Am I the only one who thinks Halo 3 is overrated?

[TorresA]

My biggest knock on Halo3 is that it doesn't really break any new ground. It's not the end-all-be-all of gaming that many make it out to be.

I agree it's not ground breaking. It's Halo, it has a fan base and to change it IMO would be stupid. They took what they had and built off of it. The #1 feature I think is the "fun factor" it's fun to play.

I used to really like RTS games. I loved playing Starcraft. 8 years later there are many games that have more units, better graphics, new features. I still think Starcraft is the best RTS out there even now, simply cus it is fun. StarCraft 2 new year :applause:

[Enter Apotheosis]

Killzone???

You mean the "Halo Killer", lmfao.

That game sucked!!!

Could a character move any slower?

Killzone 2 is - by all accounts - supposed to be a lot cleaner than its predecessor. Nonetheless, you kind of have to worry about the same thing happening with all the hype its getting.

[Stew]

When I read through this, you're eloquently calling some of the people that have negative comments fanboys that don't like halo. I can say that i don't have hate towards Halo or MS. I stated in my post that I was expecting a little more from the game grapically. They have they really nice lighting effects, great steel textures and nice effects with the water but that's about it. I was hoping that Halo 3 would push the limits of the 360 and it falls way short of what was done in Gears of War and Bioshock.

With that said, I am enjoying the changes that were made to the multiplayer and look forward to a weekend of some mp with a few college buds.

I totally apologize if thats how i came off, def not my intent. I was simply making comment to the statements that people were let down by the game itself, as though they were expecting a different game engine or controller configuration. There arent many FPS games that use the left trigger as a left hand, (grenade throwing for example) a lot of games use B or Y or a function of switching to grenades and using them with the right trigger. In the Halo set up, its almost second nature to pull the left trigger to relase a grenade with your left hand. People who expected a mix betwen half life and Killzone would be disappointed. People who were hoping for a different physics engine or different charactors to me at least arent looking for Halo, they are looking for another game. The point i was trying to make, is that if you didnt like either of the first two Halo games, then there isnt much reason for you to like the third, and if you didnt like the first two games, then why would you anticipate the third one unless you were expecting something other then Halo.

As far as graphically, I dont know what to say. What kind of TV do you play on? I have a 54'' HDTV and I play on 1080I (Interlace) and the colors are incredibly vivid, polygon edges have been rounded (comparing it to the last two) and the draw distance is still great, there is just more distance. Smaller tv's and cathode ray tv sets may not be able to do the game justice. Ok, so if graphics are your only real gripe, then let me ask, were you a fan of any of the other Halo games?

Personally, I dont like the Rainbow six brand because of the "Ghost walking" and because when the charactors walk, it looks like they are gliding across the ground. I realize im digressing, but the point im trying to make is that if you didnt like the other Halo's then you wont like the third, but in my experiences with Halo fans, as I am one, is that the gameplay is incredably solid and the best version of the game avialable.

Now with all that said, I still stand by my opinion that anyone who doesnt like Microsoft or the Halo franchise would have a hidden agenda and give it a bad review. At least you were able to tell me exactly what let you down (the graphics) and not just generalize a negative response. I wasnt trying to belittle or disrespect anyone in any of my origanl statements though, and profusely apologize if i have. :2cents:

I also know i butchered my spelling, but im at work multi-taskin so please forgive that aspect of this post.

[SkinsFanAnt]

I'll tell you how good Halo 3 is when the PC version comes out...until then I'll be playing Crysis, UT3, SC2, R6:Vegas, Bioshock, and others.

[Mufumonk]

As far as graphically, I dont know what to say. What kind of TV do you play on? I have a 54'' HDTV and I play on 1080I (Interlace) and the colors are incredibly vivid, polygon edges have been rounded (comparing it to the last two) and the draw distance is still great, there is just more distance. Smaller tv's and cathode ray tv sets may not be able to do the game justice. Ok, so if graphics are your only real gripe, then let me ask, were you a fan of any of the other Halo games?

This is where you and I disagree. Environments were done very nicely but outside of that the graphics are lacking. Draw distances are noticeably shorter compared to peers. Aliasing is an issue on large displays as jaggies run rampant throughout the game. This is on a 61" Sammy DLP in 1080p that's been calibrated. So it's not the TV.

Now I'll be honest. I'm a long time critic of Halo. I think it's the most over-hyped series to ever be put to console. So I'm going to be more harsh when it fails to live up to it's lofty expectations. I had hoped that somehow this would be the game that drew me in to the series based on all of the pre-launch hype. But it didn't. It merely took the best things from Halo 1 and 2 and mashed them together with slightly better graphics. You can stay true to the series and still be innovative in your design but this game fails to do that.

[mjah]

I played through the original Halo a few years ago, but I haven't played the 2 sequels. Halo is a good game and plenty of fun, but I didn't really understand why it was supposed to be so spectacular. The graphics were just okay and there were plenty of shortcomings with the game that I had seen overcome on the PC platform years before. But to be fair, Halo was a good time, especially with a friend -- and I could easily see how it would be a major software anchor for Xbox.

So now we fast-forward to today. And what I really can't understand is an article I read today claiming that there is no way to browse online games in Halo. To me that seems like a major, major flaw. Again, I don't own the game and haven't played it, but from what I read there are really only two ways to "find" people for network play:

1) See who is online amongst your list of "friends," or

2) Use the "matchmaker" thing to find an online opponent.

But that's it. No simple browser to say, "Here are 100 online games of Halo 3 that are going on right now and are open to additional players. And here's some extremely basic information about each game, so you can choose between them."

Maybe I'm oversimplifying, but how in the world can they not provide a network game browser -- in a game that apparently was geared heavily toward network play? Talk about missing out on a HUGE and basic aspect of network gaming in the first place. I mean, over a decade ago you could do that in the original version of Quake.

Oh, and then you pay a subscription fee for the privilege of NOT having the full set of network gaming options.

:doh:

Big thumbs down. I probably wasn't going to get Halo 3 anyway, but I'm glad I found out about this before even considering it.

I find it hard to imagine that console gaming with Halo should force players into such a sad compromise, and for a fee! But then again, I imagine most Halo fanatics have never had the game browser function anyway, and just don't know what they're missing.

[Enter Apotheosis]

Environments were done very nicely but outside of that the graphics are lacking.

I think you're way too accustomed to the Warhawk draw distances :laugh:

[Mufumonk]

I think you're way too accustomed to the Warhawk draw distances :laugh:

Silence! I wish all games had draw distances that good and played as smoothly as WH does. 16 on 16 battling for control of the "bridge" on the Eucadia and Island Outpost maps is flat out badass.

I haven't seen you online so I could sniper you a few more times. Bwok bwok bwok!

A couple of friends and I started a clan (Shadow Syndicate) and I tossed you an invite.

[Enter Apotheosis]

Silence! I wish all games had draw distances that good and played as smoothly as WH does. 16 on 16 battling for control of the "bridge" on the Eucadia and Island Outpost maps is flat out badass.

I haven't seen you online so I could sniper you a few more times. Bwok bwok bwok!

A couple of friends and I started a clan (Shadow Syndicate) and I tossed you an invite.

I already saw the invite, thought "what the hell", and went ahead and joined. I've only played for like... five minutes in the last week or two. Got awfully busy for a while and have only really had enough time to get in a couple games of Madden as of late.

So I'm out of practice... not that it matters a whole lot anyway, seeing as its hard to lose your skills when you mostly just act as a flag-runner.

[TorresA]

Now I'll be honest. I'm a long time critic of Halo. I think it's the most over-hyped series to ever be put to console. So I'm going to be more harsh when it fails to live up to it's lofty expectations. I had hoped that somehow this would be the game that drew me in to the series based on all of the pre-launch hype. But it didn't. It merely took the best things from Halo 1 and 2 and mashed them together with slightly better graphics. You can stay true to the series and still be innovative in your design but this game fails to do that.

1st off in the last 24 hours, 1.5 million unique users have logged onto xbox live to play Halo 3. I'll wait to see the sales numbers but there as it stands now I am sure there is at least 1 copy of Halo to number of PS3s sold. It sold $170 Million in one day. The game is not a failure.

And as I said before it isn't revolutionary, it's just fun. like you said they took the best of 1 and the best of 2 put them together, with some improvements and better graphics. Why mess is success. Some may be dissappointed, true halo fans would like it.

[Mufumonk]

1st off in the last 24 hours, 1.5 million unique users have logged onto xbox live to play Halo 3. I'll wait to see the sales numbers but there as it stands now I am sure there is at least 1 copy of Halo to number of PS3s sold. It sold $170 Million in one day. The game is not a failure.

And as I said before it isn't revolutionary, it's just fun. like you said they took the best of 1 and the best of 2 put them together, with some improvements and better graphics. Why mess is success. Some may be dissappointed, true halo fans would like it.

What about drawing from a new fan base?

[TorresA]

What about drawing from a new fan base?

You make it up to be a bad game. The game is a Fun game. You are making it out to be as bad as Lair for the PS3 :laugh: . It sold units, and some may be disappointed due to high hype, but it you pick up the game and play it, it is a good solid fun game.

[skinfan133]

I agree, peoples expectations are a little high, and i believe some of the people with negative reviews just dont like Microsoft or Halo to begin with so they are naturally not going to like it. It is easily the best version of Halo ever made. Noone has answered my origanal question though.... these people that say it is like the last one, or didnt live up to hype.... what were you guys expecting? Serious question. What does Halo 3 not do that you expected it to do, coming from a series of Halo games. Maybe you just wanted a different first person shooter all together.

no, I played through the campaign and it didn't even compare to the first two. I loved Halo 1 and liked Halo 2. I'm dissapointed in 3 because of the controller layout changes and the fact that the story line just didn't seem to fit in with 1 and 2. there was a rushed feeling to playing through the campaign and you only got to try out new stuff (rocket turets and the flamethrower for example) only once. my biggest turn off from this game was the fact that I played it on legendary up until the the level where you 'rescue' cortana. it was so freaking hard (poor level design and glitches) I actually had to set the level to NORMAL to make it through to get to the end. you shouldn't have to do that.

as for multiplayer, Ive palyed split screen, the maps are fun and i dont have xbox live yet so i can't report on that part of the game, but Halo 1 is still imo the best multiplayer game out of the 3. its just plain damn good fun, especially when you get 16 guys to all play in the same house instead of around the world on headsets.

[Mufumonk]

You make it up to be a bad game. The game is a Fun game. You are making it out to be as bad as Lair for the PS3 :laugh: . It sold units, and some may be disappointed due to high hype, but it you pick up the game and play it, it is a good solid fun game.

That's just it. I have played the game. From start to finish. All 4 hours of it. Is the game a piece of ****? No. But by no means is it as good as the hype.

[TorresA]

That's just it. I have played the game. From start to finish. All 4 hours of it. Is the game a piece of ****? No. But by no means is it as good as the hype.

Ok that's good, glad you feel that way, I know I am biased toward 360, I know you are biased toward PS3. I agree to disagree.

But looking on 2 Gaming sites, they rank Halo 3 as good or better than any game released for the PS3.

[Metalhead]

I thought Halo was overrated in general. It was good but I didn't see in it what obviously everyone else saw in it.

I thought Halflife was much more of an inovative game than Halo. I think what makes Halo so good isn't the game play, but the online community game play. the game itself is average and forgetable after the first play.

My thoughts exactly.

I don't really understand the hype, but I've just assumed it was because it's online user-friendly. The monotony, lack of variety, and sparse storyline in the first one always killed my enthusiasm. I'll pop it in every now and then hoping that I may have missed something, maybe that it would be better this time around...but nope, not yet.

Call me crazy but I'd pick Soldier of Fortune 2 over any Halo title.

[cyfar]

As far as graphically, I dont know what to say. What kind of TV do you play on? I have a 54'' HDTV and I play on 1080I (Interlace) and the colors are incredibly vivid, polygon edges have been rounded (comparing it to the last two) and the draw distance is still great, there is just more distance. Smaller tv's and cathode ray tv sets may not be able to do the game justice. Ok, so if graphics are your only real gripe, then let me ask, were you a fan of any of the other Halo games?

I've played on a 32 CRT HDTV in 1080i last week and I'll be on a 50' HD DLP later today. Yes the colors and lighting blooms are awesome, but I was hoping thay maybe the character/background models would have more detail. Where I first noticed that things weren't up to par was during the little Halo themed Audio and video calibration that's included with the Collector's edition. If you have it, take a look at the way the trees and grassy areas are modelled. I was hoping for them to take full advantage of the 360's hardware on this game. The way things were modeled in this game reminded me of what I saw on the regular xbox, just not as jaggy.

Yes I am a halo fan. I've been following the game's progress since 99 when it was slated to be a PC (and Mac) only game. The story from the first game really captivated me and O'Donnels soundtrack really got me hooked.

Maybe, for me, the game never lived up to the promise that I saw in the first game. I just don't think that the games are worthy of the overwhemling critical acclaim that they recieve. They're good but there not as (OMFG THE WORLD IS COMING TO AN END) awesome as most (and the MS marketing machine) make it out to be. I can't recall seeing one Half Life ad on television but that game was and is regarded as one of the best....storywise, graphically, in gameplay (both single player and multiplayer).

I'm starting to ramble....

[cyfar]

You make it up to be a bad game. The game is a Fun game. You are making it out to be as bad as Lair for the PS3 :laugh: . It sold units, and some may be disappointed due to high hype, but it you pick up the game and play it, it is a good solid fun game.

Honestly, who in the hell has played that game? I haven't and I don't plan on dropping the $60 to see if theres even a shred of decency in the game to do so anytime soon. I just wonder if game just didn't get a fair shake from the reviewers.

[Stew]

I've played on a 32 CRT HDTV in 1080i last week and I'll be on a 50' HD DLP later today. Yes the colors and lighting blooms are awesome, but I was hoping thay maybe the character/background models would have more detail. Where I first noticed that things weren't up to par was during the little Halo themed Audio and video calibration that's included with the Collector's edition. If you have it, take a look at the way the trees and grassy areas are modelled. I was hoping for them to take full advantage of the 360's hardware on this game. The way things were modeled in this game reminded me of what I saw on the regular xbox, just not as jaggy.

Yes I am a halo fan. I've been following the game's progress since 99 when it was slated to be a PC (and Mac) only game. The story from the first game really captivated me and O'Donnels soundtrack really got me hooked.

Maybe, for me, the game never lived up to the promise that I saw in the first game. I just don't think that the games are worthy of the overwhemling critical acclaim that they recieve. They're good but there not as (OMFG THE WORLD IS COMING TO AN END) awesome as most (and the MS marketing machine) make it out to be. I can't recall seeing one Half Life ad on television but that game was and is regarded as one of the best....storywise, graphically, in gameplay (both single player and multiplayer).

I'm starting to ramble....

Nah, you make great points, no rambling there. Unfortunately i didnt get the collectors edition, but i know someone who does, so i will have to check them out.

As far as hype goes, other games get just as much hype and dont live up to their billing, last years Madden is a perfect example. They opened at midnight to sell copies as well, huge marketing campaign, with TV billboard and Internet ads everywhere, and when it came out it was bare bones for 360, clunky and played like crap. It happens in video games just as in movies. In the end to each their own i guess. As far as FPS goes, I think Halo has the absolute best mix of strategy (flanking,cover, timing, weapons combo, map layout, ect) and arcade fun (jumping from rediculous heights, fast pace, flipping vehicles and other enhancements due to a combat suit, fantasy weapons and environments, ect) and it makes for a fun and challenging atmosphere. As with you, I wish they would have taken more time to enhance the background models and the environment. I was actually hoping for a geo mod engine that would enable more destructable landscapes as well as better textured landscapes... but then they wouldnt have anything new for the next consoles edition of Halo...

[CPortJGibbs89]

I know I need to go out and get a 360 but I am a little strapped for cash, I had no idea that the game did not come out for regular XBox what is the deal with that??

[BAFGA]

M$ hype machine is right. It's all about $$$$$.....

GTA > Halo

[TorresA]

M$ hype machine is right. It's all about $$$$$.....

GTA > Halo

My opinion GTA is over rated. Play game for 15 minutes and then repeat. That's just my opinion, and I know millions others disagree. I do agree that when GTA3 came out it was revolutionary, but still GTA never really did it for me.

[cyfar]

I know I need to go out and get a 360 but I am a little strapped for cash, I had no idea that the game did not come out for regular XBox what is the deal with that??

I thought MS officially "killed" the Xbox. Or was the Nintendo "killing" the game cube? With the exception of a multiplatform monsters like the Maddens and a few games here and there, I don't think think we'll see very many more first party games on the ole Xbizzle.

[CPortJGibbs89]

I thought MS officially "killed" the Xbox. Or was the Nintendo "killing" the game cube? With the exception of a multiplatform monsters like the Maddens and a few games here and there, I don't think think we'll see very many more first party games on the ole Xbizzle.

Damn guess I need to start saving for a 360.. that ruins my ****ing night! The weird thing is Halo 2 game out on the regular Xbizzle.... :mad:

[Enter Apotheosis]

The game is not a failure.

Not from a business perspective, no. Did it fail to live up to the hype? That depends entirely on who you ask.

I know I need to go out and get a 360 but I am a little strapped for cash, I had no idea that the game did not come out for regular XBox what is the deal with that??

I'm pretty sure Microsoft entirely stopped supporting the Xbox a while ago to help bolster 360 sales.

Ok that's good, glad you feel that way, I know I am biased toward 360, I know you are biased toward PS3. I agree to disagree.

But looking on 2 Gaming sites, they rank Halo 3 as good or better than any game released for the PS3.

I can't say this for certain, but I would venture to guess that Warhawk could have easily matched or even obtained higher marks than Halo 3 if it had some sort of campaign mode and had some more levels and features. Regardless, the fact of the matter is that a game doesn't need stellar reviews to be unbelievably fun to play.

Its great that the 360 has more games getting a 9.0 or above from GameSpot and all... but I still don't feel like I missed out on anything getting a PS3.