Halo 3 Xbox 360 Video Game

The 'Halo' series is said to be a turning point in the 'first person shooter' genres of games. Not since 'Quake' has a game received such adulation from gamers from all walks of life. 'Halo' was instrumental in getting 'first person shooter' gamers who were straying the 'third person shooter' path, particularly with games like 'Max Payne' being much more entertaining than other 'first person shooter' games - before the Halo series was launched.

The series has two games released and one to be released very soon. The game, titled 'Halo 3' for now will be released for the Xbox. The first game in the series, 'Halo: Combat Evolved' was the launch title for Microsoft's XBox. While the game will surely have numerous enhancements, the gaming world is rife with rumors and facts about the game.

One official announcement has said that Halo 3 will end the story line that had been started in Halo 1. This may be an end of the Halo trilogy. The game will be released in late- 2007. Beta testing of the multi player features of the game are expected to be launched on May 16.

Bungie Studios has always given gamers feature and graphics rich games. It had made 'Oni' while 'third person shooters' were just testing the tides of gaming waters. For it's latest offering, Bungie Studios, now bought over by Microsoft Game Studios, will offer HDR lighting for Halo 3. Also,the draw distance in the game will be more than 10 miles. It remains to be seen whether the draw distance will make a difference to the AI and the interactivity in the game. Halo 3 will also incorporate real time reflections on certain surfaces.

Much of the atmosphere, like the foliage and other kinds will have physics enabled and will therefore react to player's presence, bullet shots and throw real time shadows and effects. Other atmospheric effects, like dust, water and wind will be physics enabled. Simply put, nothing in the game will be mere eye candy. Everything will be a moving and working effect in the game.The final game may also see seagulls, cockatoos and other fauna.

The game play of the game is also said to be extensively revamped. The Artificial Intelligence in the game will be enhanced. The enhancements include 'Brute Mentality', the Marine's shootingskills on Warthogs, and other maneuvers during battle. Even the controller of the game will be seeing a change, with the right bumper used as the action button, while the X button will be used for a as yet undisclosed action in the game. Players will further be able to record in game audio and video and transfer it through the XBox live.

Along with futuristic gameplay, Halo 3 has more than eleven human weapons and around twelve covenant weapons. The weapons range from the MA53 assault rifle to the W/AV M6 Grindell/Galileian Nonlinear Rifle (Spartan Laser). The covenant weapons range from Particle Beam Rifle to Covenant Plasma Cannon. There is a undisclosed new weapon in the Covenant range of weapons.

'Halo 3' also sees a flurry of human as well as covenant vehicles. The human vehicles range from M12 LRV Warthog to the M808B Scorpion tank, while the Covenant vehicles start from the Banshee to the Chopper.Therefore, Halo 3 weapons and vehicles should keep the average gamer quite content for a while.

The game will be released in three versions, Standard, which will comprise of only the game, Limited edition, which will have a Metal Collector's Edition Case, The Making of Halo 3 and a Halo Collector's Source Guide. The Legendary Edition will have MJOLNIR battle armor game case,

The Making of Halo 3, Halo Collector's Source Guide, an exclusive disc of cut scenes, commentary and a featurette on a day at Bungie along with Key Moments Story art by Lee Wilson.A multiplayer beta will be released in the Spring of 2007. The beta will have two new Halo Maps.