Halo 3 MP Vidoc Impressions

Wow. After watching today's ViDoc about Halo 3 Multiplayer, that's all we can muster to say. Despite only being Alpha footage, it looks to be very promising, and they showed us some never-before-seen weapons, arenas, and features. The most recognizable of which, is the bubble shield from the "Starry Night" ad back in December. Also shown is a trip mine, in this case, as a last ditch attempt at revenge for becoming roadkill via an oncoming Warthog. More analysis ensues after the break. But for now, we've got the video embedded for your viewing pleasure.

The feature that shown in the latter moments of the ViDoc was the replay videos, allowing you to pause, detach the camera, slow down, and scrutinize your gameplay. The could work as a means to analyze both your tactics as well your opponents, or just to gloat about the headshot or death from above you dealt upon your prey. Either way, it looks like it will change the way people learn from their mistakes, as they can examine the movements of those who get the better of them. It also opens the door for machinima to be taken to heights in terms of production values, should the feature be fully fleshed out.

So, what of the X button? Frankie hinted at it being featured in the video, and considering how it's been described as changing the way Halo is played, it could be either. On the one hand, the trip mines and bubble shields need a means to be deployed on the controller, and they're sure to add a new dynamic to gameplay, such as throwing down the bubble should someone get the jump on you. On the other hand, you've got a means to watch both what you did right, and what you did wrong in a match, and will help you improve your gameplay in the future, also drastically changing the playing field. So, X could be used for either, or perhaps both. During a match one could hit X to place their mines, while after a match could use it to download or record their game for further review. So, what do you think of these new aspects of Halo 3, and how the X button fits into it?

[Video via Xboxygen]