This game was very light on humor and had so many dark and brooding moments that gave you a rather grim and hopeless feel that you were fighting an unwinnable war. The last two missions really highlighted on this when the members of Noble Team were being killed and then Noble 6 was given the job to escort Cortanna to the Autumn, afterwards a tense battle with the phantoms and then the lone wolf battle ensues. That moment felt really powerful as it showed there was no survival and your last mission was to fight to the end. I thought that having the cracks appearing in your helmet quickly built up on this moment even further.
In other words, this game had an amazing emotional feel to it
I have to agree. Its the “Empire Strikes Back” of the Halo franchise.
Thats what made Halo Reach stand out from the entire trilogy gaming wise.