That’s right, ladies and gentlemen, your favorite super-soldier series is about to get hit with another map pack! Developed by Certain Affinity, the aptly named “Defiant Map Pack” will unleash upon gamers world wide three brand spanking new maps.
As is viewable in the trailer found here (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4DyUHIiL6DY), Certain Affinity went for a more expansive look when they made these creations. Their designs really continue the theme of a world wide battle that the Halo: Reach campaign portrayed so well. Just don’t get too caught up in staring at Covenant Super Carriers glassing distant recesses of the planet, or you’re sure to get a knife in between the shoulder blades.
For the price of 800 Microsoft Points, -10 US dollars- Halo fans can slaughter each other endlessly on two of these new maps, while the third adds another arena in which players can test their resilience against waves Covenant forces, a la the Firefight game mode.
The first map shown, dubbed “Unearthed,” pits up to four Spartans against alien cannon fodder while vying for control of a titanium mine and refinery. Judging from the preview, it appears to be one of the bigger maps in Firefight. Hopefully this means we can expect heavy weapons to be a mainstay in our arsenal, and plenty of Wraiths to shower with high velocity lead.
Next to debut was “Condemned”. This space station map follows in the footsteps of the Noble Map Pack’s “Anchor 9” for looks, but seizes its own niche by combining a central zero gravity room and tight corridor fighting elsewhere. With its many stairwells, gravity lifts, and opportunities for multi-tiered mayhem, this 6-12 player map looks to be the future grave of many defeated Spartans.
In an attempt to pursue the popularity of like predecessors “Tempest” and “Valhalla” (from the Noble Map Pack and Halo 3, respectively), “Highlands” brings a more natural look back to Halo. This map focuses around a Spartan training facility set in Reach’s mountains. It’s vast, it’s spacious, and the green grass and high hills provide more than ample room for vehicular carnage to abound. Big Team Battle, Capture the Flag, and this map’s layout already look to be a match made in heaven. Amplifying the idea of larger teams, “Highlands” allows for explosive engagements for group sizes ranging from 8-16 players.
The Defiant Map Pack will be available March 2011. Don your armor, Spartan, you’ve been called to battle.
Written by ClassActGamer
