New post-beta Halo 3 details, screenshots galore

by Ross Miller { Jul 2nd 2007 at 2:15PM }

A recent visit to Bungie has left IGN with some new details and an ample number of screenshots from a post-beta Halo 3. In addition to new images and impressions of maps Epitaph, Shrine and ~~Zanzibar 2~~ Last Resort and new vehicle the Brute Chopper, Bungie also gave some new information on the Armor Permutations, which are implied as being unlockable in single-player campaigns for use in customizing your multiplayer character.

The previously-announced replay videos aren't "videos," per se, but stored data of every action in a match, which therefore creates a smaller file that can be replayed in high-quality (and hopefully allow for a free-roaming camera). Replays can be cut down to specific moments, exchanged with friends, and watched as a group. You can also capture your own screenshots and trade those as well.

Replays, screenshots and even custom game preferences can be transferred between players via a file share option that comes up by clicking on a player's gamertag. As IGN put it, "easy." Judging by the images, Halo 3's graphics are looking better than the beta. The game is due out September 25.

[Via X3F]

Tags: bungie, halo, halo 3, Halo3, microsoft

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

The True Gamer @ Jul 2nd 2007 2:33PM

Haxorz: iBrick is more like it.

el tonot @ Jul 2nd 2007 2:37PM

Graphics look *slightly* better than Halo 2!!! Nex-gen my ass. 360= rushed garbage w/ faulty hardware.

deaftly @ Jul 2nd 2007 2:37PM

for the price id rather have an iphone then a ps3 honestly

vidGuy @ Jul 2nd 2007 2:44PM

"Graphics look *slightly* better than Halo 2!!! "

http://media.xbox360.ign.com/media/734/734817/img_4670053.html
http://media.xbox.ign.com/media/482/482228/img_2452987.html

Some things look more impressive than others - but you can't deny the visual jump seen here.

Jonathan Tran @ Jul 2nd 2007 2:48PM

I wonder if Metroid will detract from Halo at all, now that they have almost the same launch time.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TyXUVd2c83c

vidGuy @ Jul 2nd 2007 2:53PM

Jonathan, MP3:C and Halo3 are a month apart (end of August versus end of September) and appeal to largely different fanbases with different consoles. I don't expect either to hurt the other.

I think, if anything, Halo 3 sales are going to eat up GTA4 sales - not in the long run but throughout the fall and early winter.

Jonathan Tran @ Jul 2nd 2007 2:54PM

@7 True but, did you watch that youtube video?

What if MP3 proves that the Wii is the best console for FPS controls?

therpham @ Jul 2nd 2007 2:59PM

Compare the new Last Resort screen (above) with the one that's a little farther back in IGN's archive.

It's definitely starting to shape up.

People like to ignore the vast amount of work that goes into making something like this truly shine.

CarNage @ Jul 2nd 2007 3:01PM

THE GRAPHICS BLOW LMAO!

thank goodness i traded my 360 for a ps3. now its time for KILLZONE 2 to wipe halo 3 off the face of the fucking earth.

vidGuy @ Jul 2nd 2007 3:07PM

"What if MP3 proves that the Wii is the best console for FPS controls?"

I think RE4 controls are fantastic for FPS, but it requires stopping to shoot. I don't expect MP3's controls to suddenly render dual-analog unplayable, even if they are incredible. All that would mean is that Wii is capable of new types of FPS and the Wii will get more of them. Nobody's going to think about not playing Halo 3 on account of MP3.

And if it's some kind of reference to your Short Cuts entry, fine. I have not viewed it because you've been spamming the link for two weeks now.

And honestly, if anyone still thinks Halo 3 is getting a visual bump from Halo 2, look at the pics of Zanzibar from my post above. I think people are forgetting what Halo 2 really looked like.

Matt @ Jul 2nd 2007 3:12PM

I'm confused why this replay functionality is confusing so many people.

Have you played a PC FPS since 1997? If so, then you've played a game that has demo support. Demos, like replays, are recordings of in-game actions, as opposed to video, that allows exact reproduction of a match without needing the massive disk space video would.

Ska Oreo @ Jul 2nd 2007 3:15PM

@ any sony fanboy. Are you serious? those images defiantly are next gen and look gorgeous. And also Halo 3 will wipe the floor with Killzone 2. No question about it.

quazi @ Jul 2nd 2007 3:16PM

@CarNage lol

on topic though h3 online will always look like that because the more time the cpu spends making the game look nicer the less time it spends on net stuff.
like old quake players would lower graphics till its barebones to get better reaction time and fps.look at r6 online it looks bad compared to single player.online games will always look worse compared to their single player counterparts.

anti-sheppy @ Jul 2nd 2007 3:20PM

el tonot, what kind of TV are you gaming on? If its a SDTV, then your post is null and void.

Grindstone @ Jul 2nd 2007 3:21PM

IGN posted some good information for the Halo community to chew on for the next week.

CarNage, I am assuming that your comment is facetious at best since the first installemt of Killzone was supposed to kill the Halo hegemony, yet proved to be nothing special. For your sake, I hope you were kidding lest you spend the rest of your gamer days lamenting having sold the 360. Besides, Sixaxis sucks for FPS games.

Ska Oreo @ Jul 2nd 2007 3:23PM

@16
actually the sixaxis sucks for most games. Seriously it's almost impossible to play Motorstorm with the Sixaxis.

Vidikron @ Jul 2nd 2007 3:28PM

@18

WTF? Ummm... no. The sixaxis works just fine for pretty much any genre. It's not perfect though... I would make it a touch bigger, put the left analog stick in the primary position, and tighten the sticks up a bit... but even without those changes it works just fine. The only problem I have when going from playing a game on the 360 to playing the PS3 is adjusting to the sticks being a bit more loose.

manic @ Jul 2nd 2007 3:36PM

@17
You haven't seen a single footage of Killzone 2. How can you say it would suck?

For all we know Killzone 2 might be crap, but on the other hand, it may be a brilliant shooter.

Please take those fanboy tinted glasses off and wait until 10th June until making any judgments.

Apparently Halo is the greatest shooter ever created and nothing compares!

TonyBlair @ Jul 2nd 2007 3:47PM

"Apparently Halo is the greatest shooter ever created and nothing compares!"

Are you disputing that Halo is the best console FPS series out there so far?

manic @ Jul 2nd 2007 3:53PM

Well I could name a couple of FPS came thats are better than Halo. I haven't played Halo 2, but Halo 1's single player campaign was rubbish. Didn't like. I did like the multiplayer though. It's good.

however, there are several FPS games I could name which I think are better than Halo.

- Rainbow Six Vegas
- The Darkness
- Chronicles Of Riddick: Return To Butcher Bay
- Resistance
- Call Of Duty
- GRAW.

Of course, this is all based on my opinion.

Mike @ Jul 2nd 2007 4:00PM

I've noticed that, therpham. It's obvious the polycount has doubled at LEAST. In the Zanzibar-Last Resort comparisons the generator is much smoother compared to the old angular generator. All the textures are way higher resolution. The vegetation is much more natural. The game has HDR, which, contrary to most statements by ignorant people, is not just bloom all over ala Fable. Halo 3 actually has real HDR.

Anyone who says this game looks like Halo 2 in graphical level is lying or blind. If they are referring to style, well, duh. Comparing it to other current gen games is more fair, but this still looks better than GRAW and equal to or better than Gears.

I won't say these are the best graphics ever made, because I'd need to see more of Halo 3's ability to render human faces to form a complete opinion, but it looks better than anything I have played.

anonymous @ Jul 2nd 2007 4:03PM

I'm so conflicted. I looks like a good game, but I refuse to play FPS games with a fucking console controller.

r @ Jul 2nd 2007 4:09PM

@9

hahaha....have fun with Portstation 3 (worse ports, 0 AAA exclusives, more expensive)...

deaftly @ Jul 2nd 2007 4:25PM

ill be playing this on day 1 most definitely

Intentless @ Jul 2nd 2007 4:36PM

23... it takes a little while to get used to but I prefer consoles because chances are slim that they are going to have a controller advantage. In PC mods are harder to detect and people can use multitudes of inputs for controllers some of which give advantages. Track balls for instance...