- last post: 01.01.0001 12:00 AM PDT
Ahh, I think you're mistaken there. He didn't say that it wasn't squad based. He said that it would be a safe assumption that it is squad based and that it wouldn't have the downsides of a squad based game.
Pay attention to his words, he doesn't deny that its squad based, he states that it would be tediously squad based. He said that Reach won't make you shepherd your squad around the battle field like a nanny, you won't spend more time taking care of your squad compared to fighting. He did not say that there are no squads.
From that interview, and the one Reach banner out there, I think that it is pretty safe to assume that Reach will be at least partially squad based.
The evidence has been staring the forum in the eyes literally since the forum opened. Notice the banner, there are 5 characters (Spartans, Marines, it doesn't matter).
Those characters break down into 4 archetypes for squad combat plus one unknown.
From the left:
1) Heavy (I'll call him this in lieu of any further certain biographical information): This person has a man carried human machine gun (notice the prominent chain linked ammunition). That gun does not exist in the Halo Canon nor any previous Bungie Halo game. Thus, logically, it was created for this game. The heavy fulfills the need for a support / suppression character in squad based games. (Usually the squad MG character)
2) The light character. This is the unknown, doesn't fit any standard steoreotypes, though, if I had to guess, I would guess that the character is a support / technology one.
3) Main character. Why? Its in the middle of the 5 and it carries a battle rifle, which is the most general purpose of any gun there.
4) Close quarters. Why? The character is carrying a knife, you use knives in close quarters. This fulfills a squad based game's need for a close quarters battle person, someone the squad leader can send in to get dirty.
5) Sniper. Why? Its obvious, that's a sniper rifle. This fulfills the squad based game's need for a dedicated sniper to give long range support.
What we have here then is the following:
The banner lends evidence that there will be squads, 3 characters fully fit a needed role in a squad based shooter.
During the first interview about Reach for a public release, Bungie refuses to deny squad based combat, all Bungie says is that there won't be the downsides to squad based combat (whatever they are).
So, absent any further information, it is safer to assume that Reach will be squad based or closely squad based than not.