WTF: A negative Halo 3 review - colossal disappointment and five years behind BioShock

[Zeus]

A so called 'veteran writer' by the name of Tom Chick has broken the mould and branded Halo 3's single player campaign mode as a colossal disappointment. Chick blasts the reuse of entire areas and the 'ledge' level design amongst many other personal annoyances. One of his main points is that Halo 3 hasn't moved on that much from six years ago when Halo 1 was introduced to the market. Chick goes on to conclude that Halo 3 is FIVE YEARS behind BioShock and that if hype instead of talent was rightfully acknowledged, then it would be BioShock that would be the number one hit this holiday instead of Halo 3.


But like id with their engines, Bungie struggles with the creative part of the equation. Nowhere is this more evident than in Halo 3. Six years later, it's still repeating the formula established in Halo 1. Virtually every single moment and location is recycled from the first two games (the "new" area was done just as well in at least two other games). The engine doesn't even look much better and, frankly, the gunplay is so very 2001. This is the same Halo you knew and loved, or didn't love, as the case may be. I'm sure it'll be a wonderful multiplayer game, mostly because millions will play it. But as a single player game, it's a classic case of the arrested development that makes our hobby the domain of teenage boys, grown up and otherwise.

Irrational's "masterpiece of the art form" (if ever there was a game deserving that phrase...) raised the bar for what we can expect not only from our shooters, but from our games at large. Halo 3 is five years behind in terms of clearing that bar. In a world that rewards talent instead of hype, BioShock would be the big holiday hit. Instead, we get an impassive gold faceplate aimed vaguely in the direction it's supposed to be staring thoughtfully while I wonder just what the heck is supposed to be going on. Oh well. I'll just shoot some more grunts until I get to the end of Bungie's idea of a ring trilogy.


News Source: <A href="http://www.quartertothree.com/inhouse/news/365/" target="_blank">quartertothree.com</a>

[xllzerollx]

LOL!

this game could be garbage and will sell anyways, so a negative review is nothing.

[miserabillis]

im not a halo fan..i like sony more and was pissed at so much hype BUT it is a good game ive seen and tested it this guy just wants to be known and have 15 mins...
and ye no matter what game or console whatever the review if you like it and youre a fan you'll buy it..it comes down to personal choice

[MadMax31]

Colossal disappointment, come on, one thing is a point of view and another is a fan boy writing crap! :mad:

[The_Eggman_1972]

I wasnt that bowled over by Bioshock yeah it looked good but frame rate issues in parts and the lack of human (apart from a guy with the worst irish accent since Brad Pitt in the Devil's own) characters to interact with made it very boring..

[des]

Well maybe colossal disappointment is a bit too much but he is still right...

[XxBigP123xX]

this was my 1st halo and it was a colossal disappointment. terrible AA, boring gameplay, over hyped.

[bluecathode]

i have to agree with some of his points. For example the point he makes about them using the same formula, which is TRUE!!! All the Halo games play exactly the same. But this is its pull as all ppl that love halo loved halo 2 and will no doubt love halo 3. Ppl like myself will no doubt hate it, as i have never been a fan of the Halo games and keeping it the same wont get anymore supporters, but it doesnt need it.

What i have been wondering a lot recently is if this game was released as a brand new game today without the hype and previous titles to carry the sales on to, would it have got such good reviews?

[Mutdog]

im a halo fan boy and i havnt got the time to get started on the flaws of the game, but ill start and leave it with the shitty main menu, and i myself think its years behind bioshock.

[Evolution]

I havent played Halo 3 yet because I want peace to actually play the game.

Ive had it since Sunday as my sister in law works for Woolworths but I'll wait till my wife goes away with the kids to her parents this weekend.

I really dont care what this character thinks but his head is up his ass if he thinks that Bioshock is anything special other than a generic FPS with nice locations and some unusual weapons because thats all it is.

Halo 3 looks like Halo 2 oh wow what a fucking shock there eh? Halo 3 will be as good as the others and thats either a good or bad thing dependent on your point of view and feelings about previous Halo games.

[suhailp]

Thats nothing, check out SonyDefenceForce's review

http://www.sonydefenseforce.com/?p=257

2.5/10 :D

[saleem]

eggman thats cool seeing as you get a stupid alien with a voice like a woosy darth vader as a companion at times.

the game is lame and all the halo bots will be in an uproar with that review,well not all of them.

lets put it this way.

its a disappointment.

and some pay $10 for a plastic helmet that dont fit and was made for 2p in china,thats a reward for being a loyal fan.you didnt get all this crap 20 years ago.so what gives with plastic helmet.at least i got blutooth headset with warhawk and can use it.

it would be funny if they gave an helmet with that,that didnt fit and i was sat there with this plastic thing on my head.

when they get visitors they will go
"oh whats that"

"thats what i got with halo"

"oh it looks alright dosnt it" and in their heads they will think,"halo bot"
:p
they will be wetting their undies with joy.and some chink guy will be selling them for 50p at a local market by the box load in a car boot sale in china.

i think hes right.if they cant make the game match the hype then they are doing the same **** they was doing 5 yrs ago and he is bang on.

suck it up halo bots.
:p

[kcvfr400]

Been playing it a little today and got to say this man has a point. I am not that much of a fps fan and find this just like a xbox or ps2 fps in the early levels with dodgy looking scenery when you get to close and bad level design.

I will keep going as many say later levels are better so will give it the benefit of the doubt, especially as it looked better looking in the beta games I watched on xleague.tv . But so far it doesn't get close to a game like resistance let alone anything for the more serious fps gamer.

It will be interesting what my favourite teletext reviewer gamecentral says soon and edge magazine too. I give it a 7 at best.

And the review by gamesradar of 10 cannot be trusted as they are owned by microsoft not future and have been for many years now part of the msn network of sites.

[saleem]

i like gamecentral too.but,they are proper gay sometimes.the games i dont like they do but,the games i like they dont and it shows in their review.they will be gving this at least 8 and i think minimum.

they are reviewers after all and who knows what they do outside teletext.

sometimes i agree and sometimes i dont.
:)

[SoulThief]

I've read the review, and wasn't to shocked, this is the first review coming from a non-professional and thus non-funded.

Probably there's a reason HALO 3 get's such tremendous scores, the reason is simple, Microsoft would almost die, it hyped up Halo so much it's been the milepole of Microsoft, it's THE game next to (Apperantly) splinter cell that x-box, and for years it has been the argument of why to own an 360.

Owner of all three systems myself, I do admit I love my 360 the most, one of the reasons is simple, Forza, Bioshock.
The reason I bought my 360 was simple and clear; Dead Rising, not once was I hyped about Halo I never really loved Halo I liked it, it shared it's moments, but the gameplay seemed familiar I had yet to find a game who could actually mimic it, come to think of it, when I played the leaked beta back in the days, I was on the edge of buying a x-box just for Halo, off course where the Beta stopped the game was cool -- than there was this "flood" destroyed it for me.

Anyhow, as I said the reason most professionals write such positive reviews, even though most gamers know better is because they use their heads, they know it will be a huge hit on MS if they negatively review Halo.

I mean c'mon almost no well-known review site, has given any answers about the Graphics or the story, yet the small time reviewers, and gamers alike are actually combating this, and tell the game sports a "poor story" and "Poor graphics" although the smart lightning system, the game is haunted by bad A.I, I litteraly had tens of times, where an enemy would just stand and let me shoot him, sometimes an enemy was pressed against a wall and I could stand infront of him, do a dance, and still I was unnoticed, granted every game has A.I bugs, but so far, Halo seems pretty much under the acceptable level of A.I.

Anyhow, as stated this one bad review is not going to change the mind of many, many, many gamers loyal to Halo.
I wish them all the greatest experience, and I wish them a lot of luck to finish the fight.

Let's hope Halo 4 is going to be the groundbreaking experience I've been waiting for.

[splattered]

I love how everyone that is saying "I played a little bit of it, and it sucked" etc has a PS3 sig in their name... :rolleyes:

[SoulThief]

I love how everyone that is saying "I played a little bit of it, and it sucked" etc has a PS3 sig in their name... :rolleyes:

A first impression is actually the savior of a game, and frankly the first few levels are the most endurable, after that, it's mainly recycle work.

Plus if you played ANY Halo, you played them all.

[Happsai]

I'm not the biggest of Halo fans myself, but I have to admit that I was impressed by Halo 3.
As for this review, I wouldn't take this seriously in the least. Especially after looking at some of the other reviews on that site.

[kcvfr400]

I love how everyone that is saying "I played a little bit of it, and it sucked" etc has a PS3 sig in their name... :rolleyes:

Well since thats only me saying played it a little then I feel the need to say I love the way people stereotype people on silly things and bring nothing to the conversation going on here.

I have a ps3 sig because I followed a link of maxconsole recently. If there was a 360 one put up or a wii one I probably would done one each of them.

[Raist3d]

Halo 2 was overhyped and it had several technical and design issues.

That said, I am looking forward to a Halo 3 tryout if possible. But seroiusly, with the kind of marketing this game has had, is anybody surprised? I wonder how many of the reviewers out there / reviews out there have been true to reviewing a game and less to marketing hype forces.

That also said, I find the movie making/ map editing probably the most innovative features it is bringing and I think they were excellent ideas on that end.

- Raist

[soutthpaw]

Finally a reviewer with the Balls to tell it like it is!!!

[Blades]

A Colossal disappointment?:confused: It's no 2nd coming of video games, but it isn't that bad.

Hmmmm, well, what a way to get noticed by the internet community then to give it a negative review.


Congrats man, you just got your 15min.



;

[opporchoonist1]

Plus if you played ANY Halo, you played them all.

Couldnt have put it any better than that, i like halo multiplayer but single player is extremely repetetive

[_Mazza_]

I quite like it lol. Online mode is good, single player is okay only played a bit so far, but I think multiplayer is the main selling point.

Haha just realised I have Master Chief in my avatar, I made my avatar years ago before I'd even played halo.

[foundmy]

_Mazza_: i like your comment but you wouldn't give it a 10/10 and say its the best game ever? right. that is the problem, alot of these review sites reply on extra paid advertising and sucked in alot of M$ money and are giving us reviews that are paid for. if someone thinks this game is better than gears of war or bioshock, maybe you too had a granade stuck to your head.

[_Mazza_]

_Mazza_: i like your comment but you wouldn't give it a 10/10 and say its the best game ever? right. that is the problem, alot of these review sites reply on extra paid advertising and sucked in alot of M$ money and are giving us reviews that are paid for. if someone thinks this game is better than gears of war or bioshock, maybe you too had a granade stuck to your head.

Yeah, I agree, I do think however that Halo 3 has the best online multiplayer so far. But in my opinion Gears of War has the best single player mode.

[saleem]

you got to be shitting me man.watch the kids go bouncing round the friggin map like they are on bouncey castles.

looky here at me i killed someone,bedoing deboing.
:p

[Vanamonde]

I've read the review, and wasn't to shocked, this is the first review coming from a non-professional and thus non-funded.



If it's the same Tom Chick that wrote for Computer Games Magazine before it went bust, then he isn't an amateur.

[benny32]

"Halo 3 is so very 2001"

How dare this reviewer denegrate great fps that came before this game. Halo was weak when I played it in 2001. It stunk even for its time.

Surprise, surprise, Halo 3 has nothing new to offer but teenage boys with swearing online.

If MS can make Halo 3 the deffinitive console game of this console generation, Sony may be in trouble with MGS4. MGS used to be the hype bisquit for lamecore gamers, now Halo 3 has taken the trophy for prolefeed shovelware.

[SoulThief]

If it's the same Tom Chick that wrote for Computer Games Magazine before it went bust, then he isn't an amateur.

The way the review was written told me otherwise being a writer in a magazine doesn't make one a professional, I'm a writer in a school magazine, that doesn't earn me the title of IT consultant, nor professional writer.
He has experience, not professionalism.

[Vanamonde]

The way the review was written told me otherwise being a writer in a magazine doesn't make one a professional, I'm a writer in a school magazine, that doesn't earn me the title of IT consultant, nor professional writer.
He has experience, not professionalism.


I don't think you can compare a school magazine to CGM, a totally different league.

[KingPepper]

Thankfully..........HURRAY, Now Bungie Make Something Different Please!!!!

Instead of the Same Game All the time................

[confucious42]

Zeus you are retarded, every one is entitled to an opinion. Try not being so narrow minded, some people don't conform just because it was expected to be a great game doesn't mean that it is.

I do think it is an amazing game, don't get me wrong, but jeez its not the best game in the world ever, c'mon.

I actually hated the original Halo, just because every one was like "omg this is the best game evr!!!11!!" and it was no different than any other fps I had played before it.

Halo is overrated, It should have good ratings, but bad ratings are ok.

Lets try not being like the people from the salem witch hangings.

[sigma8]

Yeah.. ZEUS.. Like Confucius42 (or whatever) say, you idiot. Why start the headline with "WTF"? Nobody is allowed to not enjoy this game?

[Raggamuffin]

Just beat Halo3 and I have to say that it made more fun in the first 3 levels than Bioshock as a whole... maybe I'm just fed up with running around in tight corridors. I need open areas where enemys can attack you from all directions and not just from the back and front... H3 really was f***in epic!

[LeGioN1202]

I thought Halo 3 had the smartest AI ever? Goes to show how reviewers get paid out the ass to spew bullshit to feed the hype.

Me personally, this is bullshit. I see 2 FPS games, released within 1 month of each other. One known for a great 1 player campaign, the other with a severely disappointing 1 player campaign. One with great Multiplayer, one without it entirely.

Ok, both have obvious flaws, yet somehow both get perfect scores, both are also FPS genre games, both on XBox 360, now how may I ask do both games get Perfect scores when both are obviously missing something huge for the genre.

Bioshock has a good 1 player story mode, yet it doesn't get bashed on score for not including multi. I have seen VF5 get bashed for no multi... why? These games are also getting perfect scores when they have the same problems which games like Heavenly Sword were bashed on and scores dropped to 7's or less.

Halo 3 has crap for 1 player, yet it gets perfect scores? Why, for it's multi? Where is Warhawk's 10? A 12 year old kid gets Warhawk... he can play it, any customer can play all it offers straight from the box, Halo 3 players can not as Online requires a payment of $50... so if not everyone can play, how do you warrant a perfect score?

This guy is right, and there is plenty he did not mention. This game is overhyped to **** and it's disgusting.

[ochentay4]

A so called 'veteran writer' by the name of Tom Chick has broken the mould and branded Halo 3's single player campaign mode as a colossal disappointment. Chick blasts the reuse of entire areas and the 'ledge' level design amongst many other personal annoyances. One of his main points is that Halo 3 hasn't moved on that much from six years ago when Halo 1 was introduced to the market. Chick goes on to conclude that Halo 3 is FIVE YEARS behind BioShock and that if hype instead of talent was rightfully acknowledged, then it would be BioShock that would be the number one hit this holiday instead of Halo 3.



News Source: <A href="http://www.quartertothree.com/inhouse/news/365/" target="_blank">quartertothree.com</a>

i could not agree more. the game is obviusly overhyped. it offers the basic, nothing more. i think its mediocre, as halo ce and halo2 was. i think i will go and play bioshock.

[pneumat]

Yea correct mann.Thats it.Halo3 are the badesd game i ever played on the 360.
Last days i played Heavenly Sword and as one of my frinds come and want to see H3 i put in the game and @ the moment the Game start my EYES beginn to bleed in case of this horrible GFX.lol:)
Mann HS set to be a new Level in case of MotionCapture,Sounds and GFX.
Never seen such faces,emotions and levels befor.In case of HS,H3 are 10YEARS behind.:cool:

[nimbus]

LOLOALOALOALA



XBAWTZ GETZ OWN'D YET AGANE!!!!!!
:rolleyes:;):p:o:cool::eek:

[kikkoman]

LOLOALOALOALA



XBAWTZ GETZ OWN'D YET AGANE!!!!!!
:rolleyes:;):p:o:cool::eek:

the only thing that's going to get owned is your shitty spelling.

[grapeape]

Everyone is entitled to their opinion but why is some guys website suddenly a news source? He evidently didnt enjoy it but I have a hard time accepting reviews from someone who's favorite games are apparently Test Drive: Eve of Destructions and Mario Golf.....

[AceMilo]

A "veteran writer" yet no one's ever heard of him or the site he writes for. Methinks someone just wants some traffic to his site.

[grapeape]

LOLOALOALOALA



XBAWTZ GETZ OWN'D YET AGANE!!!!!!
:rolleyes:;):p:o:cool::eek:

You evidently didnt get to the bottom of the page where he is talking about his PS3 being so worthless that when his Wiimote ran out of juice he took the batteries from the ps3 remote.

[Mikeyy]

A "veteran writer" yet no one's ever heard of him or the site he writes for. Methinks someone just wants some traffic to his site.

Right, So NOBODY is allowed to Dislike Halo. Its illigal. Whatever. Learn to take critisisim.

Also why dont you read legions post. Why is it, that 1 360 game Has awesome single player but no Multiplayer, Gets a perfect 10, then another 360 game with Crappy Singleplayer and awesome Multiplayer gets a perfect 10. All while any ps3 game that Lacks in either department get major deductions to score.

Seriously set all feelings aside, and search these claims down deep. Are websites like IGN, Gamespot, Etc really credible, or paid advertisements?

Because there is an Onslaught of dissapointed Halo 3 owners on the internet right now that say No way in HELL this is a perfect 10.

[AceMilo]

Right, So NOBODY is allowed to Dislike Halo. Its illigal. Whatever. Learn to take critisisim.

Also why dont you read legions post. Why is it, that 1 360 game Has awesome single player but no Multiplayer, Gets a perfect 10, then another 360 game with Crappy Singleplayer and awesome Multiplayer gets a perfect 10. All while any ps3 game that Lacks in either department get major deductions to score.

Seriously set all feelings aside, and search these claims down deep. Are websites like IGN, Gamespot, Etc really credible, or paid advertisements?

Because there is an Onslaught of dissapointed Halo 3 owners on the internet right now that say No way in HELL this is a perfect 10.

Because you can't review a game for what it DOESN'T have. Bioshock doesn't use the live vision camera, should it get points off for that? It doesn't use the scene-it remotes, should it lose points? I never believed in marking a game down because of things it should have, you have to review a game based on what it does and how well it presents itself. Does halo deserve a 10? Not really, I'd say a 95 (I just finished the game), bioshock to me deserves a perfect 10, as does twilight princess. Are ign, etc credible? Hell yea they are, they play more games than anyone else and are professional critics so they know how to properly review a game. Most of the time when I play a game before I read the review my feelings are spot on with 95% of magazine reviews. As far as an onslaught of halo 3 owners, I haven't heard anyone complain and say the game is bad.

And btw, I never said no one is allowed to dislike halo, everyone can think whatever they want. I just wouldn't take the word of a no name critic over a well known one. Don't put words in my mouth.

[zeuromus]

Halo, *sigh*

It's amazing how auto-aim and a little concentrated sci-fi testosterone can bring a generation of casual gamers who couldn't afford a decent PC to their knees.

Halo is Halo... be it 1, 2 or 3, it's still Halo. Even more, it's still an FPS on a console using Dual-Analog control. It's quite interesting to watch the importance of being part of a 'mass-audience' taking precedence over intuitive controls and allowing the general public to overlook core fundamental issues in gameplay design. No matter what side of the Halo coin you fall on, there are some definite things you can't deny (but probably will anyways).

One -
There's a reason this game is popular, it brought a mass-audience (of 12-40yr. old+ males) exposure to a genre they haven't had the opportunity to experience. To this end, if Quake, Half-Life, Unreal, or even System Shock (look it up kids) had been designed from the ground up on a mass-market 4th-gen console, complete with story and characters, auto-aim and online console multiplayer, it could have easily been 'Halo'. The problem being with the aforementioned games, is they came out on that little known gaming system called the PC, and let's face it... casual, "I get home from football practice then play games," kind of gamers are much like elephants in the fact that they are scared of mice. Halo had timing and a good financial backing by Microsoft on its side.

... and to be honest, when/if I play console FPS games on multiplayer, I wish my SN could be: ifihadmouseyoudbedeadbynow.

Two -
Halo 3 does indeed, indisputably, without question or argument, look like Halo 2 in HD...
Two-point-five-
The Halo target audience could give a sh*t. Which to me is ironic, on a system like 360, where it's creators are touting the fact that improved graphics are the wave of the next-gen, that their flagship game looks like a 1080p version of the game they released years prior. Halo-lovers/Bungie take note and do some research. Look at Unreal Tournament -> Unreal Tournament 2003, look at Quake 1->2->3, or Half-Life 1->2... those are called graphical improvements. It's because what you're supposed to do when you redesign a game for the next iteration of hardware is... well... redesign the game. Not port it over and up the res of the texture maps. When I walked in on my friend playing the Halo 3 beta multiplayer maps... it literally took me 5 minutes of intermittent attention before I realized it wasn't Halo 2.

When you do sequential releases, you're supposed to set the bar... raise the bar, then obliterate the bar... not

Set the bar.
Remove the bar and replace it with a shinier bar.
Polish the shinier bar.

I think what the reviewer meant by 'colossal disappointment', is that expectations were set for bar obliteration, and that's not what was delivered. It's like getting a decent car when you're 16, then years later... you're dad constantly telling you to get excited about what he has in store for you in the garage next year... over and over... hyping it up, getting you excited, making you die from anticipation... then finally handing you the same keys you already had... opening the garage, confetti falls from the rafters, news-media crews with cameras at the ready and there he is looking righteous and proud with a smug look on his face:

"I detailed your car!"

Three -
"Never underestimate the power of stupid people in large numbers."
This game will sell, it will crush records, it will topple governments... yadda yadda yadda. No one can deny that... but just because it's popular (Britney) doesn't make it good (Spears). I look at people lining up for Halo much like I view 13 year old girls lining up for N'Sync tickets. I feel bad for them... they just haven't had the proper level of exposure to better things. It doesn't make them bad people, I don't think they're wrong for liking what they like... it just means they're not as informed; and well... they like it... so I leave them be and go put on some classical music or otherwise (don't I sound pretentious?).

All in all, reviews are reviews. Especially with us 'gamers', nine times out of ten, if we WANT to like something we will (I did say nine out of ten *cough*Daikatana*cough*). So Halo-ites... enjoy your next/last chapter, cry when your RTS comes out and you don't know how to play it, hope Peter Jackson or whatever doesn't ruin your favorite IP; sit back, and cuss your little hearts out on XBL.

(Halo players have the worst mouths... seriously, it's scary.)

-Z

[Sinar]

Can't comment. still waiting for the postie :(

[Xenogears V]

I continue to say that Gear Of War is better respect to Halo 3.

Halo 2 were really horrible. Halo the first, was unbelievable, thanks to it the Xbox has become all over the world famous. From Halo 2 I pretended more. After having played to Halo 3 continuous to be disappointed. It is so improved few towards Halo 2 that it doesn't absolutely deserve 9.7 given by Ign.

[msa]

so because he doesnt like halo 3 (which is totally legitmate), he is a fanboy? stupid.

anyway: halo3 is 5 years behind bioshock? now consider that bioshock is, literally, 8 years behind system shock 2 (not that its bad, but it doesnt do anything better than ss2 did. BS is SS2 without the stuff that makes SS2 special and in another setting, if you ask me)

[pneumat]

So for what i know i game should be earned points for the singelplayer game.The MP game are only a bonus to the normal game.With time every game on 360 must have a MP.For that a game also should earned points but the main criterion should be the SINGLE player game.
So in this case H3 never be can get a 95% or a 9/10!