Halo 3

 Xbox 360
User Score
8.2

Generally favorable reviews- based on 5503 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 4,271 out of 5503
  2. Mixed: 542 out of 5503
  3. Negative: 690 out of 5503
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  1. fishdishfilms
    Feb 16, 2020
    10
    Best game of all time. Best game of all time. Best game of all time. Best game of all time. Best game of all time. Best game of all time. Best game of all time. Best game of all time. Best game of all time. Best game of all time. Best game of all time. Best game of all time. Best game of all time. Best game of all time. Best game of all time. Best game of all time. Best game of all time.Best game of all time. Best game of all time. Best game of all time. Best game of all time. Best game of all time. Best game of all time. Best game of all time. Best game of all time. Best game of all time. Best game of all time. Best game of all time. Best game of all time. Best game of all time. Best game of all time. Best game of all time. Best game of all time. Best game of all time. Best game of all time. Best game of all time. Best game of all time. Best game of all time. Best game of all time. Best game of all time.… Expand
  2. ngamer007
    Feb 16, 2020
    10
    Let's take Halo 2, a magnificent masterpiece in its own right, make it high-def, clean up some gameplay loose ends, and give it a perfect polishing glaze? That is Halo 3, essentially perfection. This was the last true Halo game. Sure, Reach is fantastic, but Halo 3 was the last Halo game that didn't mimic Call of Duty nonsense. There are no loadouts, weapons are found on the map, noLet's take Halo 2, a magnificent masterpiece in its own right, make it high-def, clean up some gameplay loose ends, and give it a perfect polishing glaze? That is Halo 3, essentially perfection. This was the last true Halo game. Sure, Reach is fantastic, but Halo 3 was the last Halo game that didn't mimic Call of Duty nonsense. There are no loadouts, weapons are found on the map, no sprinting, no iron-sights, no perks, this is true genuine pure Halo. I haven't been able to enjoy any Halo multiplayer since 3 because they have tried to copy what was successful in other franchises. Stop. Let them to theirs.

    On the campaign side, I really like the story and gameplay of this game, but it does get edged out by the galactic romp and incredibly variety of Halo 2. It feels like after the development hell that was Halo 2, they all sat down in a room, looked at each other and said "okay, let's not bite off more than we can chew, let's define a more reasonable scope for Halo 3". And it shows. I'm not saying it's a bad thing, having a tighter scope allowed them to focus and polish better, and have a proper ending -- but I do miss the variety of 2.    … Expand
  3. TwigNigel69
    Jan 22, 2020
    5
    this game is one of the most boring games I have ever played it just feels like one one of the most generic shooter games its just trash and boring do not buy this game unless you want a game to waste your money on
  4. JesterTRT
    Jan 17, 2020
    9
    Probably the best of the best of the Halo games. (Or at least tied with Reach for being the best Halo game.) Halo 3 campaign was fun for the entirety, beginning to the end. The story was incredible, and a lot of fun. And all of the new weapons made the gameplay much more fun.
    I was never big on Multiplayer, but this game had amazing multiplayer. I had a lot of fun playing multiplayer.    Probably the best of the best of the Halo games. (Or at least tied with Reach for being the best Halo game.) Halo 3 campaign was fun for the entirety, beginning to the end. The story was incredible, and a lot of fun. And all of the new weapons made the gameplay much more fun.
    I was never big on Multiplayer, but this game had amazing multiplayer. I had a lot of fun playing multiplayer. There is just something with how the Halo games play, that make it a lot of fun and worth playing.    … Expand
  5. KaioSan
    Dec 21, 2019
    10
    Very cool and amazing, story involving unbelievable graphics and epic soundtrack.
  6. EwanOomySos
    Dec 7, 2019
    10
    This game is truly a masterpiece. Pretty much about this game was done right. The campaign is good, forge is excellent, and the multiplayer is truly the best out of every Halo game. The only thing that is even slightly bad is the messed up net code online. But apart from that, this game is the best shooter out there by far. This game has set a bar so high that I don’t think any other gameThis game is truly a masterpiece. Pretty much about this game was done right. The campaign is good, forge is excellent, and the multiplayer is truly the best out of every Halo game. The only thing that is even slightly bad is the messed up net code online. But apart from that, this game is the best shooter out there by far. This game has set a bar so high that I don’t think any other game will ever be able to even come close to it. I highly recommend this game to anyone who does not yet have it. I would recommend if you can that you get the Master Chief Collection for an even better experience. It is my favourite game of all time by far.… Expand
  7. DFC33
    Nov 30, 2019
    10
    Honestly a classic, a revolutionary game that changed the market, unfortunately it's forgotten nowadays.
  8. Pachuli1981
    Nov 24, 2019
    9
    Una excelente aventura del Jefe Maestro que te mantendrá en vilo hasta el final.
  9. Beereal20
    Nov 11, 2019
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Epic game best fps ever..Great story and multiplayer... Online is buttery smooth with 100 of hrs of play time… Expand
  10. cbn33
    Aug 19, 2019
    10
    Best game I’ve ever played the constant modes being added the incredible campaign amazing weapons and vehicles and to top it all off limitless possibilities with custom games and forge halo 3 really is the peak of multiplayer gaming that recent online games haven’t been able to top
  11. Halolover343
    Aug 15, 2019
    10
    Greatest way to end the greatest trilogy ever best game ever Halo 1-3 are must play for Xbox and PC owners
  12. Brub
    Aug 8, 2019
    9
    The gameplay was as good as first maybe even slightly better, music was good as the first but not as good as the second, and the story was 80% as good compared to the second but still amazing.
  13. eva3si0n
    Jul 9, 2019
    9
    Halo 3 end of the trilogy about the Master Chif (all of us know that all of us are not present). For 2007 a game looks not bad, considering that it was optimized under Xbox One X. Also great disappointment is the lack of CGI scenes as in 2 parts. A game was fine exactly until as The Flood did not appear again. The mission of "Cortana" so in general disappoints. But in the whole Halo 3 veryHalo 3 end of the trilogy about the Master Chif (all of us know that all of us are not present). For 2007 a game looks not bad, considering that it was optimized under Xbox One X. Also great disappointment is the lack of CGI scenes as in 2 parts. A game was fine exactly until as The Flood did not appear again. The mission of "Cortana" so in general disappoints. But in the whole Halo 3 very pleasant action looks fantastically. Even as that surprises, the fact that developers manage to show the same gameplay 3 times and it does not look outdated.… Expand
  14. FreedomFighters
    Jun 13, 2019
    10
    Hmm...I wonder what my 14-year old, shooter-hating self would say if he saw that I reviewed a "Halo" game on Metacritic and rated it a 10 out of 10. He'd probably be a bit baffled to say the least. Yes, I am coming right out and saying my score, only because it contributes to my own experiences: I've spoken at length about how it took me a while to come around on first-person shooters, andHmm...I wonder what my 14-year old, shooter-hating self would say if he saw that I reviewed a "Halo" game on Metacritic and rated it a 10 out of 10. He'd probably be a bit baffled to say the least. Yes, I am coming right out and saying my score, only because it contributes to my own experiences: I've spoken at length about how it took me a while to come around on first-person shooters, and while I've respected the "Halo" series from afar (and definitely enjoyed the first two titles, of which I rated an 8 and a 9), I found that perhaps I wasn't one to fawn over the series like everyone else. Make no mistake, the first two games were revolutionary for their time, and they still hold up well to this day, but they just didn't quite have that unexplainable "something" that I've always said can earn a game a 10 out of 10 score. That is, until we got to this game, at least.
    "Halo 3" is the pinnacle of the "Halo" series: it has the fast-paced and fluid mechanics and controls that we've come to expect out of the series, but it also succeeds by easily having the most polished gameplay. As a largely single-player gamer that enjoys campaigns a bit more than multiplayer, I've always felt that the first two titles had some minor annoyances that held them back a bit (things like vehicle controls, bland and semi-repetitive level design), but with this game, those annoyances were basically not even there. The vehicles felt far better, the levels never felt bland or repetitive, and there was plenty of content and replayability in the campaign. There are also several new modes and features like the Forge level editor and replay saves that give the game some extra flavor, the visuals still hold up marvelously to this day, the voice acting is rock-solid and the music is really something to behold. "Halo" has always had incredible music, but "Halo 3" really gives you some of the best to come from this venerable series. Furthermore, the story also does a nice job closing out the trilogy while giving some room to wonder what will come next from the series.
    I honestly just can't really complain about anything, "Halo 3" is an absolutely exceptional shooter that never stales out, and beyond being the pinnacle of its series (and perhaps the pinnacle of the Xbox 360 in general), it may even come close to being the pinnacle of the first-person shooter genre. For how expansive, polished, and exciting it is, "Halo 3" delivers on all fronts, and is an experience that absolutely deserves all of the praise it's received. If you haven't gotten to play this yet...well, I don't know what you're waiting for, go do it!
    Final rating: 10 out of 10 "Fantastic"    … Expand
  15. LuckyDrum
    Jun 10, 2019
    9
    Tal vez el mejor juego de la saga hasta ahora. Tiene un modo campaña excepcional que te mantiene atrapado. También un multijugador muy bueno que asegura rejugabilidad
  16. SkyrimGod
    May 29, 2019
    10
    I first played Halo 3 in 2007 and it blew me away. Does it hold up 1019?
    Oh yes it does! Halo 3 is the best FPS game ive ever had the pleasure of playing. I mean what can be said , just wow!
  17. hhatam117
    May 23, 2019
    10
    Absolutely the best game of the franchise. The best story. The best multi. The best gameplay. There is not any word to describe how fantastic this game is just great job Bungie ;)
  18. MaxPaul20
    Mar 2, 2019
    10
    This was the First Halo game I played and it got me into the Franchise and became my favourite game of all time and that of which I purposely bought the master chief collection on Xbox 1 just to have it on my Xbox along with 1&2 and unfortunately Halo 4. But Halo 3 would be a game that I would recommend to anyone looking for a great shooter.
  19. thekhanman
    Feb 19, 2019
    10
    Probably one of the most hyped launches in the history of video games, and possibly any form of media. For me, it lived up to the hype. Halo as a series will forever be tied to the friendships and connections we made through it, and Halo 3 was capped the series off at a time when online gaming exploded. Halo 3 is a masterpiece and was a perfect cap to one of the greatest video game seriesProbably one of the most hyped launches in the history of video games, and possibly any form of media. For me, it lived up to the hype. Halo as a series will forever be tied to the friendships and connections we made through it, and Halo 3 was capped the series off at a time when online gaming exploded. Halo 3 is a masterpiece and was a perfect cap to one of the greatest video game series of all time. Unrelated: The "Believe" Ad Campaign was a work of art.… Expand
  20. Wazabby
    Jan 23, 2019
    10
    Simply my best moments in all my gamer life are comming from this incredible shooter.
  21. Phythos
    Jan 19, 2019
    10
    Everything good about the Halo franchise is in this game. This is one of the few games that, despite having a great multiplayer, what really kept drawing me back in was the story. Awesome combat, beautiful visuals (especially in cutscenes), a functional and very fun map editor, and a great multiplayer experience made this Halo's flagship game.
  22. Drakohahaha
    Dec 31, 2018
    10
    Halo 3 is a very memorable game to date, as it is a true successor to it's roots as Halo Combat Evolved brought something to the table, and Halo 2 used everything halo ce had, but added other stuff to make it a great sequel. Halo 3 does all that, and improves and excels in many things. The campaign some people may not like it, but I really love it and you might to if you take your time asHalo 3 is a very memorable game to date, as it is a true successor to it's roots as Halo Combat Evolved brought something to the table, and Halo 2 used everything halo ce had, but added other stuff to make it a great sequel. Halo 3 does all that, and improves and excels in many things. The campaign some people may not like it, but I really love it and you might to if you take your time as you play the game and not rush it one day. Halo 3 has the best replayibility to offer in any game for me. Graphics are great for 2007, gameplay and combat is easily the best. Soundtrack is amazing and something you would hear a lot unlike other games where just synths and some drums would play and annoy you. One thing I don't really like about the campaign us that it's 10 missions, but for some reason the 1st mission is just litereeally a cutscene. It's the shortest game in the trilogy but length time could vary depending on difficulty skill and understanding of the levels of the game. Another thing I don't like is that sometimes you don't really know what you're really doing in the missions, and how they have anything to do with the story. but I'm not totally saying the story is bad, story is pretty good. I think one of the reasons is that it's a little too militaristic and confuses people. Well, campaign is great, as it is my favourite one. One of the things that halo 3 is known for is it's excellent multiplayer. Maps are cool. lotta cool gamemodes and more. Multiplayer is awesome as well. theater mode is just... you gotta check it out... I'm giving this game a 10, as it is my favourite video game ever.… Expand
  23. Onask
    Dec 24, 2018
    8
    Reseña basada en el modo campaña en dificultad leyenda en cooperativo.

    Sinceramente ni fu ni fa. Quizás la trama esta bien, pero los actores de doblaje (y me refiero a la versión original) son malos malos. No podían ponerle menos énfasis y emoción a ninguna frase. La propia voz de El Inquisidor podría ser una modificación de loquendo. Es el segundo juego de la saga que juego y de nuevo    Reseña basada en el modo campaña en dificultad leyenda en cooperativo.

    Sinceramente ni fu ni fa. Quizás la trama esta bien, pero los actores de doblaje (y me refiero a la versión original) son malos malos. No podían ponerle menos énfasis y emoción a ninguna frase. La propia voz de El Inquisidor podría ser una modificación de loquendo. Es el segundo juego de la saga que juego y de nuevo Cortana está perdida por algún motivo que no me he llegado a enterar en la trama.

    Las misiones están bien, a secas, gráficamente cumple, especialmente dentro de las instalaciones y complejos; pensemos que es un juego de 2007, año en el que se lanzó God of War II para PlayStation 2, por ejemplo.

    Estoy completamente seguro de que fue una revolución gracias a su modo multijugador online, y que asentó las bases junto a Gears of War del online de Xbox 360, pero como no lo he jugado no puedo opinar.

    Cabe destacar la misión final: Halo. Muy espectacular en todos los sentidos.

    Por último, la banda sonora. De las mejores composiciones que he oído en mi vida. Temas simplemente magníficos, brillantes, icónicos y legendarios.

    Al menos, este Halo 3 ha despertado curiosidad en mí de saber más acerca del universo, el lore y los personajes de una de las más icónicas IPs de Microsoft desde tiempos de la primera Xbox, cuando la primera entrega de la saga fue un hito en la historia de los videojuegos.

    Imprescindible si tienes una Xbox 360 o una Xbox One.    … Expand
  24. That-One-Guy
    Dec 10, 2018
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Halo 3 is a game that is far from perfect, and unlike a bottle of wine, it does not get better with time; However, it does not get stale either. After almost 11 years, Halo 3 is still the same thrilling experience that is was all those years ago. While the graphics may not have aged well, and may not have been great in the first place, the gameplay, story, multiplayer, and sandbox settings far outweigh the negative of this masterpiece.

    Story: While the story may not have been the enthralling tale of hope, heroism, and loss like the marketing portrayed it to be, it was not a bland story by any means. The basic story revolves around a green armored super soldier near the end of a 3 decade long war set in the 26th century, an alien who had been disgraced by a major failure, only to be betrayed by the ones who offered him redemption, and a grizzled veteran who knows what the ladies like. The game itself sees humanity desperately grasping for a foothold in a battle up a ninety degree wall, only for them to find an Ice pick and begin scaling the wall, until they finally crest the edge of the wall to gain a glimpse of the end of the war, only for it to be snatched away from them. Overall, the story gets an 8/10 for me, while not perfect, it is a great story with some incredible characters, and sadly the occasional "Dont forget about Cortana" moment.

    Multiplayer: The multiplayer of Halo 3 is by far the best aspect of it, with weapons that act as powerful tools of destruction in their respective environments, while not overpowering the alternatives. The addition of equipment was still a great choice for varying gameplay, while being less intrusive than armor abilities and spartan abilities. Overall the multiplayer gets a 10/10.

    Sandbox: Where do I begin? Lets start with the Human weapons, arguably the most boring in terms of design. The Assault Rifle is your standard automatic weapon, decent is close quarters, terrible against shields, but great on flesh. The Battle Rifle is your go to medium range weapon, the three round burst ensures quick and concise kills. The Sniper Rifle is exactly as it sounds, albeit bigger than expected. The Shotgun is a close quarters masterpiece, the only drawback being it's slow reload speed. The Rocket Launcher sees an downgrade, losing the ability to lock on to targets. The addition of detachable Machine gun turrets sees a powerful heavy weapon, that slows your Spartan or Elite considerably, resulting in a slow but powerful soldier, who is probably in need of some medical attention. Overall, without getting too far into the sandbox, it gets a 7/10. Due in part to the projectile management system, which priorities grenades and equipment over bullets.

    To anyone saying that Halo 3 was over-hyped back in the day, you're not wrong. But it was the right kind of hype, the kind of hype that didn't leave too large of a gap that the game felt empty, but left just large enough of a gap that you are left wondering, what could have been.    … Expand
  25. weirdmagican21
    Nov 20, 2018
    10
    one of the best games of all time and is still played today good graphics and tight controls.
  26. bobishere
    Nov 18, 2018
    10
    The greatest and most iconic game of all time. Nothing will ever come close to Halo 3.
  27. jelikey
    Oct 16, 2018
    8
    I loved this game and I miss the good old days back when everyone used to play it. I miss messing around in the campaign, spending hours in forge and custom games trying to come out with the next fun formula for messing around with friends. It was a good time that I have no regrets about and honestly wish I could go back to.
  28. PedroRC19
    Oct 3, 2018
    8
    Halo nunca foi uma franquia que me interessou muito mas esse game em especifico me chamou a atenção, um grande jogo do Xbox 360 e o melhor Halo da franquia que eu já joguei, compra certa
  29. FotusKnight
    Sep 14, 2018
    10
    Oh My. Good old Halo 3. The first game I have ever played on XBOX 360. The first console FPS I have ever touched. My first Halo game... I played this game back in 2011 when my parents bought me XBOX 360 on my birthday. I remember playing this game with my friends using the split-screen on my birthday. One of the best memories of my life. This is such a nostalgic experience for me.

    Not a    Oh My. Good old Halo 3. The first game I have ever played on XBOX 360. The first console FPS I have ever touched. My first Halo game... I played this game back in 2011 when my parents bought me XBOX 360 on my birthday. I remember playing this game with my friends using the split-screen on my birthday. One of the best memories of my life. This is such a nostalgic experience for me.

    Not a single game in my life gave me so many options in it's first initial presentation. The campaign, custom games, matchmaking, forge, theater. JESUS CHRIST. This game is LOADED with content.

    INTERFACE:

    When you first boot up Halo 3 you are greeted with it's iconic and stunning main menu. Through 8 years of playing Halo 3 I've come to appreciate how amazing it is. The dark blue vibe, the banshees flying over and that mysterious forerunner artifact in the middle of the African desert send chills down my spine every freaking time! I absolutely adore the simplistic interface and font of the main menu. Everything is simple, cinematic and memorable. There is nothing like it. It is Halo 3.

    GRAPHICS:

    Halo 3 is The In my opinion it is a testament to how good the graphics hold to this day. I honestly don't even need Halo 3 remake. Well... Maybe just the cutscenes :3

    ART:

    The art-style of Halo 3 gives a vibe of ancient, epic and mysterious like nothing else. Emphasis on EPIC this time around. The amazing world of Halo was never this big. The scale, the epicness of this game IS UNFATHOMABLE! You can feel like you're in the middle of a huge war!

    SOUND:

    I gotta mention the sound effects used in this game. I love the H3 weapon sounds the most. Out of all 13 games (2018) Halo 3 was the best for me. The guns aren't to obnoxious like in Halo 4-5 but not too stiff like in H1 or H2. It's just perfect here. It feels just right.

    MUSIC:

    Martin O'Donnell made one of the best if not the BEST soundtrack in any game ever! The unforgettable Halo theme is always present. But what I actually adore the most is a clever use of the old tracks in a new feel. Which doesn't feel like a pandering but rather a love letter to fans. It was such an amazing feeling to hear the classic soundtrack one last time before the inevitable end of Halo trilogy.

    CAMPAIGN:

    FINISH THE FIGHT! This was the slogan for Halo 3's campaign. So did the Bungie delivered on the promise? Did they actually made an acceptable title to end the beloved series? Or did they screw it up??? Well... Let's just say that they crafted THE BEST CAMPAIGN TO END ALL FPS CAMPAIGNS EVER!!! The unforgettable events that happened in this game can be just described as magnificence, the glorious battles, unbelievable places, twists and turns everywhere. I can safely say that this is a PERFECT way to end the series. The ending of Halo 3 will melt any Halo fan's heart. This is a love letter from Bungie to all the fans. Don't forget to trigger LEGENDARY ENDING! The Chief and Cortana are still alive. For me Chief is still out there, drifting in space. Dreaming. And one day we will need him. But not the way 343 did it. That's for sure.

    MULTIPLAYER:

    This time around Bungie added 5 NEW MODES! SWAT, Juggernaut, VIP, Territorries and Infection. AND THE INFAMOUS INFECTION OH MY GOD. I have never had so much fun in any game PERIOD. It is the best in the series in my humble opinion.    … Expand
  30. TatsMcGee
    Sep 9, 2018
    7
    What is the genre and subgenre of the game?

    It is a First-Person Shooter What did I think of the story? I wish the Halo Story did more for me but I just can't get into it. It's okay and there certainly is an attempt but I just don't care what's going on with the story. The sad truth is, Bungie doesn't do a great making me care about any of the characters. So what's going on    What is the genre and subgenre of the game?

    It is a First-Person Shooter

    What did I think of the story?

    I wish the Halo Story did more for me but I just can't get into it. It's okay and there certainly is an attempt but I just don't care what's going on with the story. The sad truth is, Bungie doesn't do a great making me care about any of the characters. So what's going on narratively doesn't have much weight.

    Favorite Character?

    Master Chief? I don't know, no one really.

    How are the Puzzles?

    Halo is not really known for Puzzles.

    What is the gameplay like and how does it feel?

    The shooting feels good, that is one that the one that Bungie does very well. The shooting is very well done.

    How are the missions/levels designed?

    This is my biggest complaint about the entire game. Often times you're often times backtracking through the same part. So the mission starts and you start at point A, go to point B and instead of going to point A. You go back through to point A. Then maybe you go to point C. Then to point D and then back to point C. Backtracking is lazy level design in my opinion rather than designing something new, you can keep the same assets.

    What is my favorite moment or sequence from the game?

    There was a plot twist involving the Guilty Spark that did surprise. For most of the game, the narrative wasn't doing much for me but that moment did draw me and make me ask the question, what is going on here?

    Was it fun?

    Yes, despite the okay level design and okay story the game is fun to play. That is in large part thanks to the combat and specifically the gunplay. It just feels good to shoot enemies regardless if its the covenant or the flood.

    How is the sound design and music?

    The one thing that I don't quite understand about this game is the music. I'll be in the middle of a fight and then all of a sudden the music will start playing. I don't quite understand what triggers the music. Now granted its very good when it's playing, I just don't quite understand why it starts.

    Recap: The Good

    Combat/Gunplay

    Recap: The Bad

    Level Design

    Recap: The Okay

    Story    … Expand
Page:

Awards & Rankings

4
#4 Best Xbox 360 Game of 2007
1
#1 Most Discussed Xbox 360 Game of 2007
2
#2 Most Shared Xbox 360 Game of 2007

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
94

Universal acclaim - based on 86 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 85 out of 86
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 86
  3. Negative: 0 out of 86
  1. GameSpot
    95
    It's the addition of the Forge level editor and the saved films that give the game an even longer set of legs, legs that will probably keep you running at full speed until Bungie figures out where, exactly, to go from here.
    Read full review
  2. TeamXbox
    97
    Halo 3 is the best Xbox 360 game to date. The single-player campaign and storyline are both very strong, but it's Forge and the Saved Films features that will likely go down in history as Bungie's crowning achievements. They've basically taken everything great about the series and improved upon it in every way, then added some amazing new features that we'll be using for years to come.
    Read full review
  3. GamePro
    100
    It's solid gameplay, immense replayability, online functionality and incredible production values will ensure its place in video game history, and it is, without a doubt, a satisfying and fulfilling close to the beloved trilogy[?].
    Read full review
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