Halo 3


Gameplay


The gameplay of Halo 3 builds upon the previous iterations of the franchise; it is a first-person shooter which takes place on foot, but also includes segments focused on vehicular combat. The balance of weapons and objects in the game was adjusted to better adhere to what Bungie Studios Multiplayer Designer Lars Bakken describes as the "Golden Triangle of Halo". These are "weapons, grenades, and melee", which are available to a player in most situations. Halo 3 contains the ability to dual-wield, where a player forgoes grenades and melee attacks in favor of the combined firepower of two weapons simultaneously. Most weapons available in previous installments of the series return with minor cosmetic and power alterations. Unlike previous instalments, the player's secondary weapon is visible on their player model, holstered or slung across the player's back. Halo 3 introduces "support weapons", which are exceptionally large, powerful, and cumbersome two-handed weapons which drastically limit the player's normal combat options and slow them significantly, but offer greatly increased firepower in return. In addition to weapons, the game contains a new class of usable items called Equipment; these items are found in the game world and have various effects and functions, ranging from defensive screens to shield regeneration and flares. Only one piece of equipment can be carried at a time. The game's vehicular component has been expanded with new drivable and A.I.-only vehicles.


Halo 3 also adds new features not directly related to gameplay. One such feature, known as Forge, is a map-editing tool that enables players to insert and remove game objects, such as weapons and crates, into existing multiplayer maps. Almost all weapons, vehicles, and interactive objects can be placed and moved on maps with Forge. Players can enter Forge games and edit and manipulate objects in real time. A budget limits the amount of objects that can be placed. Another new feature are 'Saved films', which allows players to save up to 100 films of gameplay to their Xbox 360's hard drive, viewing the action from any angle and at different speeds. The Saved Films are only game data (not an actual video) and this allows the file sizes to be smaller than a true recording. All games are recreated in real-time on the Xbox 360 using the Halo 3 engine. Halo 3 offers a form of file sharing, where items such as saved films, screenshots, and custom variants can all be uploaded to the 'File Share'. Anyone can browse user created content that has been uploaded to Bungie's website on a personal computer and tag it to automatically download to their console next time they sign into Xbox Live on Halo 3.


Campaign


Halo 3's campaign contains nine levels, which complete the storyline of the Halo trilogy. The campaign can be played through alone, with two-players on one Xbox 360, or played cooperatively with up to three other players via Xbox Live or System Link. Instead of having each player be an identical Spartan as in previous Halo games, the first player plays as Master Chief, the second player plays as the Arbiter and the other two players control two other Elites; N'tho 'Sraom and Usze 'Taham, each with their own backstories. No matter which character is played, each player has identical abilities. A.I. behavior was enhanced and improved; the behavior of enemy Brutes the player faces was modified, giving them a "pack mentality" that causes the aliens to perform similar actions at the same time and altering gameplay. There are various Forerunner computer terminals hidden throughout the campaign which can be accessed and provide background storyline information.


Halo 3's campaign features a scoring method called the "meta-game", which can introduce a competitive aspect to cooperative play. Players are awarded points for defeating enemies while completing a level in the campaign. Extra points are awarded for certain actions (such as performing headshots or defeating multiple enemies in rapid succession), and are lost if the player dies or kills a teammate. Hidden skulls (based on the Easter egg skulls in Halo 2) can be found on each level and then subsequently activated before future missions to cause changes in the gameplay; such as giving the enemies extra health, changing in-game dialogue, or modifying a specific A.I. behavior. These skulls, as well as the difficulty level and the speed at which the level is completed, provide multipliers to the total score.[18] Players are awarded gamerscore points for successfully reaching a certain score in each level, and medals are awarded for specific accomplishments.


Multiplayer


On a single console, up to two players can play campaign and up to four can participate in a versus multiplayer match through use of split screen. Through use of LAN or Xbox Live, up to four players can play together in campaign, up to eight can customize a map in Forge mode, and up to sixteen can participate in versus multiplayer matches. (Each console must retain their respective split screen limitations.) A public beta test of the game's online multiplayer features, as well as saved films and file share, took place four months before the full release. Statistics from all games that are completed by players while connected to Xbox Live are also uploaded to the respective player's "service record" on Bungie.net.


Players must actively seek out other players through their Xbox Live Friends list, using the party invite system, or the LAN search feature to play multiplayer matches with their own custom rules and customized maps. If they are connected to Xbox Live however, a player can choose to have the game decide for them the exact rules and map to play on, as well as finding additional people to play against or with, using the "Matchmaking" system (the automated grouping of players of similar skill). A player will decide from a selection of developer designed "playlists" which each contain a certain way to experience the game. The games contained within a playlist can range from 1 vs 1 free for all, to 8 vs 8 team play, often focusing on either deathmatch games (known as "Slayer" in Halo), objective games (e.g. Capture the Flag) or a combination of the two. The playlists are regularly updated; either to remove unpopular types of games or map variants, fix ones that do not work well, or to introduce entirely new gametypes or whole playlists.


Like other multiplayer Xbox 360 titles, Halo 3 uses a customized version of TrueSkill ranking system for its matchmaking on a per-playlist basis (i.e. a player's performance in one playlist will not affect who they are matched against in another playlist). On top of this, a linear measure of a player's experience with the matchmade portion of the game and each particular playlist (as of TU2) is also tracked (denoted as EXP). Rank insignia are unlocked and displayed by a player's Gamertag as they attain certain totals of EXP (and/or skill level). To help players have an enjoyable time online, several peace-of-mind features are implemented within easy reach, such as avoid/feedback options on a player's service record, as well as voice chat mute straight from the in-game scoreboard. Like Halo 2, Halo 3 supports downloadable content and updates.



Synopsis


Setting


Halo 3, like its predecessors, is set in the fictional Halo universe, taking place during the year 2553. According to the backstory, humans developed faster-than-light travel (using a Shaw-Fujikawa engine attached to a regular space shuttle) and colonized hundreds of planets before encountering the alien Covenant in 2525. The Covenant declares humanity an affront to their gods and began destroying human colonies by "glassing"—bombarding the planet with a barrage of plasma, turning its surface into glass. Despite efforts to keep the Covenant from finding Earth, a Covenant fleet discovers humanity's homeworld during Halo 2. By the beginning of Halo 3, the Covenant have arrived in full force on Earth, with most human resistance crushed.


The titular 'Halo' refers to massive ringworlds several hundred kilometers in diameter that are scattered across the galaxy. These rings were constructed thousands of years ago by an enigmatic race known as the Forerunners as a weapon of last resort against the parasitic alien species known as the Flood. When activated, the seven Halos would destroy all sentient life in the galaxy, thereby depriving the Flood of its food. The ringworlds were activated once in the distant past, and the Forerunners are believed to have perished. In Halo: Combat Evolved, a small human ship fleeing the Covenant stumbled upon one of these ringworlds, Installation 04. The humans manage to destroy the ring, stopping the Flood once again; the Covenant, unaware of the destructive nature of the rings, attempt to fire another ring during Halo 2 in order to fulfill their religious prophecy. One race in the Covenant, the Elites, learn the truth about the rings, and join forces with their onetime enemies, humanity, in order to stop the firing of the ring. Though they are successful, the unexpected shutdown of the installation triggers a failsafe protocol—all the rings are ready to fire from one single location, referred to as the Ark. Still oblivious to the true nature of the rings, the Covenant High Prophet of Truth and the remaining loyalist Covenant proceed to head to Earth, where they believe the Ark is buried.


Characters


Halo 3's protagonist is the Master Chief, a surgically enhanced supersoldier who is one of the last surviving members of the SPARTAN Project, and one of humanity's greatest warriors. The Chief fights alongside the Arbiter, an Elite and disgraced commander whose race breaks free from the Covenant. Two new Elite characters, N’tho ‘Sraom and Usze ‘Taham, appear as the third and fourth players in co-op play. Supporting characters that were introduced in previous games return; these includes Sergeant Major Avery Johnson, a veteran human commander, as well as Commander Miranda Keyes, who prevents the firing of Installation 05 in Halo 2. The Forerunner Monitor 343 Guilty Spark, who tries and fails to stop the Master Chief from destroying its ringworld in Halo: Combat Evolved, also makes an appearance. Filling an alternating antagonistic/helpful role to the player is the large Flood entity known as "Gravemind"; encountered during Halo 2, the leader of the Flood escapes from confinement on Halo by invading the Covenant mobile city of High Charity and capturing Cortana, a human-created A.I., in the process.


Plot


Taking place shortly after the events of the comic mini-series, Halo: Uprising, Halo 3 begins with the Master Chief entering Earth's atmosphere and crashing to the ground in eastern Africa, where he is found by Sgt. Major Johnson and the Arbiter. The Chief, Johnson, and company fight their way out of the jungle and arrive at a UNSC outpost. Here, Commander Keyes and Lord Hood plan a last-ditch effort to stop the Covenant leader, the High Prophet of Truth, from activating a Forerunner artifact uncovered outside the ruins of the city of New Mombasa. The Chief is ordered to clear a way into the city of Voi and to destroy all anti-air Covenant defenses so Hood can lead the last of Earth's ships against the Prophet. Using the opening caused by the ground attack, Hood mounts an offensive against Truth's ship, but the Prophet activates the buried artifact which creates an enormous slipspace portal. As the human ships recover from the shock wave, Truth and his followers enter the portal, while a ship controlled by the Flood crash-lands nearby. Elite forces, allied with humanity, arrive and vitrify Flood-infected areas of Earth, neutralizing the parasitic threat. Following the cryptic message from the human artificial intelligence Cortana left aboard the Flood cruiser, the Chief, Arbiter, Elites, Johnson, Keyes and a handful of Marines follow Truth through the portal. Joining them is the Forerunner construct 343 Guilty Spark, who aids the Chief as he no longer has any function to fulfill after the destruction of his Halo installation in Halo: Combat Evolved.


Traveling through the portal, the humans and Elites discover an immense artificial structure —the Ark— which is far beyond the edges of the Milky Way galaxy. Here Truth can activate all the Halos. The Chief and company activate the installation's map room to find Truth at the Ark's control room. During their journey, the Flood arrive en masse on the former Covenant Holy City High Charity, and begin infesting the installation. While attempting to gain access to The Ark' Control Room, Johnson is captured by Truth; the prophet needs a human to utilize the Forerunner technology. Attempting to rescue Johnson, Keyes is killed by the prophet, and Johnson is forced to activate the rings. The Flood leader Gravemind forges a temporary truce with the Chief and Arbiter in an effort to stop Truth. The Arbiter, Master Chief, and Flood forces arrive and overwhelm Truth's guards, rescuing Johnson and halting the installations' firing. After the Arbiter kills Truth, Gravemind turns on the Chief and Arbiter, who escape the Flood's grasp.


The Chief, Arbiter and Guilty Spark discover that the Ark is creating a new ringworld to replace the one previously destroyed. The Chief decides to activate only this new ring to eliminate the local Flood while sparing the galaxy at large. Before he can activate the ring, however, he needs an Activation Index. Knowing that Cortana acquired a copy of one on the first Halo, he rescues the AI from High Charity and creates a chain reaction to destroy the infested city and severely damage the Gravemind.


Arriving on the new Halo, Cortana warns that the Gravemind is trying to rebuild itself on the ring. The Chief, the Arbiter, and Johnson make their way to the control room, where they will activate Halo's weapon. Guilty Spark explains that because the ring is not yet complete, a premature activation will destroy it and the Ark. When Johnson ignores his warning, Guilty Spark kills him to protect "his" ring. The Chief destroys Guilty Spark, activates the ring, and escapes the ring's blast on a frigate, Forward Unto Dawn.


Only the front half of Forward Unto Dawn, carrying the Arbiter, makes it through the portal. Believing the Chief and Cortana to have perished, a memorial service is held for the fallen heroes of the human and Covenant war. After the memorial service, the Arbiter departs for his home planet, where the Elites are finally free of the Prophets' hegemony. Meanwhile, the rear half of Forward Unto Dawn floats in unknown space. Cortana drops a beacon, but realizes it may be years before they are rescued. The Chief enters cryonic sleep, telling Cortana to "wake me, when you need me." If the game is completed at the highest difficulty level, the scene continues to show the piece of Forward Unto Dawn drifting towards a mysterious planet.



Halo 3 armor



MARK VI Armor



The MARK VI Armor is the default armor assigned in Halo 3. This is the same armor that you play with in the Campaign mode of the game. It is the upgraded version of the MARK V Armor from the Original, “Halo: Combat Evolved”.



CQB Armor



The C.Q.B Armor Permutation in Halo 3 is unlocked by default. This armor variation features a knife on the “Body” section of the armor (not the blade on the back of the armor, which is unlocked after reaching 1000/1000 GS).



EVA Armor



To unlock the EVA Armor in Halo 3, you will need to complete a few different tasks.


You can knock this whole set out in one run by simply finishing the game in Normal, Heroic, or Legendary difficulty mode.



EOD Armor



The EOD Armor set in Halo 3 is a bit more difficult to get than armor such as the EVA set. Rather than beating campaign missions on Normal, or Heroic, you will need to beat them on the Legendary difficulty.



Hayabusa Armor



Perhaps the most popular Halo 3 Armor variation on Xbox Live, the Hayabusa Armor is one of the trickier armors to unlock. To get the full set, you will need to unlock every Skull in the game.


  • To get the Hayabusa Body, unlock 5 Skulls.


  • To get the Hayabusa Shoulders, unlock 9 Skulls.

  • To get the Hayabusa Helmet, unlock all of the skulls.

  • To unlock the Hayabusa Sword Add-on (attaches to back of Body Armor), you’ll need to unlock all of the achievements in Halo 3 (1000/1000 GS).

For help unlocking all of the Golden and Silver Skulls in the game, go check out my tips and glitches page.



Flaming Hayabusa Helmet



As if keeping the Recon Armor for themselves wasn’t enough, Bungie went ahead and added one of the coolest things we’ve ever seen, and then restricted it to Bungie Team members only. The Flaming Helmet is identical to a regular helmet, only it’s… well… flaming. The drawback of the flaming helmet is that it’s a dead giveaway when you’re invisible, and probably draw attention to you in lots of other situations as well.



Security Armor



You unlock the Security Armor in Halo 3 by getting Gamerscore in the game (ie: Unlock achievements). To get the Shoulder Armor, you will need to rack up a whopping 700-850 GS (it seems to vary for some reason). This helmet might be one of the last pieces of Armor you unlock in the game, as it requires all of the achievements in Halo 3 in order to unlock it. That’s right. You need 1000/1000 GS on Halo 3 to unlock the Security Helmet.



Scout Armor



Unlocking the Scout Armor in Halo 3 requires unlocking the following achievements:


  • To unlock the Scout “Body” Armor, unlock the “Too Close to the Sun” achievement.


  • To unlock the Scout “Shoulders” Armor, unlock the “Mongoose Mowdown” achievement.

  • To unlock the Scout “Helmet” Armor, unlock the “Used Car Salesman” achievement.


ODST Helmet



The ODST (Orbital Drop Shock Troopers) Helmet is a standalone piece of unlockable armor. It does not have shoulders or a body piece, but you can mix and match with other sets. To get this Helmet, you’ll need to become a “Spartan Graduate”. Simply reach the rank of Private in Xbox Live matchmaking to unlock the ODST Helmet.



MARK V Helmet



Remember the classic “MARK V” armor from the original “Halo: Combat Evolved”? Well, you can bring back the MARK V Helmet by unlocking the “UNSC Spartan” achievement. Reach a rank in matchmaking of Sergeant Online, and the helmet is yours!



Rogue Helmet



You’ll need to play online in matchmaking quite a bit to unlock the “Rogue Helmet” in Halo 3. In order to unlock this armor piece, you need to get the “Spartan Officer” achievement (reach the spartan Officer ranks online).



Recon Armor



Looks like Bungie wanted something to let them stand out among fellow gamers in Halo 3. There is a set of Armor (Recon), and a Helmet (Flaming Hayabusa) which can only be worn by Bungie Team members and select community members.
Perhaps later on, Bungie will make this content accessible to all, or maybe even give the armor away in contests/competitions.
We’ll have to wait and find out for the time being.



Combat Armor



The “Combat Armor” is the default Armor set for elites, and the most recognizable (as it is the standard issue Elite Armor from the Halo Trilogy). This armor set is unlocked and ready for use by default, and can be accessed by switching your player’s model to “Elite”.



Assault Armor



The “Assault Armor” is another default armor set for the Elite player model, and does not have to be unlocked. You may recognize this armor set from the “Heretics” who wore it in Halo 2.



Flight Armor



The “Flight Armor” is from the Jetpack Elites from Halo 2, and is now an unlockable armor set in Halo 3. In order to unlock it, you will need to complete a few different tasks in Campaign mode of Halo 3:


  • For the “Flight” Body, you will need to beat “Tsavo Highway” on either Heroic, or Legendary Difficulty Setting.


  • For the “Flight” Shoulders, you will need to beat “The Ark” on either Heroic, or Legendary Difficulty Setting.

  • For the “Flight” Helmet, you will need to beat Halo 3 on either Heroic or Legendary difficulty settings.


Ascentic Armor



You’ll need to grab a few achievements in Halo 3 before acquiring the full Ascetic Armor set for the Elite Player model:


  • For the “Ascetic” Body, you need to unlock the “Up Close and Personal” achievement.


  • For the “Ascetic” Shoulders, you need to unlock the “Overkill” achievement.

  • For the “Ascetic” Helmet, you need to unlock the “Steppin’ Razor” achievement.


Commando Armor



There have been reports of bugs with the Elite “Commando” Armor being unlocked from some players. For some reason, pieces of the armor set are not being unlocked, and we do expect a fix from Bugnie sooner or later. To unlock the armor permutation, here is what has to be done:


  • To unlock the “Commando” Body, you need to complete the “Triple Kill” achievement.


  • To unlock the “Commando” Shoulders, you need to complete the “Killing Frenzy” achievement.

  • To unlock the “Commando” Helmet, you need to complete the “Overkill” achievement.


Halo 3 Achievements


Bungie Other Bungie Games Tips and Glitches Halo Wars Halo Halo 2
Icon Name Description Gamer Points
Landfall Finish the first level of Campaign on Normal, Heroic, or Legendary difficulty. 20
Holdout Finish the second mission of Campaign on Normal, Heroic, or Legendary difficulty. 20
The Road Finish the third mission of Campaign on Normal, Heroic, or Legendary difficulty. 20
Assault Finish the fourth mission of Campaign on Normal, Heroic, or Legendary difficulty. 30
Cleansing Finish the fifth mission of Campaign on Normal, Heroic, or Legendary difficulty. 30
Refuge Finish the sixth mission of Campaign on Normal, Heroic, or Legendary difficulty. 30
Last Stand Finish the seventh mission of Campaign on Normal, Heroic, or Legendary difficulty. 40
The Key Finish the eighth mission of Campaign on Normal, Heroic, or Legendary difficulty. 40
Return Finish the final mission of Campaign on Normal, Heroic, or Legendary difficulty. 50
Campaign Complete: Normal Finish Campaign on Normal difficulty. 125
Campaign Complete: Heroic Finish Campaign on Heroic difficulty (unlocks achievement for Normal, if not earned). 125
Campaign Complete: Legendary Finish the Campaign on Legendary difficulty (unlocks achievement for Normal and Heroic, if not earned). 125
Skulls
Iron Find this skull. 10
Black Eye Find this skull. 10
Tough Luck Find this skull. 10
Catch Find this skull. 10
Fog Find this skull. 10
Famine Find this skull. 10
Thunderstorm Find this skull. 10
Tilt Find this skull. 10
Mythic Find this skull. 10
Miscellaneous
Marathon Man Locate and access all 7 Terminals in Campaign. 40
Meta-Game
Guerilla Score over 15,000 points in Campaign on the level Sierra 117. 10
Demon Score over 15,000 points in Campaign on the level Crow's Nest. 10
Cavalier Score over 15,000 points in Campaign on the level Tsavo Highway. 10
Askar Score over 15,000 points in Campaign on the level The Storm. 10
Exterminator Score over 15,000 points in Campaign on the level Floodgate. 10
Ranger Score over 50,000 points in Campaign on the level The Ark. 10
Vanguard Score over 50,000 points in Campaign on the level The Covenant. 10
Orpheus Score over 15,000 points in Campaign on the level Cortana. 10
Reclaimer Score over 15,000 points in Campaign on the level Halo. 10
Multiplayer Rank Achievements
Graduate Earn 5 EXP or finish 10 games to complete the requirements for Basic Training (Online). 10
UNSC Spartan Earn your Sergeant rating to be recognized as a true Spartan (Online-20 exp). 15
Spartan Officer Advance to the Spartan Officer ranks (Online-70 exp). 25
Achievements - Multiplayer Only
Two for One Score a Double Kill with a single spartan laser shot in a ranked free for all playlist. (Online) 5
Triple Kill Kill 3 enemies within 4 seconds of one another in a ranked free for all playlist (Online). 5
Overkill Kill 4 enemies within 4 seconds of one another in a ranked free for all playlist (Online). 5
Lee R Wilson Memorial Score 5 grenade sticks in any ranked free for all playlist (Online). 5
Killing Frenzy Kill 10 enemies without dying in any ranked free for all playlist (Online). 5
Steppin' Razor Score a Triple Kill with the sword in a ranked free for all playlist (Online). 5
Mongoose Mowdown Splatter an enemy with the mongoose in a ranked free for all playlist (Online). 5
Up Close and Personal Kill 5 enemies by melee or assassination in a ranked free for all playlist (Online). 5
MVP Earn the MVP by scoring the most points in any ranked playlist (Online). 5
Maybe Next Time Buddy Board the same vehicle within 10 seconds after being boarded in any free for all playlist (Online). 5
Achievements - Multiplayer or Campaign
Too Close to the Sun Destroy an enemy Banshee with the Spartan Laser or Missile Pod in a ranked playlist or in campaign. 5
We're in for some Chop Destroy an enemy vehicle with an equipment in a ranked playlist or in campaign. 5
Fear the Pink Mist Kill 5 enemies with the Needler in a ranked free for all playlist or in campaign without dying. 5
Headshot Honcho Kill 10 enemies with headshots in a ranked free for all playlist or in campaign. 5
Used Car Salesman Destroy a vehicle that has three or more enemies in it in a ranked playlist or in campaign. 5