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Halo 3: X3F review
It's not often that we here at X3F get a chance to review a high profile title like Halo 3 before it hits store shelves, and it's an opportunity I'm not taking lightly. I've spent the last 48 hours (give or take a few hours for the requisite food and sleep) embedded deep within Halo 3, doing my best to categorize the experience as I went along. In this endeavor I have more or less failed. That's not to say I didn't enjoy what I played, because I absolutely did. It's just that with as many features as there are in Halo 3, there's so much stuff to test that 48 hours really isn't enough time to glean enough information and condense it into a review. Still, review it we must. Read on for a (hopefully) defining glimpse into Microsoft's great green hope. %Gallery-7722%
2 hour pre-Halo 3 launch Bungie podcast
The last Bungie podcast before the release of Halo 3 is now online. As an extra special treat for fans, the podcast clocks in at nearly two hours long. Most of the podcast is spent discussing the new upgrades to Bungie.net. If you haven't heard of the kinds of stat tracking that will be available, you should definitely check it out. Also, as an even more extra specialer treat, Halo music guru Marty O'Donnell stops by to chat with the guys. In fact, the number of guests skyrockets this week, with guests like Contact Harvest author Joe Staten and Bungie.net expert Chris Gossett. Go download and try to contain your excitement until next Tuesday.
New Forza 2 DLC available soon
Forza fans finally have something to be excited about. After tooling around for months with the same ol' boring cars, Microsoft has announced new downloadable content for Forza Motorsport 2. Technically, there are two bits of DLC, including one free car and an additional pack of ten cars for 400 MS Points. The free car is the 2007 SEAT Leon Cupra. The pay content includes cars from all over the spectrum, including American muscle, European sports, and Japanese tuners. While no specific date is given, the content should be on Xbox Live Marketplace sometime this weekend. See the full list of new cars after the break.
Halo 3 leaked online by the thousands
Before the cries of "OLD" start filling the comment threads, yes, we knew that Halo 3 was leaked several days ago. We chose not to propagate the story, but it seems to be reaching critical mass now, so there's no point in ignoring it. And before you ask, no, we're not telling you how to get it. The game data, which clocks in at about 6 gigabytes, is being shared and downloaded on a number of file sharing sites. According to gamesindustry.biz, the file has already been downloaded in the thousands. Of course, the file is only playable on modded Xboxen, which means that online multiplayer will likely incur a hefty swing of the Microsoft Banhammer. Considering that multiplayer and online co-op are more or less the heart and soul of Halo 3, downloading an illegal copy seems a little on the lonely side, thrilling though it may be to put one over on The Man. At any rate, the leak is sure to be an upsetting, if not unexpected, blow to MS and Bungie.
Lost Odyssey journeys through 4 DVDs
Speaking to IGN in behind-closed-doors meeting at TGS, Hironobu Sakaguchi, head of Mistwalker, intimated that the upcoming RPG Lost Odyssey will span 4 DVDs. Considering Mistwalker's previous title, Blue DragonMass Effect managed to hit retail on 3 DVDs, this isn't exactly surprising. Still, in the dark circles of the internet, the announcement is still likely to spark up the Blu-Ray / DVD debate yet again. Note to 360 defenders: the galaxy-trekking Mass Effect fits quite nicely on one DVD. In less flame-worthy news, Sakaguchi also announced that Lost Odyssey will ship with multiple language options including English and Japanese, though facial animations will be synced to the English dialogue. Sakaguchi explains that many western movies are shown in Japan and that English lip sync is more or less a sign of gratitude to the support of Mistwalker's western audience. [Via Evil Avatar]
Viva Pinata Party Animals demo inbound? [update]
[Update: The Viva Piñata Party Animals is now available, for more details, click here.] According to Piñata Island, the source for all things Viva Piñata, a demo for Viva Piñata Party Animals should be on the Marketplace today. Actually, according to them, the demo should be available right now. Considering that it isn't available right now, we're guessing one of two things: A) Piñata Island got some bum info or B) something has gone awry. Seeing as Piñata Island has some close friends in the Viva Piñata circle, we're betting on column B. Here's hoping we'll see it sooner rather than later. If you're unfamiliar with the title, check out our impressions of the E3 demo (which is likely the same demo being prepared for XBLM). [Thanks, xenocidic]
Rejected: Halo 3 lotto tickets and Cortana lingerie
Much has been said about the positively massive advertising campaign for Halo 3. Commercials, books, toys, product tie-ins, race cars: Halo 3 is everywhere. It seems anyone and everyone is eager to get a little Halo cross-promotion going, Hell, even banks are starting to catch the fever. Sure, we know that Microsoft is keen to help the series transcend the gamer ghetto and jump out into the mainstream, but what's more interesting is the number of products that Microsoft hasn't allowed. According to Reuters, Microsoft has actually been very careful to make sure that Halo merchandise is relevant so that the company doesn't "piss off" millions of fans.To that end, Microsoft has rejected more than a few merchandising ideas. Among them are (no kidding) Halo 3 lottery tickets, toy guns (as opposed to replicas), and (no, seriously) lingerie themed after the game's sassy holographic AI, Cortana. Good call, Microsoft. Good call.[Via Joystiq]
BioWare: Mass Effect trilogy stays on 360
In an interview with CVG, BioWare president Greg Zeschuk intimated that the company plans to release all three iterations of its upcoming trilogy, Mass Effect, on Xbox 360. When asked if that means console exclusivity, Zeschuk states that it's too early to make such claims. Zeschuk further notes that BioWare is hoping that the latest console cycle will last longer than the previous cycle. He also mentions the kinds of downloadable content that might be released for Mass Effect, which could conceivably bridge the gap between sequels. Also, the company would like to produce a Mass Effect demo, but time is concern. In other words, don't cross your fingers. Zeschuk also discusses the DVD / Blu-Ray question (hint: Mass Effect fits on one DVD), KOTOR III, and the question of homosexuality in Mass Effect. Hit the "read" link for the full interview.
Halo 3 street date broken, players will NOT be banned [update 2]
[Update 2: Pro-G now reports that Microsoft has backpedaled on it's threat to ban Xbox Live users for playing Halo 3 before its September 25th street date. It seems the bans reported earlier only apply to Microsoft employees. So, if you are not a Microsoft employee, enjoy your new pre-release copy of Halo 3. Thanks to ejb for the update.]Reports are flying, literally flying into the X3F Report Catcher® that UK retailer Argos has broken the September 25th street date for Halo 3. The news originates from Eurogamer, where users of its forum noticed a message on the retailer's website claiming that they could pick up their reserved copies of the game today. First of all, if you live in the UK, you're probably out of luck now as the retailer has caught on to the mistake. Second, if you did manage to snag a copy, you still might not want to play it, as Pro-G is reporting that players are having their Live accounts banned by Microsoft. Why Microsoft would punish consumers for a retailer's mistake is beyond us, but we'll wait for an official response before casting judgment. In the meantime, keep that DVD out of your Xbox! Alternately, make sure you tell us if your console has been banned.
PGR4 features eco-friendly race mode
Our partners in crime at AutoblogGreen -- just like Autoblog, only with more miles per gallon and fewer emissions -- have discovered that Project Gotham Racing 4 is set to feature a very interesting racing challenge. Part of the game's invitational series of races, the challenge is called "Electric Vs Petrol Showdown" and allows players to "take the wheel of a two-seater, silent, electric sportscar (the Tesla Roadster) and face-off against a gas-guzzling, noisy, mean machine (the Ferrari Testarossa)." For those that don't know, the Tesla Roadster is reportedly a damned impressive piece of kit, boasting the ability to go from 0 to 60 miles per hour in about 4 seconds. The environmentally friendly super car can also travel 200 miles on a single battery charge. The best part, thanks to PGR4, is that you won't have to spend $98,000 (base price, mind you) to try one out.[Via AutoblogGreen]
Halo 3 diorama videos now on XBLM
The remaining Halo 3 "Believe" videos are now available on Xbox Live Marketplace. Previously, the "Museum" ad was released on XBLM, and now it is joined by "Believe" and the "Monument" video, which is a look at the fictional creation of the massive diorama featured in the commercials. Granted, all the Halo fans out there have probably already watched these videos a thousand times on the internet, but now they can do it in HD on their television. If, by chance, you haven't watched them, you should probably give them a look, as they are intriguing at the very least. Still, if you're not at home to watch them on your Xbox, you might as well watch them again on the internet, right?
Rumor: Halo 3 ending leaked (no spoilers here)
Joystiq (along with a few tipsters) is reporting that the ending to Halo 3 has been leaked onto the internet. The source, apparently, is the same person who attempted to sell a pre-release copy on eBay. Now, we're not out to soil (or spoil) our Halo 3 experience, and we're certainly not going to ruin it for anyone else, so we haven't checked it out ourselves. If you really want to see it, you'll have to take Joystiq's advice and Google "Halo 3 ending." The rest of us will stay here in spoiler free country.
New Mass Effect media abounds
With November 20th over two months away, Mass Effect fans are probably keen to fill their senses with any information they can soak up. Lucky for them, the internets have obliged with some fresh new media. GameTrailers is hosting several new gameplay videos and developer interviews. Our favorite gameplay video of the bunch is embedded above. It highlights the game's dialogue and combat systems. More videos, which include exploration, combat, and (female) character creation are embedded after the break.
Video: why Halo 3 will make the world better
We all know that the launch of Halo 3 will be a big event, perhaps one of the biggest in entertainment history, but did you know that Halo 3 will actually solve most of the world's problems? Melting ice caps? Gone. Socio-political tension? Eradicated. Disease? Forget about it. Yes, it's hard to believe, but Bungie's upcoming blockbuster will make the world a better place to live. If you don't believe us, watch the informative documentary we've embedded above. Finely crafted by the folks at Sarcastic Gamer, the video takes a hard-hitting look at the tremendous impact that Halo 3 will have on human society. Go ahead and take it in, you might learn something*. *Before you satisfy your urge to fill a comment with exclamation points and capital letters, please read the following. It's a joke. Let that settle in. Take a deep breath. There you go. Now you can comment.
Bungie on what's next, rocket baseball
Shacknews recently caught up with Bungie's Frank O'Connor at a media review event. Of course, the big story is that Shacknews played Halo 3 to their heart's content, but they're not allowed to talk about that (and no one is until September 23rd apparently). So, you're stuck with just an interview and you're going to like it! The interview focuses on the development of Halo 3 and what the next step is for Bungie. One of the more interesting moments in the interview is O'Connor's response to a question about Forge, Halo 3's map editing utility. When asked about how long it would take for people to create something that Bungie had never thought of, O'Connor responded that it had already happened 23 hours prior. It seems that a group of players had created a game of baseball using rocket launchers and gravity hammers (and people say baseball is boring). O'Connor also mentions that downloadable content should be a more streamlined proposition for Halo 3 thanks to Xbox Live Marketplace. Peter Jackson's Halo related project is briefly mentioned, but only long enough to note that it is "still on pace." Oh, and apparently some of the Bungie designers were recently driving one of the real life Warthogs in New Zealand, at one point crashing into a wall. We're keeping our fingers crossed that somebody got that on video.Hit the "read" link for the full interview.[Via Joystiq]
Watch the second Halo 3 "Believe" ad [update 2]
[Update 2: Looks like the video made it onto GameVideos. We've embedded it above (until it gets taken down, too).]The second of the Halo 3 "Believe" ads has made its way onto the web, and it extends the story told in yesterday's ad "Museum" (now available on Marketplace, by the way). Again featuring the diorama of a gigantic battle, the ad more or less presents a freeze frame at what appears to be the defining moment in the fight. Whether or not this battle is indicative of a similar battle in the actual game, we don't know. If it is though, Halo 3 is looking to up its presentation by an epic measure. We only hope that the game can live up to the kind of drama that's alluded to in these ads. The ad appears to have been leaked early (note the bump at the beginning with the ad agency's name), so we're expecting a high resolution version soon. For now, watch the ad and share your thoughts.[Via Joystiq]
Analyzing the massive Halo 3 marketing machine
It's hard to believe, but the official marketing for Halo 3 began nearly a year ago. It all started with the "Starry Night" commercial that aired in December of 2006. As the first piece of official, mass-marketed material concerning Halo 3, starry night was just the beginning of a very long and carefully orchestrated campaign (of course, if you look back to the trailer from E3 2006, it began even earlier). Brandweek takes a look at the Halo 3 marketing push, which is finally reaching its apex, beginning this week with a unique TV ad campaign -- the first part, "Museum," debuted earlier today. What's so interesting, according to Brandweek, is that most games are beginning their marketing campaign a few weeks prior to launch, whereas Halo 3's push is finally nearing the close. Brandweek's breakdown looks at the Halo 3 beta, Iris, the tangled web of marketing partners, and finally the launch festivities set to begin very soon. It seems like a helluva lot of work for a game millions will buy anyway, but Microsoft contends that such a push is necessary to maintain the appearance of "a big budget, mass media event." It's probably safe to say that such an image has been healthily maintained. All that's left is for Microsoft to deliver a product that lives up to the massive marketing put behind it. Only thirteen days until we find out.[Via Joystiq]
Halo 3 launch festivities announced [update]
[Update: A few people were asking for a larger version of the image above. Slaves of our readers that we are, we have complied. Click the image above for a giganto-version. Don't say we never did anything for ya.]Microsoft has officially unveiled the cavalcade of festivities it has planned for the launch week of Halo 3. Officially dubbed "Unite to Fight," the launch week of Halo 3 is set to feature a ton of special activities and promotions including 3 days of free Xbox Live Gold for everyone, a chance to win a custom Pontiac G6 GXP Street Edition, Play & Win contests, special Marketplace goodies, and gaming sessions with Bungie and celebrities. Halo 3 will even be getting its own car in NASCAR. On top of all this, special midnight sales events will be happening all over the U.S., with events planned in Los Angeles, Seattle, New York, and Miami (Florida, not Oklahoma). The special events will play host to Halo 3 Game with Fame sessions and chances to win free swag. The events take place at the following locations: New York City – Best Buy, 529 5th Ave, New York, NY, 10017 Seattle – Best Buy, 457 120th Ave NE, Bellevue, WA 98005 Los Angeles – Gamestop, 1000 Universal Studios Blvd, Universal City, CA 91608 Miami – Circuit City, 8575 Northwest 13th Terrace, Miami, FL 33126 Head over to the official Unite to Fight website for details on all the launch week events, and start marking your calendars. It's close, fanboys, very close.
Bungie.net takes on Covenant weapons
After detailing the bulk of the human weaponry in Halo 3 last month, Bungie has now released detailed breakdowns of nearly all the Covenant weaponry as well. So, if you've ever wondered exactly how long a Carbine is, or what the muzzle velocity of a Plasma Rifle is, you're in luck. The weapon profiles also contain the same "from the field" quotes featured in other profiles. There are so many from which to choose, we picked two. First, concerning the Plasma Rifle and a common frustration: "I realize that it uses a battery instead of a magazine, but nobody has figured out how to swap it or recharge it yet? Don't we have scientists working for us or something?" The second is about the always n00b-friendly Plasma Pistol: "It's a damned ray gun-how come we don't have ray guns?" How come indeed.Hit the "read" link for a Q&A with Bungie story bible guru Robt McLees and links to all the weapon profiles.
Unofficial Halo 3 Epsilon player banned til year 10000? [update]
[Update: It looks like Scar was banned merely for having the epsilon. Apparently the epsilon was leaked to many more people than intended, resulting in many bannings, including Scar. You can read what is allegedly Scar's response on Xboxic here.]Remember all the lovely Halo 3 epsilon leakage that began a few weeks ago? Many people were quick to point out that the epsilon players leaking the footage would soon find themselves banned from Xbox Live. It looks like that was definitely the case, as a person with the gamertag "Scar" can definitely attest. As you can see in the image at right, Scar has been banned for a considerable amount of time, until December 31st, 9999 to be specific. We hate to seem redundant, but that is one hell of a ban. This guy won't be playing Xbox Live until the year 10,000. Honestly, if the Xbox 360 is still around by then, we will be mightily impressed (and also probably dead).Our condolences Scar. Hopefully you'll feel better when Halo 3 comes out and you can play some 4-player co-op on Xbox Li... ooh, sorry.
