Master Chief bows out in style in Halo 3, an instant classic for its impressive single-player and multiplayer game. Halo 3 is the first in the best-selling trilogy to be designed for the Xbox 360's hardware, and it shows in the stunning visuals. Players will immediately notice the more detailed and expansive outdoor environments.
The solo game's nine levels can be burned through in less than 12 hours by veteran soldiers, even faster in co-op mode, which allows up to four players to tackle the enemy in split-screen mode. Experienced players will want to boost the difficulty from the default level, which is too easy. Heroic and Legendary difficulty levels make for crafty enemies that call for support, use cover, skillfully lob grenades and don't blindly rush to their death.
New is the ability to use defensive equipment at the press of a button. A regenerator, for example, heals nearby allies, while a bubble shield stops enemy fire, giving Master Chief the time he needs to regenerate his shields. New weapons include the awe-inspiring gravity hammer, a melee weapon that can send groups of enemies and even vehicles flying.
The coolest new addition is the Chopper vehicle, which resembles a child's Big Wheel tricycle, except for the giant cannon and its ability to crush seemingly anything in its path. Most who buy a Halo game do so for online multiplayer. Halo 3 features 11 well-designed maps.
As in the past, a game can host up to 16 players. Also new is the ability to edit multiplayer maps. The Forge can move existing objects, weapons and even change objectives.
Edited maps can be used to host games or uploaded to a server and shared with other players. And what about the plot? Who lives and who dies?
No spoilers here, but in the end Halo 3 borrows heavily from Arthurian legend. It is a fitting end for gaming's greatest soldier.
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