The story still feels rushed and incomplete, but who really cares when there is multiplayer to spend eternity with.
Following the also widely received Halo 2, the developers at Bungie have taken everything adored by Halo fans of the original X-Box generation and upped the ante significantly with the series' move to a next-gen system. New weapons, vehicles, levels, and graphics are only a taste of what Halo 3 has to offer.
As exceptional as Halo and Halo 2 was, the biggest collective gripe would be the lackluster single-player campaign. Repetitive level designs, rushed story segments, and a strict feeling of linear gameplay choked the otherwise excellent game, but players pressed on. Now with a next-gen system pushing the game to the max, Halo can become everything the original X-Box limitations hindered it from becoming, right? Yes and no.
While the 360 does do a great job of running a visually incredible Halo 3 with a perfect frame rate, the same problems as previous Halo installments rear their ugly head during the single-player campaign.
The first three levels can feel extremely slow-paced with slightly repetitive level design and the mission backtracking involved. It is not until the forth mission where players really begin to realize that Halo 3 is its own entity as they skid about in the brand new Mongoose ATV while bringing down a massive Covenant Scarab.
Story wise, Halo 3 still has a tough time with all the vast plotlines and ideas it wants to convey, but the limited time and budget once again nips some of the plot points and leaves players slightly confused as to what events just took place. However it is easy to say that this installment of Halo is definitely the most cinematic, and if players look close enough, they can see the inklings of some great Hollywood movie ideas for future reference.
While Halo 3 provides a familiar, yet strangely new, experience to the single-player mix, the inclusion of online co-op for single-player campaign patches up any previous flaws mentioned. With up to four players in the campaign, you'll never really notice that you and your gaming friends have been down the same hallway three times now.
But of course comes the reason why the majority of people buy Halo: multiplayer. This is the reason why kids worldwide may unexpectedly develop a "life-threatening mystery disease" in order to skip school for the day, unless it's the weekend of course. And this time around, those skipped school days are actually worth the failing grades on projects and papers.
Whereas Halo and Halo 2 were great at creating and expanding the multiplayer formula, Halo 3 really feels like it perfects the experience. Whether it's locally playing or connecting across X-Box Live, this game really takes off with its multiplayer aspects.
To begin with, Matchmaking feels much smoother and useful here. Matching players quickly and close to their skill levels is ideal for developing online fans without the frustration. Not only that, but all match types and brand new maps are available for newbies and veterans alike. But worry not; some old maps have been updated as well, for that warm nostalgic feeling for hardcore fans.
Other neat aspects of the game Bungie has provided include a experience and rank ladder for bragging rights, customizable armor for online characters to create a slightly more unique experience, the ability to rewatch complete matches online and save video and screenshots for sharing, and an incredible new mode called "Forge" in which players customize maps to meet their gaming needs.
While Forge mode isn't necessarily a create-a-level tool found in games like TimeSplitters, it certainly has enough options to keep players occupied when the thrill of most match types has left. Being able to place any in-game item, weapon, or vehicle will surely create for some amazing online videos and new game types.
As sad as it is to see Master Chief and his fellow Halo friends and foes go for another set amount of years, it is great to know that the geniuses at Bungie have created yet another incredibly fun game that will keep gamers entertained until Master Chief once again returns to save us pathetic earthlings. Plus, there is always downloaded content to be on the lookout for.