GAME REVIEW: Halo 3 for Xbox 360

By Pastor Hancock

Halo 3 is the biggest video game release of all time. Why? Because it is flippin' sweet, that's why. Master Chief is back, and this time he is really pissed off – and for good reason: the Covenant, a band of rouge aliens, have set their sites on Earth. Fortunately, Master Chief’s got the firepower to make them wish they hadn’t.

Let's face it, the game in terms of its plot is pretty much the same as it has been over the past two installations. Master Chief has to lead a group of soldiers to prevent the sheer and utter annihilation of life itself. There are massive battles with aliens of epic proportions, there are tons of sticky situations but overall – with the exception of a few surprises (i.e. the digitally smokin' Cortana to help the Chief in his journeys) – there is nothing dramatically different.

So what is it that makes this game amazing? Oh…where to start…?

First, the game is unbelievably gorgeous. There are moments where, if you weren't busy unloading a clip from your battle riffle into a grunt, you might be inclined just to stop and take in the view. The story unfolds in the serene settings of dense jungles, vast deserts and abandoned interstates. The graphic details are tremendous and the varying landscapes offer a little something for everyone. The only disappointment is that while some of the maps look nearly infinite, you soon find that is not the case when you take up one of the flying vehicles to find that you are actually quite limited in terms of where you can travel. You get over that pretty fast though while you're flying around blasting the tar out of a giant mechanical spider.

Second, can you say “sweet new weapons?” As if the Chief didn't have a virtual smorgasbord of ass whippin' tools to begin with, Halo 3 players will find some sick additions to the action. For example, in previous versions, players could only fire gun turrets from a stationary position. But does that provide maximum smack down potential? No. Now you can rip the gun off of its stand and walk around with it, blowing away any alien that crosses your path. New weapons like the Spartan Laser, a two handed gun that can take out a ghost with one shot or the Spiker, which fires shards of metal, are sure to be enthusiastically welcomed into the Halo arsenal.

Perhaps the sweetest addition in the third title of the Halo series is the gadgets that you can pick up along the way. The portable gravity lift, bubble shield, power drainer and trip mines add a really great new dimension to solo and online game play. The deployment of any of these given tools of mayhem can really give a player a strategic advantage.

The controls remain intuitive as always, offering you option to "dual wield" weapons, which is a must for kicking Covenant butt. Grenade selection is easy and quick and once the controls are mastered, the game pad becomes an extension of one's self.

Last, but certainly not least, the online game play is outrageously amazing. New maps, new games and customizable scenarios will offer players years of brutal carnage. Who ever thought that shooting your friends could be so much fun? This game is a must buy and well deserving of 4.5 out of 5 pot leaves.