More exclusive Halo: Reach artwork

Hungry for more early Halo Reach designs, eh? You’re sure you can hold off on picking up your controller for another couple of minutes?

Good – it’s a wise choice. Because concept art isn’t all stylised drawings of characters, vehicles and armour for the animators to copy when building the game. It’s also paintings of scenes that take place during the game to help evoke the atmosphere they’re striving for.

It’s a technique not just limited to games. The Ralph McQuarrie Star Wars concept paintings were hugely influential in the look of the original trilogy, and modern space epic Halo deserves the same treatment.

The next time you’ll see them they’ll be in a glossy coffee table book and you’ll have to pay £50 for the privilege.

(Halo: Reach is out now exclusively on Xbox 360)