by Joe Louie
Contributing Writer

I must have hit my head or had the worst case of
déjà vu ever. My visor reset as the gravel fell from
above, a brief blip as the video uplink established
itself once again. The ground below me started
shaking as the sky suddenly dimmed.

“Incoming Scarab,” the voice over my intercom announced. I looked up at one of the gargantuan, four-legged beasts that had caused so much destruction in the past towering over me. Balls of unstable, supercharged particles erupted from the mouth of a mechanical creature, while a small group of alien warriors fired at my partner and me. I looked over at my partner in the battle, raised my plasma cannon, and ran in to join the fury.

I have to admit that in the past, I really disliked “Halo.” Yet this time around, I’ve totally enjoyed myself. I haven’t had this much fun playing with friends since the days of “You Don’t Know Jack.”

Graphically, the game is superb. Crisp sharp figures and detailed backgrounds contribute to a very visually immersive experience. Be careful when playing this on a non-HD TV. Some of the text and minute details will blend in with the background, especially on the desert levels. The physics engine makes much of the objects around you interactive, and the general feel while you’re playing is very real. A great deal of attention to detail has gone into the game.

There are a few Easter Eggs to look for as you’re playing, along with some choice lines if you pay attention to the world around you.

It’s easy to play through the solo and campaign modes in about ten hours, but you’re going to miss out on a lot that’s going on. The campaign mode allows players to go through the solo mode storyline with partners, either sitting next to you or over Xbox Live. If you’re playing it alone, you’re really just doing the storyline for fluff and practice. Where the game shines is in multiplayer mode. With several new maps that are larger and more spacious than previous incarnations of the “Halo” series, there is a lot to do. New weapons and vehicles that populate the game can be ridiculously powerful.

“Halo 3” doesn’t redefine the genre of first person shooters, but it is a gleaming example of them. But be forewarned: if your Internet connection isn’t strong, you can lag yourself to death or make the game unplayable. I give “Halo 3” a 9 out of 10.