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The Official Halo 3 Thread

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darkressurection said:
Alright, I paid mine off so I am good. Too bad the one I preordered at is in a mall or else they would have a midnight opening.
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The EB in Cottonwood is doing a midnight launch. I'll be working there that night too :(.
 
Updated the OP a bit. Added the two new online ads, "Enemy Weapon" and "Hunted" via Youtube links, three interviews with Bungie folks and an article on the the overall Halo 3 marketing campaign. I'm trying to pluck a selection of stuff that will be interesting to read now, as well as after the game comes out (often interviews take on a new context when you've played the game).

There's an epic shitton of news up at HBO, which is where I'm pulling my news from. Louis is keeping busy today.
 
Half way through the game, here's my breakdown.

1st Level - Good, best looking level in the game so far.
2nd Level - Never want to play that again, played it in Halo 1.
3rd Level - Best fire fight in the game.
4th Level - Best level so far.
5th Level - Pretty boring.
 
Okay, here we go.

Let's just get this out of the way: the graphics are a mixed bag--sometimes you'll see some fantastic stuff (the way an object might be lit, a gorgeous environment, etc.) and then other times it looks pretty underwhelming. Yes, there are quite a lot of jaggies, and I've even run into some frame rate dips and some ugly tearing. The graphics impress in a subtle way--they don't beat you over the head with saturation and effects like in Gears of War--but I was hoping for a little more visual oomph.

Gameplay--I'm not a huge Halo expert, but it feels like Halo to me. Short, crazy bursts of shooter fun, some hot vehicular action, and so on. Enemy AI feels a little hollow, but again, I'm sure I'll face some harder stuff later. My teammates must be schizos because sometimes they're aggressive and kicking all sorts of ass, and then a minute later they're nowhere to be found or they're waiting for you to clear out an area on your own. Variety of weapons and items is nice, and I'm definitely looking forward to getting into some multiplayer action after I finish the campaign (I really enjoyed the beta a few months ago).

Story--no spoilers, I promise--I'm pretty picky when it comes to movies and books and all that, and I think that video games still have quite a way to go when it comes to narrative and storytelling, so (gulp) I'm going to say that I'm not exactly loving it so far. Fine, I was never into the story of the previous games, but it feels like one big cliche wrapped up in a whole bunch of cliches. Everyone speaks in some sort of cliched dialogue and some of the cutscenes (which are pretty) come off as pretty cheesy. High-quality cheese, but cheese nonetheless. I'm not a Hollywood blockbuster kinda guy, so some parts (esp. some of the dialogue) made me cringe a little bit.

Don't get me wrong, it's not bad. There were a few moments where my jaw dropped or I yelled out with satisfaction, and, at its core, the action in Halo is still miles ahead of some other FPS titles. But I guess after all the hype, and after experiencing Bioshock, Prime 3, and the COD 4 beta back-to-back-to-back, so far Halo 3 feels more...underwhelming than anything else, especially for a game that's supposed to be the closing act to one of the most popular trilogies of our time. I was completely immersed in Bioshock's world and engaged in the story, I was just jaw-drop-in-love with Prime 3's art direction, and I'm still excited by the action and impressed by the graphics of the COD 4 beta.

Maybe my expectations were too high or maybe I never really drank the Halo kool-aid so I can't fully appreciate what's here, who knows. But so far, to compare it to a movie, it feels like a slightly above average summer blockbuster movie--there are a few moments that truly impress, and if you can ignore the lack of originality or depth from the story, art, or dialogue, you're still going to be entertained for most of the way through. It'll be one of the highest-grossing flicks, but will I consider it as part of my Best of... list during awards season? So far, I'm not sure.
 
whatdidyousay said:
Okay, here we go.

Let's just get this out of the way: the graphics are a mixed bag--sometimes you'll see some fantastic stuff (the way an object might be lit, a gorgeous environment, etc.) and then other times it looks pretty underwhelming. Yes, there are quite a lot of jaggies, and I've even run into some frame rate dips and some ugly tearing. The graphics impress in a subtle way--they don't beat you over the head with saturation and effects like in Gears of War--but I was hoping for a little more visual oomph.

Gameplay--I'm not a huge Halo expert, but it feels like Halo to me. Short, crazy bursts of shooter fun, some hot vehicular action, and so on. Enemy AI feels a little hollow, but again, I'm sure I'll face some harder stuff later. My teammates must be schizos because sometimes they're aggressive and kicking all sorts of ass, and then a minute later they're nowhere to be found or they're waiting for you to clear out an area on your own. Variety of weapons and items is nice, and I'm definitely looking forward to getting into some multiplayer action after I finish the campaign (I really enjoyed the beta a few months ago).

Story--no spoilers, I promise--I'm pretty picky when it comes to movies and books and all that, and I think that video games still have quite a way to go when it comes to narrative and storytelling, so (gulp) I'm going to say that I'm not exactly loving it so far. Fine, I was never into the story of the previous games, but it feels like one big cliche wrapped up in a whole bunch of cliches. Everyone speaks in some sort of cliched dialogue and some of the cutscenes (which are pretty) come off as pretty cheesy. High-quality cheese, but cheese nonetheless. I'm not a Hollywood blockbuster kinda guy, so some parts (esp. some of the dialogue) made me cringe a little bit.

Don't get me wrong, it's not bad. There were a few moments where my jaw dropped or I yelled out with satisfaction, and, at its core, the action in Halo is still miles ahead of some other FPS titles. But I guess after all the hype, and after experiencing Bioshock, Prime 3, and the COD 4 beta back-to-back-to-back, so far Halo 3 feels more...underwhelming than anything else, especially for a game that's supposed to be the closing act to one of the most popular trilogies of our time. I was completely immersed in Bioshock's world and engaged in the story, I was just jaw-drop-in-love with Prime 3's art direction, and I'm still excited by the action and impressed by the graphics of the COD 4 beta.

Maybe my expectations were too high or maybe I never really drank the Halo kool-aid so I can't fully appreciate what's here, who knows. But so far, to compare it to a movie, it feels like a slightly above average summer blockbuster movie--there are a few moments that truly impress, and if you can ignore the lack of originality or depth from the story, art, or dialogue, you're still going to be entertained for most of the way through. It'll be one of the highest-grossing flicks, but will I consider it as part of my Best of... list during awards season? So far, I'm not sure.
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HERETIC! *lights torch*
 
Lt Cola said:
HERETIC! *lights torch*
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HAHAHA :lol that was exactly what i was going to say. But i suppose thats what impressions are, not everyone is going to love the game and i respect the guy for an honest opinion. I feel there will be enough praise come sunday when the reviews go global.
 
GhaleonEB said:
Still, 10,000, world-wide, is a pretty small drop in the bucket. There's going to be several million sold in the first day. But I bet a LOT of people snag it this weekend, at this rate.
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True but I was thinking that after first leak, MS would strictly force retailers to follow release schedule. Seems like that is not happening.
 
GhaleonEB said:
Still, 10,000, world-wide, is a pretty small drop in the bucket. There's going to be several million sold in the first day. But I bet a LOT of people snag it this weekend, at this rate.
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I'm sorry, I've not been following at all. Where might I obtain this early?
 
Damn it - I've got my first friends list member to have Halo 3 - dunno how long he's had it for, maybe he played offline for fear of getting banned, but according to his Achievements, he's beaten the game on Heroic, and is now playing Co-op Legendary - damn it!

And I know he's no pirate either... I'm about to send him a "you lucky bastard" type message in a bit... :lol
 
On the 25th, this thread will double in size. People from all over the internets will come over here to see (since IMO this is one of the best videogame message boards on the net)
 
Skilotonn said:
Damn it - I've got my first friends list member to have Halo 3 - dunno how long he's had it for, maybe he played offline for fear of getting banned, but according to his Achievements, he's beaten the game on Heroic, and is now playing Co-op Legendary - damn it!

And I know he's no pirate either... I'm about to send him a "you lucky bastard" type message in a bit... :lol
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I have five people with it on my list.

Five lucky bastards!
 
HolyStar said:
*To people who have the game*

I have a question, is there a great sniping section of the game (Truth and Reconsiliation) or what?
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There's a couple of good spots, but nothing memorable. I'm only through the first five levels, but every time I pick up the sniper rifle I end up dumping it for something else a few minutes later.
 
So which retailers are breaking the street date? They need to just release big games on fridays. Getting this on Tuesday and having all of two hours to play it is going to be aggravating.
 
DoctorWho said:
No matter, this thread is like ninjas on fire!
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On normal days I have to catch up with like 10 pages when I wake up. We're talking hundreds on day one. Guh. How will I hold my title?



Also when will we find out who won the contest?
 
I have absolutely no idea what to expect.

I guess you can call me a relatively casual Halo fan.

Halo:CE came with my PC, and I enjoyed it for the multiplayer, but never found the Single Player (sans the beach fight) all that interesting.

Then I got a 360 this gen and borrowed by friend's copies of Halo:CE and Halo 2 for back-to-back Halo goodness, and honestly enjoyed both campaigns. I tried Halo 2 multiplayer for a bit, but was pretty intimidated by the skill of most players, and the multitude of totally unfamiliar maps. Then, I couldn't play it anymore because Microsoft had decided they wouldn't let me unless I bought even more unfamiliar maps. Yeah, no thanks. But I figured it was worth it for the single player, which I found pretty entertaining.

The first Halo 3 trailer really excited me though.
Then the Beta comes out and wow! I was pleased. It was great to start off as newb with everyone else, and best of all, I was good at it. Also, the ability to have some say in map choice is incredibly important for me. I enjoy nothing more than mastering a single map and learning it's nuances without being forced to change.

I've been keeping up with Halo 3 media only superficially with a few scattered screenshots here and there. There could be some revolutionary new features to the gameplay and I really wouldn't know. Overall, I'm looking forward to Tuesday, but I really haven't given it much thought. Should be a fun ride.
 
Mooreberg said:
So which retailers are breaking the street date? They need to just release big games on fridays. Getting this on Tuesday and having all of two hours to play it is going to be aggravating.
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No, you just skip school/work or whatever and play. They should have just released it this weekend, but I guess they want people to skip to play.
 
HolyStar said:
No, you just skip school/work or whatever and play. They should have just released it this weekend, but I guess they want people to skip to play.
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I don't think that's a realistic option for most people. :lol
 
civilstrife said:
I tried Halo 2 multiplayer for a bit, but was pretty intimidated by the skill of most players, and the multitude of totally unfamiliar maps. Then, I couldn't play it anymore because Microsoft had decided they wouldn't let me unless I bought even more unfamiliar maps. Yeah, no thanks. But I figured it was worth it for the single player, which I found pretty entertaining.
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If memory serves there were still a number of playlists open to people who hadn't bought the new maps during the brief period from their release to the date they were made free.

Not that it matters now with the third game coming out on Wednesday.
 
HolyStar said:
No, you just skip school/work or whatever and play. They should have just released it this weekend, but I guess they want people to skip to play.
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Halo 3 is going to cause a drain on the economy. I hope it eclipses WoW's.
 
I've had an opportunity to sleep on the campaign and let it marinate a bit. The game looks really good. Lots of detail everywhere. There is a bit of slowdown occasionally, and once or twice there were odd pauses in the game, but for the most part it holds up with a lot of characters on screen and a bevy of explosions. I love, love, love detachable turrets. It's cool that you get to keep your other two weapons when you tote it, effectively giving you the opportunity to carry three weapons. Also, the detail on MC in 3rd person is amazing. It looks so good it makes me yearn for a 3rd person Halo game. I really like the new vehicles. They're all fun in their unique ways. There are some brilliant levels, especially early on. Unfortunately, for me anyway, there are a couple of levels that don't sit well at all. There's one level in particular that makes me cringe at the thought of replaying the game, I disliked it so much. I also got a glitch several times where checkpoints didn't register. Not game-breaking or anything, but especially annoying in a level you don't care for. I won't dwell on the story because I don't want to spoil it for anyone, but I didn't really like the way it ended. I did play on Normal, I'm saving Hroic and Legendary for co-op. I'm quite sure my annoyances with the game won't be remedied with a harder difficulty level, but I do think that the parts that I really liked would be that much better on Heroic or Legendary. In short, I liked but didn't love the campaign. I expect I'll get more enjoyment out of it playing co-op. I haven't had an opportunity to play multiplayer yet. i did, however, dick around with Forge for a bit, and that looks to be crazy fun.
 
Sir Fragula said:
If memory serves there were still a number of playlists open to people who hadn't bought the new maps during the brief period from their release to the date they were made free.

Not that it matters now with the third game coming out on Wednesday.
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Tuesday. Or are you in Europe?
 
HolyStar said:
Damn, that sucks. I was hoping for it to go back to the old school days and all that. Well, here is hope to an all-sniping level as DC.
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There's not an all-sniping level, but there is a level that gives you some really good sniping opportunities the first section of it.
 
Not game-breaking or anything, but especially annoying in a level you don't care for. I won't dwell on the story because I don't want to spoil it for anyone, but I didn't really like the way it ended.
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I really don't understand how anyone can dislike the ending. It's an extremely satisfying conclusion for the trilogy.
 
pooteeweet said:
I've had an opportunity to sleep on the campaign and let it marinate a bit. The game looks really good. Lots of detail everywhere. There is a bit of slowdown occasionally, and once or twice there were odd pauses in the game, but for the most part it holds up with a lot of characters on screen and a bevy of explosions. I love, love, love detachable turrets. It's cool that you get to keep your other two weapons when you tote it, effectively giving you the opportunity to carry three weapons. Also, the detail on MC in 3rd person is amazing. It looks so good it makes me yearn for a 3rd person Halo game. I really like the new vehicles. They're all fun in their unique ways. There are some brilliant levels, especially early on. Unfortunately, for me anyway, there are a couple of levels that don't sit well at all. There's one level in particular that makes me cringe at the thought of replaying the game, I disliked it so much. I also got a glitch several times where checkpoints didn't register. Not game-breaking or anything, but especially annoying in a level you don't care for. I won't dwell on the story because I don't want to spoil it for anyone, but I didn't really like the way it ended. I did play on Normal, I'm saving Hroic and Legendary for co-op. I'm quite sure my annoyances with the game won't be remedied with a harder difficulty level, but I do think that the parts that I really liked would be that much better on Heroic or Legendary. In short, I liked but didn't love the campaign. I expect I'll get more enjoyment out of it playing co-op. I haven't had an opportunity to play multiplayer yet. i did, however, dick around with Forge for a bit, and that looks to be crazy fun.
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Thanks for your impressions

By comparison, what did you think of the first two campaigns?

And is the level you're talking about ...
Cortana
? A yes or no will suffice.
 
Vyse The Legend said:
I really don't understand how anyone can dislike the ending. It's an extremely satisfying conclusion for the trilogy.
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I agree 100%.
 
I'll add one other thing before I go back to watching the LSU game, Legendary is probably doable solo from the get go. Some veterans might actually prefer it for a first run through.
 
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