Much better than Halo2, and more options for multiplayer. Read this if you played the other 2.
1) Great looking graphics. The environments look very nice. Some of the tunnel fighting near the end is even a little creepy, and you can get lost. 2) AI is good. I am not talking about the easy level of course. However, anything higher and the mobs will do their best to duck-and-cover when fighting you. 3) Story is much better. You will feel like you are in a real story with a real ending. For those of you whom played Halo 2, you know how important "that" is. And you are not left with the overall feeling that the game was just made to set up the next version. It ends.
4) Multiplayer has so many functions. You can do anything from saving your glorius battle (or defeat) to share with other people, to making your own levels. Yes, you could do some of that in previous Halo's, but you can do a lot more here. Too much to mention here.
Things I do not like:
1) I want to control the arbiter. Simple. That is something I liked in Halo 2. 2) Your friend, the arbiter, seems invincible. He travels around with you at times like a henchman, but he seems to be unstopable. Ok, I know it would kill a lot of the story if he were to die, but I have seen him take enough hits to kill me multiple times. Sometimes I trick him into going in and taking out the guy holding the "hammer" just so I do not have to do it. When the battle sounds are done, I know he will be the only one standing.
3) Lastly, the game seems to be over way too soon again (just like Halo 2). I still think that Halo 1 rocks. You could play it off and on for days before you finished it. Granted, it does not have the great graphical advances, but it was a well made game (and I still give it the higher rating of the three).
Ok, done. I fully endorse this as the game to "buy". Do not rent - go buy it. I still believe that Halo 1 was the best, but this one is the second best (of 3). I think that the video review was a little bit much......... Made me wonder if he was getting paid extra. But the game is good, and it is worth it to watch the "first hour of the game" video if you are still undecided. Oh, and I would give it a 9.2, but the new scoring system is retarded.