“Halo 3” is multiplayer gold

Possibly one of the largest games of the year was released Tuesday, October 2nd, “Halo 3”. Pegged to be the game to buy for the Xbox 360 this year, “Halo 3” has resulted in a firestorm of purchases and game play, proven by the sale of over $170 million in sales in the first 24 hours. But as for the game itself, even more is to be said on the first-person shooter that is supposed to be the best of the year.

Overall, “Halo 3” is a very solid game with decent story line. For those who haven’t experienced it, the concept is one of a man within a bio-suit who has super-human strength coupled with great endurance and the behavior of a perfect soldier. This character, referred to only as Master Chief, is in a war with “The Covenant,” a collection of various alien races who have a desire to reach higher levels of spiritual discovery by using the technology of a long since vanished society, called simply the Forerunners. In doing so, the Covenant releases a life form known as “the Flood,” a parasitic being that attempts to convert Humans and Covenant alike into mindless drones. The Forerunner technology called “Halos” were designed to kill off all of the “food sources” for the Flood, their food being all sentient life in the Galaxy. Master Chief’s goal throughout the past has been to stop the end of all civilization by the detonation of these devices.

The story line continues throughout “Halo 3,” and finally draws some conclusion to it, not making gamers antsy for the next four years awaiting the coming of another in the series. Playing through the single player, one realizes that the AI is finally at least moderately effective, often seeing Brutes effectively use equipment such as the new Bubble Shield and Regenerator along with the effective use of new weapons, such as Brutes running out carrying a turret, a rather undesired sight for a player. The AI also seems to finally be able to hit a target, not just enemy AI but also friendly; no longer are they useless shields just to go running into a room to give you an idea of how many enemies you are about to face.

It is obvious though that the single player campaign was not Bungie’s focus with the new depth and variety of multi-player. “Halo 3” offers a wide array of possibilities for multiplayer with dozens of predetermined gametypes, the ability to create new gametypes, various maps, and the ability to edit maps with the new Forge capability. The prime focus of multiplayer, however, is the ability to go on Microsoft’s Xbox Live and play against hundreds of thousands of others from around the world. Bungie seems to have taken a cue from its consumers by adding many of what had become commonplace gametypes to the default gametypes list, such as “Shottys and Snipers,” a gametype using only shotguns and sniper rifles, and “Alpha Zombies,” a variant of the “Zombie” game play that became an Internet phenomenon for “Halo 2.” Bungie also has made progress forward with all new maps. While some of these maps may be based off of previous maps, Valhalla being based off of Coagulation for example, there is a definite difference in feel from the classic maps based on size difference and the actual difference in appearance. The Forge capability found within “Halo 3” is such that it allows players to move around, as 343 Guilty Spark, and rearrange weapon spawning location. While doing this, actual combat can be taking place, or it can be just purely the use of map editing software. Multiplayer doesn’t stop at head-to-head competitions however, Co-op returns and returns with force, allowing up to two players per Xbox 360 and a total of four players to work together in order to work through some of

“Halo 3’s” more difficult settings.

Not only did Bungie make a fun, solid game, they made a game with amazing graphics and sound. When one first puts the game disc in, they are greeted by the same symphonic joy that was present in “Halo: Combat Evolved.” The great sounds don’t stop there but are present throughout the game. Voice acting throughout is yet once again strong with presentations by the same cast members for lead roles such as Master Chief, Cortana, and Sergeant Johnson, and with such a continuity one is able to actually see continuity within the storyline itself. Sounds of the game environment are pleasing to the ears as well. These sounds include the various weapons that, at least for the human side, seem to sound rather grand.

The first aesthetic to catch your eye though is the graphics. The graphics, as with other Halo games, are great to look at. At first glance, one might not think much of “Halo 3” in the way of next-generation graphics, yet with its good water texture, beautiful explosions, and grand reflections form the Mark VI armor, “Halo 3” stands with the ability to consistently hold a rate of 60 frames per second, something that was lacking in the previous installment. The scope of the maps also is portrayed by great details in the backgrounds of the maps that allow for players to become immersed.

Overall, “Halo 3” is a solid game, with good single player, great graphics and sound, and amazing multiplayer. If you don’t own it you really should pick it up and join the other nearly three million people playing. The only issue lies in Bungie’s failure for closure for the series, with “Halo 3” being deemed the “conclusion to the Halo Trilogy,” it seems to fall shy of a conclusion, leaving the ending open, but for that, you must play.