I've completed a lot of games on their highest difficulty(COD game, GOW games, Gears of war 2). But most of them involve just brute force. Playing Halo: Reach on Legendary felt like I was improvising. You do die a lot. But every time I died I tried something different, some of them work, some them you die and try a different approach. I guess this is truly emergent gameplay.

I feel the same. After finishing most missions in H3 and ODST as well as having completed the first 2 in Legendary, I feel that Reach has the best quality for Legendary. Though it sometimes feels cheap, specially the shield of the Elites.... 

I think that this is where Halo is strongest.  The challenge (while it sometimes makes me scream!) is genuinely enjoyable.  Inching forward through checkpoints is awesome. 

I guess im the only person who hates challenges and im on what Oni:sword base legendary and I already want to commit suicide.

" I guess im the only person who hates challenges and im on what Oni:sword base legendary and I already want to commit suicide. "

I'm on the third mission on Legendary and my strategy thus far has been hide behind something, peek out and pop off a few shots, repeat. Been working pretty well. Rewarding? Not at all. So I disagree.

I dont get it why people fuss so much over it. It really wasn't that hard. I'm not trying to be a jerk,but seriously it's a challenging game on legendary but there are way harder games than Reach.

^ Jerk. 
 
OT: Too true.

It was challenging in a good way little annoying with instant death fuel rods though. Surprisingly I got through most of the game with out using the plasma pistol and the armor abilities were crucial.

Tbh, I have to agree with Jeff (Bombcast) in which he says he just bashed his head against it until he got through - Me and mate did the campaign of Legendary 1st time through and it was just 1 man running in and 1 man hanging back so the other dude can respawn when he inevitably dies.

I decided to go through with it, and so far I'm four missions in. It's actually turning out to be easier then the ridiculous expectations I had in my head. Much more enjoyable then COD, which was to take the words from the Bombcast, like hitting your head against the wall. (which is sort of funny because Jeff used it to describe Halo, which thanks to the more open nature of the battles I totally disagree with.)

" I dont get it why people fuss so much over it. It really wasn't that hard. I'm not trying to be a jerk,but seriously it's a challenging game on legendary but there are way harder games than Reach. "

Sounds like it just takes a lot of luck.

" Sounds like it just takes a lot of luck. "

If you didn't find it rewarding then you didn't explore your options enough to warrant a rewarding experience.

" Tbh, I have to agree with Jeff (Bombcast) in which he says he just bashed his head against it until he got through - Me and mate did the campaign of Legendary 1st time through and it was just 1 man running in and 1 man hanging back so the other dude can respawn when he inevitably dies. "

" @Psych0Penguin said:

" Tbh, I have to agree with Jeff (Bombcast) in which he says he just bashed his head against it until he got through - Me and mate did the campaign of Legendary 1st time through and it was just 1 man running in and 1 man hanging back so the other dude can respawn when he inevitably dies. "

this is why so many people on giantbomb are complaining about it being too hard.  sheep, if Jeff jumped off a bridge......          "

" @Scullinator said:

" @Psych0Penguin said:

" Tbh, I have to agree with Jeff (Bombcast) in which he says he just bashed his head against it until he got through - Me and mate did the campaign of Legendary 1st time through and it was just 1 man running in and 1 man hanging back so the other dude can respawn when he inevitably dies. "

this is why so many people on giantbomb are complaining about it being too hard.  sheep, if Jeff jumped off a bridge......          "

But ... In that post I just described my experience, which was just continuously die-ing and respawn-ing. Nothing to do with what Jeff said, just shared a similar experience (ala; my agreement).  "

" @Psych0Penguin said:

" Tbh, I have to agree with Jeff (Bombcast) in which he says he just bashed his head against it until he got through - Me and mate did the campaign of Legendary 1st time through and it was just 1 man running in and 1 man hanging back so the other dude can respawn when he inevitably dies. "

this is why so many people on giantbomb are complaining about it being too hard.  sheep, if Jeff jumped off a bridge......          "

I agree with the OP. If things are not going right for you in Reach on Legendary, you are doing something wrong and just not seeing it. As opposed to COD's beat your head into the wall over and over until you luckily make the next checkpoint approach, the tough spots in Reach do have a solution. When you find them it is definitely rewarding.

I've been playing on Heroic (something I haven't done in a Halo game before) and absolutely love it.  I can't BELIEVE I wasted so much time in the past just playing on Normal (or even Easy).  I will go for Legendary (maybe co-op) right after finishing this Heroic playthrough. 
 
I used to be one of those people that would play on Normal or Easy for most any game "just to get the story."  Big mistake.  Great games are made so much greater when you ramp up the difficulty, when you need to make every bullet (or sword swing, etc.) count, when you must be wary of every single enemy.  You'll parish a lot, but when you finally get past a part, oh man are you happy.  So rewarding! 
 
 
When a game is built as perfectly has Halo: Reach is built, it becomes something of a sport - something that actually is humanly possible to play (and beat) no matter the difficulty, just gotta train yourself and keep at it.  Tom McShea (of GameSpot) said there are no hard games, only unskilled players.  He was trolling a but but also sincere about it.  And it's true: if a game isn't broken, anyone can beat it on the hardest setting.  Just practice!    
 
 
EDIT:  Plus, playing on harder single player settings makes jumping into the multiplayer a little less intimidating. 

World at War on Veteran is straight up unfair, there are infinite respawning enemies and they each have 4 grenades....and they never stop throwing them. After that Halo Reach Legendary was a breeze, except maybe one part in the whole thing.

" @Jmangino said:

" I guess im the only person who hates challenges and im on what Oni:sword base legendary and I already want to commit suicide. "

Why are you playing on Legendary then?  There is a normal setting for people who hate challenges. "

definitely a difficult, but rewarding playthrough.  

The wide open spaces and semi-random movement do make for different strategies as you try to make it through a difficult point.  But there are still parts that are more annoying than anything.  I know it's supposed to be a challenge, but when a creature of any type can jump out and rip you apart in a couple seconds, it can be very annoying and luck-based to deal with.  Quite a few times I found myself exploiting the stupidity of AI or the invincibility of my AI partners to get through, which definitely reduces the enjoyment. 
 
ETA:  I definitely think Heroic is a fun experience, but Legendary is much more trial, error, and luck than skill.  Especially when a stray shot, grenade or overeager elite can kill you without warning.

It's definitely completely different on Legendary than normal.  My first run through I did heroic though, so a lot of strategies I used on heroic still worked on Legendary.  I actually completed Legendary faster than on heroic since i had the knowledge of whats coming already.  So I was better prepared, conserved ammo and picked up the right weapons.  Legendary was definitely fun though, no question.  Maybe some parts felt like trial and error, but the entire game I took my time, having LOTS of patience for each encounter.  Doing that made it super easy.  Legendary with 3 Elites in the distance, I have just a DMR that I don't want to waste because its so useful.  I kill a grunt and take that green charging energy pistol.  Charge shot + head shot on each elite.  Only wasted 3 bullets for something that could've taken 3 clips. 
 
I did it solo also.

I can see why they would say Legendary is impossible, because if you don't know how to play it then it is.  But Heroic isn't that bad, I found it quite easy.  Also when Brad said Winter Contingency on solo Legendary was impossible, I laughed because I found it easier than Heroic.

" I can see why they would say Legendary is impossible, because if you don't know how to play it then it is.  But Heroic isn't that bad, I found it quite easy.  Also when Brad said Winter Contingency on solo Legendary was impossible, I laughed because I found it easier than Heroic. "

" @Wasara88 said:

" I dont get it why people fuss so much over it. It really wasn't that hard. I'm not trying to be a jerk,but seriously it's a challenging game on legendary but there are way harder games than Reach. "

Like what? reach on legendary is one the hardest if not hardest game this generation "

A few days ago, I went and tried to do the space mission on Legendary. I did it, without dying and as the end cutscene started rolling in, I thought "Man, that was too easy!" I went back to the menu and realized I was playing on normal...

" I agree with the OP. If things are not going right for you in Reach on Legendary, you are doing something wrong and just not seeing it. As opposed to COD's beat your head into the wall over and over until you luckily make the next checkpoint approach, the tough spots in Reach do have a solution. When you find them it is definitely rewarding. "

"@Dad_Is_A_Zombie said: 

  I just wish I could matchmake it =( "

I don't know how I feel about it, because I'm not very far on my legendary playthrough yet. It seems the best strategy is to run around with the plasma pistol and a more conventional weapon (assault rifle, DMR, that plasma weapon that every elite seems to have, etc), while making heavy use of cover. Also, use grenades to break up groups of grunts and those shield/sniper guys.

" Tbh, I have to agree with Jeff (Bombcast) in which he says he just bashed his head against it until he got through - Me and mate did the campaign of Legendary 1st time through and it was just 1 man running in and 1 man hanging back so the other dude can respawn when he inevitably dies. "

" I guess im the only person who hates challenges and im on what Oni:sword base legendary and I already want to commit suicide. "

Took me a day to beat this on Legendary. Just be patient, know when to skip encounters and use the noob combo.

Reach was challenging because in a lot of spots it's incredibly cheap. I can't count the number of times I'd pop around a corner to a perfectly timed fuel rod cannon blast, I wouldn't hear the shot get fired but it'd be there when I turned the corner which leads me to think it's cheap AI. I also got stuck at a check point during the platforming/jetpack sequence where I watched a plasma grenade turn mid air at a 45 degree angle to stick me over and over again. I still enjoyed it but there are times when it's more dumb luck than skill or intelligence that gets you through a portion of the game.

Had to control my happy dance a minute ago for finishing it, solo, Legendary. Got my Carter helmet too (didn't die once from save point, which was at the cannon), switched to Waypoint to unlock the final armour piece (up-armoured CQB, legendary completion needed), and unlocked the last of the Milestone awards too ^_^ 
 
Sword Base was the hardest mission for me, due to terrible checkpointing at the start making it so you have to get all the way to the Target Locator before it'd trigger, but ironically I found The Package really easy. I actually did the final stretch of Pillar of Autumn far easier than my first Heroic run, probably because I got back into the Halo rhythms of EMPing shields and headshots.

Still plugging away at this.  Never tried any Halo game before on Legendary this one is brutal.  Spent about 3 hours on Nightfall ended up having no DMR ammo and 7 sniper rounds.  Find I'm always out of ammo and cannot find any guns except shotguns all over the place. The Elites are super overpowered imo, takes a billion shots to take them down and a sticky plasma grenade doesn't even kill them, yet when they stick you it's instant death. Don't know if I'm going to continue, it really is an exercise in frustration it's like lining up to get kicked in the balls over and over and over! :D

you really need to use the overcharged plasma pistol shot followed by a magnum/needle rifle/DMR head shot to kill elites.  taking down their shields is the key.  usually (whenever there are elites on the battlefield) you will find tons of plasma pistols laying around.

I don't see how people have the patience to try out different tactics. I know that if I'm dying several times at one part I usually find myself doing the same thing over and over. Because you know, I expect my guns to work when I shoot fools in the head.

i just felt I was doing a lot of hiding and letting my allies do the killing. On parts where I was alone I usually found what worked, but died a lot trying to accomplish it. I don't think this is exciting and new, I think it is 275 gamerscore that I am suffering to get.