Halo 3
- Expands on the franchise and adds a wealth of technical and gameplay advancements
- Unparalleled first-person shooter experience and the most compelling story of the trilogy
- Builds upon the social multiplayer experience and innovative, evolving, online gameplay of Halo 2
- Loaded with high-definition visuals, enhanced AI, an advanced lighting engine, new weapons, characters, and challenges
The Covenant rules the Earth the Flood has been unleashed — and the fate of life everywhere hangs in the balance. There is only one person capable of saving the human race: Master Chief. This genetically engineered super soldier is the last chance for humanity’s survival. Everything he has gone through has led him to this monumental moment. Stowed away on a Forerunner ship, he rushes back to Earth to defeat the Covenant once and for all. Hopelessly outnumbered, and with his Artificial Intelligence companion Cortana ensnared by Gravemind, things look bleak. But when you are bred for battle like Master Chief, you fight past the breaking point and bow to no one. It’s all been building to this — a desperate, final war that leads to a soul-s
Rating: 
(out of 691 reviews)
List Price: $ 29.99
Price: $ 19.45
[wprebay kw="xbox+games" num="12" ebcat="all"] [wprebay kw="xbox+games" num="13" ebcat="all"]
Related Xbox Games Products
{ 5 comments… read them below or add one }
Xbox Review by JR Media Freak for Halo 3
Rating:
I purchased the Limited Edition version of Halo 3 that comes with a bonus disc of video, metal case with slip cover and small hard cover book with additional information on the game and its elements.
I would like to clarify that I did not have the original Xbox or get into Halo: Combat Evolved or Halo 2. I purchased an Xbox 360 as I believe to be the best choice for me for a gaming console, and I jumped right into the excitement over Halo 3. I rented Halos 1 and 2 to see if I would like them. I enjoyed both games, despite not finishing them completely prior to Halo 3′s release. I even purchased both of those games. I completed about 75% of the first game and about 20% of the second. I just couldn’t wait to solve both of them before playing the “next-gen” version. That being said, I am not as familiar with the Halo story or universe. I don’t think this made too much of a difference in getting into Halo 3. I think one could get Halo 3 having never played the other games…granted you would wonder a little about the back story, but the game play would suck you in and forget about that until you finished the game. Now I am going back to play the first two games to completion. I know it’s a little late, but now I am into the Halo thing…
I have played the game completely through on Normal. I did not think it was too short. I thought that I had solved the game twice, when in fact there were more levels and more story. I felt satisfied with the campaign aspect of the game (even compared to BioShock, Lost Planet, Prey and Gears of War). Now, I am going back through the game to collect the skulls for extra features and achievement points. The campaign was a little challenge for me on the normal difficulty…it wasn’t too easy and not too hard. I was stuck in about 3 places that took a day to move on through by myself versus co-op play. Now if I try to play on Heroic or Legendary difficulty, I will have to call in a friend for support via co-op such as I did with Gears of War on Insane.
Graphically, this game is impressive. While the screen layout and the weapons are similar to the previous versions and seem very familiar, they are better graphically. The designers didn’t completely overhaul the Halo gaming experience…just gave it a renovation similar to what one might see on a TV show about flipping a house…excuse the analogy, but I think it is a good way to describe the difference. The Halo universe is prettier and even more colorful with sharper lines and details. This game has wonderful scenery like the jungles in the beginning to the futuristic interior of bases and spaceships, or later in the game from the desert with sand dunes to snow covered mountains.
The online play is where this game really shines. The online matchmaking system is wonderful. You aren’t thrown into a game with a group of die hard Halo fans where you get completely slaughtered…you are matched by your abilities in the game with players of similar attributes for a fun and even handed match. There are a number of game modes where you can play death match type free for alls or team based games such as capturing the enemy’s territory. With the Forge aspect of the game the online play is editable and customizable to give this game a great deal of replay value for the online players out there.
I gave this Limited Edition 5 stars for fun, and I do believe it lives up to the hype. This is a solid game that one can play over and over and enjoy it as much if not more as time goes on. However, I gave it 4 stars for the game overall as the extra stuff that comes with this version is not high quality or quantity. The bonus disc really only features one making of documentary if you play all of the segments as one movie. It is fun to see all the time and effort that went into making this game, but after watching it I thought that’s it? There should be some added features like maybe including some features from making the older two games, or some more footage as to where they are thinking they will go in the future with other games or characters. I was also hoping for some exclusive content like gamer pics, themes, etc. The metal case is very nice, but as with many others who have reported…my second bonus disc was scratched! The disc comes loose inside the case very easily. The plastic center holder does not fit snug enough on the disc to anchor it in a way that eliminates damage during shipment. Be careful when buying it…gently shake the box before checking out to see if there are loose discs. Make sure you grab one that does not sound like a box of Legos! I didn’t have an option as I preordered mine. The disc was loose and it was scratched, but it played just fine.
Buy with confidence…this is a good solid first person shooter game that lives up to the hype of the “next-gen” console war. I would add that if you don’t always watch the extra making of features or documentaries, you may want to just buy the regular version with the game disc only. If you are a huge Halo fan, then you probably already have the Legendary Edition with the helmet…or if you are still debating on which one to buy get the one with the helmet and all the goodies…they are in a better box that anchors the discs better…plus Master Chief’s helmet sitting in your game room just looks impressive!
Xbox Review by Lisa Shea for Halo 3
Rating:
Halo 3 was, in a way, doomed before it was released. No matter how well it did, people are going to judge its “wow factor” against how amazing the original Halo felt to play back when it first came out. Now that we are used to the weapons, races, environments and plotline, nothing is as cool as it was that first time. It’s the same issue that plagues any series, be it Dune, the Matrix, Star Wars, etc.
Halo 3 does get a boost in that it is released for the 360, so you get an automatic upgrade in abilities there. We’re playing on a high end HD TV, and yes, it looks really nice. The backgrounds look like a painting in motion, with swirling clouds and dancing dust storms. From the light glinting off the metal surfaces to the detailed shadows in the rocks, it can be really gorgeous. Is every detail as beautiful as every detail in, say Gears of War? Maybe not. Different developers focus on different items. There are always trade-offs for speed and visual appeal reasons. For a Halo world, I think they did a good job.
The sound and dialogue are really great. I like the background music, and I find much of the dialogue hilarious. There are some conversations that have me laughing out loud. This is a good game to play with your surround sound stereo system hooked up, and of course the subwoofers.
I hated the ending of Halo 2. I dislike it when a story finishes with a “and now wait a few years to find out what happened.” They can at least have you feel like you achieved something, and ended a chapter. For that reason alone it’s good to have Halo 3 here to wrap everything up.
Unfortunately, with all the time they spent in development, this third outing is a bit predictable. I really enjoyed the multi character play in Halo 2. I thought that was a great touch. They completely removed it for Halo 3, setting you back into a Master Chief only mode. To be honest, I really thought we’d get THREE races this time around, and get to play as the Flood too. Why reduce ourselves to just one?
Also, while there are a lot of “missions”, some of them are maybe 5 minutes long. That’s a bit on the short side. I realize you can go back and replay on harder and harder levels to challenge yourself – but they could have put more depth into the basic story line.
Now, all of those things being said, the key to any game in modern times is its multiplayer ability. No matter what single player game you play, it’s pretty much a limited time game. Multiplayer is completely unlimited – and you’re not stuck with the formulas built into the AI brains. Halo 3 is definitely the best multiplayer experience of the three games – the most balanced, the most fun, the best graphics. You could literally play this for years and not get bored of it.
So to summarize – if you don’t have XBox Live, you could rent this game for a week, get through it and have a lot of fun. You’ll be able to see how the story ends, get your Halo fix in and be happy. But if you do have XBox Live, you’ll want to own this. Between replaying the base game on harder levels to improve your skills, and playing multi-player in a variety of maps and set-ups, you’ll be happy for a long, long while.
There are many games we write a walkthrough for that we have to push ourselves to get through, but when we did our walkthrough for Halo 3, we really did have fun
So that’s always a good sign!
Xbox Review by W. Chang for Halo 3
Rating:
Since the days of Halo 1 & 2 on the original Xbox, I have found the Halo series slightly over hyped and somewhat boring. Especially when compared to other online FPS’s such as Counter-Strike / Quake / Unreal. So you can rest assured, this review was not written by a Halo “fanboy” or fanatic.
Now in 2007, Halo 3 is finally upon us and all I can say is I now do “believe” this is the best in the Halo series and will live up to its hype.
Pros:
I think the absolute number one feature for Halo 3 is the online play A SOLID 10/10. It is incredibly stable, easy to use and it just plain works! Within 10 minutes of inserting the game disc, my buddy and I were squaring off in battle over XBOX live along with nearly half a million other players! Voice over IP is loud and clear with an occasional echo, no lagging or stalling even on release day! The interface is absolutely beautiful. I’m sure things will be even further improved over time by online patches and updates.
The graphics are a 9/10. I have seen better effects & textures (BioShock, BF 2142, etc.) but all in all, I am very pleased. (Note: I am running an Xbox 360 elite w/ HDMI on a LG 32″ 1080i display)
I give the sounds effects and music a 8/10, nothing really mindblowing.
Fun factor is a perfect 10/10! It really is addicting.
Single player story mode works great too. Although it is not the true “focus” of the game, single player mode will provide great entertainment when you’re seeking a change of pace. It’s somewhat short, but has excellent replay value. And YES you can play to story mode online with friends!
Cons:
I honestly haven’t yet found many flaws in the GAME itself. If I were to be picky, I would say the graphics and sound effects “could” be improved further. Also, due to numerous reports of scratched discs in the Limited Editions, Microsoft was careless in its packaging method. I would say 95% of all the LE versions have loose discs and are scratched. (my copy was perfect though because I purchased it locally at Be$t buy and gently shook all the cases to listen for loose discs.)
Halo 3 is a true winner for noobies and veterans of the Halo series period. I think this game will offer endless entertainment for quite some time and the Limited Edition is $70 well spent. You get quite a few extra goodies with the LE, such as a metal case, mini-hard cover book, and lots of extras on the bonus disc. For a mere $10 additional dollars, it is well worth it.
Just remember, you may want to purchase the Limited Edition in a retail store so you can listen for loose discs. With some careful searching, you can find one that does Not contain scratched discs.
Goodluck everyone and game on!
5 stars!
Xbox Review by Greeper for Halo 3
Rating:
I’m not a gamer, just a regular 30something who wants an easy way to take out my frustrations. This review is probably most helpful to middle aged men like me, not hardcore gamers.
I have tried many other games but Halo is the only one that doesn’t tax me too much with choices and complicated controller requirements. I give the Halo franchise 5 stars because it is so simple, one mission, kill everything in sight. You don’t need to investigate, open your pouch, choose between a million weapons, read maps, or think for even a second. It’s the only game I’ve found which I can stand for more than 5 minutes and which is completely uncomplicated. And you can skip the story and all that nonsense by just hitting the main button.
As compared to other Halos: I’m not crazy about the weaponry. The needlers run out of ammo and the other guns don’t do much. You also need to press a button to reload some weapons, it seems, whereas before they would reload if you walked over the same kind of weapon. THere are 3 kinds of grenades, which is unnecessary and just harder to switch between. You can also only carry 2 of each instead of 4. Since the new grenades stick like the plasmas, they don’t add much and just add another layer of choice and button-pushing. Too complicated. Also, the little bonus things like flares and landmines are gimmicky and add too much comlpication. Again, advanced gamers probably love it, but I’m too old to learn all this new stuff. Just give me a gun and some grenades.
In previous games you’d come across more types of things to do, like a lot of sniper rifles so you could sit on a hilltop picking off aliens or use other strategy. In this game you don’t find a lot of useful weapons, so there’s a lot more direct hand to hand, on the ground type combat. I’ve also found that it’s easier to kill things and easier in general to solve the levels. Also, it uses the “follow me” arrow and the voice gives you suggestions if you seem to be missing the point, which I like, since in previous Halos I’ve spent hours wandering around wondering what I’m supposed to be doing. No such problems here. They’ve sufficiently dumbed it down.
I’ve had a few graphic glitches in this one, which has never happened before. I’ve also gotten stuck and unable to get out of things twice. THe sound and graphics are great, of course. I’ve never paid any attention to the story, unless it required me to, so I can’t comment on that. Kusdos to Bungie for making it easy to skip over.
Overall, this is the same experience as the others, though it seems easier than Halo2. As little thought as that required, this one requires less. I’ve not had to think at all about weapon choice, strategy, or anything, Just pull the trigger and kill! I wish there were more FPS games like this — fast-paced, completely intuitive hand controls, easy storyline, simple mission, and FUN.
Xbox Review by HideAndGoSeek for Halo 3
Rating:
Personally all this hype was blown out of proportion. All done for more marketing sales to make Microsoft very happy of course and to squeeze every last dime out of Halo fans by creating three types of editions. I was there for the midnight release and played Halo3 for a good two and half hours until I crashed out on my couch. I’ll break this review down into a few cat orgies.
Gameplay: The game to me has improved on many levels. With new enemies with better AI, they don’t just stand there waiting to get killed. Along with the same layout has Halo 1&2, 3 is pretty much the same (point, shoot, cover), but you have more areas to get creative with new content. Halo3 gameplay was given a polished look and finish and even though it can feel old at times, it’s really all about finishing the fight and finding out the storyline.
Graphics: I was quit surprised to see how clean and detailed the graphics were on my regular TV. Bungie really went to attention to detail and left nothing out. I have a 24′ HDTV but with no speakers so I have to resort to my older TV, but if Halo3 looks as good as it does on regular, I can only image what it would look like HD.
New Content: Who doesn’t like new content? Halo3 has more to offer then ever. There is new equipment to help you defeat your foes when it gets rough. New guns, new fighting tactics, its awesome.
Overall: I gave this 4 stars out of 5 because the gameplay feels the same in certain parts of the game, but with the graphics and new content I can easily get over it. Only reason why I got an Xbox 360 was for Halo3, since I found out there was no plans to start working on a PC version of Halo and I didn’t want to wait long to play.
Advice: Don’t play Halo 3 until you played Halo 1&2, get familar with the storyline and controls, otherwise this game won’t be “the hype” you expected. Remember, when Halo first came out, there was mixed reviews, playing Halo 3 first is no exception.