So how did I feel about the final chapter of the Halo trilogy? Honestly, I loved it.
Halo3 has created a lot of hype from two camps of people: those that praise this game like it is the be all end all of video games and those that think it is utter crap. I don't usually find myself agreeing with either camp when it comes to game reviews but I have to say that this game, while not all that and a bag of chips, is NOT the piece of trash that the nay-sayers want you to think it is. I don't know what they were thinking they were going to get out of a game honestly. Note to those crying your eyes out, hype doesn't equal promises. I felt Halo3 succeeded at being enjoyable and entertaining throughout, the mark of a good game.
Now that we have that out of the way, lets get on with the review. In typical Halo fashion there is an enjoyable and unique story here if you care to actually open your eyes and ears and get immersed in it (or you can fall back on the 'it is just another alien invasion story' if you want to take the lazy way out). The final installment has you playing the role of the Master Chief as he finishes the battle to try and save the human race from the Covenant forces, who believe firing the Halo rings will take them on their "great journey", and the Flood who basically want to eat everyone - Yum, yum. More is revealed about the forerunners, the Halo technology and the history of why the Forerunners built them and did with them. Also we get to follow some recurring characters as they fulfill their role in the scheme of things.
So, if you are familiar enough with what the game is all about lets cut to the meat of the review - game play. Halo is nothing revolutionary so there. If you are the person that has to have cutting edge and fancy gimmicks to enjoy a game you can move right along and I saved you some bucks. Halo3 plays almost exactly like the original Halo (surprise!) so you won't see any new cover system added, nor new combat moves, combos, etc. What you get with Halo3 isn't a new gaming experience so much as a completion of the trilogy (again, surprise!).
A few things have been added to the game (and the assault rifle is back, thank you very much), a new weapon here and there, an old weapon retooled and a couple new vehicles. The new vehicles perform much the same way the old ones did and accomplish similar roles so they exist for flavor more than anything else. In addition to the new weapons you can now detach the stand alone turrets (the human machine gun and the Covenant plasma-gun equivalent) and carry them around if you desire. Once detached they are affected by some balancing features in the form of limited ammunition and causing the Chief to move slower. It is a fair trade. In the form of one-use items they added portable shield walls, bubble shields and a couple other "devices". They aren't essential to game play but they are nice to have on your person.
In addition to adding things to the game they also did some tuning. Despite what some are saying the graphics are great and the scenery is much more lush and detailed. The world has a more fleshed-out feel to it and it really feels like you are in the world now, instead of just moving through a level. On the topic of level design there are some really beautiful levels that enjoyed playing through a few times. The AI has been improved some so that your companions aren't helpless now and they got a crash course in the basics of driving vehicles allowing you to focus on being a passenger or gunner if you desire. This doesn't work perfectly as you'd expect though as they are not able to read your mind and drive accordingly. The non-player charachters are also more vocal and physical compared to earlier versions and they react even more to your presence and behavior - but that is still on a limited scale. The story was touched on above but I have to say again that there really is a storyline here so let yourself go and enjoy being a part of it.
As you'd expect (given that the platform is now the 360) the controls have changed just slightly. The reload is now the upper right bumper and the left bumper cycles grenade types or reloads your dual-wield weapon. Halo3 still incorporates a great dual-wield system where both weapons are controlled independently (except for aiming of course) allowing you to choose how you want to use them in combat, instead of having both blaze away when you pull the primary fire trigger.
Multiplayer also is little changed except for the inclusion of two things: Save Films and the Forge. Save Films is just what the name says, a video file you can go back and replay in any angle/zoom/speed you want. Fun. The Forge allows you to customize multiplayer maps in case you didn't like the defaults or just want to try a change. In multiplayer you also have some currency you can spend to drop items into the game (such as vehicles, weapons, items, etc.).
In the complaint department I didn't encounter anything. Sure, I could nitpick but why? At its core Halo3 is fun the way it is. It is true to the trilogy and I think fans of the original Halo will enjoy the last one. If you expected something new then I suggest you buy something new and not a repeat title like this. I do believe the game was pushed too heavily in the pre-release propaganda (all games are) and it seemed that Halo3 would go out with a bang that would set the whole trilogy on its head and that is not the case. Halo, Halo2 and Halo3 are all basically the same game. They get prettier, the storyline gets more involved and the weapon types and vehicles fluctuate but when the dust settles they aren't really different. So if you can handle a game that you've already played before in its previous incarnations then do yourself a favor and finish the trilogy, it is worth it. If you need your games to be bigger and better with every release then I suggest passing up Halo3 and learn to stop pre-ordering games because the guys behind the counter tell you they are going to be all the rage.
As expected with a greatest hits compilation, you get everything that made Halo 1 and Halo 2 fun. Thats the problem with Halo 3 - its a rehash and nothing more. The real game play is in the multiplayer but when one buys the game it should equally divided or close to it with the solo campaign being just as strong. The story is very weak and lacks consistency with Halo 1, not to mention some pretty lame attempts to link the series (Why would the index from Halo 1 work with a new Halo?). Anyway, this is a game that definitely deserves a rental or a borrow but not a buy. I bought it, and I'll let my buddy borrow it, then I'll return it. Sorry Microsoft, the hype machine never met the end result despite your best efforts.
After an hour with Halo 3 my initial reaction was "so what?...big deal!". The gameplay seemed like a slurred and half-hearted version of Halo's 1&2, the graphics were scarcely next gen (compare with Gears Of War and Bioshock), the storyline wasn't gripping and the whole thing kind of lamely chugged along. There was little or no responsiveness and I felt cheated by the OTT hype.
Persisting with the Halo 3, however, eventually brought rewards--albeit not the Tiffany diamond sized ones I was expecting but nevertheless they were satisfactory. I did get lost in the game and managed to ignore the bland indoor environments and the constant glitches . The pop-ups even melted away as I wasted squadrons of alien slime.
The review for this game then runs thus: it's a well above average FPS which will entertain you for a fair while. The multiplayer options are great and the replay is value is pretty good. Those are the straightforward points if you ignore that other whopping, gargantuan issue.
Namely, is this a fitting end to the Halo series? Well, in that case the answer is `no' about 3500 times. On that score the game is shoddy and truly disappoints. There is hardly a sense that you're even playing a title worthy to be called Halo. If you've played and loved the other games then I bet you'll be off-loading this baby soon. The lousy programming, the sense of ennui, the collapse of creativity and the dull story will probably turn your stomach. It's the biggest let down for quite some time and is fairly insulting to the gamers who've been eagerly waiting for it.
Halo 3 has finally arrived. Some have complained that the graphics aren't quite up to par, but personally I think they are nicely done, aside from the humans looking a bit unfinished.
PROS
Gameplay is fun and fast paced.
Lots of multiplayer additions.
Split screen, linked or online co-op. (Other games need to learn from bungie on this)
Lots of replay value, wonderful story and top notch cut scenes.
Bungie FINALLY made up for the horrible ending in Halo 2, as well as got creative with levels that didn't all look exactly the same. Nice job.
CONS
Unfortunately there is no innovation whatsoever in terms of gameplay. Can't use cover like you can in Vegas or Gears of war, can't even sprint, go prone etc. Its essentially exactly the same as Halo 1 or 2, with no real advancements or innovation at all.
Campaign was a little short, about eight hours, give or take.
Lots of multiplayer content--unfortunately Halo tends to attract the most rude and impolite gamers in the industry, but thankfully you can still block games to anyone but your friends.
Overall its a good game, very solid and with a lot of co-op and multiplayer options, I'll be playing it for a long time to come. But it lacks innovation and is, in general, a franchise on the decline, although this was a great effort at a comeback after HALO 2. I'd recommend Vegas over Halo 3 any day. It has all the co-op options and more innovative and engaging gameplay.
Link: http://freeonlinebusiness.info/
Halo3 has created a lot of hype from two camps of people: those that praise this game like it is the be all end all of video games and those that think it is utter crap. I don't usually find myself agreeing with either camp when it comes to game reviews but I have to say that this game, while not all that and a bag of chips, is NOT the piece of trash that the nay-sayers want you to think it is. I don't know what they were thinking they were going to get out of a game honestly. Note to those crying your eyes out, hype doesn't equal promises. I felt Halo3 succeeded at being enjoyable and entertaining throughout, the mark of a good game.
Now that we have that out of the way, lets get on with the review. In typical Halo fashion there is an enjoyable and unique story here if you care to actually open your eyes and ears and get immersed in it (or you can fall back on the 'it is just another alien invasion story' if you want to take the lazy way out). The final installment has you playing the role of the Master Chief as he finishes the battle to try and save the human race from the Covenant forces, who believe firing the Halo rings will take them on their "great journey", and the Flood who basically want to eat everyone - Yum, yum. More is revealed about the forerunners, the Halo technology and the history of why the Forerunners built them and did with them. Also we get to follow some recurring characters as they fulfill their role in the scheme of things.
So, if you are familiar enough with what the game is all about lets cut to the meat of the review - game play. Halo is nothing revolutionary so there. If you are the person that has to have cutting edge and fancy gimmicks to enjoy a game you can move right along and I saved you some bucks. Halo3 plays almost exactly like the original Halo (surprise!) so you won't see any new cover system added, nor new combat moves, combos, etc. What you get with Halo3 isn't a new gaming experience so much as a completion of the trilogy (again, surprise!).
A few things have been added to the game (and the assault rifle is back, thank you very much), a new weapon here and there, an old weapon retooled and a couple new vehicles. The new vehicles perform much the same way the old ones did and accomplish similar roles so they exist for flavor more than anything else. In addition to the new weapons you can now detach the stand alone turrets (the human machine gun and the Covenant plasma-gun equivalent) and carry them around if you desire. Once detached they are affected by some balancing features in the form of limited ammunition and causing the Chief to move slower. It is a fair trade. In the form of one-use items they added portable shield walls, bubble shields and a couple other "devices". They aren't essential to game play but they are nice to have on your person.
In addition to adding things to the game they also did some tuning. Despite what some are saying the graphics are great and the scenery is much more lush and detailed. The world has a more fleshed-out feel to it and it really feels like you are in the world now, instead of just moving through a level. On the topic of level design there are some really beautiful levels that enjoyed playing through a few times. The AI has been improved some so that your companions aren't helpless now and they got a crash course in the basics of driving vehicles allowing you to focus on being a passenger or gunner if you desire. This doesn't work perfectly as you'd expect though as they are not able to read your mind and drive accordingly. The non-player charachters are also more vocal and physical compared to earlier versions and they react even more to your presence and behavior - but that is still on a limited scale. The story was touched on above but I have to say again that there really is a storyline here so let yourself go and enjoy being a part of it.
As you'd expect (given that the platform is now the 360) the controls have changed just slightly. The reload is now the upper right bumper and the left bumper cycles grenade types or reloads your dual-wield weapon. Halo3 still incorporates a great dual-wield system where both weapons are controlled independently (except for aiming of course) allowing you to choose how you want to use them in combat, instead of having both blaze away when you pull the primary fire trigger.
Multiplayer also is little changed except for the inclusion of two things: Save Films and the Forge. Save Films is just what the name says, a video file you can go back and replay in any angle/zoom/speed you want. Fun. The Forge allows you to customize multiplayer maps in case you didn't like the defaults or just want to try a change. In multiplayer you also have some currency you can spend to drop items into the game (such as vehicles, weapons, items, etc.).
In the complaint department I didn't encounter anything. Sure, I could nitpick but why? At its core Halo3 is fun the way it is. It is true to the trilogy and I think fans of the original Halo will enjoy the last one. If you expected something new then I suggest you buy something new and not a repeat title like this. I do believe the game was pushed too heavily in the pre-release propaganda (all games are) and it seemed that Halo3 would go out with a bang that would set the whole trilogy on its head and that is not the case. Halo, Halo2 and Halo3 are all basically the same game. They get prettier, the storyline gets more involved and the weapon types and vehicles fluctuate but when the dust settles they aren't really different. So if you can handle a game that you've already played before in its previous incarnations then do yourself a favor and finish the trilogy, it is worth it. If you need your games to be bigger and better with every release then I suggest passing up Halo3 and learn to stop pre-ordering games because the guys behind the counter tell you they are going to be all the rage.
As expected with a greatest hits compilation, you get everything that made Halo 1 and Halo 2 fun. Thats the problem with Halo 3 - its a rehash and nothing more. The real game play is in the multiplayer but when one buys the game it should equally divided or close to it with the solo campaign being just as strong. The story is very weak and lacks consistency with Halo 1, not to mention some pretty lame attempts to link the series (Why would the index from Halo 1 work with a new Halo?). Anyway, this is a game that definitely deserves a rental or a borrow but not a buy. I bought it, and I'll let my buddy borrow it, then I'll return it. Sorry Microsoft, the hype machine never met the end result despite your best efforts.
After an hour with Halo 3 my initial reaction was "so what?...big deal!". The gameplay seemed like a slurred and half-hearted version of Halo's 1&2, the graphics were scarcely next gen (compare with Gears Of War and Bioshock), the storyline wasn't gripping and the whole thing kind of lamely chugged along. There was little or no responsiveness and I felt cheated by the OTT hype.
Persisting with the Halo 3, however, eventually brought rewards--albeit not the Tiffany diamond sized ones I was expecting but nevertheless they were satisfactory. I did get lost in the game and managed to ignore the bland indoor environments and the constant glitches . The pop-ups even melted away as I wasted squadrons of alien slime.
The review for this game then runs thus: it's a well above average FPS which will entertain you for a fair while. The multiplayer options are great and the replay is value is pretty good. Those are the straightforward points if you ignore that other whopping, gargantuan issue.
Namely, is this a fitting end to the Halo series? Well, in that case the answer is `no' about 3500 times. On that score the game is shoddy and truly disappoints. There is hardly a sense that you're even playing a title worthy to be called Halo. If you've played and loved the other games then I bet you'll be off-loading this baby soon. The lousy programming, the sense of ennui, the collapse of creativity and the dull story will probably turn your stomach. It's the biggest let down for quite some time and is fairly insulting to the gamers who've been eagerly waiting for it.
Halo 3 has finally arrived. Some have complained that the graphics aren't quite up to par, but personally I think they are nicely done, aside from the humans looking a bit unfinished.
PROS
Gameplay is fun and fast paced.
Lots of multiplayer additions.
Split screen, linked or online co-op. (Other games need to learn from bungie on this)
Lots of replay value, wonderful story and top notch cut scenes.
Bungie FINALLY made up for the horrible ending in Halo 2, as well as got creative with levels that didn't all look exactly the same. Nice job.
CONS
Unfortunately there is no innovation whatsoever in terms of gameplay. Can't use cover like you can in Vegas or Gears of war, can't even sprint, go prone etc. Its essentially exactly the same as Halo 1 or 2, with no real advancements or innovation at all.
Campaign was a little short, about eight hours, give or take.
Lots of multiplayer content--unfortunately Halo tends to attract the most rude and impolite gamers in the industry, but thankfully you can still block games to anyone but your friends.
Overall its a good game, very solid and with a lot of co-op and multiplayer options, I'll be playing it for a long time to come. But it lacks innovation and is, in general, a franchise on the decline, although this was a great effort at a comeback after HALO 2. I'd recommend Vegas over Halo 3 any day. It has all the co-op options and more innovative and engaging gameplay.
Link: http://freeonlinebusiness.info/
