There are loads of flashy, high-flying ways to kill enemies in Halo: Reach, but perhaps none are as spectacular as Assassinations. Brutal and efficient, Halo: Reach Assassinations are a surefire way to end an opponent’s life with a well-placed melee attack. Learning how to perform an Assassination in Halo: Reach is an essential part of game progression, and a fine way to stick it to unaware opponents—quite literally.
Halo: Reach | How to Perform an Assassination
To perform an Assassination in Halo: Reach, approach your enemy from behind, then press and hold the Melee attack button. The animation that plays out will differ depending on player position and selected weapon, but the result is always the same: A one-hit melee kill.
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Unlike similar one-hit-kill melee attacks in games such as Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, Assassinations in Halo: Reach have a fair amount of variety. For instance, Assassinations performed on a standing opponent from behind will execute one of a handful of different animations, usually showcasing a quick stab to the gut or back. However, Assassinations can also be performed while either the attacker or victim is airborne, resulting in brutal, bone-crunching attacks.
It’s worth mentioning that Halo: Reach Assassinations are available only between Elite and Spartan players, with different kill animations for each. For users enjoying the game outside of The Master Chief Collection, Assassinations also count toward two different milestone objectives: The Assassin commendation as well as the Rear Admiral commendation.
Given that successful Assassinations always result in a one-hit kill, Halo: Reach players would be wise to perform them where possible. Just be sure to remember that the kill animations take a few moments to play out, potentially leaving you open to attack from nearby opponents.