Halo: Reach on PC has only been out for a few weeks, but the modding community has wasted no time and has already cranked out some amazing projects that allow players to enjoy Halo: Reach in fresh, new ways. Here are our five favorite mods that you can download, install, and enjoy right now.
From the beginning, you know the end
The Halo: Reach PC port is excellent, and thanks to the passionate modders in the Halo community, there are already lots of awesome projects available for it.
Ultimate Forge World
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If you've ever wanted to fly one of Halo's spaceships or dropships around, this mod from RejectedShotgun will make your dream come true. It adds a ton of new vehicles to Halo: Reach's Forge mode, including a UNSC Frigate, a Pelican, a Phantom, the space-variant of both the Banshee and the Phantom, and more. All of these vehicles have full functionality, and their potential for use in custom maps is massive. As an added bonus, the famous Scarab Gun from Halo 2 also makes an appearance in the mod, and the mod also removes the Forge build limit so they can place as many objects as they want without having to worry about using up the Forge budget. You can get the mod here.
Halo Reach Evolved
This mod from TheVengefulVadam overhauls the Halo: Reach Campaign by adding in new weapons, features, and enemies while also rebalancing many sandbox items. The goal of the mod was to create a Halo: Reach experience that feels more like one of the titles from the original Halo trilogy while also adding in new types of content that offer new gameplay experiences. Some of this content includes Elites that use a Jackal shield in conjunction with an Energy Sword, a Revenant that shoots like a flamethrower, the ability to "hijack" Hunters and plant grenades in their bodies, and more. Currently, only a few missions are available to download, but the mod author is constantly working on updating the mod with the goal of eventually applying it to the entirety of Campaign, as well as Firefight. You can download it here.
AI Forge Menu
This mod by Seraphiicy adds something that Halo fans have been asking for since 2007: the ability to spawn AI NPCs in Forge mode (provided you're playing by yourself). Though the AI lacks any kind of pathfinding, they'll still use basic movement to approach and attack other AI that their faction is hostile against (as an example, UNSC versus Covenant). This allows you to effectively create your own warzones by Forging a battlefield and then filling it with constantly-respawning AI. If you want to study Halo's AI behavior, match one type of AI against another, or simply watch some epic battles unfold, this mod is a must-have. You can download it here.
Trooper Firefight
If you've ever wanted to play as a Marine in a Halo game, then this mod by vanya857 will be right up your alley. It allows you to play as Marines, Army troopers, or ODSTs in Firefight, which naturally ups the difficulty significantly and forces you to play smart and use cover constantly, essentially turning Halo into a tactical shooter. The best part, though, is the fact that multiple people can play the mod together if they all have it installed; this means that you could create a Marine fireteam with your friends, crank the difficulty to Legendary, and experience the most hardcore version of Firefight ever made. You can get the mod here.
Halo Reach Third Person Campaign
This awesome mod by AkFumbles pans the camera out slightly in the Campaign, allowing you to experience the game from a third-person perspective. Interestingly, this turns Halo: Reach into a cover shooter of sorts, allowing you to survey your surroundings more frequently and identify positions to use for protection while you fire back at the Covenant. This mod is fantastic for players who want to experience what a Gears of War-style Halo might feel like, or for people who'd simply like a more cinematic angle to appreciate the Campaign from. You can download it here.
ODST Campaign Overhaul
This project by Xulah replaces Noble Six in the Campaign with an ODST, allowing you to experience the Fall of Reach as a regular soldier instead of a Spartan. Like with the Trooper Firefight mod, this massively ups the Campaign difficulty and turns the game into a slower, more intense experience. This is the mod for you if you're looking for a way to enjoy Halo: Reach's story in a brand new light. You can download it here.
UNSC Firefight
Ever wanted to fight the UNSC troops that are always by your side in the Campaign? With this special Firefight mod by 101stephen101, now you can. This project completely overhauls Firefight by replacing all Covenant enemies with human ones. Where you would normally fight Grunts, Elites, and Jackals, you'll now be facing off against Marines, ODSTs, and Spartans instead. This is a great mod if you want to experience a unique Firefight challenge. You can get it here.
All Character Customizations Unlocked
This simple mod by 0sedax unlocks all of the game's armor when you run the game in Anti-Cheat Disabled Mode. While small in scope, this mod is nevertheless an amazing tool for people who would like to have all of the game's armor customization options available to them while they play Custom Games with their friends. Just be aware that this mod does not unlock any armor for you in the "regular" version of the game that has anti-cheat enabled. You can get the mod here.
Royale Reach ReShade Preset
This ReShade preset by swampticks gives Halo: Reach a moodier, cinematic feel by injecting some post-processing effects, enhancing darker colors, and moderately increasing saturation. This is the ReShade preset that I personally use, as I love how it compliments the depressing and tragic tone of the Campaign's story. You can get the preset here.
Nobility ReShade Preset
If you want a ReShade preset that avoids making drastic changes to the game's look, but still makes use of post-processing effects to make the lighting look more natural and realistic, this preset by Spiffyskytrooper is going to be right up your alley. Nobility is a fantastic option for people who want Halo: Reach to look more modern, and it has a negligible impact on performance, which is a bonus. You can get it here.
Your thoughts
What do you think of these mods? Do you have a favorite? Is your favorite mod not on this list? Let us know.
Halo: Reach on PC is available for $10 on both Steam and the Windows 10 Store.
From the beginning, you know the end
The Halo: Reach PC port is excellent, and thanks to the passionate modders in the Halo community, there are already lots of awesome projects available for it.
