halo 3 game informer review
Test: Halo 3Millions of people chant his name on the streets. Huge numbers of gamers are feverishly awaiting the postman who, perhaps, will bring the coveted collector's edition pre-ordered months ago. The pages of magazines have long sported its flashy colors and obscure TV spots suddenly multiplied at its approach. And it is today, finally, that Halo 3 launches its offensive. The big question now is whether Bungie's baby lives up to the monstrous expectations that accompanied him throughout his conception.
Bungie said a while ago that Halo 3 was without question the best game ever created by the studio. However, the last appearances of the Master Chief next-gen version left us somewhat doubtful, even downright worried. With disappointing graphics for a title of this magnitude and gameplay with no big apparent novelties, the new Halo did not seem so far from its predecessor. You will tell me that the situation is worse, since Halo 2 is still today the ultimate reference for online console gaming. But before knowing if his suite has the shoulders strong enough to maintain its status as a leader in this area, let us first focus on the brand new soft campaign. Because after all, since the time we are waiting, it would be silly not to describe how the Master Chief will go about "Finish the fight".
Small reminder all the same for distracted players, the very frustrating end of Halo 2 saw Cortana trapped in the nets of the Gravedigger and the Earth about to be attacked by the Covenant alliance. A very bleak situation. The Halo 3 campaign begins just after the Master Chief's dizzying fall into the Earth's atmosphere. We do not really know how the guy got there, but we will quickly pass on this detail. Quickly joined by the unstoppable Sergeant Johnson and the Arbiter, the Spartan immediately set out again on the warpath to try to repel the newly landed Covenant forces. Articulated around a series of cutscenes entirely in line with what we know of the universe of Halo, the title nevertheless sins by a muddled narration, which will undoubtedly make the understanding of the scenario difficult for those who will not have not gone through previous episodes. The game even abuses an awkward process, supposed to bring a little dramatic tension to the whole but which in the end, becomes frankly boring. These are actually parasitic images that obstruct your vision during the rare lulls and allow you to distinguish a Cortana with tortured and fragmentary speech. Two of these interventions have not even been translated into French, but again, you could say that I quibble. Anyway, the scenario of Halo 3 is extremely classic, without real surprises and ends with a disappointing sequence. Despite everything, the pleasure of putting on the imposing armor of the Master Chief is always as lively and we inevitably end up plunging into the adventure, with a little bitter taste in the mouth all the same.
In terms of structure, the last campaign of the Master Chief is very similar to that of the previous sections. Indeed, it includes 10 chapters, which represents 8 hours of play. Be careful however, the Normal difficulty mode is to be avoided if you do not want to exterminate Halo 3 in 6 or 7 hours. We can nevertheless take comfort in the arms of 3 other players, since the title offers us the possibility of redoing the campaign in cooperation on the live, in lan or in split screen. This last option is also not to be recommended because the game loses a lot of its fluidity and its smoothness, just as it will not even deign to be displayed in 16: 9. But what do we discover precisely in this famous campaign you ask yourself? An intense, roundly carried out action combining sequences of foot combat in the purest tradition of Halo and sessions in extremely intense vehicles, and therefore always as pleasant. Halo 3 can no longer be placed on the same level as its predecessors, in the sense that the skirmishes that made the player's heart beat turned into pitched battles involving very many fighters and vehicles. Some levels also give pride of place to large open environments, perfect for maneuvering with game vehicles. However, we can not help but regret the ultra linear structure of the title, and these numerous situations of play repeated again and again, as was already the case in the first Halo.
Admittedly, the reproach seems easy when we talk about an FPS, but all the same, cross a level to fulfill a goal, then immediately learn that we have to go back in the opposite direction, browse the same rooms, which of course have been repopulated meanwhile, is a little annoying. Especially since the software tightens us this process 4 or 5 times during the campaign, to the point that we will end up wondering if it was not there an artifice of the developers to inflate the poor lifespan of the solo. But the point is, killing the Covenant is still just as fun. This is undoubtedly due to the fact that the Master Chief responds to all requests in a flash, and that the controls are always as intuitive. Noticeable difference from its predecessors, however, the X key is now used to deploy special devices such as the protective bubble, impervious to fire but not to the raid of an enemy who came to do battle with you with the butt. The button in question will also allow us to use anti-personnel mines, blasting grenades, bombs that drain energy from shields, as well as an antigrav module, a sort of futuristic trampoline that allows us to reach seemingly inaccessible areas.
You will not be the only one to use this weapon since the Covenant will often use it. Disruptive at the start, these new options bring an undeniable bonus to the game. Finally, let's talk about AI, a huge subject of pride for Bungie, and which roughly holds up in the game, but occasionally gives us moments of great n ' no matter what. As for the petitioners, rest assured, they are numerous, varied and above all perfectly balanced. Note, for example, the destructive power of the Needler and the Brutes' hammer, which will no doubt compete with the Energy Sword. Finally, note the arrival of heavy weapons which inevitably evoke those of Lost Planet and which will therefore slow down the movements of the carrier. Fighting with two weapons in hand is always possible, but a player who is content with a combat rifle and the 4 types of grenades in the game can be just as effective.
On the vehicle side, newcomers are posted on the starting line. We will therefore find our traditional Warthogs, Scorpions, Ghosts and Banshees alongside the Mongoose that we already saw in the beta. The Mongoose is a small quad, very fast and incredibly manoeuvrable, which will prove to be perfect for reaching a distant point or performing a lightning raid on enemy positions. We should also mention the Hornet, which seems to be the response of the UNSC to the famous Covenant Banshee. The craft behaves more like a helicopter than the little purple rocket. Capable of hovering, copiously machine-gunning the enemy while releasing a duo of small homing rockets, the Hornet is as deadly as it is fun to fly. On the alien side, we welcome the Chopper, the Brutes' motorcycle, the Elite replacements within the Covenant alliance. Rather delicate to master, the Chopper is like its designers: formidable when it loads another vehicle with a spray of boost, it is much less effective when it comes to shooting down a distant target.
All this equipment, we will of course find it during multiplayer games. Because therein lies the real appeal of Halo 3. Bungie has done it big and allows us to take advantage of all the latest refinements in this area. The 12 maps on offer are extremely well balanced. Some are clearly oriented towards close combat, others, more open, favor the vehicles described above. All the most popular Halo 2 modes are back and are supported by a few new features as well as a revised and corrected ranking system. And depending on our performance, we can even unlock equipment to personalize your warrior. Bungie has indeed put the emphasis on customization and leaves the player the possibility of modeling the game as desired, partly personalized. This of course goes through the Forge mode, which allows you to freely modify the position of all the objects of a level (weapons, crates, but also respawn spots) or even add to them. This should allow you to build the level of your dreams. Level on which your friends can of course come to kill each other in real time. The system is practical and intuitive, even if we would have liked to be able to move our cursor faster.
Finally, Cinema mode is like the icing on the cake. Halo 3 keeps a video history of the last 25 games in which you have participated. It will then be possible to view them, in free camera or by following your opponents. Stop the image, advance the film, zoom, everything is possible. Especially since we can save the films as they are or make real clips, edited and even why not, scripted. These clips will also be accessible to other players, much like the videos of the last Burnout. In short, Halo 3 has everything to become the new benchmark on Xbox Live. Fun, pleasant, ultra complete, the multiplayer game retains all the flavor of its predecessors, but comes out considerably enriched from the Bungie forges. Halo 3 is not really up to what we had been told, the fault of its disappointing realization and a sometimes pleasant solo campaign, but which suffers from many shortcomings and a short lifespan. There remains the brilliant multiplayer, on which many players will lose their nights and a large part of their weekends.
The notes
Graphics 15/20
From a purely technical point of view, Halo 3 is a disappointment. Lots of aliasing, coarse textures, display bugs or collisions. There remains the very special design of the series and some high-class effects to console you. Nevertheless, Halo 3 could have been much more beautiful and it will be difficult to appear in the Xbox 360 showcase.
Gameplay 18/20
Great Halo. The controls are intuitive and offer great precision, whether you fight on foot or behind the wheel of I don't know what mechanical monstrosity. The solo campaign, however, is not always a pleasure to travel and we will probably get tired of a slow staging and a level design not always very inspired.
Lifespan 17/20
It all depends on your approach. If you do not plan to play Halo 3 on Xbox Live, the game probably does not deserve more than 12. But if on the contrary, you swear by the frag, then Halo 3 is the title you need. With its many game modes, its revised and corrected interface as well as the Forge and Cinema sections, there is no doubt that the title will keep you going for months.
Soundtrack 19/20
Lots of music from the previous section was recycled to enhance this new cake. We will not complain, the soundtrack is still as fantastic. Fortunately, because the campaign draws a lot of strength from these epic pieces.
Scenario 13/20
The story of Halo 3 will be difficult for newcomers to grasp. The others will find it a disappointing conclusion. With an awkward narration and a few stylistic effects repeated until death, one could hardly expect anything better.
17/20 if you can play on Xbox Live, and 14 if you only stick to solo. A scathing note, but which sums up the incredible imbalance between a campaign that seems almost sloppy, and one of the best multiplayer all media combined. Anyway, Halo 3 however leaves a little bitter taste in the back of the mouth. Sad when you know that this is probably the last adventure of the Master Chief. Basically, the real story of Halo 3, will only be done on Live.
0 comments:
Post a Comment