My Only Problem with Reach

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nin_ninja

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Nov 12, 2009
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....was that none of the characters were developed.

True, I was sad when Kat and the others died, but I couldn't really connect to the characters because the single player was short, and they weren't even around all that often.

I find this to be a problem with FPS, and shooters in general. Often these characters don't say much that isn't a taunt or something to advance the plot, and as a result you find it hard to sympathize with them.

Most other game series don;t have this problem, as you are often given points in the story to interact and just TALK with these characters.

Look at Mass Effect 2, we all love it (just a figure of speech folks), and 90% of the game is dialogue. Granted, its Bioware, but still, it would be nice to have some down time and be given some time to explore these other characters.

Exceptions to this case are people who appear throughout sequels and are given more chances to shine. Cortana, Soap, Wesker, all examples of characters who have developed somewhat over their game series. But this is because they live throughout. The whole of Noble team dies (well mostly) and none of them appear in any of the books, shorts, or comics, and they never will. I rally wanted to see Jorge interact with that Hungarian scientist more, I wanted to know more about Emile's history, but now I never will.

What are your thoughts on these topics?

EDIT:
This was not only a problem with Reach, just FPSs in general.
No, I miss Jorge too.
No, I was not expecting some deep characters, I'm just sad that they couldn't have been more developed.
How in anyway was Kat's death stupid? A sniper took her out from a place impossible to predict.
There were some other Spartans besides Master Chief who survived Reach, so it's too bad that none of the team besides Jun make it.
Kinda want a non-cannon Halo RPG like Mass Effect 2 where you assemble a team to destroy some grave Covenant threat.
Also want to know what happens to all these random A.I. like Dot, Serina, and the Superintendent.
 

Syce300

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Mar 4, 2009
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While I agree that they could have been developed more in the game, I highly doubt this is the end of Noble Team. Knowing Microsoft, they'll probably release a book about the origins of Noble Team with it ending with the original Noble Six's death.
 

Dogstile

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Jan 17, 2009
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You cared about kats death?

It was pathetic.

I mean, where the fuck were her shields?
 

zHellas

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nin_ninja said:
Problematic-Snip
It's about the Fall of Reach.

You'd think the guys going in to save Reach would die.

Couldn't really think of a blunt way to say it without being a dick.

Sorry for sounding like and/or being a dick.
 

Omega Hunter 9

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Feb 25, 2009
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dogstile said:
You cared about kats death?

It was pathetic.

I mean, where the fuck were her shields?
I believe the explosions and collapsing building they were trying to get out of disabled all their shields. It isn't explicitly said.
 

Vilcus

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Jun 29, 2009
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dogstile said:
You cared about kats death?

It was pathetic.

I mean, where the fuck were her shields?
I've heard a theory that the Covenant's Glassing lazer or whatever causes an EMP, so it's possible that none of the sprartans had any shielding at the time.

I personally loved Emile's character because he seemed so angry all the time, and it really fit him. Even his death painted him as an incredibly angry and defiant person.
 

Dogstile

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Omega Hunter 9 said:
dogstile said:
You cared about kats death?

It was pathetic.

I mean, where the fuck were her shields?
I believe the explosions and collapsing building they were trying to get out of disabled all their shields. It isn't explicitly said.
in which case, i'll just laugh about the fact that she had /just/ put on her helmet when that happened. Those things never do work do they? XD
 

Omega Hunter 9

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Feb 25, 2009
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dogstile said:
Omega Hunter 9 said:
dogstile said:
You cared about kats death?

It was pathetic.

I mean, where the fuck were her shields?
I believe the explosions and collapsing building they were trying to get out of disabled all their shields. It isn't explicitly said.
in which case, i'll just laugh about the fact that she had /just/ put on her helmet when that happened. Those things never do work do they? XD
That's a good point, for all we know, her suit hadn't powered up her shields because it was still re-sealing after putting the helmet back on
Pure speculation mind you.
 

Thedayrecker

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Jun 23, 2010
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You mean you expected a modern FPS to have a long story and developed characters? Did you eat paint chips as a kid?

All being a dick aside, I just beat MW2's story (again) and this time it took me 4 hours. I wouldn't hold your breath, waiting for a good story.
 

ShenCS

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The only way FPS characters seem to get any real limelight is through memetic badassery. I mean hell, I played the entire Halo trilogy before really delving into what people thought of it online and throughout the whole thing, Johnson was just "shouty head npc" to me. They need to be simple and not in need of much development because the game's story in an FPS never seems to last very long, because their target audience don't want to play it for very long. S'all about the multiplayer, not us story nuts.
 

khaimera

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Jun 23, 2009
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Thedayrecker said:
You mean you expected a modern FPS to have a long story and developed characters? Did you eat paint chips as a kid?

All being a dick aside, I just beat MW2's story (again) and this time it took me 4 hours. I wouldn't hold your breath, waiting for a good story.
Agreed. And Reach's poorly told story didn't change this trend.
 

blobby218

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dogstile said:
Omega Hunter 9 said:
dogstile said:
You cared about kats death?

It was pathetic.

I mean, where the fuck were her shields?
I believe the explosions and collapsing building they were trying to get out of disabled all their shields. It isn't explicitly said.
in which case, i'll just laugh about the fact that she had /just/ put on her helmet when that happened. Those things never do work do they? XD
i think the main point is to display loss and humanity

anyways..

Spartans never die, they're just missing in action.
(love that phrase)
 

Egobrain

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Dec 22, 2009
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dogstile said:
You cared about kats death?

It was pathetic.

I mean, where the fuck were her shields?
Look up her character bio on Halopedia. They give two excellent ideas on why that occurred under the traits and personality heading. And I personally like the second theory more.

They had just been hit with radiation from being glassed, sheilds prolly hadnt come back since it happened
 

Naota_391

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Mar 6, 2010
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I see where you're coming from, but I just really don't think that was a problem in Reach. I mean, if anyone here has been nerdy enough to read the books, the Spartan behavior has been explained pretty well. If anything, having read the stories, I was a little surprised by how human they were in this game.

But honestly, what did you expect? They're not teenagers going through dramatic relationships, they're not newbies or underdogs in the army, and the only social lives they've ever had has been with other Spartans. There's nothing to develop at that point. They were there to do all they could to fight off the Covenant on Reach, and that's what they did.

I thought Reach did an excellent job of telling an interesting and cohesive story in a GAME for once, rather than resorting to a book to have any understanding or context of the events.
 

Naota_391

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Mar 6, 2010
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khaimera said:
Thedayrecker said:
You mean you expected a modern FPS to have a long story and developed characters? Did you eat paint chips as a kid?

All being a dick aside, I just beat MW2's story (again) and this time it took me 4 hours. I wouldn't hold your breath, waiting for a good story.
Agreed. And Reach's poorly told story didn't change this trend.
Disagree 150%. How was Reach's story "poorly told"?
 

DarkSoldier84

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Jul 8, 2010
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My problem with Halo: Reach is that Jun falls through a plot hole. You see how Jorge, Kat, Carter, Emile, and Six go down, but Jun just disappears after evacuating from Sword Base. Developer commentary says he's still alive, but that's not revealed in-game.
 

Reep

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Well it might just be me, but i felt bad for Jorge and Emile. I truly liked Jorge, he was shown as more than a death machine.
Emile on the other hand, the only reason i felt bad was because i couldnt be up there killing the zealots with him.