Like any good sequel, Halo 3 starts off right where Halo 2 ended; so if this is the first Halo game you’ve ever played you’re going to be as confused as hell. Instead of discussing the story line, this will review will only focus on gameplay so that no spoilers are revealed. As with Halo 2, you’re getting two gaming experiences with Halo 3. First there’s the solo campaign mode that wraps up the story, then there’s the online mode which is a different entity all together, offering so many options that this will probably be the only disc spinning in your Xbox 360 for a long time.
The first thing you’re going to notice about Halo 3 is that it’s a bigger game than the previous two. At first it begins normal, feeling like a combined mesh of Halo 1 and 2, but then the scope of the game gets bigger and bigger, with battles resembling something out of Starship Troopers. It’s obvious that the folks over at Bungie wanted to ensure gamers that this is the finale to the trilogy, and they threw in everything possible under the Xbox 360’s hood.
Control-wise Halo 3 sticks with the ‘if it ain’t broke don’t fix it’ philosophy. The left and right thumbsticks control movement and direction, while the right trigger handles your primary weapon, and the left trigger doubles for throwing grenades or dual wielding a second gun. New features have been added to the mix this time enabling the ‘X’ button to activate certain gadgets such as shields and gravity units when you have them in your possession. There are two types of shields, the Bubble Shield surrounds the area around you temporarily with a small dome blocking everything from all angles. Then there’s the riot shield, which places a partial energy field in front of you; an item featured in Halo 2 that could only be used by enemy troops. Believe me when things get chaotic you’ll be using these two shields as much as you can to save your neck. Next there’s the Grav Lift, a device that emits a force of zero gravity, allowing you to reach higher structures or pull off killer sniper shots. Another nice device is the cloaking ray that allows you to become invisible for a short period of time so you can sneak past the Covenant soldiers or just take them out before they know what hit them.
All the basic weapons from the last two Halo games have returned, but now there are some new toys to play with. One of the best ones is the plasma gun which is mounted on a turret, but can be removed, switching Master Chief from first-person mode to third-person mode (a first for a Halo game). Another weapon that will be popular with players is the Gravity Hammer, a massive rod that when swung can crush the biggest enemy with a single blow. Unlike the stylish energy sword, the hammer is primitive, but it does give you a rush when you clobber three enemy troops at once and see them fly in different directions. Various weapons can be used for the gun in each hand action that we grew to love in Halo 2, but now the LB and RB shoulder buttons are used to reload them separately.
On the vehicle side there’s a lot to choose from. Obviously the ghost and banshee cruisers are still present, as are the warthogs and scorpion battle tanks, but now there will be missions where you can ride tricked-out motorbikes called Choppers, which have one massive wheel in front and a small one in back. When you’re riding one of these babies in a chase and gunning down your enemy brute (as you’re making jumps across half-destroyed bridges), you’ll be kissing your Xbox. Another new vehicle is the Hornet, a small aircraft that flies low and silent powered by two hovercraft engines on its wings. These are mainly used when attacking bases or the massive Scarab walkers that you’ll encounter. Then there’s the Mongoose – a two-man ATV that comes in handy when you’re racing across rocky terrain; though it’s not equipped with guns, it can get you out of a tight situation fast when you’re being pursued by a ghost.
Where Halo 2’s solo mode disappointed many fans, Halo 3 makes up for it in terms of scale and activity. Of course it’s not the open world of a Grand Theft Auto game, but there are various levels where after destroying a swarm of baddies, you’ll want to ride around just to see how far you can get. The environments look great, giving you the epic feel of a movie at times. There’s one mission that begins with you and your fellow soldiers racing up a giant sand dune, and once you get to the top, you look down to see an enemy base surrounded by a large group of ground and air vehicles and a platoon of troopers ready for battle. If this doesn’t immerse you in the game, I don’t know what to tell you. Another thing which must be noted is the enemy AI, which has been greatly improved since the last two games. When playing the legendary mode, the Covenant troops can figure out your every move before you even take a step, which really adds to the challenge.
The one issue that was let down in this game was its graphics. While many of the locations look fantastic, the character models themselves still look like original Xbox material. The faces on the soldiers look flat, and for some reason there are a lot of jaggies in the textures, which we’re used to seeing in PlayStation games, but is normally not an issue on the Xbox 360. The cut scenes are also hit or miss, whereas some look great and fully detailed, while others look plain and rushed.
Without giving anything away, when you’re finished with the solo campaign you should be satisfied with how the trilogy concludes (well, most will). For the eight-hour time frame it takes to complete, you’ll be taken on quite a thrill ride, revisiting old places and discovering many new ones. But as soon as the ending credits roll in the solo adventure, the real game begins. There are so many extra features available that you’ll wonder how they crammed them all on one disc.
The Theater mode actually records every mission of the solo campaign as well as specified online games, allowing you to play them back scene-by-scene. You can then assemble clips and stills that show off your best feats and upload them onto Xbox Live to show them off. The editing tools are simple to use, and once you master them you can really deliver some kick ass scenes, which gamers will probably be flooding the web with for months to come.
The Forge allows you to access an existing map and redesign certain aspects of it, laying down weapons, equipment, vehicles, spawn points, etc. It takes a small learning curve, but makes for an all new way to play the game. This feature alone guarantees that Halo 3 will still be fresh and exciting up until Halo 4 makes its appearance, and was probably the smartest move on Bungie’s part to ensure that there is always an audience for this game. It’s something we all wished was available for Halo 2, and sometimes if you wish long enough you get what you want.
The biggest selling point Halo 3 offers is the ability to replay the solo campaign via four player co-op both offline and online. Trust me, there’s nothing like playing this game in the co-op mode with three other players online on a full screen. Plus, you can also enable scoring, allowing you to get points for how many kills you make in the co-op campaign mode; a very nice touch that can help you rack up extra achievement points. Skulls are also hidden in the co-op mode (11 total), which can be used to make gameplay challenging by allowing you to do things like reduce the amount of ammo found and weapons found, make enemies more alert to your presence, and make brutes explode into confetti when you kill them.
The best thing about Halo 3 is that there is something in it for everyone, offering so many different kinds of options for gameplay. Sure, it’s not perfect…though it’s damn close. For a game with so much attention surrounding it, there were so many ways for it to have self-destructed in videogame shame, but instead it manages to shine for the simple reason that it’s a great game.
The sound of that peaceful operatic solo, followed by the heavy war drums will echo through your surround sound speakers, pumping you up for the fight. The sound design in Halo 3 is top-notch; with the music, sound effects, and voice work all complimenting each other in one even flow. This is Hollywood summer movie stuff with all the trimmings.
Nowadays, it’s rare when a game is actually worth its $60 price tag, but Halo 3 delivers such an incredible package of features that it puts most games to shame. You have the solo campaign, which yes, is short, but being able to replay it in the co-op mode, as well as taking on the legendary mode adds more punch to it; with the theater and Forge features providing the cherry on top. Then there’s the multi-player options, offering 11 maps that you can play various types of matches with up to 16 players. Pretty much all the variations that were available in Halo 2 have made the leap onto this version. Obviously there’s Slayer, Team Slayer, Capture the Flag, King of the Hill and Oddball, and now there’s a new mode called Infection where you play as a zombie who must kill other players and transform them into zombies. It sounds strange to include this in a Halo game, but it’s actually very fun.
Does Halo 3 match all the hype surrounding it? Hell yeah! This is a game that will make you forget how many times your Xbox 360 crapped out with the red ring of death in the past. It’s a solid gaming experience both online and off, that you’ll be playing until your fingers go numb.
To recap what you’re getting:
Solo campaign game that wraps up the trilogy
New weapons and vehicles
Four player co-op offline and online.
Multi-player with up to 16 players
11 maps (with more on the way)
Theater mode to edit and share your best Halo moments
The Forge: A level editor where you put your personal touch to existing maps and upload them on Xbox Live
You’re money is well spent right down to the last penny. Halo 3 should stand as a blueprint for developers to demonstrate what gamers want; innovative and addictive gameplay that doesn’t skimp on any features. Anyone who has an Xbox 360 most likely already has Halo 1 and 2, and now with Halo 3 can sit on the shelf next to it to complete the saga…That is until Halo 4 surfaces. Now go and finish the fight!
