Halo 3 has excellent gameplay and graphics, but they could have reached just a bit further for their advertised hype.
Graphics: Are among the best I've seen. There are high levels of detail in each piece of armour, the Covenant (aliens) certainly look the part, and the terrain is effective. Weapon effects are excellent as well.
9.5/10
Sound: The sound helps immerse you in the game. The "whoosh" of a "Ghost" passing by you and the quick fire of an Assault Rifle are certainly good examples, and the orchestrated music score is brilliant for the game. 9/10
Gameplay: It's just plain fun. The Single-Player Campaign is a blast, but is even better with a friend, or two, or three. Advanced enemy AI tests your tactical skills, or your trigger finger, and friendly AI aren't slouches either. The wide variety of weapons with the ability to dual-wield many weapons can create some very interesting scenarios. Multiplayer is much better than the Campaign in my opinion, which kind of bummers you out if you don't have Xbox Live or friends to play against. The new "Forge" mode can add an interesting tweak into battles, whether to actually fight in Forge mode, or just to build in it for future use.
9.5/10 * 2
Average: 9.375
Game Score: 9.5
Modifiers:
Minor Hype Disappointment: -0.5
Unfortunately, Halo 3 just could not keep up with a small bit of hype it advertised, and as such, disappoints some gamers to a small degree. However, it managed to fulfill in almost every other way.
Comment: It may not have made as much of an impact on the gamer community as its predecessors, and it may not have been as good as them in their prime (As reflected by Gamespot's reviews, Halo 1: 9.7, Halo 3:, 9.5), it's still an immersive and valuable game.
Final Verdict: 9.0
An Instant recommend if you have Xbox Live and/or friends to play against or with, and give a recommendation anyway without either of them. The point I'm trying to make here is, it's an amazing game, and I would recommend it to anyone with an Xbox 360; That's how good it is.