Reach Enjoyment: Reach's aesthetics will contribute significantly to it's download count. But the way a map plays is what keeps a map on the player's hard drive. Unfortunately, Invasion Repel on Reach lacks this critical quality. Upon the first play through the players realize the map's overall purpose is to put the covenant ship Redemption onto Sandbox, and make it look good. The gameplay is very one sided (and not always toward the attackers) and the clear purpose of the game is not clear. It is basically a slayer game with tweaked settings. The defenders side (or the marines) are crippled with low shields and low jumping height, but with a medic that would barely do their job. However, they are armed with an unbelievable amount of fire power. This amount of fire power is clearly there to counter the high running speed and high shields of the elites, but do their job poorly because they mainly cause for a total onslaught of the attacking team, which means easy victory for the elites. The same can easily go for the elites, though more unlikely. The elites, armed with their custom power up and high running speed and shields can dominate the marines if they are not using their equipment properly, which can happen more often the one might think. As long as the banshee or wraith can make quick work of the vehicle arsenal that the marines have, the game can easily go to them. All in all the gameplay is very off balance, and will directly effect the player's experience on this map. However, the well forged Redemption, as well as the other structures on the floor of Sandbox, means this map could easily be kept on a player's hard drive if they were interested in showing off the aesthetics of the map to their friends. Balance: As previously stated, the map lacks in balance. The marines are given an arsenal that was meant to balance the powerful elites, but has failed in doing so. And the elite's arsenal was meant to make short work of the marines, but their arsenal stands in their way, which has also failed. In the map post it is stated that originally Reach was meant to be purely aesthetic for the ship, Redemption, where the elites spawn, and it must be confessed that the map would be much more enjoyable if that is what it was posted as; an aesthetic map. Durability: The map is essentially unbreakable, since the outer dunes are the only undesired location in this map, which are blocked off by guardians, and therefore pose no threat. And it there was no severe problems with the spawn system that could cause any abuse. Also, since the only honor rule is stated in the thread (not getting in enemy team's vehicles), there is minimal problems with the this section. However, things like the ship's height makes the ghosts and banshees explode on impact from time to time, which adds to the frustration of the player. Aesthetics: There is something to be said about the forging and aesthetics in Reach. Not only does Reach have the Covenant vessel, Redemption, as it's main feature, but the ship is flawlessly forged, along with the rest of the map. The buildings are boring structures that an average forger would put together. Instead, each structure is unique in design, and use. Certain buildings have tactical advantages others do not, and certain buildings utilize different pieces to make it unique and beautiful. The ship, Redemption, is the same way. It is fully used on the inside as a base. It is the location of one of the team's spawns, it houses weapons and vehicles, and it is a safe refuge for the elites. On the outside it looks the closest to the real thing as anybody could get on Sandbox, and it doesn't show any poor forging at all. Originality: All aesthetic maps are original, and they must be graded on the way that the aesthetic structure is produced, rather then how many of them are there of the same kind. However, this map was turned into primarily a casual map, which hurts it significantly. A casual map is suppose to be enjoyable for a group of friends to play a casual, but fun game on. They shouldn't have to deal with the frustration of being dominated, nor the necessity to do their best. Unfortunately, if one team is not fully focused the other team will take over the game. And this poor structure is seen quite often in casual maps. To often do people throw together a casual map that isn't at all what it is suppose to be. Overall: 27/50
i personaly liked how it played given thee fact that the objects were very limited. i kind of like how unbalanced it is because it makes you feel like what Reach is supoosed to be like and what rifte and phenom would have been going for. i think its a good casual.
This is an exceptional map, although the planet is kinda lacking in structures this map is overall amazing, the carrier is exteremly well done, the gametype is also very balenced. 5/5
I remember playig this with you rifte a while ago, in a 2v2 battle. What I really admired abotu the map what the Covenent Cruiser. It was so beautifully made, and looked so much liek the realy thing, you put a lot of detail into it along with the other features of the map which is what i love to see in maps.
I don't know why, but falling from the sky in a Wraith just feels so good. And everything went nicely gameplay wise when I tried it out. But the Marines are pretty much screwed without Vehicles, maybe make them a little stronger?
Actually the map is very open if you take a second look at it, which is understandable considering his budget limits. And about the gameplay, it is very fun indeed but well balanced was not what he was trying to go for. He was trying to go for a fun game based off of Halo Reach. The Marines actually do not have much health and when I played this on one of the Seitanal's maps designed for this, the zealot seemed a little.... Invulnerable. Mostly we just turned tail and ran if we saw one, only if it had a sword. If it had anything other than a sword... well we kissed our arses goodbye. Elites needed at least two marines ganging up on them to stand much of a chance, which is understandable considering this is Invasion REPEL, where you are marines. When the Marines got to either the vehicles or the missile pods it was easier for them, until the Zealot came. Overall In my experience playing it. Marines need to be a tad stronger (like spartans. Lol jk) and the Zealot well.... needs to be more of a zealot than an Ultra elite. What's the difference. Zealot's in campaign on Normal difficulty have 300% damage resistance while Ultras have around 400 to 500%. Overall, Reach was a nice aesthetic map, but I enjoyed playing this game more on maps with more cover so every side has a chance. But I, (practically) like everyone else who commented, love the covenant ship, amazing detail, most accurate one to date. Here Is my review for it. Balance: 2/10 Gametype is either way turned in the Elites favor, or it will be a tie. Marines need to be skilled and all have Rocket BR to barely win. Gameplay: 4/10 Gameplay was often broken by people not following honor rules and people constantly complained about the vehicles being destroyed after the fall and sometimes them dying. Aesthetics: 8/10 Covenant ship was great and the small (buildings) show no signs of poor forging. Map could use more substance but hey, you only had a bit of budget left. Unbreakable: 4/10 No one followed the honor rule and Elites merely overpowered marines and took the tank to the dunes, where they were unstoppable. Plus there was one guy who constantly tried to get into the redemption to spawn camp, and it worked and he uses that method every time we play. It was annoying. Originality: 5/10 Though the Idea ad the map are very original, the gametype is not really "reach based" it seems more like just some old run of the mill "human versus covenant" game, though it is the most accurate one to date. Originality is all in the map. Fun: 3/10 Not as much fun was had playing this map as it was looking at it. I looked at it and thought "this will be fun" and out of my creative spark created a game of my own, but after I played this, It was not as much fun as i had hoped. Overall Review: 4.67 (I averaged it out) Sorry if this seems harsh or demeaning in any way. Keep in mind that I have actually played the game and this is my opinion. Map is good, game and part of the map under the redemption needed improving. Maybe the covenant ship could have been smaller or something so you could add more cover and give the marines (*cough*Spar*cough*tans*cough cough*) a chance as well as make m stronger and the Zealot (not necessarily the Elites) weaker or less overkill as they were.