HALO 3

KnackChap · August 7, 2007

HALO 3

Developers:Bungie

Publishers:Microsoft

Genre:FPS

Players:1-4

Platform(s):Xbox360

Release Date:25th sep 07

The epic saga continues with Halo 3, the hugely anticipated third chapter in the highly successful and critically acclaimed Halo franchise. Master Chief returns to finish the fight, bringing the epic conflict between the Covenant, the Flood, and the entire human race to a dramatic, pulse-pounding climax.

Taking full advantage of the power of Xbox 360, Halo 3 expands on everything that has made the Halo franchise great, adding a wealth of graphical, technical and gameplay advancements, as well as offering a whole new level of online gameplay.

Official Halo3 Website

IGN preview

After a brief loading screen (during which particles come together to form a halo), we were thrown into the game's first level, which will be called Sierra 117. Jarrard was playing on the Heroic difficulty, starting at what was being referred to as "Rally Point Alpha." We were told that the part we were seeing was actually about a third of the way into the level, as they didn't want to ruin the opening for us. What we did notice right off the bat was the fact that while we were playing as Master Chief, our old buddy the Arbiter was fighting right alongside us and had a green arrow above his head that allowed us to spot him at any time. We asked Frankie about the, ahem, possibility of playing with a friend who was controlling the Arbiter, and he mentioned that, yes, that sure would be cool. Damn you Frankie!

If you've got any qualms about the visual fidelity of the single-player game, let's just put those to rest right off the bat. The segment we saw took place in a lush forest, where tall trees cut off a good deal of the sunlight and moss grew on just about every available surface. The foliage and textures looked excellent, as did the "god rays" that beamed down through gaps in the canopy. We came upon a number of napping Grunts, and Jarrard quickly and quietly beat them to death with the butt of his Battle Rifle (this was the starting weapon in this demo, with the pistol acting as the player's secondary weapon)..............................................With that, our all-too-brief Halo 3 single-player demo ended, and the lights were brought up. Nearly everyone in attendance agreed that this was the footage that Microsoft should have closed the press conference with, as it surely would have impressed just about everyone in attendance. The game is definitely shaping up nicely, and the single-player campaign looks much better than the multiplayer. We'll be bringing you more information on Halo 3 later this afternoon, as we'll be checking out some different elements during our E3 meeting with Microsoft.

Screens

Official trailers and Videos http://www.gametrailers.com/game/2606.html

Reviews

IGN-
Gamespot-

1UP-

Gamespy-

CVG-

sanjoy · August 8, 2007

great have to start Halo praising from scratch

rad2689 · August 9, 2007

Stunning New Halo 3 Scans - Master Chief Like Never before

http://gamers-creed.com/?p=281

sanjoy · August 9, 2007

most of them are taken from the E3 trailer

rad2689 · August 9, 2007

“Halo 3” Sets Preorder Sales Records, Soars Past 1 Million Milestone

Today, Microsoft Corp. announced that preorders in North America for the exclusive Xbox 360 title have exceeded the 1 million milestone. In addition, Microsoft unveiled the first exciting details of upcoming promotions from leading consumer brands, including Mountain Dew, 7-Eleven, Pontiac, Comcast and Burger King Corp.

In a strategy utilized in other big entertainment launches, retailers around the world have begun taking preorders, enabling consumers to order one of the three versions of “Halo 3”: Standard Edition, Limited Edition and the ultra-collectible Legendary Edition. In fact, demand has been so strong for the Legendary Edition of the game that it is expected to be sold out by the time the game launches on Sept. 25. Retailers have also noted that the presales for “Halo 3” are the fastest in video game history.

“What we’ve experienced is nothing short of phenomenal,” said Bob McKenzie, senior vice president of merchandising at GameStop Corp. “‘Halo 3’ has eclipsed many previous records and will prove to be one of the must-have items of 2007.”

“The excitement for ‘Halo 3’ is incredible,” said Jill Hamburger, vice president of movies and games at Best Buy. “From our preorders online and the buzz we’re hearing in our stores, we know this release is going to be one of the biggest entertainment events of the year. We’re thrilled to be able to bring it to our customers.”

For the first time in video game history and on par with the scope of major movie releases, some of the world’s biggest consumer brands have aligned to support the launch. Many plan to offer a variety of promotions that give consumers the opportunity to obtain unique “Halo 3”-branded products and prizes and participate in one-of-a-kind “Halo 3”-themed events.

“This September, ‘Halo 3’ will push video game entertainment into the forefront of mainstream culture,” said Chris Di Cesare, director of creative marketing at Microsoft. “Teaming up with some of the world’s strongest and most recognizable brands is trailblazing new paths and cementing video games as big entertainment on par with major event films, and is a testament to the excitement and anticipation intrinsically linked to ‘Halo 3.’”