I'll start off with my scores, and then I'll break it down a bit-
Gameplay: 6/10
Graphics: 5/10
Story: 4/10
Level Design/Level Progression: 1/10
Sound: 10/10
Multiplayer: N/A
Gameplay:
Gameplay was alright; pretty much the same as it always goes for shooters. There were quite a few intense moments in the game that did keep me at the edge of my seat; and they got my girlfriend wondering "Whoa and why dont I play video games???", and that to me is a good thing. However, for the most part, the game is boring, and doesnt hold my interest too well. I'm afraid that most of the time I was running through Halo 3, it was for the achievements and not for the game itself. My gamerscore is important to me. But on the plus side, I do like that there could be a TON of mobs on the screen at once (even if they are all practically the same enemies rehashed over and over again), and you can take em all on. Having *managable* impossible odds in a game is a good thing. Although it is VERY annoying when you get lost regarding your allegiance. One minute, the covenant is helping you. The next the flood is helping you. WHAT THE !@#$%. Its very annoying. As for the ending; I only beat it on Normal; so the ending didnt make much sense. (SPOILER.) One moment Chief and Cortana are on a ship with the Arbiter, the next chief is dead and arbiter is standing at his memorial. Big gap between the two events, and it never really shows chief die (legend ending, I know.). So w/e lol that was just annoying.
Pros: Intense action sequences, Made girlfriend intrigued
Cons: Boring at times, generic, confusing story elements that affect gameplayGraphics:
The world graphics are beautiful in this game... for the first few acts... Then the game just becomes a normal ol Halo game with mediocre-for-its-time graphics. I do love the cutscenes; the lighting effects are brilliantly used throughout all of the cutscenes. However, the biggest issue is with the models. Theyre dirty. Models OTHER THAN Master Chief, Cortana, and the Arbiter SUCK ASS. lol
Pros: Beautiful map design for a little bit...
Cons: The game becomes more dated looking the farther you get... NPC meshes suck ass...
Story:
I greatly dislike the storyline. There are so many failed story elements that dont launch or finish properly. Theres subreferences to religious elements in the game; The Ark (of the covenant), The Covenant, The Flood, John (I could go on about references one of my old ZFGC friends found with 3:16, etc) just didnt really go anywhere. It was rather stupid, lol. On one hand its just your standard story; earth is at war, enemies have weapons of mass destruction, bush sends troops to fight, troops end up on a giant ring that they eventually destroy then the terrorist covenant arbiter joins us and doesnt really serve much of a purpose other than to look pretty after halo 2. <_< running sentence on purpose BTW. I dont know, Halo 2's ending left me hanging. When chief was all like "those bastages are taking the fight to Urf, rawr, I will kill them blah blah" I thought, "Hey sweet, city fights in Halo 3." ... but I didnt see any of that either. Halo 3 just left a horribly disappointing and rather unfulfilled conclusion to the series. I dunno, judging story can be a bit tough, because others could think its the most fantastic thing in the world; but to each their own, I guess :p
Pros: Eh it was okay.
Cons: Too many failed story elements. Conclusion was sucky at best.Level Design / Level Progression:
I thought it was !@#$%. They should have just named the game "Backtrack 3", because thats what you do throughout most of the game. I'm sorry, but when the next part of a level involves going back through the same exact level you were just through while it explodes in almost every act, theres a problem. I want a cutscene that has chief do that for me. The level design is pretty standard to begin with, and once you start seeing the flood you see that the level design starts sucking... shame that the flood marks when you'll be backtracking for most of the game >_<. Another issue; the FIRST TIME they use deep water in Halo (and the ONLY time they use it), they !@#$% it up. First level; you're at this big waterfall area. You hop in the water... and guess what? ITS HARDER THAN !@#$% TO GET OUT. Literally it took about 10 minutes just to hop on the ledge you need to be on to get out, and you have to mash down your jump button or you wont be able to get out. Thats horrible game design, and the water physics are lame. lol
Pros: ...
Cons: Backtracking through craptastically designed levels sucks.Sound:
Not a single complaint here. Brilliant.
Pros: Everything
Cons: ... 
Multiplayer:
I havent played it online yet outside of the beta
The beta was fun though, lol...
So yeah, thats my review I guess. I dunno, the game was just okay.
