After 19 Years, Halo’s Most Definitive Experience Still Proves Why The Series Is Special
There are many great Halo games, with many helping to establish the modern idea of a first-person shooter ever since the release of Halo: Combat Evolved back in 2001. However, due to its longevity, the series has changed hands over the years as developer Bungie relinquished control of the franchise to make Destiny, its sequel, and other projects. Although everyone has a favorite Halo game from Bungie, the anniversary of one can’t be denied as perhaps the most influential title in the franchise.
Bungie was responsible for five different Halo games, including the first three mainline titles and two spin-offs, including Halo 3: ODST and Halo: Reach. The final Bungie game was Halo: Reach, which acted as a prequel of sorts to the events of Halo: Combat Evolved and the journey of the Master Chief on the first Halo ring. Since then, 343 Industries (later to become Halo Studios) created Halo 4, Halo 5: Guardians, and Halo Infinite, with the next game in the series planned to be made by Call of Duty creator Activision after Xbox’s resets vastly reduced Halo Studio’s staff.
Halo 3 Released In 2007 To Let Players Finally Finish The Fight As Master Chief & The Arbiter
Halo 3 came out on September 25, 2007, almost two decades ago, to complete the original trilogy Bungie started with Halo: Combat Evolved. Launching multiple years after the controversial cliffhanger that Halo 2‘s ending delivered, fan expectations were extremely high for Halo 3. The game was promised to be Master Chief being ready to “finish the fight” against The Covenant, with promotional material doing everything to prepare players for that premise. The marketing for Halo 3 is legendary, making the events of the game seem like they took place in the real world with trailers meant to imitate war documentaries.
The live action accounts of older UNSC soldiers remembering when Master Chief saved them made Halo 3 feel like the most important game in the series, long before it even came out. To many players surprise, the game delivered on this idea in spades, making the single-player campaign feel like a conclusion to everything the previous two games set up. From final confrontations with The Flood, important character deaths, and the long awaited team-up between Halo 2 protagonists The Arbiter and Master Chief, Halo 3‘s story had it all.
Co-op campaign runs of Halo 3 saw players embody The Arbiter and Master Chief depending on what player they were, with up to four players being able to go through the story together online. Halo 3 might not be perfect when it comes to the best levels in Halo history, but it also has arguably the greatest mission in the franchise too. With a final Warthog run calling back to Halo: Combat Evolved at the end of the game as well, there are countless moments of exhilaration that make Halo 3‘s campaign a highly celebrated one in the series.
The Multiplayer Elements Of Halo 3 Are Still Some Of The Most Revered FPS Experiences Of All Time
While the Halo 3 story is great, it’s the multiplayer that has stood the test of time, even within the game’s inclusion in the greater Halo: Master Chief Collection bundle. To this day, Halo 3 multiplayer is still played regularly within that bundle space, but it’s hard to describe just why it’s so popular. The multiplayer is incredibly polished, with many fan-favorite maps where players can battle each other in meticulously designed spaces. The gameplay innovations of Halo 3, such as the various abilities players can pick up and use (Bubble Shield, Gravity Lift, etc.), add many more possibilities to how matches go.
Whether it’s through large vehicles clashing it out on the Valhalla map or tight duels of tense sharpshooting at Guardian, the maps are very distinct from one another in Halo 3. This is also the first Halo game to include Forge mode, a sandbox where players could create their own maps and custom play types to share online. The creativity some players had built insanely unique experiences, with some downloadable Forge maps almost changing Halo 3‘s approach to competition entirely.
Forge was like an endless arcade rabbit hole full of innovation and creativity wherever you looked, adding to the fun you and your friends could explore through Halo 3‘s online modes. Local custom games were just as fun too, with LAN parties for Halo 3 being common for how intuitive its multiplayer ended up being. The long list of match types hardly made experiences in the game boring, with players able to finely tune and search for what multiplayer modes they wanted to jump into. Tight gunplay combined with map knowledge and skill expression in Halo 3 too, building upon esports scenes for the game to make its appeal even bigger.
Despite Halo’s Rough State Now, Halo 3’s Influence Has Kept Players Interested In The Series’ Direction
The chokehold Halo 3 had on FPS games during the late 2000’s cannot be overstated, as it was largely considered the gold standard for many years. The game’s balance of a satisfying trilogy story conclusion with open-ended multiplayer makes it timeless, even compared to other Halo games that came after it. Considering how mixed reviews are for Halo: Campaign Evolved, the latest title in the franchise, Halo 3 is a reminder for when the series was arguably at its peak. Although Master Chief Collection still has Halo 3 accessible, it’s hard to deny how magical the opening release for the game was.
As a game that sold around 14.5 million copies world wide and grossed $300 million in one week, there’s no denying the impact Halo 3 had at its launch. However, it’s the lasting legacy that is just as impressive, as multiple games of any genre are still trying to capture the high Halo 3 established almost two decades ago. While not every Halo fan considers Halo 3 their favorite of the series, the third mainline game remains one of the most recognized, both for nostalgic reasons and as the original, emotional ending of Master Chief’s journey.
What is your favorite memory from playing Halo 3? Let us know in the comments below!