Zergwatch:Adding to Halo: Combat Evolved and Halo 2, the epic saga continues with Halo 3, the amazingly anticipated sequel to the highly successful and critically acclaimed Halo franchise. In this third chapter of the Halo trilogy, Master Chief returns to finish the fight, bringing the epic conflict between the Covenant, the Flood, and the entire human race to a dramatic, pulse-pounding climax.
Get ready. The Chief is back.
HDR lighting, self-shadowing, and more make Halo 3 look and feel realistic. View larger.
Mystery abounds with the return of Cortana. View larger.
Earth is conquered. The Covenant is everywhere. Halo 3 promises to be an epic journey. View larger.
Game developer Bungie announced that Halo 3 will be released for Microsoft's Xbox 360 sometime in 2007. The game was revealed to the world at the Microsoft press conference held at Grauman's Chinese Theater in Hollywood, CA in May 2006. To gamer's delight, the announcement was a complete surprise. The rumors have been abound for the past year, as everyone wondered when the next installment would be ready. Bungie and Microsoft did a stellar job keeping their lips sealed, and fans benefited from their first glimpse of the hallowed third and final installment.
The short presentation was delivered in real-time on the Xbox 360 using the current version of the Halo 3 game engine. That's right, no studio production video, Bungie and Microsoft delivered the real deal: what they showed at the announcement is what gamers will see when they play Halo 3 in 2007. The HDR lighting, self-shadowing, GPU-run particle system and many other effects are rumored to show up in full effect in the final game. Needless to say, the gaming community is salivating.
CJ Cowan, Bungie's director of cinematics discussed one of the most startling moments of the presentation: the return of Cortana. "Given the variety of character and story arcs at the end of Halo 2, we wanted to boil down our announcement to a few key threads. Cortana and the Chief being a galaxy apart is a situation we haven't seen before, and is something that is a powerful component to Halo 3. We are using her transmissions in the demo to give the viewer a few subtle clues to her situation and state of mind, without revealing any specifics we want to save for the game itself."
Graphically, the game closely follows in the tradition of Halo 2, although it has been upgraded to take advantage of the Xbox 360's more prodigious visual abilities. As art direct Marcus Lehto explained, "[The presentation] was intended to be an understated announcement of Halo 3 -- the tone is that of mystery and suspense -- the calm before the storm. I wanted to make sure that we reintroduced the Chief, showed that Earth was thoroughly conquered, with Covenant everywhere, and that there is a glorious, ancient artifact buried under the Earth's crust which will provide Halo 3 with the epic journey which we all want."
Taking full advantage of the power of Xbox 360, Halo 3 expands on everything that has made the franchise great, adding a wealth of technical and gameplay advancements. The game design has evolved with next-generation, high-definition visuals, enhanced A.I., an advanced real-time lighting engine, and, of course, new weapons, characters, and challenges. Halo 3 promises an unparalleled first-person shooter experience and, in the end, the most compelling and engrossing story in the franchise's history. Last, but certainly not least, Halo 3 builds upon the unique social multiplayer experience and innovative, evolving online gameplay of Halo 2. Rest assured, you'll still be able to run with your clan and battle with (or against) your buddies from coast to coast.
REVIEW
Huge let down I honestly thought that Halo 3 would make me a believer, but it didnt. I played the first one and hated it. Played the second one and hated it; then I played the third installment and hated it even more. The campaign sucks. It is incredibly easy to pass and online sucks even more. I really don't see what people talk about. I don't see the magic. The guns feel weak and toy like. Perhaps what annoys me the most are the 12 year old kids that skip school to play. Rented and try it out. You might like it more than I did. Add a Review
Zergwatch:This action shooter takes place on a mysterious alien world. It offers a combination of team-based first-person-shooter gameplay (reminiscent of Tribes) and third-person vehicle combat elements. Gameplay kicks off with the player heading down to the planet's surface in a troop carrier, à la Aliens. As the player and fellow marines exit, the remaining troopers form a flank in reaction toan oncoming onslaught of human and alien enemies.
It's this smart AI system that makes for a noticeably unique gameplay feel. Another very nice feature is the seamless transition into vehicular elements. As you venture through mission objectives, a variety of enemy flyers and on-ground buggies are yours for the taking. Come across a vehicle and the camera will pull back to a third-person view as you strap in and motor through crossfire. A co-op mode allows a friend to join you in the single-player missions. For chaotic fighting action, up to four players can duel in split-screen deathmatch mode or link systems for LAN play. However you choose to hero your way through Halo: Combat Evolved, the action should break in your new Xbox in explosive style.
REVIEW
Summer 2008, Has Halo I aged like an egg or a fine wine? I've played most of Halo I by now. It reminds me of the Metroid I had in the superNintendo. Only that MS made it 3D. Think about it, a guy in an astronaut suit, and killing weird aliens in other planets. The music is mysterious, Metroid like too. I'm sure the Metroid in 3D in Nintendo GC offers more variety, with monster at the end of a level, etc. Anyway, Halo I also has Quake II stuff; the walls and futuristic things are reminiscent of Quake. Nothing original about Halo I. However, it shines in the control precision and smoothness. The game is 7 years old now. Nothing better than playing a game after many years to see if it got rotten like an egg or aged like a fine wine. The graphics look primitive, but it's the controls and the shooting experienced where the game really stands out and stood the test of time. All in all, the game feels too empty and boring to be fun, but the controls are the best I've seen. Add a Review
The official novels of the award-winning Xbox game! This set contains The Fall of Reach, First Strike, and The Flood -- the complete chronicles of the bloody Human-Covenant War on Halo.
The Fall of Reach As the bloody Human-Covenant War rages on Halo, the fate of humankind may rest withone warrior, the lone SPARTAN survivor of another legendary battle . . . the desperate, take-no-prisoners struggle that led humanity to Halo--the fall of the planet Reach. Now, brought to life for the first time, here is the full story of that glorious, doomed conflict.
First Strike The Human-Covenant war rages on as the alien juggernaut sweeps inexorably toward its final goal: destruction of all human life!
The Flood The Human-Covenant War, a desperate struggle for humankind’s very survival, has reached its boiling point on the mysterious, ring world called Halo. But the fierce Covenant warriors, the mightiest alien military force known, are not the only peril lying in wait.
Bungie, Halo, Xbox, and the Xbox Logos are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries. Used under license. (c) 2001-2003 Microsoft Corporation. All Rights Reserved
REVIEW
Great, Great Books These books are great. It starts off in a suspenseful environment and Eric writes this so well too keep the reader well entertained and keeps it with the videogame.
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The price and shipping timing were excellent. Go Eric and Go Amazon!!!! Add a Review
Halo 3 is the third game in the Halo Trilogy and the thrilling conclusion to the events begun in Halo: Combat Evolved. Master Chief returns to finish the fight, bringing the epic conflict between the Covenant, the Flood, and the entire human race to a dramatic, pulse-pounding climax. The Covenant occupation of Earth has uncovered a massive and ancient object beneath the African sands - an object whose secrets have yet to be revealed. Earth's forces are battered and beaten. The Master Chief's AI companion Cortana is still trapped in the clutches of the Gravemind - a horrifying Flood intelligence, and a civil war is raging in the heart of the Covenant. It's all been building to this -- a desperate, final war that leads to a soul-shattering climax of epic proportions. Take control of Master Chief to defeat the Covenant and destroy the Flood to prevent the annihilation of the human race. Online multiplayer - Halo 3 builds upon the unique party-based social multiplayer experience from Halo 2 with new weapons, vehicles, maps, gametypes, and added customizability!
REVIEW
HAlO 3 I still play this from time to time online.
This game has no flaws it's perfect 10. Add a Review
Crackdown pushes the action-driving hybrid genre into the next generation with the first ever truly 3-D playground. Gamers will enforce justice by any means necessary in Pacific City, a crime-ridden urban center built to encourage the exploration of the full width, depth and height of the city. Coupled with highly innovative co-op gameplay -- a genre first -- and an interactive world where nearly anything can be used as a weapon, gamers will be able to create a volatile cocktail of judicial oppression as they clean up the streets. More than 100 licensed tracks, spanning a wide range of styles and genres -- with 5.1 sound
REVIEW
Crackdown Overall, a very good game. Even though I got it because of the Halo 3 Beta (long expired), I very much enjoyed playing Crackdown; although it did take me a while to beat. Add a Review
·Detailed annotated maps for all levels ·Learn how to dominate multiplayer matches with information on weapon locations and expert tips ·Learn about every enemy, vehicle and weapon — their strengths and weaknesses and how you can exploit them ·Confidently navigate the huge Campaign mode with our exclusive maps and step-by-step walkthrough ·Complete list of all Achievements and how to unlock each one Packed with tips, tactics and techniques direct from Bungie
REVIEW
Strategy Defined Very detailed strategy guide. The artwork is awesome and the level of explanation from the writers is incredible. A must have for any Halo fan. Add a Review
For those who plan to enjoy the thrill of the Halo 3 experience over Xbox Live, the Xbox 360 Limited Edition Halo 3 Wireless Headset offers un-tethered, voice chat with a "Halo" look. The ergonomic design sports a Master Chief armor color and a Halo 3 logo. The Xbox 360 Limited Edition Halo 3 Wireless Headset is only available for a limited time and can be paired up with the Xbox 360 Limited Edition Wireless Controller for the ultimate Halo 3 gaming experience.
REVIEW
Best thing since sliced bread... The headset is well designed and has crystal clear sound. It is one of the best blue-tooth headphones I've used.It is easy to just pick up and use. It has good battery length and is an overall good product... Add a Review
It's a controller dude Ok. Its a Microsoft controller. Same as the original, just a different design. However, the left edge of mine is not exactly flush, which creates a rough edge. Not a big deal. No brainer here. Add a Review
All you have to do is hold down the extra button located on the under side of the controller and it will be like you are pressing the trigger as fast as 15 times a second. This controller will help you dominate in any first person shooter game.
