Halo 3 Evolved
Watch how Halo has evolved over the years by taking a trip through all three games. See how the environments, enemies, weapons, and vehicles have changed over time.
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Sometimes it can be easy to forget that the original Halo and its sequel Halo 2 both came out on the same console, the original Xbox. The Bungie development team was able to use its experience with the platform to make Halo 2's graphics superior to the original even though both games were designed for the same console. The graphics leap from Halo to Halo 2 was impressive, but it also raised our expectations for Halo 3. If Bungie could make Halo 2 look that good on the Xbox, just imagine what Halo is going to look like on the Xbox 360!
We're relieved to say that Halo 3 has certainly lived up to the hype. The new Xbox 360 hardware and a larger development team gave Bungie the horsepower to bring Master Chief into the "HD Era." The game's overall resolution has increased to 720p. Game environments and character models look sharper. They also look more detailed, thanks to larger textures and excellent art direction. The Xbox 360's graphics capabilities allowed Bungie to add in complex lighting, shadowing, longer shaders, high dynamic range lighting, and spectacular-looking water effects.
Environments
The original Halo map designs made for confusing gameplay because many of the levels had rooms that looked, for all practical purposes, identical. Halo 2 helped alleviate the endless corridor problem by adding more room variation. But Halo 3 has solved the problem altogether by making every room, hallway, and outdoor area unique. You'll rarely get confused as to which way you're supposed to go. Indoor areas have better lighting and textures, while outdoor environments have much more foliage. Water, whether in a river or an ocean, looks vastly better.
Mouse over the game titles in the captions to change the images.
Character Models
The non-playable character models have undergone numerous improvements across the games. The original Halo characters had rather simplistic textures that lacked fine detail. Halo 2 filled in some of the blanks, but the Xbox's hardware constraints prevented Bungie from making any massive overhauls. Halo 3's models incorporate self-shadowing and the higher resolutions allow for considerable amounts of detail. The Marine, in particular, has evolved noticeably in each game. His plain clothes turned into a decent military outfit in Halo 2, and the finishing touches were added with Halo 3's graphical changes.
Mouse over the game titles in the captions to change the images.
Vehicles
The Warthog's evolution from Halo to Halo 2 seems mostly cosmetic, with a few extra lines and minor details added in places. But in Halo 3, the improved lighting, detailed textures, and higher resolution give the Warthog a menacing look. The Scorpion tank graduated from its plain looks and is spectacular in Halo 3.
Mouse over the game titles in the captions to change the images.
Weapons
The weapons don't look too different in the jump from the original Halo to Halo 2; there might be a little bit more detail to look at from one version to the next. But better lighting and higher resolution textures make the guns pop in Halo 3. It's also interesting to see how Master Chief changes the way he holds weapons from game to game. More of the gun and arm is visible in Halo 3 as opposed to the other two games. The last set of assault rifle images only includes Halo and Halo 3 because the weapon was left out of Halo 2.
Mouse over the game titles in the captions to change the images.
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