The game is set in a planet called Reach. This time, Master Chief, along with his Noble Six, are bound to protect Reach from the invasion of Covenant forces. The graphics and audio is highly improved in this game. A more realistic future is presented, and the Earth-like Reach has a more unforgiving environment than in previous Halo series. Gameplay is much like the first in the series, Halo: Combat Evolved. The one-time use items in Halo 3 are replaced in Halo Reach by an inventory of reusable items, until upgraded or replaced. Multiplayer mode supports offline split screen. Firefight, Slayer and King of the Hill are still featured, along with new modes like Headhunter, Stockpile, Generator Defense, and Invasion. By the way, players can now choose a female Noble Six character in this series.

Halo Reach set a new record for the franchise by selling USD 200 million on its launch day. The game is highly praised by review sites IGN, GameSpot, and GamePro. Most critics cited Reach’s Forge World as more expansive and impressive than previous Forge’s. Efforts to improve the game paid off. The game launched a beta test in E3 2010, and actively collected feedbacks, bug reports, and game suggestions from Halo 3: ODST fans. The game gets 91 stars out of 100 across review sites. Awards include, Best Sound, Best Xbox 360 Game, Best Shooter, Shooter Game of the Year, Game of the Year, and Best Multiplayer.