The Covenant rules the Earth ~ the Flood has been unleashed ~ and the fate of life everywhere hangs in the balance. Master Chief, a genetically engineered super soldier, is the last chance for humanity's survival. Stowed away on a Forerunner ship, he rushes back to Earth to defeat the Covenant once and for all. Hopelessly outnumbered, his outlook is bleak. But when you are bred for battle, you fight past the breaking point and bow to no one. It's all been building to this ~ a desperate, final war that leads to a soul-shattering climax of epic proportions. Help this incredible hero stop the Covenant, destroy the Flood and save the lives of every person on the planet.The third chapter in the critically acclaimed franchise features insane battles with an arsenal of alien and human weaponry. Discover all-new armaments and characters as you fight to the finish. You can even play online with Xbox Live and battle in pulse-pounding multiplayer action. Next-generation graphics and technological advances, such as enhanced artificial intelligence and a beefed-up real-time lighting engine, make Halo 3 shine with stunning realism.
This reviewer is a member of the Best Buy Tech Insider Network Program. This invitation-only program provides BestBuy.com reviewers with manufacturer-supplied products for the purpose of writing honest, unbiased and usage-based reviews. Outside of receiving products to test and review, Best Buy Tech Insider Network Reviewers are not compensated in any other way.
Halo 3 is a fitting ending to the Halo series. After a decent Halo 2, the third installment was a sight for sore eyes. It keeps up the tradition of excellent gameplay with a few new additions such as new vehicles, new guns, and more open environments. All of these round out the campaign very nicely. The game is of moderate length at about 10-15 hours long. Good luck following the story though, because you won't. Not even kidding. Seriously, I will give you 10 dollars if you are able to follow the story fully. The graphics are nice, though not quite up to par with those of CoD 4 or The Orange Box. The online competitive and cooperative multiplayer modes really make this game a must own. Competitive multiplayer is fast paced and very exhilarating. The cooperative mode supports up to 4 players to play through the game, which is fun. Forge mode is also new which allows players to edit multiplayer maps by placing different items and scenery throughout them. This gives the game longevity. The maps are somewhat decent, though still solid. If you are an FPS fan with a 360, I recommend Halo 3, though after CoD 4.
What's great about it: Tight gameplay, good graphics, superb multiplayer
What's not so great: Confusing story, Decent maps for multiplayer
Learn more about NCAA Football 08. (Flash demo) SynopsisSuccessful college football teams need strong leaders. Break the huddle for a new season of NCAA Football and see if you have what it takes to lead your team to victory. Guide your squad through a tough regular-season schedule, win big, and eventually take your place in the BCS National Championship Game. Does your team have the mental toughness needed to be the best in the nation?In NCAA Football 08, you must take control and make the plays needed for victory. Boost your Skill Performance and improve your overall ratings by performing user-controlled plays that elevate your team's motivational levels. A new recruiting system delves deeper into the process for extra realism. Become a living legend with the all-new Campus Legend mode, and go from a star in the high-school state playoffs to a highly touted college freshman trying to earn a starting spot. Online gameplay with real-time Weather Channel updates from the actual locations of your favorite campuses make the game more realistic than ever before.
This reviewer is a member of the Best Buy Tech Insider Network Program. This invitation-only program provides BestBuy.com reviewers with manufacturer-supplied products for the purpose of writing honest, unbiased and usage-based reviews. Outside of receiving products to test and review, Best Buy Tech Insider Network Reviewers are not compensated in any other way.
NCAA 08 is a good college football game. The graphics are quite good from the character models to the stadiums, though there are some pop up issues for the stadiums which hamper the lighting somewhat. The gameplay is solid and has very tight controls. The playbook is packed and the new waves to navigate it are welcome additions. Campus Legend mode is also a new addition, and some of the cool parts of it are playing through high school playoffs and tracking stories on espn.com. I wish you were to play both sides of the ball though, and not solely your player. All of the expected game modes (exhibition, dynasty, season) are present, which round out the package nicely. This game can be recommended to any football fans, and people even some non-fans.
What's great about it: Great graphics, college atmosphere, campus legend mode
What's not so great: Some graphical blemishes, online is spotty
Learn more about Bioshock - Xbox 360. (Flash demo) SynopsisImagine flying high above the arctic seas, anxiously awaiting your descent to dry land. Without warning, the plane plummets to the cold and unforgiving water at unimaginable speed. Once the aircraft makes contact, you realize that falling from the skies is only the beginning of this nightmare. Wrenched into Rapture, a doomed city beneath the sea, you come across a rusted bathysphere. You learn that this once idealistic society, the brainchild of a hopeful group of scientists, artists and industrialists, now has corpses littering the city limits.Going beyond run-and-gun corridors BioShock presents a unique and unpredictable first-person shooter experience in real time. In order to survive an onslaught of assailants, you must take control of your world by hacking mechanical devices, capturing security towers and crafting items to protect yourself. Upgrade your weapons and genetically modify your body to evade the grotesque ghouls who are after you. Make meaningful choices and mature decisions to ultimately answer the question: Should you exploit the innocent survivors of Rapture or save them?
This reviewer is a member of the Best Buy Tech Insider Network Program. This invitation-only program provides BestBuy.com reviewers with manufacturer-supplied products for the purpose of writing honest, unbiased and usage-based reviews. Outside of receiving products to test and review, Best Buy Tech Insider Network Reviewers are not compensated in any other way.
Bioshock is easily one of the best titles for any platform of 2007. The game starts you out on a plane which then crashes in the middle of the ocean. the only land nearby is a very small island with nothing but a lighthouse on top of it. You enter the lighthouse and are immediately taken to the underwater city of Rapture. This city was supposed to be a scientific leap by introducing "plasmids" which allowed its citizens to have abilities such as telekinesis, pyrokinesis, etc., but greed for the plasmids grew, corrupting the city and mutating the population. You job is to find out what the deal is and how to get out. The game's atmosphere is great as it creates a moody and eerie environment after every turn. The enemies all yell maniacal things which add to this. The great graphics and artistic design also contribute to this. From the shine of the metal pipes to the reflection of the water on the ground, all of this come together to suck you into the world of Rapture. The weapons you will gain throughout the game and fully customizable, as are your plasmid powers. Both are very fun to use. The story is also good, as the mysteries of Rapture unravel. I do have some minor complaints though. The game has no multi player aspects which is disappointing, and due to this, it also makes the game seem short, at around 10 hours long. I still recommend the game though so go buy it.
What's great about it: Great atmosphere, graphics, and story development; customizable weapons
What's not so great: No multi-player, somewhat short
Learn more about Assassin's Creed. (Flash demo) SynopsisYour name is Altair, and you are a deadly assassin living in the year 1191 AD. The Third Crusade is tearing the Holy Land apart, and you must take it upon yourself to become an agent of change and put a stop to the war. Your mastery of the skills, tactics and weapons of the world's most secret clan of warriors makes you the ideal person to defeat both sides of the conflict. Plan your attacks, strike without mercy and do whatever it takes to achieve your objectives.Assassin's Creed thrusts you into a living, breathing world in which your decisions and actions all have consequences. Relive the epic spectacle of the Crusades as you explore the Holy Land in the 12th century, complete with lifelike graphics loaded with subtle details and nuances. The intense action features fluid and precise animations as you do battle using a variety of medieval weapons. With an incredible blend of technology, emotion, violence and chaos, Assassin's Creed gives you the chance to shape events during a pivotal moment in human history.
This reviewer is a member of the Best Buy Tech Insider Network Program. This invitation-only program provides BestBuy.com reviewers with manufacturer-supplied products for the purpose of writing honest, unbiased and usage-based reviews. Outside of receiving products to test and review, Best Buy Tech Insider Network Reviewers are not compensated in any other way.
Assassin's Creed is a great action game from Ubisoft. You play an Assassin who's job it is to take out several villains throughout the cities of Acre, Jerusalem, and Damascus. Killing them involves pickpocketing someone for information, interrogating someone, and then going in for the kill. All of this is very fun, though repetitive. The environments are a lot of fun to roam around in and the controls make jumping from rooftop to rooftop a breeze. The combat is fun, with multiple weapons, techniques, and involvable crowds and environments. I recommend this game to any fan of action games, though heed the slight repetition.
What's great about it: Open Environments, In-depth combat system, good graphics