Finish the Fight, one and for all
1. For a start, the graphics are mind-blowing. The locales you visit (Deserts, snowbound vistas, and even a jungle are resplendent with the most beautiful textures and designs I have seen on the X360 so far, complete with top-quality and high-depth animation and special effects. The plasma explosions and destroyed vehicles flying past you really draw you in and the water effects are the best I have seen in a game yet, employing actual fluid dynamics with ripples, waves, different density objects floating or sinking....it really looks that good!
2. AI. The brutes now have brain cells, and while still not quite as demanding as the elites from halo 1 and 2, they still employ some brutal and sneaky tactics from the word go. They'll sneak up on you with their grenade launchers, flank you from all sides, blow you apart with a carbine from above, or go into a berserk rampage and shoulder barge you into a wall before pulping you with the all new gravity hammer. Grunts now suicide bomb you if they can see that they are going to lose, and drones use pack formation to stick together and make themselves more intimidating and damaging.
3. New weapons and features. New weapons include the brute spiker (Like a needler but...sharper), the incredible gravity hammer, the Spartan Laser, the (return of) the assault rifle, and many more. I found myself using all of these in the game, as they are incredibly balanced and all of them find a use in Halo 3's sublime gameplay.
You can now rip turret guns from their mounts and use them in 3rd person style shooting, take on scarabs as proper enemies (Which hunt and shoot at you!), ride quad bikes and "Hornets" (NSCC Banshee basically!), and MUCH, much more. The Drones and Brutes also now have their own flood zombie counterpart.
4. Level Design, unlike Halo 1 and 2, is perfect. Not mentioning any names (Two betrayals, the library, the halo 2 library, quarantine zone, etc), this game has not one bland or boring level, with each roaring from marvellous set piece to marvellous set piece, at an eye-blistering pace and throwing at you the most incredibly challenging and smile-raising action ever seen in an FPS. All 9 missions hold a special place in my heart.
5. The story is properly finished in this one, telling the tale of truth and his attempt to fire the ark and subsequently destroy all life forever. The flood make an appearance as usual, though whose side they are on is nt apparent till near the end, and there are more surprise twists and turns waiting in lay for you if you make it to the last 3 levels of the game, including one of the best final missions in a game ever (On par with halo I's), and the coolest final boss fight! This game really does kick like a mule with it's engaging and empathetic storyline.
Add into all of this a brilliantly addictive and unhealthily challenging online multiplayer, tons of hidden achievements to collect, and the opportunity to play four player co-operative on the campaign, and you have in short Bungies swansong masterpiece for the series.
Whatever reviews you hear slandering this game, it would be unwise to trust them. When you play this, you receive the honour of playing the deepest, most fun, addictive, engaging, balanced, emotional, and hard-worked on FPS of all time.