HALO 3 TOMORROW
 

Fuckin' finally.

Anyone doing a midnight thing?

Re: HALO 3 TOMORROW
 

Definitely. I'm so excited for this. I'm currently attempting to do some homework that is due on Wednesday, but I can't concentrate.

Yesterday, I went to Circuit City and picked up the Spartan version of the Halo 3 Special Edition Xbox 360 controllers. I'm such a tool.

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My God, there are actually people on Gametavern who LIKE Halo??? Reading the posts I imagined it was widely hated on this forum. Its good to see some people have some sense.

I won't be able to get a 360 or Halo3 until after I get back from my honeymoon, but I can't wait. I have even caight myself humming the theme at work...

Re: HALO 3 TOMORROW
 

I think the real issue is those of us that played Halo had a real bitter taste left in our collective mouths after Halo 2. It just ended so abruptly I think we just resented it a bit.

Whether the single player is good or bad, I'm psyched for the multiplayer.

Oh, P.S. to anybody thinking about getting a 360 for Halo:

http://www.meijer.com/catalog/produc...roductId=24532

Buy it with coupon meijercomgift for 20% off (Premium 360 for $280).

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Don't worry Strangler, I want you to know I'll always be here for you. :love:

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I say we organize a game for this weekend.

As my copy of the game won't be coming in until later on this week.

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Working on Turok with a bunch of Halo fanatics, it's kind of a job requirement to get Halo now. I really did like the other 2, though. I'm playing through 2 again with my brother as we speak.

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I can't wait for Halo 3 to come out - so I can not play it like I did with Halo 1 and 2.

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I fucking have the legendary edition preordered, but have no 360 here in Madison.

Fuck.

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Hal...o wazzah?

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Personally speaking, I think Halo is probably one of the most overrated franchises there are now.

Only reasons getting

4 player co-op
And most ppl i know on Live will be playing and enjoy playing with friends.

Re: HALO 3 TOMORROW
 

Honestly, its hard to call something overrated when it has broken pretty much every sales record in gaming history. I'd say that makes it rated right where it should be.

I've never called Mario an overrated franchise... I find him uncredibly played out and annoying, but his rating as one of the all time greats stands. Just as Halo's rating as the franchise that made FPS games (or even all non-sports games) mainstream stands as well. You could also call it the game that bridged the gap between adults and casual gaming.

Halo is the game that changed everything for original content in gaming.

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I don't think sales should equate to quality.

Not saying it is a bad game, I just think that people put it on this huge pedestal but I just never felt it deserved it.

I can see why people will consider it important, but that doens't mean can't feel the way I feel.

Re: HALO 3 TOMORROW
 

I never said you couldn't feel that way, I just said it was hard. In my opinion, it is hard to call Halo overrated. Opinions work both ways.

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I don't think it's hard to call it overrated, but we won't agree on this.

I mean it's not like I'm not buying the game, just don't see what everyone else sees in it.

That is all I guess.

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Halo is hard to judge because of 2 and maybe more points:

It's a very likable game. Simple and enjoyable gameplay, everybody can play it (in contradiction to those difficult Metroid games).

What it does, it does well. It just doesn't innovate very much. Dual-wield and cooperative is awesome, but it has already done years before.

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Holy fucking crap this game is amazing.

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If you look at Halo piece by piece, there really isn't much to see. IMO, its the synergy of the peice's that make it work so well, the larger peices being gameplay and music.


I like to use the term "accessible" when referring to Halo's gameplay. Yes, on the surface its very simply and easy to pick up and play. After all, I feel that is what all developers should strive for. When gameplay is overly complicated or unintuitive, it gets in the way of the game. Metroid is a perfect case in point, IMO. Metroid (the first Gamecube version) relied too much on challenging mechanics, and I never got into the game. Halo allowed me to almost forget I was holding a controller and just worry about the story, atmosphere and purpose. For me, thats what makes a game become a visceral experience and not just a time waster.

Then you can get into a whole other discussion about tasteful mix of cutscenes and in game story components, music, a few "Oh Fuck" moments, the blending of sci-fi action that mixes survival horror elements once the Flood is introduced and you get a lot of what makes Halo a great franchise.

I think I feel a thread coming on.... :)

Re: HALO 3 TOMORROW
 

I have to disagree. All Metroid games totally engulf me. When I played Metroid Prime 1 and 2, I never had to worry about controls. I díd however have to worry about looking at the map, solving puzzles, looking at things in new ways.
So I would say that Metroid games are more difficult, but for those who like it, they provide a great experience.

Doesn't mean that I never feel the urge to play a simpler shooter like Halo.

Re: HALO 3 TOMORROW
 

Would I be able to walk in and buy this?

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I guess it comes down to personal tastes, but everything you just described as being a strength of Metroid is exactly why I disliked it.

1) The Map - Having to check a map constantly to know where the hell you are because you spent half your time confused doesn't attract me or add a satisfying level of difficulty. It lacks purpose in a design sense, IMO. I thought most of the chambers were poorly placed as well. The whole time I'm thinking "What the hell is this chamber here? Who built this mess? The architect of this building should be SHOT!" I was constantly reminded I was playing a game as very little of the level design would make a lick on sense in real life.

Meanwhile in Halo, there were considerable areas that were essentially repeats of each other, but in the story and plot they were indentical/redundant structures. This makes sense because if it was important enought for me to sabotage, wouldn't it be important enough for my enemy to have made backups of them?

2) Puzzles - I have the same complaints about the puzzles in Metroid. Meaning, they make no sense. Who makes a door that only opens if you fire a rocket at it? The insurance rates alone would make the entire project cost prohibitive!

Also, the entire game is a puzzle. The AI of you enemies is nearly non-existent. Its all about patterns and "figuring it out" Shoot this weapon when the boss does this, duck here, manage your unavoidable damage. Personally, I grew up wioth those types on games and I find them tedious, but again thats just personal preference.

Halo's AI is the best I've played, including Half-Life 1 and 2. Honestly, after hearing all the raves about Half-Life's AI I was underwhelmed when playing it. My teammates were borderline retarded. In Halo 2, the friendly AI was so good you could sometimes sit back and just snipe while your teammates occupied the opposing force. AND THEY DID REAL DAMAGE, unlike the traditional AI where friendlies only serve to occupy enemies until you can get to them.

3) The Confusion of Difficulty and Challenge - I don't like difficult games, I like challenging ones. Metroid is difficult to me. I call any game that was designed to be confusing and frustrating difficult. The challenge feels inorganic to the desired experience.

Halo is not difficult, but there are a TON of challenging aspects to it, including well done difficulty levels where your enemies don't just get tougher, they get smarter. There is also a small element of sandbox play with Halo games, that makes for players creating their own challenges after defeating the overall campaign. Plus, easter eggs a plenty.

Well, thats my opinion. If you can't have agreement you can at least achieve clarity.

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Oh jesus yeah. Our future shop alone got 800 copies and we're just a lowly suburb.

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http://au.xbox360.ign.com/articles/822/822714p1.html

I'm considering buying it, but for some reason I'm not overly excited for it as everybody else.

There is a lot of hype surrounding it, probably most of it for good reason. Well I'll be going gym after work today.......then walking past EB so I guess I'll go with my gut.

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I eventually gave up on Metroid due to confusion. I really really hate when games have a light/dark world or mirror universes of some kind. It's an arbitrary way of doubling the game size and it is incredibly confounding.

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The new one doesn't have a mirror world. I hope you give it a try, it's far more straightforward.

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Stop talking about Metroid!

Halo 3 is the tits!

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My friend and I have just concluded a Halo 2 marathon clocking in 18 hours of non-stop game-play.

He even went as far as wearing adult diapers so he could soil himself without interruption. It was tight! Video on YouTube coming soon!

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What's this about tits?

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I hate all of you.

*Goes back to psychology case study trying to ignore the fact Halo 3 is so far away*

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So a friend and I played and finished Halo 3 today in around 6 or 7 hours in co-op and all I can say is that I enjoyed it way more than the second. However, it was a pretty short game, but at least I can say I finished all three now:p

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I did buy it.........impressions will shortly follow i'm sure

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I totally agree with Strangler and Neo, I didn't like Metriod prime very much. It just simply wasn't fun on any level to me. And I agree on Halo, its easy to pick up and play, making it rock.

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Pressing News: Xbox Live collapses under weight of Halo 3

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I haven't really touched the campaign mode.

But man o man the multiplayer has already got me hooked.

Sandtrap is awesome especially in teams.
We did a 3 vs 3 vs 3 match and it was.. well great.
Gonna try for 3 vs 3 vs 3 vs 3 vs 3... now that shall be chaos.
And a fan of the hammer.

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I got the game at 6.
I beat the game at 10.

Honestly, I was thoroughly saddened at the entire campaign mode.

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Did you read the scratched disks story?

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Hahaha, Sean's a noob who plays Normal mode!

Also, fuck the people that hate Shotty Snipes. I love that fucking mode. I own in it.

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I like the game.......it's fun. Haven't touched multiplayer....but dayum wot happened to the graphics??!?! For some reason was expecting graphics like GOW.

I remember seeing some trickling water pouring from the level above me in the game......i went under it and looked up hoping it would trickle on the visor....but it doesn't.....it just disappears!

Anyways it's fun,, I like it.......still haven't discovered what the hype is all about....maybe coz i haven't touched multiplayer yet

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From the reviews I've read I'd recommend incresing the difficulty level. Most have stated that the Normal mode was intended for the massive casual audince who may just play Halo 3 and nothing else this year, so they're expecting low levels of gaming competency for those using Normal.

From what I've heard from current reviews and experienced in past Halo releases, the enemy AI increases greatly as you ratchet up the difficulty levels.

Is it bad that I'm looking forward to playing Halo 3 more than I am lookng forward to my wedding?

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You should get married in Halo 3. Brilliant! 16-player in Valhalla overlooking the water. Beautiful spot. And for the reception you'd split off into teams of 8 and kick ass in matchmaking.