[aselto]

Just watch the gametrailers review and then comment on graphics, please.

[RobertR1]

Originally Posted by aselto

Just watch the gametrailers review and then comment on graphics, please.

Hell no, it's waaaay more fun to pick spots! like zooming into certain places on Gears and using it to discredit the rest of the game. If you want an A in trolling and hating, you really have to go the extra mile.

[Laa-Yosh]

Bungie certainly could've spent even more time and money on some parts of the game, like character models/textures. But the general art style of the game doesn't leave too much room there, and more importantly, it still looks as good as most games out there. Not every single AAA title has to be a Gears, KZ2 or (in terms of characters) Mass Effect.

[aselto]

Originally Posted by Laa-Yosh

Bungie certainly could've spent even more time and money on some parts of the game, like character models/textures. But the general art style of the game doesn't leave too much room there, and more importantly, it still looks as good as most games out there. Not every single AAA title has to be a Gears, KZ2 or (in terms of characters) Mass Effect.

I think Halo 3 does look better than ME and Gears overall though (comparisons with Killzone 2 are the last thing I want ) + with free-roaming replay camera that can go really high in the air (+freezing and slow motion) they could do much less smoke and mirrors tricks than other devs.

[aselto]

Heck Bioshock and several PS2 games have scored higher than 9.5's from IGN.

Jade Empire got 9.9 from IGN

Anyways, the problem with "10's" is sites that use a integer system. IGN and Gamespot dont have the "problem" of 10 scoring games.

Gamespot now is using .5 only system BTW.

Though campaign mod is really for me only to "finish the fight" in 10 hours, then play it with my friends in online coop mode to have some chatter (and to be able to beat it on Legendary :P), but I think the real fun will begin once I'll start to play competetive multiplayer...

[liolio]

the game seems to live up its hype, I guess MS has it system seller at least for US.

[liolio]

I remember that when I was young a lot of magasins gave rank in graphics, animation etc.
Now in a lot of sites graphic rank seems also to stand for technical merit.

Anyway this game looks beautiful, scale, sharpness, lightning, smoothnes, etc bungie delivered that's it

[Laa-Yosh]

Some sites just don't have a 9.9 score, only 9 or 10. Ever heard about rounding?

[Laa-Yosh]

Honestly, KZ2 has better graphics in almost every aspect, except for scale and number of things happening. At least based on what we've seen so far - I'm sure there'll be Flood in H3, but they're totally absent from any screenshots; and who knows what we haven't seen from KZ2 yet...

[liolio]

Originally Posted by Laa-Yosh

Honestly, KZ2 has better graphics in almost every aspect, except for scale and number of things happening. At least based on what we've seen so far - I'm sure there'll be Flood in H3, but they're totally absent from any screenshots; and who knows what we haven't seen from KZ2 yet...

I agree but I don't think halo III and KZ II compete the real KZ contender will be GeoW II witch we know nothing about

[Rangers]

Originally Posted by Laa-Yosh

Honestly, KZ2 has better graphics in almost every aspect, except for scale and number of things happening. At least based on what we've seen so far - I'm sure there'll be Flood in H3, but they're totally absent from any screenshots; and who knows what we haven't seen from KZ2 yet...

I'll agree to that. KZ2 is amazing looking..

I agree but I don't think halo III and KZ II compete the real KZ contender will be GeoW II witch we know nothing about

We know it'll be UE3 based though, So I dont see it pushing graphics an amazing amount over Gears 1.

[AlStrong]

Average graphics I find the marine character details and the lighting a lot better than average.

[TrungGap]

Sorry, when I said Halo 3 was comparable to Gears and KZ2, it was meant as a tongue in cheek joke.

Calling any game average when we have no other games in similar genre to compare it to is just silly. Gears doesn't have the same draw distant. Nor does it have number of stuff going on and with a stable frame rate that speed junkie FPS shooter expect.

Yeah, you can say Halo 3 doesn't have good enough anti-alias in place. You can say doesn't have insane amount of smoke to add atmosphere. But this Halo art style...it's a sci-fi art style where everything is vibrant, clear and sharp. And when you're doing a MP, you don't want an overdone DoF or stuff to get in your way of a action pack match.

[betan]

Originally Posted by AlStrong

Average graphics I find the marine character details and the lighting a lot better than average.

That's not exactly accurate.
I'm pretty sure Bungie said they didn't improve the model geometry from Halo 2 and it seems to be the case which may account for some of the Halo 2 comments. Of course, detail is more than enough given the suit's nature and great shaders.

Although absence of AA and a few other details are unfortunate, Halo 3 looks well above average, enough that it shouldn't pull down an otherwise perfect score.

Then again most people applauding the gfx would not claim so if it wasn't Halo. Same goes for the trollish comments. I'm having quite fun reading the thread. Keep it coming guys.

Originally Posted by Nebula

That is some really good score for the game, great gameplay. By the way is the SDF Halo 3 review out, just for some good before bedtime laughs?

I'm waiting for Zero Punctuation's review.

[iceberg187]

Originally Posted by betan

That's not exactly accurate.
I'm pretty sure Bungie said they didn't improve the model geometry from Halo 2 and it seems to be the case which may account for some of the Halo 2 comments. Of course, detail is more than enough given the suit's nature and great shaders.

Although absence of AA and a few other details are unfortunate, Halo 3 looks well above average, enough that it shouldn't pull down an otherwise perfect score.

Then again most people applauding the gfx would not claim so if it wasn't Halo. Same goes for the trollish comments. I'm having quite fun reading the thread. Keep it coming guys.



I'm waiting for Zero Punctuation's review.

Bungie doesn't seem to be big on polys. Halo 1 Master Chief has more polygons than Halo 2 Master Chief. In Halo 2 they fell in love with bumpmapping

[betan]

Originally Posted by iceberg187

Bungie doesn't seem to be big on polys. Halo 1 Master Chief has more polygons than Halo 2 Master Chief. In Halo 2 they fell in love with bumpmapping

That's because Halo suits are very suitable for excessive normal mapping more than any other game. The visible polygon edges don't bug anyone as it's a relatively sharp edged sci-fi suit to begin with.

[Tap In]

the usual suspects coming in here (AS PREDICTED) who will never even own the game coming into this thread to downplay it.

Why can't people just be allowed to enjoy the game for what it evidently is being recognized for doing RIGHT/WELL several 9's and 10's for graphics and game play and innovation... (including good techincal points made by some in here).

"buh, buh, it's beyond3D" is a bullchit excuse for trolling.

[Tap In]

the definitive review thread

●IGN.com: 9.5/10 (not an average)
---Presentation: 10: An amazing replay editor, four-player online co-op, map editor, and community support make this the most robust feature set ever in a videogame.
---Graphics 9.0. : Despite a few moments of slowdown, this is a gorgeous game, especially considering the demands of the replay function. And it's to die for in 1080p.
---Sound: 10: This is the reason God created Surround Sound. Halo's theme is a futuristic anthem that inspires the troops. The chatter during combat is fantastic.
---Gameplay: 9.0: There are a few questionable design choices in the campaign, but this series remains the most fun first-person shooter on the planet. Multiplayer and the Forge are fantastic.
---Lasting Appeal: 10: The campaign won't take you long to complete, but this is a game that can be played for years. There are so many things to do, and it's so much fun to do them.
--Full review
--Reviewer: Hilary Goldstein

●Gametrailers.com: 9.8
--Campaign whilst linear has very little backtracking or repetition; Every locale is unique and memorable; 10 - 15 hour average playtime depending on difficulty; The deployable items aren't ground breaking; Best enemy AI in the business; Visuals are not the best on the system, poor character models; Audio trumps the visuals. (thanks to Opus Angelorum for the quotes)
--"Look behind the sofa, in your car and in your pockets. Do whatever you can to get hold of Halo 3. The chief is back and he's no thief."
--Full video review (apparantly no story spoilers, but footage of cutscenes and campaign)
--Reviewer:


●1UP.com: 10/10
--It's hard to imagine a feature of this game that someone won't love (we didn't even get to talk about the robust file sharing, where you can swap gameplay screenshots, edited game films, game setups, and maps). Or you can just look at it as a sum of so many quality parts, that value-wise, Halo 3 is as sure a thing as it gets. Sure, not one aspect of the game is life-changing on its own, but perhaps the package as a whole is. After all, Halo 3 has enough content to keep you stuck to your controller for weeks, if not months or even years.
--Full review
--Reviewer: Dan Hsu


●GameSpot.com: 9.5
--Halo 3 builds upon the concepts of Halo 2 in ways that you'd expect, but there are also new modes and options that send the series in exciting new directions.
--The Good: Satisfying storyline that simultaneously provides closure while making you wonder what will happen next ; Four-player online co-op is a lot of fun; Forge mode map editor lets you do some extremely crazy and unexpected things; Web integration makes sharing new maps and custom modes easy.
--The Bad: Rewinding saved films doesn't work quite like you'd expect it to; AI-controlled Marines can't drive to save their lives (or yours); Inevitable flood of prepubescent online players sure to hamper your enjoyment of the online modes.
--Merits: Get More Than Your Money's Worth, Great Sequel, Great Sound Effects, Great Story, Outstanding Gameplay, Plays Well With Others, Strong Competetive Multiplayer, Terrific Voice Acting.
--Full Review: Text | Video (Video review is apparantly full of spoilers)
--Reviewer: Jeff Gerstmann

●Edge:
--
--Full review
--Reviewer:

●Eurogamer: 10/10
--And yet, hype machine aside, cutting through the crap about console wars and the like, what we find in Halo 3 is quite simply this - the best game yet in one of the best FPS franchises of the era. Better than either of its predecessors, Halo 3 still can't quite escape the category of flawed masterpiece - but this time around, the flaws are so minor that even the most churlish of reviewers would be hard pressed to mark the game down.
--Full review
--Reviewer: Rob Fahey

●Gamespy.com: 5/5
---Pros: The Forge; four-player co-op over Xbox Live; brilliant storyline finishes the fight.
---Cons: Single-player campaign is somewhat short; wishing you'd pre-ordered a Legendary Edition.
--Full review
--Reviewer: Gabe Graziani


●Shacknews.com:
--
--Full review
--Reviewer:


●GameInformer:
--
--Full review
--Reviewer:


●Teamxbox.com: 9.7
---Gameplay (9.7):
It’s definitely Halo, but that’s definitely a great thing. The campaign is hands-down the best in the series’ history, and the multiplayer is as addictive as ever. Our only knock is with the difficulty, which wasn’t quite as tough as we had hoped.
---Graphics (9.5):
Aside from a few slowdown issues here and there, this is an excellent looking game in both the single- and multiplayer arenas. We particularly loved the HDR lighting, which is the best we’ve seen in a game to date
---AUDIO (9.7):
Marty O’Donnell’s score is better than ever, perfect setting the tone for each of the levels while never being too overwhelming. The sound effects are stellar, too, as is the voice work (the battle chatter never gets old).
---Longevity (10):
You finally have a reason to stop playing Halo 2 on Xbox Live, as this takes the cake as the most customizable multiplayer game of all time. Throw in Forge and you’ve got the makings of a true addiction.
---Innovation (9.8):
From Forge to Saved Films to the Bungie.net integration, this game has something to wow everyone. Best of all, it’s only going to get better with time.
SCORE: *9.7* "...the best Xbox 360 game to date"
--Full review
--Reviewer:


●Bungie.net:
--Frank O'Connor: "Halo 3 is good."
--Luke Smith: "It's the best Halo game yet."
--

●Kikizo: 9/10
--The Final Word: It would be foolish for any Xbox 360 owner not to pick up Halo 3 as soon as possible this year - before the online opponents you'll be fighting get even tougher...
--Full review
--Reviewer:

●ComputerVideoGames: 9.7
-- Halo knows what it does best and it's done it. If you're one of those that is physically sick when even the world Halo is mentioned, we feel a little sorry for you. Don't cut off your nose to spite your face, as ours mums would say. You're genuinely going to miss out on an incredible gaming experience that offers many different ways to play it, alone with your mates, or against the global community.
--Full review
--Reviewer: Gavin Ogden

●WorthPlaying.com : 9.6/10
--Halo 3, in short, deserves the amount of press and exposure it's getting. It's the product of a team that's on the top of its game and has been given the time they needed to make the game they wanted to make. If you've ever enjoyed an FPS, this is something you'll probably want to check out.
--Full review
--Reviewer: Thomas Wilde


●OXM Australia: 10/10

●OXM Germany: 93/100

●OXM Brazil: 9/10

●Famitsu: 10; 9; 9; 9

●PressStartOnline: Gold (highest score)
--"Everything has come together in Halo 3 to form a comprehensive product that has been developed without fear of failure; a game that corrects the vast majority of the mistakes of the past; a game which combines user creativity and interaction across the campaign itself and Bungie’s own website to an extent never before seen in a console release. It’s not a Return of the Jedi, then, but a triumphant Return of the King".
--Full review
--Reviewer: Mike Grant

●SavingProgress.com: A
--"Halo 3 is a triumph for Bungie. The game exudes so much quality from every facet of the design that it is nothing but groundbreaking. Featuring a mind-blowing campaign, a satisfying ending, and a cavalcade of impressive multiplayer options and longevity, Halo 3 will satisfy fans of the series and gamers alike in every possible way. This game is a truly remarkable achievement and a showcase for the Xbox 360. Halo 3 is exceptional in nearly every regard and is the conclusion to the trilogy that the first two games deserved."
--Full Review
--Reviewer: Aaron Bayley

●EGM:
--
--Full review
--Reviewers: Dan Hsu, Greg Ford, Jeremy Parish

●Gamespot Korea: 9.7
--Strong point: It associates a block bus sprouting movie beautiful [su] toe [li], until fine material feeling the graphic and the realism which are expressed well the sound which verflows, will become worse the fun of game and the mote play
--Weak point: The [thyu] toe [li] will freeze and not to be FPS it comes in contact to it is adapted to this [me] ramyon opening initially, it is difficult a little degree?
--Full Review


●Gamepro.com: 5/5
--
--Full review
--Reviewer: Tenacious Moses

--GamePro Germany: 9/10

●Pro-G: 10/10
--It's Halo, but on a much larger scale; Multiplayer modes to die for; Some of the best audio to grace a video game; Incredible end to the trilogy
--Full review
--Reviewer: Wesley Yin-Poole

●ars technica : 7/10
--The score that follows is solely for the single-player campaign and not the product as a whole. Those picking up the title to play alone and offline are missing much of what makes Halo 3 a compelling product. More coverage of the remaining pieces of the puzzle will follow.
--The Good: Solid and well-paced campaign; Well-told story completes the trilogy, albeit with a rather mundane ending; New weapons and vehicles expand on past games successfully; Level design is well-conceived and varied; Interesting A.I. and enemy design keeps fighting interesting
--The Bad: Environments are deceivingly small; Graphics won't blow you away; Not all of the vehicles and weapons are used throughout the game; Relatively short campaign on Normal difficulty
--The Ugly: The fact that there are people actually buying the game solely for the single-player campaign
--Full review
--Reviewer: Frank Caron


●Gamedaily.com: 9/10
--Despite Halo 3's overall greatness, we can't help but feel somewhat let down by the narrative's lackluster conclusion. But don't dismiss this game as Halo 2 in high definition. Microsoft and Bungie deliver a quality gaming experience that'll outlive its competition. Gamer, prepare to meet your new obsession. (apparantly only a review of the SP Campaign)
--Full review
--Reviewer: Chris Buffa

●Games Radar: 10/10
--What's left to say? The single player is bigger and brawnier than anything that's been attempted on a console before. The multiplayer, which already shadowed the competition, has improved to the point of ridiculousness. The new features - Forge, Saved Films, Coop - are frighteningly addictive. And if you don't like any of that, you're always welcome to edit it until you do.
The wait is over. The anticipation was justified. Halo 3 is here.
--Full review
--Reviewer: Charlie Barratt


●GamerNode:
--Halo 3 takes every positive aspect from the first two Halo games, perfects them, puts them in a shinier and better looking package, tosses in wonderful community-driven content for a console game, establishes some awesome environments, and does it so damn well it's impossible to not have fun while playing -- unless you keep losing to some random 12-year-old on Xbox Live, that is.
--Full review
--Reviewer: Brendon Lindsey


●Gamer2.0: 8.....ok...8.8/10 ("Great")
--
--Full review
--Reviewer: Alex Quevedo

●Xbox360Fanboy:
--I never intended to write a review filled with nothing but praise for Halo 3, but it's just damned hard to criticize. Sure, there are things I could point out that are disappointing. The graphics aren't perfect. You can't save clips in campaign. The story will be confusing to newcomers. Yeah, I can pick nits all day if I wanted to, and doubtless many Halo detractors will do just that, but the game is good. The conflicts are huge, the levels are vast, and the gameplay is solid. Not only that, but the extras ensure that players will still be playing Halo 3 for a long time to come. Love it or hate it, Halo is back on top, and it's probably there to stay.
--Full review
--Reviewer: Richard Mitchell

●Kotaku:
--Full review
--Reviewer: Brian Crecente

Game Rankings: http://www.gamerankings.com/htmlpages2/926632.asp
Metacritic: http://www.metacritic.com/games/platforms/xbox360/halo3

[expletive]

Originally Posted by Tap In

the definitive review thread

Thanks but to be honest, i wouldnt click on a link to neogaf with YOUR mouse.

That place is probably crawling with spoilers by now.

[AlphaWolf]

Originally Posted by expletive

Thanks but to be honest, i wouldnt click on a link to neogaf with YOUR mouse.

That place is probably crawling with spoilers by now.

Actually they have confined all Halo3 spoiler info to one thread, anyone posting them anywhere else have been quickly banned. I've not run into any over there anyway (outside of the BIG halo3 thread).

[Nebula]

Originally Posted by Tap In

the definitive review thread

That is some really good score for the game, great gameplay. By the way is the SDF Halo 3 review out, just for some good before bedtime laughs?

[swaaye]

Well, who really expected the game to bomb and get poor reviews? I'd bet on most of these reviewers being biased just because it's Halo. Heh. And it's not like any AAA game really ever gets lambasted into oblivion (like Oblivion should've lol).

Oh goody, more aliasing. Lots of aliasing. Lots of blurry ground textures from a lack of AF. And some fairly low res distance landscape textures. The latter seems to be something that just about every game suffers from tho. The characters look a lot more detailed than ever before, but the world looks kinda rough pretty often.

Everyone should spend some time comparing the bullshots to the actual game shots as to be fully educated for Next Big Thing's (TM) hype train.MS sure was full of it when they said AA for near-free. DIRT's full-time AA is very, very nice though, but the game certainly takes a frame rate dive using it.

This shot has some awful lighting going on in the background. and lots of aliasing lol. Blur...
http://xbox360media.ign.com/xbox360/...3023800519.jpg

Game with 32X supersampling! (lol)
http://xbox360media.ign.com/xbox360/...3023630583.jpg

Not sure whether I want to buy the game or not. I won't play multiplayer ever with it (other than perhaps some coop) so it'd have to have highly innovative SP.

[Falkster]

Originally Posted by swaaye

Well, who really expected the game to bomb and get poor reviews? I'd bet on most of these reviewers being biased just because it's Halo. Heh. And it's not like any AAA game really ever gets lambasted into oblivion (like Oblivion should've lol).
.....

What makes you think that?

[rounin]

Not sure if its been mentioned (hopefully it has though), but Halo3 definitely has inconsistent and sometimes missing shadowing.

[AlStrong]

Did anyone find the intro kinda funny how the Chief was positioned/frozen?