Halo 3
Preview
Expect a huge increase in 360 sales when this one hits the shelves
by Howie Howard
previewed on X360
Anticipation
When I was first handed the assignment to write a first look article for the much-anticipated Sci-fi First Person Shooter Halo 3, my heart jumped. It is easy to get excited about the game as it is one of the most highly anticipated Xbox 360 titles. Its predecessors are two of the greatest shooters of all time, selling a combined 14.5 million copies. Any fan of the genre would be hard-pressed to contain his excitement.
I remember a couple of months back when I first learned that the Halo movie had been scrapped because of a money squabble between Microsoft and movie studios Fox and Universal. I was pretty disappointed because, just like any Halo junkie, my expectations for the film were pretty high. Well, fellow Halo fan, all is not lost, mainly because Halo 3 is getting ready to explode onto the 'small screen' of your Xbox 360 this April. Actually, it is just the beta test of the game that will take place online in April. We will have to wait for the full commercial version to be released later on this year. If you are lucky enough to have a big screen high definition Plasma, LCD or projection TV, then you will be in 'shooter seventh heaven' because the next generation Halo has graphics that are out of this world.
Where we left off
Halo 3 will take up right where Halo 2 left off with our hero Master Chief again battling the alien forces that are bent on destroying human kind once and for all. Many events took place in the last installment of this epic saga and it ended extremely bad for our heroes and their brethren. Master Chief's artificial intelligence companion Cortana is still trapped in the clutches of the Gravemind, that evil Flood intelligence that we all love to hate. There is the small matter of a war that is raging between the Covenant, the Flood and the entire Human race that needs to be resolved, and be prepared for epic battles that haven't been experienced since... well, Halo 2!
With the increased power of the Xbox 360 we can expect to see greatly improved graphics that will include HDR (High-Dynamic Range) lighting, self-shadowing and a GPU run particle system. The game will also include improved sounds, voice acting and AI. Of course, many of our old favorites will be returning such as the characters Commander Miranda Keyes, Sergeant Major A.J. Johnson and Gunnery Sergeant Pete Stacker. Add in the new weapons, maps, locations and general game advancements and you will not be disappointed.
Arsenal
Of course, we can't forget about the enemies and weapons. As with most second-generation platform sequels there are always new weapons, equipment and enemies. If the weapon systems aren't given a complete overhaul then that can often spell disaster for the sequel. That certainly isn't a factor where Halo 3 is concerned. Some of our old favorites such as the MA5C Assault Rifle, the M90 Shotgun and the M19 Rocket launcher return and they are new and improved. Weapons improvements will be greatly appreciated when you find yourself facing down the evil Grunts and Drones from the Covenant along with their elite troops from the Covenant Separatists. Of course, they all have new and improved weapons as well. You can also expect to be looking down the barrel of everyone's favorite, the Particle Beam Rifle, which will have increased power, and, believe it or not, the Energy Sword which will now be dual-wieldable. We all like to see these improved weapons in the next installment and you definitely will not be disappointed in this aspect of the new game.
