Halo 3 packaging in disk-scratch rumpus
Limited edition scare shakes gamosphere
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Microsoft's überhyped launch of the (keenly-anticipated, long-awaited, etc, etc) Halo 3 has suffered a bit of a wobble after fans quickly discovered the limited edition packing could scratch the game disks.
According to AP, within hours of the game's debut, the blogosphere was abuzz with the shock news that both the game and "essentials" disks of the edition - housed in a metal tin bearing the Halo 3 logo - had in some cases "come loose from plastic housing designed to keep them in place".
AP itself got its hands on a few examples of the offending tins, and confirmed the worst. It did, however, add that despite the damage the game disk "seemed to work fine".
Mercifully, any traumatised gamer affected by the outrage can claim a replacement disk until 31 December under MS's Xbox Disc Replacement Program.
Halo 3 comes in three flavours - the standard version at 60 bucks, the tin-bound limited edition at $70 and a "legendary" version, complete with a "replica of the helmet worn by game protagonist Master Chief", at $130. ®
COMMENTS
Halo's alright.... but nothing special
Yeah - I pre-ordered... and yeah - I was absolutely pissed off when I openned the package Wednesday morning to find that my metal case looked like somebody had jumped up and down on it.... then the disk inside was scratched to hell. The game works (so far) but the video sometimes jumps or pauses.
Anyway - Halo 3 is basically Halo 2... does nothing different... just wraps up the story line. I completed BioShock last week, Halo just seems too clean cut and basic in comparison. In BioShock you get plasmids which give you special abilities like freezing, electric bolts, hypnotise and enrage enemies etc... in Halo I can... OOoo - get another gun.... yey....
The plot-line of BioShock is amazing, with huge twists in the storyline and amazingly told.... the plotline in Halo.... not so good, but not as bad as some games.
Halo is overrated - but its a decent game. The big thing was the online play... and last night I was playing legendary difficulty with some mates online in co-op story mode and it is REALLY fun to play.... but soon enough we will have new versions of GoW/COD/MoH and loads of other games that also do online co-op story modes and not just deathmatch type ones.
Ummm
Halo didnt add much to the market at all. Its just a generi FPS that was released as the first Xbox game and hence, was in every house that had an xbox. As for its quality, its nowhere near where its competitors are. The first one can be considered a good game, but every iteration after that is purely regurgitated Bungie cr@p.
I've marathoned through Halo 3 and must say, I've got a weird leftover taste in my mouth (puns ahoy!). Frankly, the best FPS that I've played in a while is one that came pre-packaged with the 360. Yes, Im talking about Gears of War. It has the Halo series beat on pretty much every accord. However, it doesnt have vehicles which means during multiplayer, its lacking.
But we all know that one of the kings of multiplayer will be out with a game soon anyways; UnrealTournament 2007!
Halo is the equivalent of buying a Ferrari.
You can't afford your own jet and made the mistake of already buying a crap garage instead of an air strip.
Thus you get whatever you can to compensate for the pebble dashed driveway you had put in when you really wanted antique brick work with a good wholesome grass border trimmed to perfection.
And for those not too great with metaphore, Halo will sell well because the console genre is dated and always has been.
With a lack of compelling titles and the inability to upgrade components, it is for those who are too slow to accept/realise that a PC is the way forward for fps gaming and have never played Counter Strike/HL/HL2.

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