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“
Reach's elite mix business with pleasure, building lavish penthouses atop soaring corporate ivory towers.[1]
”


Reflection is a multiplayer map in Halo: Reach, set in the Sinoviet HM Tower in New Alexandria.[2] It is a direct remake of the popular Halo 2 map Ivory Tower.[3]

Description[]

While Reflection's map geometry, weapon placements and spawns are identical to those of Ivory Tower, the map has a new aesthetic design that abandons the more minimalist look of the original in favor of a more detailed Oriental theme.[3] Reflection is set inside the Sinoviet tower New Alexandria on the planet Reach. Prominent materials in the building include metal and marble, as well as warm wood floors polished to a high gloss finish. A Zen garden features prominently in the building's central space, and several koi ponds grace the halls. The rooms have massive glass windows, with a view of the mountains outside. The Chinese/Japanese kanji characters for North(HOKU / kita), South(NAN / minami), East(TOU / higashi) and West(SAI / SEI / nishi) can be seen higher up on the walls in gold. A turning hologram of the planet Reach is suspended above the central hall.

Locations[]

  • Entrance
  • Zen Garden
  • Zen Pond
  • Walkway
  • Water Ramp
  • Water Balcony
  • West View
  • Kai Rends
  • East View
  • High Balcony
  • Balcony Hall
  • Back Hall
  • Elevator Shaft
  • Low Hall
  • Grass Ramp
  • Koi Ponds
  • Back Room

Weapons[]

Image Location
Reach Rocket Launcher Cropped Rocket Launcher: In the waterfall of Zen Garden
HaloReach M45 Tactical Shotgun Shotgun: In between ramps on Grass Ramp
HaloReach - SRS99 Sniper rifle: On eastern side of High Balcony
HReach-EnergySword-Profile Energy Sword: In larger north pond in Koi Ponds, directly behind the base of the elevator
Designated Marksman Rifle DMR: In top pond in Water Balcony, in top pond of East View
Needler HR Needler: Between Walkway and Water Ramp, in Balcony Hall by entrance to Water Ramp
HReach-T31NeedleRifleSide Needle Rifle: On the bright circle in the north part of Walkway, in West View by Back Hall doorway
Plasma Repeater Plasma Repeater: Between northern ponds in Koi Ponds, Top of stairs from Entrance to Walkway, Middle landing in East View
Reach T1 Plas Grenade Plasma Grenades: Under top pond in Water Balcony, on western side of High Balcony, in both Back Rooms
HaloReach - M6G Magnum: In both Back Rooms
Pistola de Plasma HR Plasma Pistol: Top of Grass Ramp, 2nd floor of elevator shaft
HReach - M9 Grenade Fragmentation Grenades: Middle of Zen Garden, in both Back Rooms

Changes from Ivory Tower[]

  • The two rooms at the back of the map containing pistols have now been opened up to both tunnels, rather than just one.
  • The UNSC wind lifts that were side by side were relocated, but still lead to the same walkway.
  • In the center, all the palm trees which were planted in a circle have been replaced with columns made out of glass and wood.
  • A change in setting has occurred; Reflection is set in New Alexandria, while Ivory Tower was set in New Mombasa.
  • With the visual upgrades, the map has gained an Asian theme.

Trivia[]

  • The Koi in the Koi Ponds area can be killed. Also, their bodies can go out of the water.
  • According to the environmental artist Ken Taya who created the new aesthetics on Reflection, the map has the biggest cube map in the entire game, due to the unusually large amount of reflective surfaces.[2]
  • It was noted early on that while the map has a new aesthetic design, it is "all ensconced around a space you're already intimately familiar with," which implied that it was a remake. It was confirmed on August 4 that it was a remake of Halo 2's map Ivory Tower, down to the rocket spawn, Shotgun platform and elevator to the sniper tower. There are still changes to the map because of the new engine for Reach, but the space is still the one you remember.
  • When asked about changing the visual look of the map, the designing artist said: "I Asianed it up™. I two inch punched that ass™. It is still very minimalist. Very clean. Like someone spilled a whole truckload of Pledge on the bamboo flooring. In my mind my footsteps would squeak like Ice Climber."[3]
  • The level also appears as the top floor of the Sinoviet Center in the Halo: Reach campaign level New Alexandria, the main difference being that in the campaign mission, it is nighttime.
  • In the small room next to the women's washroom there are two "Refreshing" drinks and two "Delicious" foods vending machines. The "Refreshing" machines sell "The Purple Concoction," orange soda, "Bitter Brown," "Red Hottness," "Blueberry Blue," "Green Sour," "The Blackness," and water. The "Delicious" machines sell "Spadehorn bits," "Moa wings," "Buffaoat Buttocks," "Mule Haunch," "Hammerhorn Sausages," "Grey Squirrel Stew," "Fried wooly pigmy goat," and "Mystery Meat Mash." The signs can be damaged, causing their lighted displays to go out. In this room near the vending machines is where the radio conversation on for the map can be heard.
  • Besides making reference to the Halo 2 level, Ivory Tower, Reflection also makes reference to the literary term in the description and setting, as the map has a very upscale setting in which the elite of society on Reach reside in and do not bother with the day-to-day issues that those below them experience.
  • It is possible to get out of Reflection by placing a turret against a wall, mounting the turret, looking up as far as you can, then going into monitor mode. This will let you leave Reflection, but you will be limited to move around a small space.
  • If you look outside of the level, you can see numerous landmarks from the campaign levels Exodus and New Alexandria, such as Traxus Tower and Olympic Tower.

Videos[]

Gallery[]

Sources[]


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