Editing Halo: Reach

{{Title|''Halo: Reach''}}
{{Status|RealWorld|Featured}}
{{Game infobox
|name= ''Halo: Reach''
|image= [[File:Halo Reach (Standard with ESRB).png|300px]]
|primary-dev=[[Bungie|Bungie LLC]]
|support-dev=[[343 Industries]] {{C|[[Halo: Reach Title Update|Title Update]]}}<br>[[Certain Affinity]] {{C|[[Downloadable content|DLC]]}}
|publisher= [[Microsoft Game Studios]]
|engine=[[Blam engine]]
|writer=[[Joseph Staten]]
|composer=[[Martin O'Donnell]]<br>[[Michael Salvatori]]<br>[[C Paul Johnson]]<br>[[Stan LePard]]
|platform= [[Xbox 360]]<br> [[Xbox One]] <small>(via backwards compatibility, Halo :The Master Chief Collection),</small><ref name="bw compatibility">[http://news.xbox.com/2015/12/17/halo-reach-hits-xbox-one-backward-compatibility-today/ '''Xbox Wire''': ''Halo: Reach Hits Xbox One Backward Compatibility Today'']</ref><br>PC (''[[Halo: The Master Chief Collection]]'')
|releasedate= [[2010|September 14, 2010]]<br>[[2010|September 15, 2010]] (Japan)<br>[[2019|December 3, 2019]] (''Halo: The Master Chief Collection'')
|genre=[[First-person shooter]] 
|modes= [[Campaign]]; [[Campaign#Cooperative|Co-op]]; [[Multiplayer]]; [[Firefight]]; [[Forge]]; [[Theater]];
|rating=[[Wikipedia:Entertainment Software Ratings Board|ESRB]]: Mature (M) for Blood and Violence<br>
[[Wikipedia:Computer Entertainment Rating Organization|CERO]]: (D) Ages 17 & up<br>
[[Wikipedia:Pan European Game Information|PEGI]]: 16+ (Europe only)
}}
{{Quote|From the beginning, you know the end.|Game tagline<ref>[[Halo: Reach Announcement Trailer]]</ref>}}

'''''Halo: Reach''''' is a [[Wikipedia:First-person shooter|first-person shooter]] video game set in the [[Halo universe|''Halo'' universe]] and direct prequel to ''[[Halo: Combat Evolved]]'', depicting the [[Fall of Reach]]. It was developed by [[Bungie|Bungie, LLC.]]  and published by [[Microsoft Game Studios]] for the Xbox 360 console.<ref>[http://halo.bungie.net/Projects/Reach/default.aspx '''Bungie.net''': ''Halo: Reach Project Page'']</ref><ref name="worth">[http://worthplaying.com/article/2009/9/16/interviews/68467/ '''Worthplaying.com''' - ''"Halo 3: ODST" Developer Interview'']</ref> It was announced by [[Joseph Staten|Joe Staten]] during Microsoft's Media Briefing at E3 2009; ''Reach'' was released on September 14, 2010, in [[Wikipedia:North America|North America]], [[Wikipedia:Europe|Europe]], [[Wikipedia:Australia|Australia]], and [[Wikipedia:Asia|Asia]] with the exclusion of [[Wikipedia:Japan|Japan]] whose release was a day later.<ref name="bnet">[http://halo.bungie.net/News/content.aspx?type=news&cid=26642 '''Bungie.net''': ''Halo: Reach Launches 09.14.2010!'']</ref> On [[2015|December 17, 2015]], ''Halo: Reach'' became available on the [[Xbox One]] via backwards compatibility.{{Ref/Reuse|bw compatibility}} After several testing flights, it was added to ''[[Halo: The Master Chief Collection]]'' on December 3, 2019.

Upon the first day of release, ''Reach'' grossed over $200 million, surpassing ''[[Halo 3]]''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s record of $170 million.<ref>[http://gameinformer.com/b/news/archive/2010/09/15/how-much-cash-did-halo-reach-bring-in-on-day-one.aspx '''Game Informer''': ''How Much Cash Did Halo Reach Bring In On Day One?'']</ref>

==Synopsis==
===Backstory===
{{Main|History of the United Nations Space Command}}

By the 26th century, humanity has expanded beyond the confines of [[Earth]]'s [[Sol system|Solar System]] and now inhabits hundreds of worlds in other star systems under the ultimate control of the [[Unified Earth Government]] and the [[United Nations Space Command]], the Earth government's military and scientific arm. However, colonization did not come without its problems. By the late 25th century, various rebel and secessionist factions commonly known as [[Insurrectionist]]s emerged in the [[Outer Colonies]], [[Insurrection|actively opposing]] the UNSC-imposed rule on the outlying worlds. In [[2517]], the [[SPARTAN-II program]] was initiated by the UNSC to counter the threat of an imminent all-out civil war in the Outer Colonies by producing a group of [[SPARTAN-II augmentation procedures|biologically-enhanced]] supersoldiers.

In [[2525]], humanity made first contact with a powerful alien hegemony known as the [[Covenant]] on the distant [[Agriculture world|farming world]] of [[Harvest]]. Following an unfortunate [[First Battle of Harvest|chain of events]] set in motion by the contact at Harvest, the Covenant's [[Hierarchs|religious leaders]] deemed humans "unclean beings" and waged an all-out genocidal campaign with the intent of wiping the human race out of existence. In the years that followed, the technologically superior Covenant swept through the Outer Colonies, systematically wiping out human colonies by [[Glassing|plasma bombardment]]. Even with the all-encompassing Covenant threat, many human insurgent movements lived on, forcing the UNSC to fight a two-front war.

In [[2531]], the UNSC initiated another supersoldier project known as the [[SPARTAN-III program]]. The SPARTAN-III commandos, while greater in numbers than the SPARTAN-IIs, were created to assault high-value targets ''en masse'', in suicide missions in which they often succeeded, at the cost of entire companies. However, despite their best efforts, humanity could only slow down the Covenant's advance. By [[2552]], virtually all of the Outer Colonies have been devastated by the Covenant, who now ravage the [[Inner Colonies]]. Reach remains as humanity's last military stronghold and is often considered the only thing that stands between the Covenant and Earth.

===Reach===
{{Main|Reach}}
The titular planet Reach, located in the [[Epsilon Eridani system]] at Earth's metaphorical doorstep, is arguably the UNSC's most important military stronghold and shipyard. With a population of over 700 million, it is also one of the most populous human colonies. A harsh world filled with towering mountain ranges and deserts, Reach's settlements range from remote, self-sufficient farming communities to futuristic metropolitan cities such as [[New Alexandria]]. Reach also has several unique indigenous creatures such as the [[Moa]] and the [[Gúta]], which are interacted with over the course of the campaign.

As the nexus of the UNSC military, Reach is protected accordingly; possessing a grid of 20 [[orbital defense platform]] and a [[Epsilon Eridani Fleet|defensive fleet]] of over 100 ships at any time. Reach has garrisons of ground forces from all military branches of the UNSC, including the [[UNSC Army]] which serves as the primary NPC ally throughout the game.

===NOBLE Team===
[[File:HR NobleAndCivilians Concept.jpg|300px|thumb|Concept art showing NOBLE Team interacts with civilians and UNSC Army troopers.]]
{{Main|NOBLE Team}}
The game follows NOBLE Team, a six-man special operations unit of one [[SPARTAN-II Program|SPARTAN-II]] and five [[SPARTAN-III Program|SPARTAN-III]] commandos. Serving under [[Special Warfare Command]], NOBLE Team's SPARTAN-IIIs are among the few that were deemed too valuable to be wasted on suicide missions and were subsequently assigned to serve in other special forces units. Stationed on Reach, NOBLE Team reports to [[Colonel]] [[Urban Holland]].

The player assumes the role of the team's latest member, [[SPARTAN-B312]] or "Noble Six", a SPARTAN-III from [[SPARTAN-III Beta Company|Beta Company]] with a mysterious past, assigned to the team as a replacement for its [[Thom-293|previous sixth member]]. Other members of the team include [[Carter-A259]], the leader; [[Catherine-B320]], the intelligence specialist and Carter's second-in-command; [[Jorge-052]], an experienced heavy weapons specialist and only SPARTAN-II on the team; [[Emile-A239]], an audacious assault and close combat specialist; and [[Jun-A266]], the team's talkative sharpshooter.

===Plot synopsis===
{{Spoiler/begin}}
[[File:Noble Briefing.png|thumb|250px|NOBLE Team is briefed prior to deployment.]]
On [[2552#July|July 24, 2552]], [[SPARTAN-B312]], the player character, arrives at a UNSC outpost on Reach. It is here that the players are introduced to the main cast and given their first mission from NOBLE Team's [[commanding officer]], [[Colonel]] [[Urban Holland]]. The team is called in to investigate the sudden blackout of the [[Visegrád Relay|Visegrad Relay]], one of the planet's primary communications hubs. Expecting a confrontation with [[Insurrectionist]]s, the team lands in the remote rural area and proceeds to the relay. After interrogating a farmer and finding suspicious signs in the area, it is soon discovered that the loss of communications is the work of the [[Covenant]], as the team is engaged by Covenant ground forces. After they have made their way into the relay station, the team are attacked by the [[Devoted Sentries]], an [[Sangheili|Elite]] [[Sangheili Zealot|Zealot]] advance team, who were on a mission to steal information from the relay. After the team successfully secures the relay, Carter uses the damaged relay to contact Colonel Holland and explain the situation, leading to the declaration of the planetary emergency directive [[WINTER CONTINGENCY (protocol)|WINTER CONTINGENCY]].

[[File:Reach "The Battle Begins"-Elite.png|thumb|250px|left|NOBLE Team encounters Sangheili Zealots.]]
Two days later, on July 26, NOBLE Team is called in to [[Office of Naval Intelligence|ONI]] [[Sword Base]] near the [[Babd Catha Ice Shelf]]. As explained to the team by the [[Artificial intelligence|AI]] [[Auntie Dot]], Sword Base is under attack from a [[Ceudar-pattern heavy corvette|Covenant corvette]], but due to the sensitive nature of the facility, the use of [[orbital defense platform|orbital MAC rounds]] is prohibited. NOBLE Team clears the main courtyard of enemies, and is then sent on a mission to re-activate [[Farragut Station]], a communications station they can use to get into contact with command, and [[Airview Base]], where they need to activate [[M71 Anti-Aircraft Gun|an anti-air battery]] to clear the skies. The Spartans move into Sword Base and NOBLE Six assists [[Emile-A239|Emile]] in driving off several [[Kez'katu-pattern Phantom|Phantoms]] and [[Type-26 Ground Support Aircraft|Banshees]]. After the skies have been cleared, the UNSC sends in a pair of [[GA-TL1 Longsword|Longswords]] to push the corvette away from the base's immediate vicinity. The Covenant vessel begins to retreat, only to be shot out of the sky by an orbital strike. After the mission, NOBLE Team is debriefed by Dr. [[Catherine Halsey]], who inquires as to the death of [[Laszlo Sorvad|one of her scientists]], who was doing research at the relay. She says he mentioned a "latchkey" discovery and that the information was essential. Learning that he was killed by [[Sangheili Zealot|Zealot]]s, Halsey reprimands [[Carter-A259|Carter]] for not pursuing the leader, as the scientist's research was potentially important to [[Covenant religion|their religion]]. Fortunately, [[Catherine-B320|Kat]] had stolen the data module off of the scientist, and hands it over to Halsey.

Two and a half weeks later, NOBLE Six and [[Jun-A266|Jun]] are sent to perform a night reconnaissance mission to reconnoiter the Covenant "dark zone" in the [[Viery Territory]]. After stealthily eliminating guards at multiple outposts, the two Spartans meet up with a group of civilian militiamen, who guide them to a [[Ütközet hydroelectric power plant|hydro-plant]] further into the dark zone, where the team discovers a Covenant [[stealth pylon]]. After planting an explosive charge on the pylon, the team moves deeper into the dark zone, where they discover a massive Covenant invasion force. Kat then orders them back so they can prepare for the attack on the next day. 

[[File:HR-TipOfTheSpear-Viery.png|thumb|250px|A satellite image of the troop deployments at Viery.]]
On the morning of [[2552#August|August 12, 2552]], a massive UNSC [[Order of battle (Viery, Reach)|joint assault force]] is put together, with the objective of mounting a counterattack on the Covenant-occupied Viery Territory. As revealed by Auntie Dot in the mission briefing, the Covenant have infiltrated the region in force, deploying ground forces and installations, including several massive [[Deployment spire]]s. NOBLE Team's objective is to destroy one of these spires, designated [[Spire One]]. After pushing through Covenant forces and destroying several Covenant [[Cheru-pattern Tyrant|anti-air batteries]], [[Jorge-052|Jorge]] and NOBLE Six deploy to the spire in a [[UH-144 Falcon|Falcon]]. However, the aircraft crashes after being disabled by the electromagnetic field created by the Spire's shield. After the crash, the pair proceed into the Spire, where it is revealed that the Spires actually contain [[teleporter]]s used to transport Covenant forces to the surface, linked to an unknown source. After proceeding to the Spire, NOBLE Six utilizes a [[gravity lift]] to reach the top, and disables the shield. [[SPARTAN-B312|Noble Six]] is flown away from the tower by a Falcon containing Carter and Jorge. {{UNSCShip|Grafton}}, a [[Paris-class heavy frigate|heavy frigate]], uses a [[Magnetic Accelerator Cannon|MAC]] round to demolish the spire. Seconds later, a [[Sh'wada-pattern supercarrier|Covenant supercarrier]] uncloaks and fires on the ''Grafton'', completely destroying it. 

NOBLE Team contemplates how to destroy the Covenant supercarrier, ''[[Long Night of Solace]]'', as the UNSC no longer possess tactical nuclear devices on Reach. Instead, Kat proposes they use a [[Shaw-Fujikawa Translight Engine|slipspace drive]] as a makeshift bomb to destroy the ship. It also becomes apparent that Noble Six was a pilot in the top-secret [[Sabre Program]] at some point. Carter contacts Holland and the plan is approved.

On August 14, NOBLE Team arrives at the [[Sabre Program Launch/Research Range]], where Noble Six and Jorge commandeer a UNSC [[FSS-1000 Sabre|YSS-1000 "Sabre"]], a recent development intended for Inner Colony orbital defense. They launch into the hostile space over Reach, where they protect a UNSC space station, [[Anchor 9]], until its defenses come back online. Next, they rendezvous with the {{UNSCShip|Savannah}}, which sacrifices its slipspace drive for the mission. They then board the Covenant corvette, ''[[Ardent Prayer]]'', and using its re-fueling course at the supercarrier as an excuse, get close enough to detonate the slipspace bomb and destroy the ''Long Night of Solace''. Unfortunately, the detonator for the makeshift bomb is damaged and Jorge is forced to manually detonate it, sacrificing himself to destroy the supercarrier. However, the victory is short lived: mere moments later, a massive Covenant fleet arrives, making the destruction of one supercarrier pointless. 

[[File:LNoS ends.jpg|thumb|left|200px|''Long Night of Solace'' is destroyed.]]

Noble Six is flung away from the corvette by Jorge, falling all the way down into Reach's atmosphere, saved by an [[M-Spec reentry pack]]. After landing, Six continues to the city of [[New Alexandria]], arriving there on August 23. Six then regroups with UNSC forces and assists in the evacuation of [[Traxus Tower]], where many civilians have taken refuge. After, Six helps [[UNSC Army]] troops to activate [[M95 Lance|anti-air missile batteries]], which damage a Covenant corvette, providing the time needed for the massive [[Egret Spaceliner|civilian transports]] to escape the city. Kat orders Noble Six to rejoin NOBLE Team, Noble Six meets Carter on a rooftop in New Alexandria. Kat orders Noble Six to assist in the destruction of several [[Covenant communications jammer]]s in the area, along with several other tasks, including protecting [[Edward Buck|Gunnery Sgt. Edward Buck]]'s Falcon as he is transported to the rest of his unit, defending different groups of Army soldiers around the city, and assisting in more civilian evacuation. Kat then calls on Noble Six to come to her aid in the evacuation of the [[Olympic Tower|Office of Naval Intelligence HQ]].

Once inside, NOBLE Team is reunited, in what Emile calls a "family reunion." Colonel Holland makes emergency contact to the team, ordering them to immediately re-deploy to Sword Base to destroy sensitive information. The communications are cut off, and Jun notes several Covenant vehicles leaving the area. Soon afterward, the Covenant begin to glass the city near the building, generating a massive shockwave NOBLE Team barely manages to avoid. The team takes an elevator down to the bottom level, where they run to an underground radiation bunker as Carter explains that they are to be redeployed to Sword Base to destroy all sensitive data. Just before they get inside, Kat is killed with a single shot from a [[Gadulo-pattern needle rifle|Needle Rifle]] to the back of her head fired by a [[Sangheili Field Marshal|Field Marshal]] [[Orsu Lar 'Ahtalee]], in an overhead Phantom. Resulting in Noble Team to return fire upon that Phantom, however, the Phantom is able to retreat. Three days later, the team exits the shelter, and a [[Pelican]] arrives to transport them to Sword Base. 

On August 29, Noble Six is deployed with a group of [[Orbital Drop Shock Trooper]]s in order to take out several Covenant anti-air towers around Sword Base, opening the defenses so the rest of NOBLE Team can be deployed to the base via Falcons. After fighting their way into Sword Base, NOBLE Team discovers the coordinates they were given to be empty, a last stand full of dead troopers. The coordinates are then revised by an unknown AI, and NOBLE Team moves into caves below Sword Base. NOBLE Team rides a cart down the tunnel, and discover that it was Dr. Halsey who ordered them back to the base, despite the existence of reports that she had died. As they descend down the elevator, a massive [[Babd Catha Forerunner complex|artifact]] built by an [[Forerunner|ancient civilization]] in the ice cavern is revealed. 

[[File:Halsey n' Six.jpg|left|200px|thumb|Doctor Halsey gives Noble Six [[The Package (data storage unit)|The Package]].]]
Halsey asks NOBLE Team to buy her more time in order to decrypt the artifact's data. NOBLE Team sets up a defensive perimeter at the entrance to Halsey's lab, deploying [[M8 Automated Defense System|Wolf Spider Turrets]] in the area before fighting off waves of incoming Covenant. After the process is complete, NOBLE Team falls back to Halsey's lab, where she then shows a fragment of the AI [[Cortana]] to the team and explains that she has been assigned the custodian of the artifact's data, and she needs to be brought to the [[Asźod ship breaking yards]] in order to be deployed onto a UNSC {{Class|Halcyon|light cruiser}} which is being sent on a special mission. Dr. Halsey explains that Cortana has picked Noble Six to be her carrier, and entrusts her to the Spartan.

They make their way to a landing pad outside, where two Pelican dropships await. Jun is assigned by Carter to take one of the Pelicans to escort Dr. Halsey to [[CASTLE Base]], while the rest of the team deploys on the other dropship to the ship breaking yards. On the way, the Pelican piloted by Carter is damaged, forcing Emile and Noble Six to initiate a low level altitude aerial insertion and move towards the {{UNSCShip|Pillar of Autumn}}. 

[[File:Carter Death.jpg|thumb|200px|Carter-A259 rams his Pelican into a Scarab.]]

The pair are blocked by a [[Deutoros-pattern Scarab|Scarab]], but Carter arrives and sacrifices himself, piloting the Pelican in a kamikaze strike on the Scarab. Noble Six and Emile continue towards the ''Pillar of Autumn''. Once there, Emile mans a [[Mark 2488 Onager|Mk. 2488 Onager MAC]], while Noble Six fights off masses of Covenant infantry. [[Jacob Keyes|Captain Jacob Keyes]] then arrives and receives the AI from Noble Six. Before the Captain can take off, a Covenant [[Ket-pattern battlecruiser|battlecruiser]] arrives, and prepares to fire on the Autumn. Meanwhile, a Covenant Phantom arrives on scene and dispatches the Devoted Sentries to Emile's location. Emile kills one with a shotgun, before being stabbed through the abdomen by another. The Marines on Keyes's dropship offer that Noble Six board the Pelican, but Six declines, as without cover from the MAC, the ''Pillar of Autumn'' couldn't escape. After fighting through the Zealots, Noble Six takes control of the cannon and defends the Pelican as it returns to the ''Autumn''. As the Covenant ship prepares to fire, Noble Six fires into its [[Energy projector|main weapon]], disabling the Cruiser as the ''Pillar of Autumn'' escapes from the planet. 

[[File:HaloReach - PoA.png|left|200px|thumb|The {{UNSCShip|Pillar of Autumn}} escapes Reach.]]

The final cutscene portrays the beginning of the opening cutscene in ''[[Halo: Combat Evolved]]'', where the ''Pillar of Autumn'' comes out of slipspace. Keyes asks if they have evaded the Covenant, to which Cortana replies "I think we both know the answer to that". The credits roll on the right as the ship drifts off towards [[Installation 04]].

After the credits, Noble Six is shown to still be at the ship breaking yards, preparing for a final stand against Covenant forces being deployed in the area. Six fights off several waves of Covenant forces, before succumbing to plasma fire, discarding his/her damaged helmet. Six fights desperately with several Sangheili soldiers until overwhelmed and stabbed by a Sangheili Zealot's [[energy dagger]]. The epilogue, set over 30 years later in the year [[2589]] on a re-[[Terraforming|terraformed]] Reach, shows Noble Six's helmet sitting in what is now a grassy field. Dr. Halsey provides a eulogy to Noble Team as the camera shows [[Unidentified colony ship|a human ship]] landed on the planet, showing the re-colonization of Reach.
{{Spoiler/end}}
{{Clear}}

===Data pads===
{{Main|Data pads}}
In addition to the main storyline, ''Halo: Reach'' features 19 hidden [[data pad]]s which tell a self-contained story of their own. The data pads, found in various locations throughout the campaign, focus on a powerful human [[Artificial intelligence|Artificial Intelligence]] collective known as [[the Assembly]]. Composed of a [[Assembly Minority|Minority]], [[Assembly Majority|Majority]] and the [[Committee of Minds for Security]], the minds of the Assembly are behind many significant events in human history, having been manipulating humanity in secret since the 24th century.

==Gameplay==
[[File:1INSURGENTWINTERCONTIGENCY.jpg|300px|thumb|A gameplay preview of NOBLE Team questions a civilian.]]
''Halo: Reach'' features many new additions to the ''Halo'' sandbox while still retaining the core gameplay. The player damage system is similar to that of ''Halo: Combat Evolved'' and ''Halo 3: ODST''. The [[Heads-up display|HUD]] highlights environmental features and overlay information about them, and the [[motion tracker]] display is three-dimensional. ''Halo: Reach'' also introduces a refined [[equipment]] system known as "[[Armor abilities|Armor Abilities]]." Pieces of equipment can now be selected upon respawning (or picked up of the ground for certain gametypes and campaign); armor abilities are reusable with a recharge time between uses. A new [[assassination]] system is also featured, in which holding down the melee button will trigger a context-sensitive, third-person assassination animation. Simply hitting the melee button allows for the old-instant-kill assassination, now called beat-downs. Melee kills, which were called beat-downs, are now called pummels.

The returning features of energy shielding and health bar are different from their predecessors. In ''Halo: Combat Evolved'' and ''Halo 3: ODST'', the health bar remains still when taking damage. In ''Halo: Reach'', it features sustainable damage in addition to the standard energy shield regeneration. When a player takes damage after the shield is down, the health bar would be reduced, but after a brief amount of time during shield regeneration, the health bar would also increase. The upper limit of regeneration depends on how much damage the player has taken as it would be split into 33%, 66%, or 100% health. Should the player take damage down to 50% health, for example, the player would only be able to recover up to 66% of health when the shield is regenerating. Any damage taken would recover depending on the remaining health. For full recovery, the player would need to take a [[health pack]] or use the Drop Shield armor ability.

The weapon selection has been streamlined from that of ''Halo 3'', so that every weapon has a specific role. The number of different grenade types has also been reduced from that of ''Halo 3'', and [[Orgudam Workshop firebomb|incendiary grenades]] and [[Type-2 Antipersonnel Fragmentation Grenade|spike grenades]] did not return. Human weapons all hit more or less instantly after pulling the trigger, as opposed to the projectiles being affected by in-game physics. There is no longer dual-wielding available in ''Halo: Reach'', following the same path as ''Halo 3: ODST''. Compensating for this, the weapons that were known as dual weapons in ''Halo 3'' that are now in ''Halo: Reach'' became drastically stronger. The M6G Magnum, for example, is now almost as powerful as the M6D Pistol in ''Halo: CE'', and has an even higher rate of fire.

Players are able to personalize their character's armor with a greater variety of customization options, and the appearance is consistent across campaign and multiplayer, unlike in ''Halo 3'' where it would only be seen during multiplayer matches. Like in ''Halo 3'', the armor permutations are only to be cosmetic and do not affect gameplay. The design of multiplayer models in ''Halo: Reach'' differs than those previously used in ''Halo 3''; players are limited to a SPARTAN multiplayer model but given the option of changing their character's gender. Players are given the option to play as an Elite multiplayer model, thou