Seventeen Ways
1. I have yet to see any lag. Sometimes it takes a little long to get a session started, but once it does, Halo3 is pretty much lag-proof. I noticed one tiny glitch on my second day of playing hours at a time, which is what made me think of it. Wow. A lag. It was gone in a second and it made me realize what a good job had been done.
2. Return of the MA5C
Aww. I get all sentimental over this gun. What a sweet thing to do. It's back and it's just right. In fact, it's so cool that you'll forget that there are no pistols in this game.
3. Power Drainer
I have yet to use this wisely. One of my tactics now is just to use grenades and devices to limit were my opponents can hide. This is an excellent tool for just that. It's especially excellent in cramped spaces, other people's gun dances and on King of the Hill. So, never say I didn't give you a clue.
4. Grenades.
Always starting with two grenades is a huge plus in my book. This may have been the old difference between slayer and slayer pro, but I'm not interested in checking that difference out. There is nothing so lovely as running up on a huge cache of grenades strung out it a row. Spike grenades are great and they do exactly what I've been needing grenades to do forever, stick in one place while an over-zealous pursuer is on my tail.
5. Snowbound.
Snowbound is a great map because there are so many different and challenging environments a great combination for close in battles and outside sniping. What is clearly evident is that the level design in Halo is far beyond that of any other kind of game. The placement of weapons and the size of the playing field and the kinds of battles that are generated because of the environments are evidence of the genius and testing behind this game. Some of the setups are just astounding. It took about two days for there to be a battle in the large cave, the one in the center, but that was very excellent. Right now people are shying away from the underground for more than 2 or 3 people, but I expect some awesome battles.
6. High Ground
HG is my new favorite map. I took an instant liking to it just like I did with Zanzibar. If there is a designer with a name, then you can definitely feel his touch here on the details as with Turf which became a favorite. There are new materials and surfaces and new places to get that provide good targets. The broken concrete is great on the right side of the wall and the bunker. It has the feel of a military base, and the amount of decay is good too. This is classic Halo.
7. Valhalla
A good map as far as large maps are concerned, but very boring for four on four. I was surprised to find how quickly a single sniper can cover most of the field, however. In BTB, this one should rock. On the waterfall side, the rocks over the river look like half a star. OK we get the joke. Lose it, it's corny.
8. The Needler
Finally tuned properly. It is now the deadly weapon it was always supposed to be and acts like I expected it should have in the first Halo. You don't need two (it can't be dual wielded) and you don't need to land 30 needles in someone for them to pop. About 6 or 7 will do. I've been waiting for this weapon to be right since the beginning. Thank you Bungie.
10. Dual Wielding.
It takes a long time to get used to the new system, at least for me. I'm probably going to stop playing Halo 2, just to deal with it. It does make sense to use the bumpers to grab weapons and to reload, but actually it feels less natural than on Gears. I think that is especially the case because so few games use the left bumper. Overall however, the system works well enough. No complaints.
11. First Person Details.
My hands! They're so cool. My SMGs ave such detail. My sniper scope wireframes the whole battlefield. This truly enhances game play.
12. DPad Intercom
I hate it. Yeah the sound is good, but it's just clumsy. I'll get used to it because I'd rather have this clunky thing than somebody's crappy mic humming in my ear, but I'm used to talking while I'm running and strafing and turning around. Can't do that any longer. Makes tactics kinda feel like NASA talk from the 60s, Over.
13. Name Extensions
Very good idea to have Clan names as a letter and 2 numbers. Simple, effective. Non-corny.
14. Melee
Is it me or is the melee amped up just a touch in this game. Perhaps it depends on the weapon but I very much like the way melee is timed and executed in Halo 3. I can tell it has been tweaked just a touch, and I like that touch.
15. Big Guns
My nephew likes domination weapons. So he'll go looking for the biggest whatever in the map. Now he's going to be a pig in slop because there's a mobile 50 cal, something called a
17. Sound
There are a hundred little details in H3 that are noticeable to long time players. The way the King circle lights up is a big obvious one, but the little ones in the sound are very cool. The Power Drainer has absolutely the coolest sound in the game.
Now a few suggestions for the Beta Team.
A. You have really got to clean up the transitions between the end of the matchmaking (once a veto has been taken or not) and the opening moment. Those moments are horrifyingly ugly. And make a sound or something so that if we're running to the bathroom, we know that the match has begun. I know a boxing bell would be corny, but there's a good reason that has a universal meaning to start fighting. Think of something.
B. You have got to make the Spiker spikes hotter. Put some more yellow in them or something to make flying spikes as recognizable as flying needles.
C. More plasma grenades, please. I figure this is a function of the battlefield, but man, these were missed.
D. Jaggies on the King symbols.
E. No pistols? OK no pistols.
E. Bodies lay around too long. I get sick of looking at them. Maybe we did have a lot of extra carnage, but they seemed to pile up.
F. On Valhalla, you need to make the climbable surfaces on the outer walls of the bases more matted in appearance so we can tell the difference between them and the non climbable surfaces.
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