Bungie have finally released the next epic of the extremely popular Halo series that features improved gameplay, next generation graphic and the continuation of the Halo epic story telling. With only time to tell, Halo 3 is the last chapter in the Halo trilogy and transforms players into the role of Master Chief (or Arbiter/co-op mode) as they attempt to stomp the Covenant Prophets from activating every Halo ring in the galaxy that will purge all life. The unfortunate aspect of Halo 3 is that there is quite a large amount of multiplayer content which means the main storyline is rather short but nevertheless, the online mode will allow for quite a bit of replay-ability.

Features

• Next-gen advantage: 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 technical and gameplay advancements.

• Evolution of design: Next-generation high-definition visuals, enhanced A.I., an advanced real-time lighting engine, and new weapons, characters, and challenges are just a few examples of Halo 3's evolution of design and technology.

• Unparalleled experience: Ultimately, these improvements provide gamers with an unparalleled experience and, in the end, tell an even more compelling and engrossing story.

• Online multiplayer: Working in concert with Xbox Live on Xbox 360, Halo 3 builds upon the unique social multiplayer experience and innovative, evolving online gameplay of Halo 2.

SO... in its essence, Halo 3 is your traditional first person shooter where you must blast your way through a plethora of missions and creatures in an attempt to once again save the known universe. The developers have ensured that there are a variety of new weapons and enemies with gamers also being able to access vehicles again. In Halo 3, Bungie has taken elements from the first two games and improved them with the Xbox 360 hardware, but they did little to implement anything really new other than online co-op.

The multiplayer aspect of Halo 3 is brilliant, especially in the new gameplay system of Forge where players start with 11 base maps and a predetermined amount of cash. After opening one of the maps in Forge, players can go about their fragging ways just like normal but with one exception, pressing up on the D-pad will bring up a dialogue box that lets you add any weapon, vehicle, equipment, scenery, teleporter, respawn point or gameplay goal to any point on the map.

Adding these elements is as simple as making sure there's enough money in the bank, selecting it and dropping it on the ground. At any time, players can immediately return to the match to test their new creation. In fact, one player can even add/customize while all the rest keep playing.

Another new aspect of the multiplayer experience is that you can extend the campaign mode by allowing up to four players to finish the title via online in co-op. One player assumes the role of Master Chief, one as the Arbiter, and the other two assume the role of two new Elites. Players can even save video clips of their campaign and take screen captures of epic moments, then upload them to a centralized server to share with the world.

Graphically, Halo 3 is visually impressive on the XBox 360, however when compared to other games on the market such as the multi-format BioShock, the graphics look a little dated and feel like Halo 2. The characters in the game are well animated, although sometimes they do become stuck and move unrealistically but the majority of time, the animation is well. The backgrounds are extremely detailed and you can easily get lost in the wondrous worlds of Halo 3. Match that with some beautiful lighting and special effects and Halo 3 will definitely cater for the lovers of the franchise.

The soundtrack of Halo 3 is once again beautifully orchestrated with its melodramatic scores and subtle background ambience. Match in a variety of realistic sound effects and everything you would expect to hear in a Hollywood blockbuster science fiction movie and this game has it all in that department. The voice acting of Halo 3 is similar to the previous title that is a little overthetop and clichéd but actually suits the genre.

In conclusion, Halo 3 features a great multiplayer experience but the single player campaign is a little disappointing with its short storyline. Even so, the developers have ensured that the final chapter of the franchise is extremely engaging and will draw you from the very first few levels. Good graphics, a decent gaming engine, Halo 3 is a good game that is just missing that special touch.