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Welcome to HALO 3 PORTAL! |
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COMMUNITY
DOOM 3 PORTAL |
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Bungie Studios have assumed a ‘If it ain't broke, don't fix it' policy on this game. Gazing at the screenshots, one immediately sees that this is a Halo game: design is identical with simply better models and textures. Some things, however, have been changed because of their odd absence from the original. Vehicles can now be destroyed in a fashion similar to those in Unreal Tournament 2004. They will break up realistically with wheels and various remains scattering about, thanks in great part to the realistic Havoc Ragdoll physics engine performing all physics in-game in real-time.
And before they're blown to bits, you'll have the opportunity to drive these vehicles like never before. Simply getting in has been given a new meaning. Rather than shooting down, say, an enemy ghost, you may find that simply by pressing ‘X' you'll jump up, knock the Covenant out of the vehicle, and climb in, free to wreak havoc. That is if the new vehicles being introduced into the game aren't keeping you busy all the while, such as the ATV. A one man, well, ATV, this neat little package of firepower will surely come in handy. It seems to be the human answer to the Covenants' ghosts. More vehicles! Is that cool or what? 
All the old weapons return with a few new additions, such as the assault rifle, which has now a sniper's scope and the sub machine gun, a rapid-firing little thing that packs quite a punch. However, now you will find that you'll be able to carry two lighter weapons at once, with independent control for each one. Light weapons, mind you. Don't expect to be strolling around with a rocket launcher in each arm. This is useful, knowing that you'll still be forced to juggle between two tools for destruction, and only two. Choose wisely. Various demonstrations have focused on the game's multiplayer characteristics, partly because Bungie have realised just how big of a portion of the original game this part played and how successful it was. Multiplayer always extends the replay value of a game, and with new modes such as one-flag CTF, you may find yourself slamming this game online even long after you've beaten the single-player campaign. Though the general public hasn't had a chance, the 1000 persons that were allowed to give the multiplayer portion a spin comment on how the game is fast, beautiful, retaining all the good qualities of the original and building upon them with improved visuals and better level designs. Here's Jaime Griesemer's (Halo 2's lead designer) bit about the game's multiplayer characteristics: "We still have the multiplayer game-types that people loved in Halo, but we're planning something special for Halo 2. I don't want to ruin the surprise, but imagine the essential Halo single-player experience: pitched battles between the humans and the Covenant, massive vehicle and infantry engagements. Now imagine that every combatant is an actual person playing over Xbox Live!" Sorry pal, you just ruined the surprise. Not that it matters, it only makes gamers want the game even more. And how long to wait? The game has been delayed once and is slated to come out later this year, around November. So far, it's looking like an Xbox-only kind of deal. Hopefully a PC version for controller-incompetent persons such as myself will follow shortly afterward, as it happened in the original. At this point, it looks grim. Regardless, let me quote the thousands of cheesy Hollywood movies that have come out over the last ten years in saying, “there's always hope.” Reload your rifles for the continuation! |
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