This Halo: Reach PC mod lets you play as a Grunt in the Campaign

The launch of Halo: Reach on PC was very successful, and as a result, the modding community has been thriving. Over time, fans have created a ton of awesome projects, and one such project that came out recently is “Role Reversal,” a mod that allows you to play as a Covenant Grunt in the Campaign as you and your alien allies battle the forces of the UNSC. Here’s everything you need to know about the mod, including what the gameplay experience is like, and where you can download it.

As you can see in the gameplay video above, Role Reversal (made by BobDoleOwndU) flips the Covenant and UNSC around, making Covenant allies, and UNSC enemies. The human soldiers spawn where Covenant ones normally would, and vice versa. Instead of playing as a Spartan, you also get to take control of one of Halo’s Grunts. Together with aid from allied Grunts, Elites, and Jackals, you have to defeat the UNSC Marines, ODSTs, and Spartans you encounter.

As you might expect, playing as a Grunt comes with a lot of interesting changes compared to being a Spartan. You have lower health and no shields, and you’re also considerably slower than usual. However, you are smaller, and that means that objects you normally wouldn’t be able to use for cover can be utilized. These qualities, when combined with those of your allies, allow for some fun strategies; for example, when I played the mod, I let my tougher Elite buddies run forward and draw enemy fire so that I could move up the battlefield safely.

The mod only encompasses three missions at the time of writing: ONI: Sword Base, Winter Contingency, and Nightfall. However, the mod author has outline plans for the entirety of the Campaign, meaning more levels are expected soon.

How to get the mod

To download the files for the mod, navigate to this page on Nexus Mods. Then, once downloaded, head to the Description tab on the page, and read the instructions for installing the mod. It requires downloading and using software called Assembly to patch the maps, but it’s an easy process for most. The instructions are available in video form too, if you’d rather follow visually.

Once everything is installed, it should work, provided you remember to launch the game in Anti-Cheat Disabled Mode. This mode is what nearly all mods for Halo on PC need to properly work, so don’t forget!

It’s also important to note that if you own the Windows 10 Store version of Halo: Reach on PC, make sure to follow this guide from the helpful Halo community on how to access your game files. The installation process for mods is identical for Windows 10 Store users, with the only difference being that finding the files you need to replace takes a few extra steps compared to the Steam version.

Your thoughts

What do you think of this mod? Personally, I think it’s a fun and creative idea that adds a new twist to a game many people have played several times over.

Halo: Reach on PC is available for $10 on both Steam and the Windows 10 Store.