This page was last modified 2007-10-17 14:11:02 by Puchu.Net user Choco. (Show history)

Halo 3

Go to: [ Game Mechanics and Controls | Good | Bad | Notes ]

Developer	Bungie Studios
Web site	http://www.bungie.net/Projects/Halo3/
Platform	Xbox 360
Cost	$69.99 for the Limited Edition
ESRB Rating	MATURE. With blood and gore, mild language, violence.

Game Mechanics and Controls

Excellent Ideas

• Detachable turrets and other support weapons such as flamethrower. The new equipment, such as bubble shield definitely adds more options when people want to get tactical.
• New curved HUD layout is very nice. Shield condition in center, weapons and ammo count in upper left/right. Things that require your attention blink red and because everything is spread out it's easy to decipher.
• All game session is recorded, allowing me to revisit the session, take pictures, etc. You can replay the action in slow motion, change the camera angle to see all the details that has been included in the game.
• At legendary difficulty settings, you can really see the computer enemies work together as a squad, and the constant sniping definitely changed my playing style: always look for cover, don't rush into a fight recklessly.
• Using music to provide hints. For example, the tempo of music changes when fighting a major squad of Brutes; as soon as the last enemy is eliminated the music changes again.
• Radar is now indicating only fast moving foes. This means it won't show an enemy sneaking up on you. This works both for you and enemies alike, and encourages different approaches for different situations.
• Sound effects are very impressive. Hearing shots flying by your head in 5.1 surround sound is a heart-pounding experience. Being able to hear where your enemy is firing from is very very good.
• Bungie.net provides statistics for all of the games you've played. In addition to typical counts, it also list the types of enemies or friendlies you've eliminated and the tools of destruction used. For multiplayer games, the online service also provide images of the map with an overlay of where a player succeeds in whacking another player. You can definitely find patterns to determine if your teammate is suicidal, or if a particular player favors certain weapons or locations.
• In-game dialog changes depends on the difficulty. Everybody seems to have something to say, even your enemies will try to trash talk.
• Nice outdoor rendering engine with many HDR effects and reflections. I think I am also seeing subtle motion blurs during multiplayer matches. But I am most impressed with the way cloaking is handled; the cloaked enemy is nearly invisible unless you pay attention. This keeps cloaking from being abused, as it is possible to tell a cloaked person is approaching, without making it useless.

Annoyance

• No subtitles for some of the more important in-game speech.
• Cannot seem to seek ahead to a specific spot in replay. Having to hold down the fast forward trigger is a pain for long replay.
• Cannot take pictures in co-op missions.

Other Notes

• The Limited Edition has problems with the packing, and my game disc is scratched. So far it hasn't affected my game play, but I guess I won't know for sure until I put more time into the game. Until February of 2008 you can send your disc in for a replacement. But then you'll be without a game for weeks.