Bungie has insisted ever since Halo 3’s inception that this game was finally going to be everything that they wanted a Halo game to be. No more rushed to market excuses as to why corners were cut. Halo 3 was to be an homage to fans of the series and surpass Halo 2 in every aspect. From graphics, online multiplayer, and map editing tools Halo 3 was supposed to be the ultimate Halo experience. Bungie has delivered on most fronts in my opinion except for some weak story line in certain areas.

Halo has always based a large portion of the game play on multiplayer. And in this aspect Halo 3 has surpassed even my early expectations. The new online co-op as well as the Forge editing tools really bring the Halo community to life over Xbox LIVE. There is something really satisfying about being able to save and freeze frame your opponents death. Rinsing and repeating this brings a whole new meaning to the word ‘powned’.

The only weak area in my opinion is the plot line in Halo 3. It seems that once again Bungie focused most of their effort on Halo’s multiplayer aspects. The game can be completed in roughly 8-10 hours in my experience at least. The story itself seems like something out of a page of The Matrix rather than Halo. Not to mention that towards the end of the game, the story seems to have many ideas and environments ‘borrowed’ from Halo 2. Don’t worry, no spoilers here for anybody who hasn’t played the game.

If there's a saving grace in Halo 3, though, it's the multiplayer modes, and this element alone takes much of the sting out of the other shortcomings. The multiplayer aspects of Halo 3 begin and end with the 'standard' Halo options. Everything you remember from Halo 1 and 2, from the play lists and matchmaking to the party system, is intact, and that will frankly be enough for many gamers right there.

The AI is improved over previous Halo games also. Enemies will use more team based elements to attack you. The graphics themselves are beautiful in my opinion. They are not ultra-realistic, but they are very vibrant and colorful. The lighting effects are also some of the best I have seen. There is a subtle beauty to the game. The music and sound effects are also top notch. One thing I have always liked about the Halo series is the musical score. Once again Bungie has not disappointed me.

Overall Halo 3 is for the most part what Bungie promised it to be. The party system and the online components are some of the best to be found in gaming. The weapons and maps all seem to be well balanced. Finally a Halo game where 'the needler' is actually useful. The new weapons as well as the equipment all add tons of replay value to Halo 3.

In my opinion Halo 3 will still be played online well into the next generation of the Xbox. Bungie delivered on all aspects of multiplayer in this gamers humble view. They could just use some more creative writers for Halo 4. That is just my opinion however. I am sure there are some fans who loved the storyline. In the end I felt Halo 3’s campaign story was just average. The other aspects of the total package more than make up for the subtle shortcomings though.