Bryan Schiavone ’13

Opinions Editor

The night of Sep. 13 might have seemed like an average one to most people, but, for thousands of gamers across America, this day marked the release of one of the most anticipated video games in history.

Even though “Halo: Reach,” the prequel to the main “Halo” trilogy, was not scheduled to come out until 12 a.m. on Sep. 14, many gamers lined up hours before to claim their copy of the final addition to the popular Halo series.

Staples students who purchased the game experienced a variety of reactions.

“It definitely goes above and beyond my oh-so-high expectations,” Trevor Locke ’13 said.

Locke, who describes the final release in the “Halo” series as his “only purpose on this earth,” bought the game the day it came out. Since that day, his love of “Halo” has only intensified to the point where he plays “every moment possible.”

“Would I say I am addicted to Halo?” Locke said. “Heck yeah!”

On the other side of the spectrum is Wyatt Fern ’13, who received the game as a birthday present a week after its release.

“I’d say it lives up to my expectations,” Fern said. “It’s not that fun.”

Though Fern is neutral towards the game, members of the gaming community on the whole have reacted more enthusiastically.

GameSpot gave the game a 9.5 out of 10, and even selected it for their Editors’ Choice Award, reserved for “the world’s absolute greatest games.”

“‘Halo: Reach’ has evolved to the point where it’ll make everyone happy,” video-game reviewer Erik Brudvig wrote. “It’s just that good.”

The positive press given to the game has caused some Staples students to check it out. Tommy Palumbo ’13 lists the stellar reviews as a big factor in his decision to purchase Halo: Reach.

“I heard it was very good,” Palumbo said. “That was the number one reason why I got the game.”

After playing, however, Palumbo disagrees with the reviews, saying that it is not what he had expected or hoped for.

Despite the mixed reviews from many gamers, the “Halo” games have undoubtedly made a huge mark in the gaming world. “Halo: Reach,” which grossed a record-breaking $200 million on its first day of release, is definitely no exception.

“If you haven’t picked up the game already, you need to do so,” Locke said. “Life is simply too short for you to not experience the smile that this game brings upon your face.”