Updated graphics with a strikingly familiar multiplayer experience. Good? Bad? Kinda ugly.
The Good:
- Familiar controls and gameplay make it an easy transition from Halo 2 to Halo 3.
- Easy to get games going with friends over XBL.
- Campaign (Single or Co-Op) is solid though not very lengthy. It provides a solid story and a fun experience. The "meta" version of Co-Op provides a new way to experience the fun of the campaign with new scoring methods.
- Sound effects and music are strong.
The Bad:
- The multiplayer is strikingly similar to Halo 2's. In my own honest opinion, I believe they took a step back and this is why: + The hit detection is off even moreso than in Halo 2. The bullets hit a "geometry" around the player that cause damage when clearly they shouldn't have "hit" the player. Sometimes shots that clearly hit when you review them in your replay mode do not register in game. This can get very frustrating. + The melee function is embarrassing. I've played almost 300 games since Halo 3's launch and I still can't figure out the seemingly randomness that goes into determining who gets the final melee for the kill. + Lunging is not as effective in this version. Sometimes when up close and personal, it does not lunge. This includes the sword. Or, if it does lunge, it makes the sound of impact yet does not actually kill the opponent though the sword is a one swing kill. + There are not that many maps or gametypes to choose from per ranked list. However, if you are doing a Social list, there are much more types to choose from per list. Doing ranked matches gets repetitive quickly.
- The graphics are far weaker than I expected them to be. They are mediocre by modern standards. They aren't terrible, but there are certainly better.
The Ugly:
- The community still has its players that are verbally abusive and players that cheat. While these players will always exist, Halo is notorious for having these players destroy the online experience. Halo 2 was this way and Halo 3 is already this way. It ruins it for the rest of the fun gaming online community.
All in all, the game itself is alright. But when looking for a game, I don't want it to just be "alright." I want it to stand out. I want it to feel like something I haven't done back in November of 2004. I gave this game a 5.5. I feel like the single player brought what it needed to bring, but I feel that the multiplayer was completely lacking. If not for the single player, this game would have rated much lower. I'm disappointed that this game turned out the way it did, because it had so much potential and so many people dying to play it. It feels like a wasted opportunity.
Lord Nuclear