Halo 3

So... Halo 3 is finally here and if the Microsoft hype machine is to be believed this is an event on par with Jesus rising from the dead or that whole 9/11 hullabaloo.

The hype surrounding Halo 3 is so extreme that I can’t see how the game could ever live up to it. That hasn't stopped a million fan boys (and girls) from doing their darnedest to believe it has though

So, how does it stack up.

It should be abundantly clear by now that I am not overly impressed. I can’t help but feel that we’ve been through all this before, twice. Halo 3 is just Halo 2 with prettier graphics. Sure there is some new game play but it's pretty much Halo 2 with bells on.

This hasn’t stopped all and sundry raving about it. IGN were especially excited, dubbing Halo “the most fun first-person shooter on the planet”. They didn’t stop there though, also raving that Halo is “to die for in 1080p”. Only it isn’t. Bungie fessed up that the game actually only runs at 640p. IGN could at least do their damn homework.

Oh but it doesn’t stop there... Gamespy went so far as to say “Halo 3 is the reason the Xbox 360 exists”. WHAT!. What about all the other games. Why didn't they just call it the Halo 3 box then.

There are so many over the top reviews, Microsoft are going to have trouble fitting all the quotes on the ‘platinum’ edition box.

I can only assume that these reviewers have never played any other First Person Shooters. If you are looking for a FPS with a seminal story, go play Half Life 2 and its Episodes or Bioshock. If you want graphics (even on the 360) try Gears of War or The Darkness. For multi-player I don’t think anything has yet topped the classics, Quake 3 and UT2K4.

Just to clarify, by no means is Halo 3 a bad game, in fact it is a pretty damn good game. But it's a bit short, it's graphics aren't impressive, it's story doesn't so much end as stop and it's gameplay feels just like the last 2 halo's and teh world has moved on since then. It doesn’t deserve the mindless praise that it has received. It’s almost on par with the mindless hype that it received before its launch.

I also have to pick at the crazy accessories you can get with this game. First the game comes in 3 different versions, including a $150 version with a bloody great plastic helmet included (No you can’t wear it, that would have been cool). There is also the special Halo 3 Xbox which, inexplicably, doesn’t come with a copy of the game. You pay $160 extra for some green and gold paint.

There are also special controllers, a special headset, a box to put your accessories in and probably a kitchen sink if you look hard enough. All of it suitably overpriced.

I can’t help but feel Halo 4 is inevitable. Halo 3 has been confirmed as the biggest entertainment release in history and I can’t see Microsoft leaving that money train at the station.

Cheers

DTN.