spartan throughout the other Halo games, making Reach something like the Star Wars prequels; we get to see other Spartans fight at the height of their power. Noble Team is ready for anything, eminently capable, and tough as nails. The game details their efforts on a planet we know is doomed. It feels like a tragedy from the beginning, and the ending scene... well, it's something you'll have to experience. People are going to talk about it.

This is Bungie saying goodbye to the Halo series, and handing things off to Microsoft and 343 Industries before moving onto whatever the next project is going to be. Reach may be a prequel to the existing games, but it brings everything to a close with grace and spirit. If ODST was a major stumble, Reach is the recovery.

Halo: Reach Developer Bungie Publisher Microsoft Price $59.99 to $149.99 Shop.Ars Platform Xbox 360

These are Spartans

Halo Reach is the story of a group of Spartans called Noble Team, and you are the newest recruit. It follows these characters, each with personality and a face, through their adventure as we slowly learn how their story ties into the greater lore of Halo. Yes, this is a very important game in the timeline of the series, unlike the side-story nature of ODST. The game also features a much darker feel than the other entries in the series; while no one really thought that humanity would be wiped out while playing Halo 3, we know going into Reach that the Spartans have been wiped out, save Master Chief. This doesn't give us much hope for the characters we'll be spending time with.

This is a game about sacrifice, and by the time the game is over, that will have been hammered into your skull time and time again.

While past Halo games had regenerating armor and ODST had a standard health system, Reach mixes the two by having shields that regenerate if you can find a place to rest between firefights, as well as a health bar that requires health packs to repair. It's the best of both worlds, and works very well as a throwback to the classic Halo experience.

The weapons have also been re-worked, and they feel great: powerful and loud. The Plasma Launcher that shoots up to four sticky, explosive rounds is a personal favorite, as is the grenade launcher, which allows you to hold the trigger to choose when to detonate the grenade round. I'm not going to list all the weapons and what they do—part of the fun is exploring the ordnance and finding favorites as you play—but I was very happy with the selection of guns throughout the game. Some are only used once or twice, others pop up throughout the game, but everyone will find something to love.

The armor abilities also bring variety to the play. The game begins by giving you the ability to sprint by holding the left bumper, but soon you'll be given the option of using a holographic decoy, a jet pack, a portable energy shield, and more. Each one gives you different tactical options that change how you play through a section, and some (like the jet pack) are used for specific sections in the game.

These features also come to life in the different multiplayer modes, and it's thrilling to take to the skies and fire down on your opponents, or use the armor lock power to make yourself temporarily invincible, although you'll be locked in place.

The Halo series has always been about firefights, and how to approach combat situations tactically. Do you throw a grenade? Use an ability? What weapon should you be carrying? You'll be asking yourself these questions constantly as you assess each situation and find the best way to move forward, and this is what gives the games so much lasting power.

I played through the game in one sitting with a friend, and I can't wait do it again; there are a lot of other things I'd like to try. We left the game session with tons of great stories about what happened and why, and we often cursed the screen or cheered depending on how our strategy worked out. Some people hate Halo because it's popular or they don't like consoles or blah blah blah... tune out the whiners: Reach delivers finely tuned action with a very distinct look and feel. This series is successful for a reason.