The gamers stood in line for hours, from Los Angeles to Miami. Three years without a Halo fix and the day finally arrived. At 12:01 a.m. Tuesday, thousands of fans rushed inside stores across the nation to reach the holy grail of video games - a copy of Halo 3. Was it worth the wait?
Most definitely. Believe the hype because Master Chief finishes the fight - in epic style.
The Halo legend was born in 2001 when developer Bungie proudly unveiled the game on the original Xbox system. It quickly became a success and the anchor franchise for Microsoft. Halo 2 was released in 2004 to hungry fans who wanted more of the super soldier adept at fighting an alien threat. But the game somewhat disappointed with its short run time and an unresolved ending.
Halo 3 picks up where that unsatisfying climax ended. Master Chief is barreling toward the planet in a graphically impressive blaze across the sky. After he lands, Marines surround him, wondering whether their heroic stalwart is alive or dead. He's beaten up and bruised, but nothing will keep Master Chief down. He's back and ready to put the hurt on the Covenant, the alien race intent on destroying Earth.
The Arbiter is back to aid you in your fight. He is the disgraced commander of the Covenant who revolted against them. His followers, the Elites, have also joined the struggle and provide you much needed tactical support against the enemy attack. Your Marine companions are around you through most of the battles as well. Their artifical intelligence is quite superior in this game. You make a head shot and your Marine companions let you know it was a good one.
IMPRESSIVE GRAPHICS AND SOUND
The graphics in Halo 3 are quite a marvel. Every fire blast, every plasma cannon shot, every mountain in the distance is perfectly detailed. The game takes you through lush environments in the jungle, through sand dunes, and inside alien ships. When you encounter the crashed ship of the Flood, a parasatic infestation that overtakes its victims and provides as great a threat to humanity as the Covenant, you'll be in awe of the ship's organism-like interior. The walls are pulsating pustules that just make you want to get the heck out.
The sound effects don't take a back seat to the visuals. They provide a sensory overload that make you want to stop in your tracks and listen to what's happening around you, whether it be the fizzing sounds of burning flares inside dark caverns or the antagonizing shouts from enemy troops blocking your path ahead. You'll also get goose bumps when you hear the orchestral Halo theme playing during cinematics triggered by crucial plot events.
Back in your super soldier hands are the typical Marine weapons - pistols, rifles, sniper guns, etc. As before, you can snag enemy weapons. The usual Covenant armory is back, including plasma pistols and rifles. Some new additions include the brute shot and brute spiker, which is good for melee attacks since it has a spike at the end of the gun. When you see a friendly or enemy turret, you can detach it and take it with you.
The most satisfying weapon, however, is the gravity hammer. You'll need precision to carry out its forceful attacks, but when you bring down that hammer, you'll plow through enemies.
As Master Chief, you can carry several grenades and one piece of equipment at a time. The equipment includes useful items like bubble shields, gravity lifts and cloaking devices. Grenades at your disposal include frag grenades, plasma grenades and spike grenades.
AI WARNING
Driving is back as well. You'll get to either steer the vehicle or steer the hail of bullets as the gunner Marine vehicles. If you are feeling adventurous, hop on a Covenant vehicle, plant a grenade to rid it of its driver and hop on. Word of advice, when you let the AI drive, you'll never get to your destination. They just go in circles. Best to drive yourself and let the AI gun down the bad guys.
PERFECT FOR XBOX LIVE
The game's replayability lies in its multiplayer offerings. This time around, you can play co-operatively with up to four players. Also new to the franchise is The Forge, an option that lets you rearrange any object or hazard within any multiplayer level. Then you get to test out the changes with up to eight players in a session. The game has a sophisticated video capture system where you can take screenshots of campaign or multiplayer game play and then examine the events from any angle. You can also store the videos or share them with others.
Halo 3 has sealed Master Chief's spot in pop culture and video game history. It feels more epic than the other two games and plays more seemlessly, with no-wait transitions between missions and levels. It is by far the best title to date in the franchise and the best game of the year so far. And for fans who beat it and are left wanting more, don't fret. The action strategy game Halo Wars is set for a 2008 release.
Score: 4 out of 4
Rating: M for Mature
Platform: Xbox 360
Publisher: Microsoft
Website: www.halo3.com
