Halo 3

*Halo 3*

*“Finish the fight.”*— Halo 3 tagline.
***Halo 3*** is a first-person shooter science fiction video game developed by Bungie Studios and published by Microsoft Game Studios for Xbox 360. However, due to the Xbox One's lack of backwards compatibility, it cannot be played on its successor console. It is the third and last game in the main trilogy, and the sequel to *Halo: Combat Evolved* and *Halo 2*.

*Halo 3* was released on September 25, 2007. Its existence was due to the massive success of its two predecessors, a success it finalized with its release, eclipsing both of the previous games. Like the games before it, *Halo 3* saw massive financial success, with $300 million dollars grossed within the first week of its release, and by January 3, 2008, it had sold 8.1 million copies. In the United States, it became the best-selling video game of that era. According to Bungie, as of March 2012, *Halo 3*, collectively with *Halo 3 ODST*, more than 11.5 billion games had been played.

On November 11, 2014, *Halo 3* would be released within *Halo: The Master Chief Collection* for Xbox One. Nothing changed for the game, aside from upgraded specs, including the game running at sixty frames per second and 1080 pixel resolution.

## Story

### Plot

    *Halo 3'*s campaign is a step down in terms of the vast story-telling of *Halo 2*, and takes a much more linear approach like *Halo: Combat Evolved*, but still with that broad storytelling aspect. It is far more melancholic compared to *Halo: Combat Evolved*, and far more militaristic than the previous games. Again, like *Halo 2*, *Halo 3* takes the player to far more locations than its predecessor, leaving the boundaries of the Halo rings, while also revisiting Earth (for a much longer time span than *Halo 2*, it can be noted).

*Halo 3* takes place directly after the events of *Halo 2.* John-117, last seen on Truth's dreadnought at the ending of *Halo 2*, is seen hurling through the atmosphere above Mount Kilimanjaro, in the East African Protectorate. Detaching from the dreadnought, John-117 jumps out and lands on the ground like an asteroid, landing in the midst of an African jungle. Later, a squad of marines led by Sergeant Johnson locate him, but come to the conclusion that he could not have survived the impact. Just as he recovers Cortana's chip, John-117 wakes up, grabs Johnson, and firmly states that he will not be left behind. When asked where Cortana is, he says "she stayed behind," referencing to her presence on High Charity.

    After going through a basic tutorial, the Arbiter Thel 'Vadam, deactivates his active camouflage, only to be tackled by John-117 with a magnum. Johnson manages to seperate them, telling John that he is an ally. After being given an assault rifle, John-117 accompanies the marine squad and Thel 'Vadam to an extraction zone.

However, the Covenant Loyalists are found to have the region secured, with forces patrolling the area, stopping them leaving. Seperating, Johnson takes a squad of marines in a different direction, while John-117, Thel 'Vadam and another group of marines head in another. Along the way, they are forced to engage numerous Covenant forces. Reaching a river, they are about to extract when a squadron of Banshees arrive and shoot down both of the evac Pelicans. John-117 and Thel 'Vadam proceed to the crash site, where they then follow Johnson and the surviving marines to a hydro-electric dam. There, they find Johnson and his marines captured and being used as bait for a trap meant to lure in Thel 'Vadam and John-117. After an assault on the dam, they rescue Johnson and evac on Kilo 023.

    The Pelican arrives at Crow's Nest, a UNSC firebase used during the First Battle of Earth and now during the Second Battle of Earth. Landing, John-117 shakes hands with Miranda, before being taken to the operations center, to discuss their plan of attack in terms of stopping the Prophet of Truth from finding the Ark and activating it. Just as they discuss their plan with Lord Hood, their base loses power, only for Truth to appear on the screen, mocking them. After he is done, John-117 surmises that the address was the opening of a Covenant assault. Miranda, feeling the same thing, orders the base to be put on full alert.

Proven right, Covenant Loyalists attack the base in full force. Despite valiant defense efforts, the arrival of a CCS-Class Battlecruiser renders the defense moot, and Miranda orders an evacuation, bringing back John-117 to the Ops Center to see the bomb she has armed. He then goes to the barracks to save some marines from the Brutes, before taking them to the landing pad for evac, where Thel 'Vadam then leaves with them. Johnson appears to inform them that the Brutes overwhelmed the Ops Center, and deactivated the bomb. John-117 retakes the Ops Center and rearms the bomb, before escaping at the last minute as the bomb detonates, destroying Crow's Nest and killing all the Covenant forces within.

Waking up after, John-117 finds himself alive at the bottom of the elevator shaft,

    and hurriedly rallies surviving marine forces in a charge down Tsavo Highway, towards the town of Voi. They push through the Loyalist forces littered along the Highway, smashing through them while observing Truth's fleet uncovering the Ark in the background, where the ruins of both Mombasas used to be. Eventually, they reach the entrance to Voi, just as Miranda arrives with fresh reinforcements.

John-117 and the reinforcements arrive within Voi, where they can see the Storm getting more intense above the Ark. They immediately launch their assault, breaking through the Covenant forces and eliminating an AA Wraith. They continue their push into the far side of the old coast, taking out two more AA Wraiths. Shortly afterwards, a Scarab appears and attacks the marine forces. John-117 manages to board and destroy it, before meeting up with Thel 'Vadam and pushing over to the far side, where they proceed to overrun the Covenant forces defending a Mantis AA gun, and destroy it. After doing so, they watch as three Charon-Class Light Frigates fly by with a flight of Longsword fighters, launching a mass assault on Truth's dreadnought. They are unable to stop Truth however, and he activates the Ark, which sends out an EMP wave that disables all three frigates and the fighters around it.

Later, John-117 and Thel 'Vadam get up to find that the artifact actually wasn't the Ark itself, but merely a portal to it. Truth's dreadnought flies up into the portal, followed by the rest of Truth's fleet. Surprised, Hood demands answers, Miranda is confused and Thel 'Vadam roars his fury at watching Truth escape. However, their moment is ruined when a CCS-Class Battlecruiser, the Indulgence of Conviction, exits slipspace, heading towards Voi. They watch as it flies past, John-117 taking note that green gas seems to be pouring out of it, confirming that the ship is infected by the Flood. The ship crashes into Voi, unleashing its Flood cargo.

    ]]John-117 and Thel 'Vadam, with the Flood spreading rapidly, move quickly in an attempt to destroy the ship core and stem the Flood infection. However, not long after they begin battling the Flood forces, the separatist Fleet of Retribution, led by the flagship, a CAS-Class Assault Carrier Shadow of Intent, arrives over the town, deploying Separatist forces to help kill the spread. Fighting alongside the Elites, they manage to reach the wreckage of the Indulgence. They are contacted by Johnson, who tells them that the Elites think Cortana lies within the ship, as it came from High Charity. Still, John-117 goes within the wreckage and finds Cortana, but discovers it is only a message. 343 Guilty Spark arrives, trying to help, but John-117 is mistrustful. He eventually allows Spark to take the message, while boarding a separatist Phantom. They leave Voi and board the Shadow of Intent just as the Fleet of Retribution glasses Voi, putting a stop to the brief Flood outbreak.

Rtas 'Vadum, now Fleet Master of the Fleet of Retribution and commander of the Shadow of Intent, speaks with Hood, Miranda, John-117, 343 Guilty Spark and Thel 'Vadam, who all listen to Cortana's message, which reveals that there is a way to stop the Flood permanently without activating the Halo rings, and that it lies on the Ark. However, she also reveals that High Charity, consumed by the Flood, is now on its way to Earth. Rtas swears to follow Truth and put an end to him, while Hood remains adamant on defending Earth. Rtas tries to convince him of the futility of this, especially with a Flood army bearing down on them, but Hood remains persistent. John-117 states that he believes Cortana has a solution to stop the Flood, and they must take the risk. Finally, Hood gives in, and gives Miranda the UNSC *Forward Unto Dawn* and UNSC *Aegis Fate*. Shortly after, he departs to remain on Earth, while both frigates and the Fleet of Retribution go through the portal.

The Fleet of Retribution quickly exits the portal over the Ark, where Truth's fleet is already waiting. Rtas 'Vadum orders his fleet to immediately

     engage Truth's fleet, while the *Forward Unto Dawn* deploys a flight of Pelicans to the surface, with John-117 onboard. Deploying, they quickly clear out the Loyalist forces in the area, allowing the *Dawn* to fully land on the surface, deploying an armoured regiment of Scorpion tanks. They, assisted by the Ark's sentinels, punch a hole through the Loyalist defenses surrounding the Silent Cartographer, even destroying another Scarab. Getting inside, Rtas proudly announces the destruction of Truth's fleet. Once inside, they quickly acertain the Ark's location, which is apparently outside the known galaxy, inside intergalactic space. They also discover the location of the Ark's Control Room, the Citadel, which is surrounded by three barrier towers. They immediately extract, moving towards the Citadel with all speed, hoping to catch Truth before he activates the Ark.

    A flight of UNSC Pelicans and Separatist Phantoms launches an assault on the Loyalist forces protecting the three barrier towers, with John-117 managing to disable the first one, and Thel 'Vadam and his Elites the second. Johnson however falls out of contact, so John-117 and Thel 'Vadam's forces combine to assault the third and final tower. With Johnson nowhere to be found, they simply disable the third tower. With the barrier down, the Rtas takes his flagship to launch his assault, but at the last moment, High Charity exits the portal, immediately deploying dispersal pods, before crashing into the Ark in the distance. After fighting back the Flood, 343 Guilty Spark boards a phantom to attempt to find out how the Flood located the Ark. John-117, in the meantime, leads an armoured convoy in an assault on the Citadel, managing to smash the remnants of the Loyalist forces, and two Scarabs. With the Loyalist broken and beaten, John-117 and Thel 'Vadam, aided by Guilty Spark, enter the Citadel to put an end to Truth. However, they discover that Truth has Johnson, and Miranda quickly attempts to rescue him by crashing a Pelican into the Citadel. However, Truth simply kills her, using Johnson to begin the activation process of the Halo rings. John-117 and Thel 'Vadam arrive and, in a temporary

    alliance with the Flood, fight alongside the Gravemind's combat forms as they kill of the remainder of the Loyalist troops to reach Truth. Finally done, Thel 'Vadam kills Truth, who is half-infected by the Flood, and John-117 stops the Ark from activating. Johnson manages to escape, but the Gravemind intervenes, and John-117 and Thel 'Vadam, aided by Sentinels, quickly escape through fighting swarms of Flood.

Arriving outside, John-117 uncovers a secret: the Ark is a Halo factory, and the replacement for Alpha Halo unveils itself, incomplete and vulnerable. 343 Guilty Spark reveals he knew about it, and asks what they'll do. John-117 says they will activate it, and says the secret lies with Cortana.

Taking a Banshee, John-117 heads into the ruins of High Charity, fighting through the Flood-infested city to reach her, while the Gravemind taunts him the entire time. Finally, he rescues Cortana, before setting High Charity's reactor into meltdown. With the timely arrival of Thel 'Vadam to assist, they take a crashed Pelican and escape High Charity just its reactor detonates, destroying High Charity.

    Rtas 'Vadum takes his fleet and the UNSC *Aegis Fate* back through the portal, while Johnson takes the UNSC *Forward Unto Dawn* and parks it near the new Alpha Halo's Control Room. Meanwhile, John-117 and Thel 'Vadam crash their Pelican and proceed on foot to the Control Room. Fighting through Flood forces with the aid of more sentinels, they reach the Control Room the same time as Johnson does, and enter, with 343 Guilty Spark's help. However, when Johnson reveals their deliberate intent to destroy Alpha Halo and the Ark, 343 Guilty Spark betrays them once again, mortally wounding Johnson with his eye laser. Trapping Thel 'Vadam outside, John-117 is forced to fight Spark alone, but quickly equips Johnson's Spartan Laser, using it to damage and, eventually, kill Spark. With Spark dead, John-117 tries to save Johnson, but he dies, giving him Cortana. Cortana activates Alpha Halo, and the resulting activation causes the ring to begin tearing itself apart. With Thel 'Vadam, they fight their way through the remaining hordes of Flood and squadrons of Sentinels, reaching Johnson's Warthog. After escaping with the vehicle, they manage to escape on the *Dawn* just as Alpha Halo explodes, presumably taking the Ark with it.
Afterwards, Hood holds a memorial service on Earth, one Thel 'Vadam is present for. It reveals that the portal collapsed due to the explosion

    from Alpha Halo just as the *Dawn* was going through it, causing the ship to be cut in half. Thel 'Vadam's half crashed in an unknown ocean, where he was then recovered by UNSC rescue crews. John-117's half was trapped with the Ark, and presumed dead. Thel 'Vadam, after shaking hands with Hood, departs on his phantom for the Shadow of Intent. Soon after, they depart for the Elite homeworld, Sanghelios.

In a cutscene shown after the credits, we see the other half of the *Dawn* floating through space, showing that John-117 is in fact alive. He then enters cryo sleep, stating that Cortana wake him when she "needs him." The game then ends. In the Legendary ending, an extra few seconds afterward show the *Dawn* heading towards a previously unnamed planet, confirmed to be a Forerunner Shield World named Requiem in *Halo 4.*

### Campaign

On average, a player will take 9 hours and 4 minutes, and 14 hours and 30 minutes long if played leisurely to complete *Halo 3'*s campaign mode. In the game, there are a total of ten levels, and, unlike *Halo 2*, does not have symbiotic coupling missions (unless you count The Storm and Floodgate) and the player can no longer play as Thel 'Vadam, unless as a second player. The game goes back to the single perspective of John-117, and remains that way for the whole game. In the campaign, a new feature is added that makes it so that the player, while playing Co-Operative campaign, each player is a different character. The first player is John-117, the second can take control of Thel 'Vadam (in solo campaign, he has AI coded to his character), the third and fourth take control of custom made characters only present when a third and fourth character is present, a SpecOps Elite called N'tho 'Sraom, and a Fleet Security officer called Usze 'Taham. Like previous games, the cutscenes are rendered using the in-game graphics engine.

The ten levels of the game:

### Characters

* UNSC
* Swords of Sanghelios
* Covenant
* Forerunner
* The Flood

### Main characters

* John-117
* Cortana
* Avery Johnson
* Miranda Keyes
* Fleet Admiral Hood

### Minor characters

* Lieutenant "Hocus"
* Gunnery Sergeant Reynolds
* Marcus Stacker
* Chips Dubbo
* Marcus Banks
* Jessica Thompson
* Perez
* ONI Recon 111

### Main characters

* Thel 'Vadam
* Rtas 'Vadum
* N'tho 'Sraom
* Usze 'Taham

### Minor characters

* Unnamed Brute Chieftain
* Cethegus

### Minor characters

* The Librarian (Mentioned in terminals only)
* The Ur-Didact (Mentioned in terminals only)
* 032 Mendicant Bias (Mentioned in terminals only)
* Offensive Bias (Mentioned in terminals only)

## Features

### Summary

    *Halo 2* changed alot from *Halo: Combat Evolved* because of how it regarded its cutscenes, charging them with more significance than its predecessor did. *Halo 3* expands upon this with much broader cutscenes, preferring to conclude levels or story subplots solely using cutscenes, while keeping gameplay strictly gameplay, with the odd story purpose inbetween. This is different to *Halo: Combat Evolved*, who's cutscenes were clipped and brief, while *Halo 2'*s were long and meaningful.

* **Storyline Execution**: *Halo 3* is much more militaristic than its predecessors, and this is heavily reflected in its storyline, pace and soundtrack. The soundtrack utilizes drumbeats alot more often, and the gameplay's pace is just like that of a war game of its type. The storyline is very much based on warfare, with the attack on Crow's Nest, siege of Voi, naval battle over the Ark and the last stand at the Citadel being prime examples of this. This shows just how much the *Halo* franchise has matured from being a simple shoot 'em up to a much broader game.
* **Vehicular Incorporation**: *Halo 3* has alot more new vehicles than both its predecessors, but overall, the vehicle system remains unchanged. The character will still enter a third-person view when entering vehicles, and most of them, for the most part, operate similiarly to previous games, and the new ones are easy to control.
* **Weapon System**: Largely unchanged. The game still can only equip two weapons at a time, and the grenades are mapped to a different button. The only difference is the much wider variety of weapons, especially with grenades; where in the past, each side had one type of grenade, the Covenant now have three types. The ability to dual-wield has returned, although this has been limited with the Needler, as it was considered too overpowered in *Halo 2* when dual-wielded, even with other weapons. However, there are now more weapons to dual-wield as well. There is also the added addition of equipment abilities as well.
* **Artificial Intelligence**: AI remains largely the same, with carried over abilities from both *Halo: Combat Evolved* and *Halo 2.* However, due to complaints about their AI in *Halo 2*, the Brutes are no longer as durable as they were, and can be taken down quite easily. They also still possess a berserk mode, but it is nowhere near as rapid and 'overpowered' as it was in *Halo 2.* However, specific types of AI can still perform hijacking, as can the player, as well as other abilities they had in *Halo 2*.

Movement in *Halo 3* is relatively simple, and the same as every other shooter of its time period. The player can move backwards and forwards, left and right. They can look up and down, side to side, or in circles. On the Xbox 360, this is done through the use of the analogue sticks (left stick to move, right to look). Also, like *Halo 2*, *Halo 3* does not have a fall damage system, which means jumping from any height to land (with the exception of kill barriers) will not deal any damage to the player.

### Health System

*Halo 3* features a much more complicated health system than the previous two games. In *Halo: Combat Evolved*, the player had two layers; shields and health. This was represented by the shield bar in the top right corner of the screen, followed by the eight health bars below it. In *Halo 2*, the player had shields on their HUD that were smaller and died faster, but recharged faster, and was located ontop of the motion tracker. Their health was hidden, and recharged after the shields secretly, but was present. *Halo 2'*s system is adopted in *Halo 3*, but with many complex variations.

In *Halo 3*, the shield bar has now been spread across the top of the screen, and is now longer than the *Halo: Combat Evolved* version, but recharges just as fast as the *Halo 2* version. Like in *Halo 2*, there is no visible health bar, but health in the game does exist. In the game, the player has 115 hit points; 45 health points, and 70 shield points. When a player's shield falls, their health then takes any following damage and after the health is removed, the player dies. If the player manages to avoid damage for 10 seconds while they are vulnerable, their health will begin to recharge at a rate of 9 points per second. However, health and shields are fully independent. A player's shields can recharge without the health following suit, which means that even if the player has full shields, they are not completely safe from death.

The 'shield' symbol for identifying the player's shields is removed, as it seems pretty obvious which is the shields at this point.

Just like previous games, when the shields are depleted, it will make a loud beeping sound, accompanied with red flashes until the shields recharge. When recharging, they make a loud 'whooooo' sound, and will continue to do so until fully recharged.

### Difficulty

The four difficulty levels from the previous games return, and are largely unchanged. Legendary is also downplayed slightly, and is not as challenging as *Halo 2'*s version. The presence of the skulls in the game replaces this, enhancing the difficulties themselves.

There a four difficulties in *Halo 3*:

* Easy

*"Laugh as helpless victims flee in terror from their inevitable slaughter. The game basically plays itself."*
* Normal

*"Face firm resistance from competent, determined enemies, but burn through enough ammo and you will eventually triumph."*
* Heroic

*"Fight against formidable foes that will truly test your skill and wits; this is the way Halo is meant to be played."*
* Legendary

*"Tremble as teeming hordes of invincible alien monsters punish the slightest error with instant death...again and again."*
### Enemies

AI in *Halo 3* is largely improved over that of its predecessors, using battle tactics more effectively, and reacting more rapidly in battle, making them smarter and harder to kill. The AI can also hijack vehicles and taunt the player just as they did in *Halo 2*. This is incorporated well into the game, along with a wider variety of enemy types and factions.

Three factions of enemies are encountered in the game:

* **The Covenant Loyalists**: The main antagonists of the game, and appear in every level exceptFloodgate, Cortana and Halo. A fraction of what the mighty Covenant Empire once was, and a direct result of the Civil War that occured in the Great Schism, the Loyalists are a band of the remaining species of the Covenant, this time led by the Brutes, not the Elites. In the game, six species exist, but only five are fought in combat, all of which appeared in previous games. These are: the Grunts,     Jackals, Brutes, Hunters and Drones. The Covenant also now have a larger array of weapons, turrets and vehicles.
* **The Flood**: Returning from the previous games for the last time (chronologically) is the parasitic entity known as the Flood, whose significance has returned to *Halo: Combat Evolved*s levels, and have evolved in terms of their predecessors. They first appear on the level Floodgate, and only appear, from there on, during the levels The Covenant, Cortana and Halo. The four usual types have returned: Infection Forms, Combat Forms (Human and Elite, along with the new addition of a Brute version), and the Carrier Form. New types include the Pure Forms; these come in three types:     Stalker, Ranged and Tank Form. However, the Flood can no longer board vehicles (as there aren't any present when they are), and melee is now more effective, as, with sufficient force, will now explode when destroyed. You can now also watch the transformation of enemies; this can be observed when an infection form latches onto an enemy Brute (or allied marine) and burrows into their chest. Seconds later, you will have watched their transformation into a combat form. However, Elite Combat Forms no longer have shields.
* **Sentinels**: Mostly allies in the game, the Sentinels briefly become enemies at the end of the level Halo. Like *Halo: Combat Evolved*, there is only two variants; the standard Sentinel with no energy shields and the Shielded Sentinel with energy shields.

### Allies

Unlike the enemy AI, the allied AI aid you in missions, fighting beside you and giving fire support. Although the AI isn't exactly the most intelligent

     (most of their actions are scripted), it still has its uses, especially on higher difficulties as a distraction or reinforcement.

* **UNSC Marines**: Just like in the previous games, you will have UNSC Marines fighting beside you on the field for the majority of the game. Marines appear in every level of the game except Cortana and Halo. While they can be useful during combat, especially when armed with rocket launchers, they become more and more useless on the higher difficulties. They are especially useless against the Flood, as can be observed on the levels Floodgate and The Covenant, as they do not perform well against them, and only serve to give the Flood more combat forms, if infection forms are present to infect them. Like in *Halo 2*, they can also drive vehicles, but while they are better at it     than in the previous game, they are still considered 'poor drivers.'
* **ODSTs**: Orbital Drop Shock Troopers are a type of special forces unit first introduced in *Halo 2*, and now appear again in *Halo 3*. Also known as helljumpers, ODSTs are the special forces arm of the UNSC military, specializing in special operations, black operations, counter-terrorism, counter-contraband operations, etc. They gained their name to due to the preferred point of entry onto the battlefield; HEV pods dropped from orbit. In *Halo 3* gameplay, their AI and overall performance is exactly the same as a standard marine, along with the same array of weapons available to those marines. The only difference is that instead of the standard armor, they wear a special variant called ODST armor, which is made specifically for their role. Compared to other games, the ODSTs played a marginalized role in the game, only appearing on the levels The Ark and The Covenant.
* **Factory Workers**: The Voi Factory Workers were not a faction of allies per se, rather a ragtag band of individuals who chose to defend their town from the Loyalist invasion. Armed with simple magnums and wearing no armor but their own hard hats, the factory workers appeared briefly during the Factory segment of the level The Storm, helping to fight off the Covenant forces in that area. They will help the player until the end of the level, where they are then never seen again.
* **Swords of Sanghelios**: As a result of the Great Schism and the gradual collapse of the Covenant, the Swords of Sanghelios, also known as the Separatists, are those who have learnt of the lies of the     Prophets, and wish to seek vengeance for their betrayal. By the end events of *Halo 2*, the Swords of Sanghelios have made a shaky alliance with humanity and, led by Thel 'Vadam, wage war on the remnants of the Covenant Loyalists. However, unlike in *Halo 2* where the Separatists were comprised of Grunts and Hunters spearheaded by Elites, only allied Elites can be encountered in the game. As an extent, the Elites are no longer enemies in the game, and only appear as allies. They first appear on the level Floodgate, and after that, do not appear directly until the level The Covenant. After that, they do not appear during gameplay again. However, if Thel 'Vadam is to be counted, then the Separatists are technically found on almost every level.
* **The Flood**: *Halo 3* marks the first and only time the Flood will appear during gameplay to aid the player. However, this only occurs once, and they are appear as enemies in every other level of the game. For a time, near the end of the level The Covenant when you have entered the Citadel, the Flood will appear, offering to help the player defeat their "common foe." For the entire segment leading up to Truth's death, the Flood will then fight beside you against the surviving Loyalist troops. After this however (after Truth's death cutscene), they will return to being enemies.
* **Sentinels**: Allies for a vast majority of the time they are present in the game, the Sentinels first appear during the level The Ark, and subsequently appear in every level after that except Cortana. They come in two forms; the standard Sentinel with no energy shields, and Shielded Sentinels with energy shields. The Sentinels remain allies until after the 343 Guilty Spark boss battle in the level Halo.

### Weapons

While the number of weapons in *Halo 2* grew from that of *Halo: Combat Evolved*, this reached its apex in *Halo 3* with even more new weapons,

     including ones cut from previous games, or ones from previous games brought back refined. The ability to dual-wield from *Halo 2* has also been brought back, however the ability to dual-wield two Needlers, as well as pairing a Needler with another dual-wieldable weapon, has been restricted, as fanbase complaints from *Halo 2* stated that such combinations made the player absurdly overpowered, allowing them to achieve supercombines quickly and effectively, making nigh unstoppable on the battlefield. Bungie listened, and removed the feature to balance *Halo 3'*s gameplay. The Needler can still be used, it just can't be dual-wielded with any other weapon, especially with a second Needler.

New to the game is the ability to tear off turrets from their stands. When this occurs, the player will move around with the detached weapon in third-person. This is the same for when wielding the flamethrower. Missile Pods, Heavy Machine Guns and Plasma Cannons are all detachable turrets. When on the stand, the weapon has unlimited ammo. When detached, the ammo will be limited, but how much that is ended depends on the weapon utilized.
Human weapons are ballistic and use projectiles, meaning they are more effective against flesh and armor. Covenant weapons are usually plasma-based, but some new types are also projectile-based, much like human weapons.

* UNSC
* Covenant
* Forerunner

### Usable

* M6G Magnum (Dual-Wieldable)
* MA5C Assault Rifle
* M7 SMG (Dual-Wieldable)
* BR55HB Battle Rifle
* M90A Shotgun
* SRS 99D-S2 Sniper Rifle
* M41 Rocket Launcher
* M6 Spartan Laser
* Heavy Machine Gun mounted turret (Detachable)
* Missile Pod (Detachable) (Only the portable form is found in multiplayer).
* M7057 Flamethrower
* M9 Frag Grenade
* M41 Vulcan LAAG
* M68 Gauss Cannon
* Hornet autocannons
* Hornet missile launcher
* Scorpion Main Gun
* Scorpion machine gun turret
* Anti-Tank Mine (multiplayer only)
* 7 Wood (Can be placed in Forge) (Campaign only)

### Unusable

* SAM Battery (scenery)
* Unidentified UNSC Bomb

### Usable

* Plasma Pistol (Dual-Wieldable)
* Plasma Rifle (Dual-Wieldable)
* Needler
* Energy Sword
* Shade turret
* Fuel Rod Gun
* Plasma turret (Detachable)
* Particle Beam Rifle
* Covenant Carbine
* Spiker (Dual-Wieldable)
* Mauler (Dual-Wieldable)
* Brute Shot
* Gravity Hammer
* Plasma Grenade
* Spike Grenade
* Incendiary Grenade
* Ghost main guns
* Fuel Rod Cannon
* Wraith main gun
* Vehicle-mounted plasma turret
* Chopper main guns

### Unusable

* Scarab main gun
* Scarab AA gun
* Phantom turret
* Assault Cannon
* Mantis AA gun
* Covenant Automated Plasma Turret (multiplayer only)
* Jiralhanae Landmine (multiplayer only)

### Vehicles

Vehicles in *Halo 3* are much larger in variety than in previous games; given the new vehicles added, combined with all the vehicles from previous

    games, this creates quite a large set. Alot of the vehicles from *Halo 2* make a reappearance, but not all, and some are even modified or changed to suit the new gameplay style and/or graphics engine. Some vehicles that were cut from *Halo: Combat Evolved* and especially those cut from *Halo 2* appear in *Halo 3*, although not all. Also, vehicles retain their destructibility from *Halo 2*, with the exceptance of some for gameplay purposes. Also, some of the new vehicles are either undrivable, or not available in the campaign mode.

Also, the Phantom is now destructible, when hit in the right area. The Scarab can also be destroyed, by disabling its legs, boarding it, and destroying its power core.

* UNSC
* Covenant
* Swords of Sanghelios
* Ships

### Drivable

* Warthog
* Arctic Warthog (Multiplayer only)
* Gauss Warthog
* Troop Transport Warthog
* Mongoose
* Scorpion
* Arctic Scorpion (Multiplayer only)
* Elephant (Multiplayer only)
* Hornet
* Medical Hornet (Multiplayer only)

### Undrivable

* Pelican
* Albatross (Scenery/multiplayer only)
* Longsword
* Tractor Unit (Scenery)
* Forklift (Scenery)
* Cart (Scenery) (Campaign only)
* ODST Pod

### Drivable

* Ghost
* Banshee
* Wraith
* Chopper
* Prowler

### Undrivable

* Seraph
* Scarab
* Phantom
* Anti-Air Wraith (usable via glitch)

### Undrivable

* Separatist Phantom
* Covenant Drop Pod

### UNSC

* *Charon*-class light frigate
	+ UNSC *Forward Unto Dawn*
	+ UNSC *Aegis Fate*

### Swords of Sanghelios

* CAS-class assault carrier
	+ *Shadow of Intent*

### Covenant

* CCS-class battlecruiser
	+ *Indulgence of Conviction*
	+ *Pious Inquisitor* (multiplayer map)

### Forerunner

* Keyship
	+ Forerunner dreadnought

### Powerups

Powerups can only be found in multiplayer. There are a total of three powerups in the game, and each one enhances gameplay aspects, giving the player advanced abilities. These are:

* **Active Camouflage**: Drastically reduces the player's visibility and makes them invisible; this can be found in campaign and multiplayer. This effect lasts for a total of 45 seconds. This effect is made null and void when the player is carrying: a skull, flag, hit by weapons fire, fires their weapon, fires their weapon or when time runs out.
* **Overshield**: Adds an additional two layers (three on enemies) of shielding. When it is active, your shield bar turns from blue to gold, and your normal shields do not take damage. Unlike Active Camo, it does not deplete over time, and only depletes once both layers have been removed by damage. However during multiplayer, it depletes over time. During this time, you can take direct hits from explosive ordinance. The player is essentially invincible to all kinds of damage, and the overshield can only be overridden by a plasma pistol overcharge bolt, or by assassination.
* **Custom Powerup**: This powerup can be placed in Forge. The powerup is 'custom' because it can be modified to give the player whatever trait they give to it. This can be an increase/decrease in speed, increase/decrease health, etc.

### Equipment

Equipment is a new feature introduced in *Halo 3.* While *Halo: Combat Evolved* and *Halo 2* utilized powerups to boost the player's abilities in

     combat, these were absent in the campaign of *Halo 2*, and could only be used when acquired. With the introduction of equipment, the player is able to pick it up (either when its on a position on the map, or picked up from a dead enemy) and save it for when they need it. The equipment icon will pop up below the grenade counter on the top left corner of the screen, and when deployed, will unleash whatever function it is designed for. For example, the Bubble Shield will deploy a large orange dome shield which, when you step inside, will leave you invulnerable to all exterior attack. The Power Drain will activate an EMP like effect, killing shields instantly and disabling vehicles.
Equipment is used in campaign and multiplayer. In campaign, Brutes can be found using equipment sparingly, especially War Chieftains. In multiplayer, equipment can be located on the map, and once the player utilizes it, can use it in many fashions. However, some pieces of equipment are exclusive to campaign, and won't be found in multiplayer. Also, once you pick up a piece of equipment, it can only be used once, so therefore once deployed, that is it; the equipment slot will immediately be opened up.

* Bubble Shield
* Power Drain
* Trip Mine
* Portable Gravity Lift
* Radar Jammer
* Flare
* Regenerator
* Deployable Cover
* Invincibility (Campaign only)
* Automated Turret (Campaign only)
* Cloaking (Campaign only)

### Custom Games

New to *Halo 3* is to the Custom Games mode. Similiar to Matchmaking (which is the *Halo 3* name for multiplayer or Xbox LIVE multiplayer),

     Custom Games is a seperate lobby meant to host private games between friends or other people in the gaming community. When a player is done editing a map in Forge, they can open up the map in Custom Games, and play on it using whatever gametypes are available in the game. However, using the Custom Games options, the player can also create their own subtype of that gametype, effectively allowing the player to build their own gametypes and try them on maps they have edited, or pre-designed maps provided by Bungie.

This new option allows the fanbase the ability to manipulate *Halo* and play it how they want to play it. Through this, you can decide if you want vehicles/weapons to be present, or equipment to vanish, or what gametype you will play on that map. And when finished, you can invite your friends to play it with you, with a total of twelve being allowed during in-game play.

### Forge

Another new edition to the *Halo* franchise introduced in *Halo 3* is the Forge map editor. Forge, in the simple sense, is a 'object manipulation

     service' that allows the player to load up a map of their choosing, and manipulate the fundamental traits of it. However, it can only be used with multiplayer maps, and cannot be used to manipulate the campaign mode. Forge was an idea inspired by *Halo: Custom Edition* and the *Halo 2 Vista Editing Kit*, which all eventually led to the creation of Forge. However, it is severely limited, and does not allow the kind of freedom found in those two editors.
However, players can edit the basic traits of a map. This means that you cannot edit parts of the map that are programmed as solid parts of it (eg. You cannot remove the beach on Last Resort because it is coding that Bungie has deliberately hard-locked to prevent corruption of the map in the event that the Forge editor could cause that). However, you can delete or manipulate things such as turrets, weapons, vehicles,

    crates, containers, and more. The player can also add these things if they are not already present, or add more of them, while also being able to add things such as spawn points for when the game is loaded in Custom Games, weapons, teleporters, etc. You can also manipulate the properties of that object, such as rotation, angle, etc. On some maps, there is even the option to add walls and structural pieces, allowing you to create buildings.

When you load up Forge mode, you will start out as your normal, chosen character. To be able to edit the map, you must enter 'Editor Mode.' To do this, simply press up on the D pad. When this occurs, your player will reappear in the same place as a Forerunner Monitor, much like that of 343 Guilty Spark. In this mode, and only in this mode, will you be able to add things, delete them, manipulate the map and all the other things the editor allows. While in this mode,

    you can fly, allowing you to reach normally unreachable areas, and making editing easier. However, the map does have a budget system, so as to stop the player adding too many objects and possibly overloading the map. To stop this, the budget plays a cost on each item placed, and that cost is deducted from the established budget of the map. Once the budget is depleted, the player can no longer place any objects. Deleting an object will replenish the budget with the amount that object cost. Some objects are free, such as spawn points, as they are too inconsequential in the game's code to have a possibility of overloading the map.

In later map packs, new maps are released that are developed with the sole purpose of being 'Forge maps.' These 'Forge maps' are designed purely for the mode, and have the largest budget, the largest variety of objects and, in most cases, structural objects, allowing the construction of buildings (this can be noticed the most on the map Sandbox or Foundry).

### Theater

    The last new mode to be added in *Halo 3* is Theater. This allows the player to play a game of campaign, multiplayer, custom games or Forge, and then play back the footage of them playing it in Theater. You can then choose whether or not to record the footage and save it in your archive, or to discard it. You can also detach from the main player, using the camera to pan across and explore the map, and they can even use a Pan Cam mode that allows them to exit the map boundaries, and see things the player is not supposed to see normally. This allows them to see easter eggs only possible to see in Theater. This is helpful when recording machinimas.

The player can also take screenshots; still images of an event within the game. This can also be saved just like films, or be discarded at the player's leisure.

### Environment

*Halo 3*, just like its predecessor, has much more variation in its environments, but instead returns to the more majestic

environments of *Halo: Combat Evolved* instead of the darker ones of *Halo 2*. The lighting effects have also drastically improved, giving an eery beauty to many of the maps, especially on Sierra 117, when the sun can be seen shining through the trees. This combined with the game's massively improved graphics (especially in contrast to its predecessors) makes the environments come to life like they never have before in the franchise.

The first two levels, *Arrival* and *Sierra 117*, are based in a African jungle located somewhere in the United Republic of Tanzania, near Mount Kilimanjaro in the East African Protectorate. *Crow's Nest* is based in an old, abandoned World War II-era base that is retrofitted for UNSC use, and contains mostly human architecture. *Tsavo Highway* is largely an open area, with broken bridges, crashed Phantom wrecks and debris from the

Mombasa Space Elevator scattered all over. There are also old tunnels, with the odd structure. *The Storm* is based in the town of Voi, and therefore includes alot of human structures. Mostly buildings and factories, there is also the odd ladder, tunnel and blast door, along with a few open areas, one of which contains a shipwrecked sea-worthy vessel.

*Floodgate* is based in the same area as *The Storm*, but instead of mass daylight, a gloomy green fog has descended,

giving the level a gloomy and eery feel. Parts of the level have either been cut off or completely destroyed, only adding to the intensity of the level. At the end, you can enter the crashed Covenant ship, which has the odd bit of Covenant architecture, but largely covered in Flood biomass. *The Ark* is based on the surface of the Ark, with large swaths of desert plains, cliff sides and the odd Forerunner structure, especially near the end in the Cartographer. *The Covenant* is a large change from this, as it introduces lushious scenery, with greenery, such as grass and trees, along with three, tall Forerunner spires, all looking out along a massive ocean. However, the scenery quickly changes around the Citadel, where pockets of snow are located everywhere, and there are more rocky formations. Inside the Citadel is also alot like a pyramid structure.

*Cortana*is an immediate change of pace. Adopting the level design of *Gravemind*and *High Charity*from *Halo 2*, the game renders them unrecognizable by covering it in large bulbous pieces of Flood biomass. The cityscape is almost entirely indistinguishable, and the halls are littered with Flood. There are two types of doors; Flood doors that stretch outwards from a center point, and High Charity's doors.

*Halo*appeals to nostalgic integrity, using the same level design as *Assault on the Control Room* from *Halo: Combat Evolved* in regards to the Control Room. There are pockets of snow littered all over the area, but aside from that, there is also the Control Room itself. Afterwards, the area used for the Warthog Run is a large field of orange Forerunner panels, circular structures and gargantuan tunnels, that are all falling apart as you drive past.

Overall, *Halo 3*possesses more artistically impressive environment design than its predecessors. Its massively improved graphics (in comparison to the previous games) brings these environments to life, whether they be represented as majestic and beautiful, or gloomy and dark and dramatic or alien. Unlike *Halo: Combat Evolved*, none of the levels are revisited twice, unless you count *The Storm*, succeeded by *Floodgate.*

## Multiplayer

*Halo 3*further revolutionizes multiplayer by implementing previous gameplay aspects from the previous games, while also improving upon them

     and adding its own, newer features. Like *Halo 2*, *Halo 3*has an established playlist system, where the player can choose a playlist they wish to play in. A playlist will specialize in a certain gametype, and when selected, the player will have to wait while the game searches for other players also wanting to play in that playlist. Once players have been found, the players will be able to vote on what map to play on, and once a map is selected, the game will start.

Once a game is finished, the player's stats from the level will be calculated, as well as the experience earned. Once calculated, the game will decide whether or not you have ranked up; this is calculated through experience (EXP). Skill can also be acertained, but this only occurs in ranked playlists such as Lone Wolves or Team Slayer. There are also specific Matchmaking variants of maps edited by Bungie to remove certain items that would make gameplay unbalanced or unfair.

    The Clan System from *Halo 2* also makes a reappearance, allowing players to set up teams based on their clans, and fight battles against other clans. The game also allows players to invite their friends into a match, and the game will automatically pair them up in the same team. If you're lucky, and you're playing Team Slayer, and you have three friends invited into the game, the team limit will make it so your team is made up of only your friends and, either through using game chat (an Xbox LIVE option that allows you to talk through your mic with the players in a game and be able to hear them) or party chat (an Xbox LIVE option that allows you to open a private party, invite your friends, and talk with only them) you can coordinate and use teamwork to win the match.
In unranked playlists, you can even add a second, third or fourth player on your console,

entering a split-screen mode. This can also be done in multiplayer just like in *Halo 2*, and all players except the first will be marked as 'guests' (their gamertag will contain the main player's Xbox gamertag, but with whatever number they are on the console Eg. The gamertag of the console is FlamingNinja117. The second player would be listed as FlamingNinja117(1). The third player would be listed as FlamingNinja(2), etc). However, guests can only participate in unranked matches, as ranked matches are specifically designed for ranking up, and are for the more skilled players.

As of early 2013, 343 announced that they planned to shut down *Halo 3'*s multiplayer servers at some point in the year. However, this plan was dropped when *Halo: The Master Chief Collection* was released, and no

     further plans to discontinue the online services of *Halo 3* have been announced. As of June 2015, they are still online and running.

Just like with *Halo 2*, the player can log-on to Bungie.net, search up their gamertag, and look at highly detailed statistics of their player in *Halo 3.* This includes an image of the player, their current gamerscore, what their preferred weapon is, preferred vehicle, etc.

### Matchmaking

*Main Article: Matchmaking*
Matchmaking is where people can play with and against each other through a specially designed search system and multiple playlists. In matchmaking, EXP and Skill can be earned to raise ranks. Also, on some maps like "Guardian" and "Narrows", various equipment such as the Flare and Radar Jammer have been removed due to balance changes.

#### Veto System

The Veto system is a new addition to Halo 3. In a game, after the map and game type loads for each player, a 10 seconds countdown starts. If the majority of players in the match decide to veto, by pressing the (X) button, before the countdown ends, a different map and gametype from the playlist will be selected to be played on.

If a map and gametype is vetoed by a majority of players, the option to veto will be lost during the next countdown. In some cases, players will see the map and gametype change, but players still get the veto option. This is just because the host's connection cannot support the map, or if anyone in the party cannot play the map. When this happens, you still have the right to veto the next map and game type.

### Maps

*Halo 3* comes with a large assortment of maps within the game, with a total of 11. This is the lowest in the series, as *Halo: Combat Evolved* came with 13, and *Halo* 2 with 12. However, this can be combated with the new Forge system, allowing the players to edit the released maps into something they want. There are also the maps added later in map packs. Some maps are designed for certain gametypes and barely support others, however, again, Forge, and Custom Games, can fix this. Also, *Halo 3* continues the tradition of map packs, which began in *Halo 2*. These map packs come in the form of DLC, which can be downloaded from the Xbox LIVE Marketplace. This is no longer necessary for owners of *Halo: The Master Chief Collection*, as the *Halo 3* contained within has all the maps available on release for no extra price or download.

* Standard
* Heroic
* Legendary
* Cold Storage
* Mythic I
* Mythic II

The Heroic map pack is downloadable through Xbox Live Marketplace or playable from the Halo 3: ODST second disk. It was released on December 11, 2007. The maps included in this map pack are:

The Legendary map pack is downloadable through Xbox Live Marketplace or playable from the Halo 3: ODST second disk. It was released on April 15, 2008. The maps included in this map pack are:

Cold Storage is downloadable through Xbox Live Marketplace or playable from the Halo 3: ODST second disk. It was released on July 7, 2008, Bungie Day, as a free gift to the entire Halo 3 community around the world.

The Mythic I Map Pack is downloadable through Xbox Live Marketplace or playable from the *Halo 3: ODST* second disk. As part of the title update to *Halo 3*, the Mythic maps include three new skulls to find within the maps. It was released on April 9, 2009. The maps included in this map pack are:

The Mythic II Map Pack is downloadable through Xbox Live Marketplace or playable from the *Halo 3 ODST* second disk. They were added in the Halo 3: Mythic disk when it was released. As part of the title update to *Halo 3*, the Mythic maps include three new skulls to find within the maps. It was released on February 2, 2010. The maps included in this map pack are:

### Customization

Where player customization in *Halo: Combat Evolved* and *Halo 2* was very basic, *Halo 3* once again revolutionizes this by adding entirely new

     features to player customization to make it far more interesting. In *Halo: Combat Evolved*, you could only play as a simple Spartan in MJOLNIR Powered Assault Armor/Mark V, and only one, main color could be chosen. In *Halo 2*, you could once again play as a Spartan (except in MJOLNIR Powered Assault Armor/Mark VI), but also had the new option of playing as a Covenant Elite, with Minor armor. However, again, only one main color could be chosen.

This is completely changed in *Halo 3* with the introduction of Armor Permutations. As an extension, the player can select a primary and secondary color for their character, an emblem, and a service tag (that must contain at least 2 letters and 2 numbers). This service tag will appear below your gamertag on the player roster on the Lobby menu, and the emblem will appear in a special box next to your gamercard. The emblem will also appear on your shoulderpads during gameplay, and when a player is not focused on a player or aiming at an enemy player, that enemy will have their service tag hovering above them. When the player takes aim at them, that service tag expands into their gamertag, to help identify the opposing side.

The player now also has the option of choosing their gender. This does not change the character model (that, or its hardly noticable), so the change can almost be considered pointless, but it does allow other players to know the gender of the user. The gender selection does not work with Elites however, as Bungie did not design a female Elite.

#### Armor Permutations

*Main Article: Armor Permutations (Halo 3)*
    New to *Halo 3* is the ability to customize your character's armor set. The player will still get the two options: play as a Human Spartan, or as a Covenant Elite. However, their are different sets of armor for both species, each with their own unique look. They do not affect gameplay, and are merely cosmetic. They can also be used by players for bragging rights, as each set of armor must be unlocked by completing a certain task or reaching a certain rank, and a piece of armor can often help others identify the rank of that player or their skill level.

Each set of armor is split into subsections: Helmet, Chest and shoulderpads. Extra accessories, like the katana, can be unlocked for the player, but are usually acquired when completing extremely difficult tasks. Completing one challenge doesn't not unlock the whole set; each piece will be acquired by completing individual tasks, or sub-tasks of that main task (For example, unlocking the EVA armor set requires the 'Complete on Normal' achievement task. To unlock the chest, they must complete the level Tsavo Highway on the Normal difficulty. To unlock the shoulderpads, they must complete the level The Ark on Normal difficulty. And finally, to unlock the helmet, they must complete the entire campaign on Normal difficulty).

The default armor set for Spartans is the MJOLNIR Powered Assault Armor/Mark VI.

The default armor set for Elites is the Sangheili Combat Harness.

### Rank System

*Main Article: Rank (Halo 3)*
In *Halo 3*, the ranking system introduced in *Halo 2* is brought back, but refined. Whereas in *Halo 2*, a player's skill was represented by a numeral, a player's skill in *Halo 3* is represented by an actual military rank. The player will begin as a Recruit, and slowly rise their way up the ladder until they are a 5-Star General. Unlike in *Halo 2* however, skill was gained through EXP, not Skill points. Skill Points are represented individually as a number on the side of the player's gamercard.

### Gametypes

*Halo 3* sports a range of gamemodes to enhance multiplayer gameplay and make it more fun than simply 'gunning people down.' With this comes gametypes specific to killing, while others are more objective based, and revolve around teamwork and colloboration with other players to take another down. The gametypes available are as shown:

* Slayer
* Team Slayer
* Rockets
* Snipers
* Eliminatio
* Duel
* Team SWAT
* Oddball
* Team Oddball
* Lowball
* Ninjaball
* Rocketball
* Crazy King
* Team King
* Mosh Pit
* Multi Flag
* One Flag
* Tank Flag
* Attrition CTF
* Assault
* Neutral Bomb
* One Bomb
* Attrition Bomb
* Territories
* Land Grab
* Flag Rally
* Juggernaut
* Mad Dash
* Ninjanaut
* Infection
* Save One Bullet
* Alpha Zombie
* Hide and Seek
* VIP
* One Sided VIP
* Escort
* Influential VIP

## Retail Editions

### Standard Edition

The standard edition of the game includes the disc and manual, and has remained unchanged since release. It has since stopped production.

### Limited Collector's Edition

When preorders were announced for *Halo 3*, the Limited Collector's Edition became a preorderable version of the game for an extra $9.99. It comes with a three-way steel container, the book form of the Bestiarum, a small poster of John-117 and Thel 'Vadam, a collection of original storyboard art, an extra disc containing special features (which includes a documentary) and a audio-visual calibration tool. It also comes with a card containing a code for early access to *Halo Wars* prior to its release. It has since stopped production.

### Legendary Edition

When preorders were announced for *Halo 3*, the Legendary Edition became a preorderable version of the game for an extra $60.99. It contained the game disc and instruction manual, a scaled-down replica model of John-117's Mark VI helmet, the same disc from the Limited Collector's Edition, and a third disc containing a myriad of extra content. It also contains a digital version of the Bestiarum.

## Marketing Promotions and Release

### Viral Campaigns

#### Halo 3 Beta and Halo 3 Epsilon

*Main Article: Halo 3 Beta*
*Main Article: Halo 3 Epsilon*
*Halo 3* is the first game in the series to release a pre-release beta build of the

     game. During the developments of a game, they go through Alpha, Beta and Gold stages. The Alpha stage is largely the testing stage, where the developers develop and test vehicles, environments, weapons, etc. The Beta stage is when the game is released to a certain group so it can be tested and feedback can be presented so improvements can be made. Gold is when the game is complete, and ready to be shipped.

The *Halo 3 Beta* marks the first time a *Halo* game has been released for the public to play. In its state, the *Halo 3 Beta* was a beta test for the game's multiplayer, to allow players to play the game and and provide feedback on the strength of its servers, and to provide a sort of 'greenlight' on its multiplayer before it went into the Gold phase of development. It was released to select members on May 11, 2007, and eventually the terms were loosened up, allowing others to play if they met certain criteria. During the four weeks that the beta aired, 820,000 unique users clocked up over 12 million hours a day - the equivalent of a single player playing *Halo 3* for 1,400 years.

Several months after the closing of the *Halo 3 Beta*, Bungie released an internal-only *Halo 3* build to Microsoft employees, with the placeholder name of 'Halo 3 Epsilon' on the dashboard. It featured campaign on the level Tsavo Highway, as well as Forge mode and multiplayer on six maps: Epitaph, High Ground, Last Resort, Sandtrap, Snowbound and Valhalla.

#### Iris

*Main Article: Iris*
On June 11, 2007, at exactly 10:26AM Pacific Time, the viral marketing campaign for *Halo 3* kicked off, starting with the Iris campaign. It started with what fans initially thought was a hacking of the Bungie.net servers, but after discovering that it was all part of the campaign, the fans, over the next several months, followed a series of clues and hints to unlock 'servers' which would reveal the final moments of the Forerunners during the apex of the Forerunner-Flood War. Halo 3: Cradle of Life was a short flash animated comic, which was utilized in the opening stages of Iris.

#### Believe

*Main Article: Believe*
Believe was a marketing slogan and campaign for *Halo 3.* In the *Halo* canon, the events of Believe take place fifty years after *Halo 3*. "Believe" honors the legacy of SPARTAN John-117, citing him as a hero of humanity who brave actions inspired other servicemen of the UNSC during the final days of the Human-Covenant War.

### Trailers

#### Announcement

*Main Article: Halo 3 Announcement Trailer*
*Halo 3* was officially announced using a cinematic trailer rendered in real-time, released on May 9, 2006 during the Microsoft press conference. The reveal utilized real-game assets, fiction and locations. The trailer depicts John-117 with an assault rifle, moving through the ruins of the New Mombasa Space Elevator with Cortana appearing at random intervals. Eventually, he appears through the smoke, and equips his assault rifle. He stops at the edge of a cliff, watching Truth's fleet rallying around the Artifact as it opens, forming the portal above. The trailer ends as the portal opens, and a white flash.

#### Starry Night

*Main Article: Halo 3 Starry Night Trailer*
The Starry Night trailer was released on December 4, 2006 during Monday Night Football on ESPN. It shows two children, a young girl and boy, staring at the stars on Eridanus II. They both talk about what they think of the theory of other life in the universe. John asks whether she wants to meet an alien, but when he turns, all he sees is a Spartan Mark VI helmet staring at him .Suddenly, the helmet remains still as the environment changes to a desert battlefield. From his POV, we watch John-117 walk over and pick up the helmet, putting it on. It switches to a third person view; explosions from Wraith mortars explode all around him, while his radio sparks. A wraith mortar heads towards him, but he deploys a bubble shield, which absorbs the shot. Emerging from the dust, he sprints forward, dodging another blast as he equips his assault rifle. Reaching the cliff edge, he leaps into the area below, where an entire battalion of Wraiths and Brutes are waiting. The screen switches to show John-117 descending upon the screen. When he reaches it, the screen turns black, and the Halo 3 title fades in.

#### ViDoc: Et Tu, Brute?

*Main Article: ViDoc: Et Tu, Brute?*
The Et Tu Brute ViDoc was released before the end of 2006 and was a behind-the-scenes look at the development of *Halo 3*, specifically focusing on the Brutes in *Halo 3*. This 7:03 min clip interviews various Bungie employees about the Brutes, their development and flaws in *Halo 2*, and how they were expanded upon in *Halo 3.*

#### ViDoc: Is Quisam Protero Damno!

*Main Article: ViDoc: Is Quisam Protero Damno!*
The Is Quisnam Protero Damno ViDoc was released several months before the release of the *Halo 3* Beta. The video focuses on the multiplayer in *Halo 3*. This 7:12 minute clip interviews various Bungie employees about the development of the various multiplayer aspects of the game.

#### ViDoc: Cinema Paradiso

*Main Article: ViDoc: Cinema Paradiso*
Cinema Paradiso is the third and final ViDoc released by Bungie before the release of *Halo 3*. Released on September 20, 2007 the 7:13 video interviews various Bungie employees about the development of the theater and forge features of the game.

#### E3 2007 Trailer

*Main Article: Halo 3 E3 2007 Trailer*
Revealed at the end of Microsoft's E3 press conference on July 11 this trailer was the final trailer to show off the actual game itself and unlike the previous trailers, the *Halo 3* E3 2007 trailer focused on showing various gameplay and cinematic clips. While the trailer did little to further knowledge about the *Halo 3* plot, it confirmed many speculations about the game, the least of which was that the Arbiter and John-117 will fight alongside one another in the game.

### Halo: Landfall

*Main Article: Halo: Landfall*
Halo: Landfall is a trilogy of short films that were designed to promote the release of *Halo 3*. Directed by Neill Blomkamp with props and costume design by WETA Workshop Landfall tells the story of two ODSTs on a mission to coordinate John-117's rescue.

## Reception

*Halo 3* was called the most sought-after video game of 2007, and to be one of the most hyped video games of all time. Prior to its launch, *Halo 3* was expected to be one of the biggest entertainment events of the year, and among the biggest entertainment releases of all time. Additionally, *Halo 3* was expected to stir the sales of the Xbox 360 console - being a "killer application". The craziness of the *Halo 3* launch was compared to the madness of the iPhone, Harry Potter books and Star Wars movies releases.

Exactly like its predecessors, *Halo 3* was a very prosperous, record-breaking game. Accompanied by its record-breaking 1.7 million preorders in the U.S, few expected it not to break any records. 24 hours after release, however *Halo 3* had generated a record-breaking $170 million in the U.S, beating the $155 million that Microsoft was expecting. Although Microsoft never released a 24-hour sales figure, it is estimated to have sold in the region of 2.4 - 2.5 million copies within 24 hours of availability in the U.S. - approximately 1.8 million units after 8 hours - with that number increasing to 3.3 million units, 12 days after release. Within 24 hours, over 1.1 million gamers had played *Halo 3* on Xbox Live. One week after release, over 2.7 million players - nearly one-third of the total Xbox Live members at that time - had played it on Xbox Live. As of November 17, 2008, *Halo 3* had reportedly sold 8.8 million copies worldwide.

*Halo 3* has received mainly positive reviews from both the online gaming sites and country specific magazines. Each review has praised it, stating *"the winning formula is still apparent"* with *"multiplayer constantly surprising and engaging"*, while new features of *Forge* and *Saved Films* were singled out as particularly interesting new features. *Halo 3* has also gone on to win a number of awards from:

* **Spike Video Game Awards**: Best Multiplayer Game, Most Addictive Video Game Fueled By Dew.
* **TIME**: Game of the Year.
* **Geezer Gamers**: Geezer Game of the Year, Multiplayer Game of the Year.
* **Gametrailers**: 2007's Best Xbox 360 Game of the Year, Best Multiplayer of the Year, Best First Person Shooter.
* **X-Play Presents "G-Phoria"**: Game of the Year.
* **EDGE**: The Edge Award for Interactive Innovation.
* **IGN**: Xbox 360 Best Online Multiplayer, Xbox 360 Most Innovative Design.

### Halo 3 ODST

*Main Article: Halo 3 ODST*
Originally meant to be an expansion pack for *Halo 3*, *Halo 3 ODST* eventually evolved into its own game. It follows the story of a squad of Orbital Drop Shock Troopers called Alpha-Nine that drop into New Mombasa on an important mission. It takes place roughly during the end cutscene of Metropolis in *Halo 2*, and ends before the beginning of *Halo 3*.

## Halo 3 Original Soundtrack

The Halo 3 Original Soundtrack was composed for the game, *Halo 3*, and was composed by Martin O'Donnell and Michael Salvatori. Altogether,

     there are 32 tracks on the soundtrack. Most of the music from

*Halo 3* is present on the CDs, but some tracks are missing entirely, and some are only remixes of the actual tracks played in-game or shortened versions. Alot of the tracks are mostly remixes of tracks from *Halo: Combat Evolved* and *Halo 2.* It officially released on November 20, 2007; two months after the game's official release.

## Cut Content

*Main Article: Cut Content from the Halo Games*
*Halo 3,* while not having as much as its predecessors, has alot of content that didn't make it into the final product. Amongst this cut content is missing campaign levels, scripts, characters, weapons, vehicles, maps and more. For more information, see the main article.

## Trivia

* At precisely 6:36pm PST on February 28, 2009, in a three-minute and nineteen second game of Infection on Foundry, four players participated in *Halo 3'*s one billionth match. By comparison, *Halo 2* only had 800 million games played to date.
* For Christmas 2006, Microsoft and Bungie gave US troops in Iraq a chance to play the *Halo 3* Alpha Build of the game.
* On the Cops and Robbers commercial for the Xbox 360 at the Xbox LIVE Marketplace, one of the license plates says HALO307. Translated, it says *Halo 3* 07 (Halo 3, 2007).
* The game has 39,377 lines of dialogue, most of them randomly triggered during combat.
* *Halo 3*, before the Auto-Update 2 patch, had 49 achievements; a reference to Bungie's love of the number 7.
* To date, the campaign kill count online has surpassed the current population of Earth.
* Argos, a UK retail store, started accidentally selling copies of the game one week prior to the actual release date. All *Halo 3* products were removed from shelves when the store realized its mistake. However, a number of copies still made it into the hands of the public and a video showcasing the ending made it onto YouTube.
* *Halo 3* multiplayer was shown at the Penny Arcade Expo as the final round of the Omegathon and showed the level Guardian before its release date.
* *Halo 3* game play footage can be seen in an episode of The Sarah Connor Chronicles as well as in the feature film Jumper, Knight Rider, and CSI: Miami, although in Jumper and CSI, an original Xbox controller is used. Also, *Halo 3* game play is featured in music videos for the songs 'Beggin'by Madcon and 'Riverside' by Sydney Sampson. In addition, in the movie Eagle Eye, the two main characters venture into a Circuit City, where they receive shocking news. In the background before they enter a room, you can see *a* Halo 3 promotional poster behind them. This poster can also be seen in the background in The Day the Earth Stood Still. In the TV series *The Big Bang Theory*, the Halo 3 legendary edition's helmet can be seen in the main characters' apartment.
* Forge is one of the new features not seen in previous games. Along with Theater mode, these two allow things are not available in other games. Forge is accurately described as an object editor, allowing the player to customize many aspects of the game from scenery to weapons.
* As of 1 March 2009, the total amount of online Matchmaking time accounted to 2,023,153,340,764 seconds, equal to 64,109 years of playtime.
* If you've played on this game with your current LIVE account, you will unlock the *Halo 3* nameplate in *Halo Reach*.
* You can only play as Master Chief in the single player game. To play as the Arbiter you must be the second player. When a third and fourth player are added, you will get to play as two elites, who are named N'tho 'Sraom and Usze 'Taham, respectively.
* It is possible to play with 4 player split-screen co-op campaign on one console via a glitch.
* One piece of the Concept Artwork for the game was not used for unknown reasons. It was a concept of Pop art Elites.
* In the video game *Fable II*, there was a special edition code that could be used to obtain John's MJOLNIR armor and Energy Sword via pre-order. They are said to be worn by Hal, a man who came to the game through a rift in time and space. This makes perfect reference to the ending of *Halo 3* where Chief is drifting towards the mysterious planet, Requiem.
* *Halo 3* is the first game in the *Halo* series that the player starts the game with a weapon. In *Halo: Combat Evolved*, Captain Jacob Keyes gives you his M6 sidearm after talking to him on the bridge. And in *Halo 2*, the player does not have access to a weapon until after the award ceremony when John-117 states "I need a weapon." However, if the brief tutorial scene in Arrival is counted, than it can be said successfully that every game in the trilogy starts with John-117 not wielding a weapon of any description.
* Halo 3 is the first halo game where a level doesn't take place in a functioning ship or space station.
* Halo 3 was released for free on the XBLM, from the 16th through the 31st of October 2013.
* *Halo 3* appeals to *Halo* players in one sense: it draws heavily from *Halo: Combat Evolved*, and references it consistently. Not only is the soundtrack style very similiar to *Halo: Combat Evolved*, but the assault rifle has returned, John-117 is the only perspective, Installation 04 is referenced heavily, especially with its replacement, the end level shares the name as *Halo: Combat Evolved'*s second level and the game features a Warthog Run at the end, with a remastered version of the same music that played during that same section in *Halo: Combat Evolved*.
* *Halo 3* is the last game in the series to revolve around the *Halo* rings and have them be critical to the plot. The Reclaimer Saga is about the Forerunners, and the *Halo* rings seemed to have been downplayed.

## Gallery

Halo 3 Promotional PosterHalo 3 WallpaperThe Iris, a letter in the Forerunner alphabetHalo 3 title artHalo 3 LogoFlood attacking some Marines
## Links

### Internal Links

* Halo 3 Credits
* Halo 3 Official Strategy Guide

### External Links

* Halo 3 Website - The Official *Halo 3* Website
* Halo 3 Trail Commercial
* halowiki.net - *Halo 3* Multiplayer Strategy