The clueless review the 'halo'ed

The release of the final instalment in the Halo series has gotten game geeks all over the world in a tizzy. I have reviewed the game as a novice, with assistance from acquaintances who are, in fact, experts on the world of virtual sport.

The general consensus seems to be that Halo 3, while interesting enough to enjoy on a Thursday night, is not exactly revolutionising videogame technology or exceeding the bar set by its predecessors very much. Its overwhelming popularity might seem overrated to a great many enthusiasts and indeed one would assume that any game that has earned as much as this franchise has, must be catering to a rather broad and unselective demographic. Let’s just put it this way: if you’re a fan of the Halo series, you’ll love this and if you’re not, you won’t. It isn’t one of those revelatory gaming experiences that converts people and changes their opinions. On the contrary, Halo 3 is just a slight improvement on Halo 2.

The story is simple enough: humanity must battle the Flood and the Covenant, under the leadership of the Master Chief. The game has a pretty interesting array of enemies and weapons, both of which surround the player so much that it’s hard to concentrate on one or the other. But that seems to be the objective in the first place – how to off the maximum number of foes while juggling the ammo in the most creative manner possible. There are loathsome little bogeys which flee at the first sign of danger (mostly the Flood) and then there are the huge, evil machines out to get you (the Covenant – hell bent on ridding the world of the Flood and humans alike). There are even wisecracking Space marines who help the players to battle this motley crew. The weapons on display are all sorts – sniper rifles, pistols, shotguns, flame throwers and even sledgehammers that can hack a monster with the first blow. The flares and shields added to differentiate the game from its previous instalment come off as a bit perfunctory but the overall feel of the action is a lotta fun and the scope of war is grand. There is also a sense of verisimilitude as one leaps in and out of tanks, hovercrafts and what-have-you, dodging attacks by the powerful nemeses.

The thing is, the single-player format is what it is, but it is Halo’s multiplayer experience that has catapulted it to such cult status. The special features which comprise the multiplayer format include greater mobility within the game, bonus accessories to help the human heroes and even supernatural abilities that don’t need weapons. It’s truly a one-of-a-kind sensation to be playing the game with other accomplished players; the design is riveting and the pace, electric.

Not the most groundbreaking videogame ever but good enough to spend an evening in with your mates, waging war. It’s one of those things that every reviewer fears while writing because there’s a chance that he/she will end up on the hit list of aforementioned game geeks. But that’s just a risk we’ll have to take – after all, Microsoft didn’t with this game, so somebody has to.

RATING: 3/5