Xbox 360 Live – Halo 3 Multiplayer Review

There is no denying that as a single player campaign, Halo 3 is an amazing game. We’d go so far as to describe it as one of the best gaming experiences you can get on the 360, providing a solid and worthy continuation of the series.

But a player is not what many people think of when you mention Halo 3. They think of XBOX Live and the vast multiplayer experience that the game offers. The game’s online community continues to thrive despite its launch in 2007. We take a look at what the game can offer players who have not considered the Halo series as an option for online gaming in the past.

Although many players jump straight into one of the games’ many competitive modes, the co-op mode deserves the first mention. Playing together with other people to defeat an AI may seem less fun than fighting real human players on a team, but it is actually an incredibly rewarding experience. Nothing compares to playing the excellent Halo campaign with three other friends. The mode is highly dependent on you having a good group of people to play with, as teamwork and conversation are some of the most crucial elements in making cooperative play fun.

However, if you can find good players, the co-op gives a substantial amount of life to the campaign mode. It might not be as good as playing with your real life friends, but the benefit of having a full screen to yourself, four players instead of two, and virtually no lag makes Xbox Live mode a common experience. For those people who like their co-op to be a bit more competitive, they can even activate settings that record how good each player is at killing the AI.

For the times when you just want senseless violence, Halo 3 has a plethora of options. The game is easily amused with as many different modes, maps, and options as some 360 ​​games like Unreal Tournament 3 that are exclusively designed for online play. Game 11 maps retread some old terrain in the form of maps like Valhalla and Last Resort, but add enough interesting twists and updates to be forgiven for recycling. There are also 9 maps available by purchasing Halo 3 DLC packs, although these are not free. The latest pack was released on April 9, 2009 and there are no further plans to release more content for the game.

Halo 3 also has the usual game modes associated with first-person shooter gameplay, as well as some more unique ones like the aptly named ‘weirdo’ which awards points to the player who can hold a skull for the longest amount of time before be killed. The infection is interesting too – you turn other players into zombies as the remaining ‘live’ player chases you, a bit like a tag game, with weapons only.

Halo 3 can be one of the best experiences of any online console game. The only downsides are the game matching service and the abundance of immature and annoying live users. As you continue to play, you will make friends on the serve and often find yourself playing only with people you know and enjoy playing with. That way, you can enjoy a more intimate experience and avoid abusive or annoying players.

Community issues aside, Halo 3 is as comprehensive a gaming experience as this generation is likely to find, online or offline. The game and its downloadable content have dropped in price, so there has never been a better time to enjoy the Halo series.

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