Call it a glorified expansion pack, or in effect a training exercise in subtle experiments in narrative, gameplay and aesthetics with the established Halo formula that would be fully integrated in Reach. But for the most part it carries off the task of replacing your perspective of a gnarly genocidal campaign against humanity by a theocratic alliance of aliens from that of an ubermensch super solider, to a series of decently trained yet no less vulnerable special ops grunts, with pretty solid aplomb. Or maybe I just like really like Nathan Fillion, who can say?