Halo 3 Critic Reviews

It's solid gameplay, immense replayability, online functionality and incredible production values will ensure its place in video game history, and it is, without a doubt, a satisfying and fulfilling close to the beloved trilogy.

The Forge is a gargantuan achievement that puts game design in the hands of players, daring you to be creative and invent a Halo 3 multiplayer experience all your own. Of course, the multiplayer is every bit as astonishing as it has been in past iterations and even eclipses its predecessors in many respects.

The single player is bigger and brawnier than anything that's been attempted on a console before. The multiplayer, which already shadowed the competition, has improved to the point of ridiculousness. The new features - Forge, Saved Films, Coop - are frighteningly addictive. And if you don't like any of that, you're always welcome to edit it until you do.

The best game yet in one of the best FPS franchises of the era. Better than either of its predecessors, Halo 3 still can't quite escape the category of flawed masterpiece - but this time around, the flaws are so minor that even the most churlish of reviewers would be hard pressed to mark the game down.

It's hard to imagine a feature of this game that someone won't love... Sure, no one aspect of the game is life-changing on its own, but perhaps the package as a whole is. After all, Halo 3 has enough content to keep you stuck to your controller for weeks, if not months or even years.

Halo 3 transcends video games. It is a global entertainment experience. Just as "Lord of the Rings: Return of the King" and "Spiderman 3" brought to a close two of the most lucrative and epic film trilogies of all time, Halo 3 brings to a close perhaps the most complete, engaging and downright fun video game trilogy of all time. There is absolutely no way any Halo fan will be disappointed by this game.

The maps are all well-designed, the equipment adds strategic elements to matches, and the creative powers granted to players are unrivaled, at least for a console game. Add to the recipe that unmistakable Bungie polish, and you have a Multiplayer experience that will be enjoyed for thousands of gamers for years to come.

It's well-tested, well-honed, and polished--all qualities you'd expect from Bungie, but the developer's talented and hard-working team shouldn't be taken for granted. Halo 3 may look OK and play similarly, but it will stand in the top echelon of Xbox 360 games for years.

It's a fight worth finishing so if you haven't already, get out there and do just that.

My mind is blown. Every level brings new and different scenery...and the scale of it makes "Halo 2" look both limited and amateur by comparison. I'm not exaggerating when I say that Halo 3 takes on "Half-Life 2" and wipes the floor with it.

In substance it's nothing new, merely a magnificent, beautiful monster of an FPS sequel. In concept and execution, though, Halo 3 is the future.

Halo 3 may not be as innovative as its predecessors or have the best graphics on the Xbox 360, but it's an outstanding game and a fitting end to what's been a fantastic trilogy.

Halo 3 isn't perfect, but it's so close it's unnerving. There's very little to fault with this game, and the flaws that are there are almost completely overshadowed by the overall quality and incredible amount of content and features.

What it does do is take a great game with superb gameplay and improve upon it in every way imaginable. You will also not find a more complete package for your money this year.

This 10 is based on the fact that Bungie has successfully raied the level of what to expect in future shooters and how much stuff you can cram into one game with a high level of polish and expertise--and not as an afterthought or as padding.

Still, judging a game like Halo 3 on the single-player campaign is like taking a movie to task for its opening credits. Halo 3's multiplayer is its reason for existence.

Halo 3 is the combination of a thoroughly decent singleplayer campaign, a great multiplayer component, and absolutely incredible enhancements to each.

This is truly the perfect way for Bungie to close out the trilogy. With its fun, if a bit short single player story, four-player online cooperative support, tight multiplayer gameplay and unmatched customization options, Halo 3 lives up to the unprecedented hype.

Playing around with all this just might make you realize that while the individual components of Halo 3 aren't all top class, the sheer number of them offers more game hours of solid enjoyment than nearly anything else on the market, for any console.

One of those rare instances where the developer exceeded expectations and over delivered.