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I know I made a journal post earlier about Halo 3, but I want to focus on this game now.

Earlier today, I played Halo 3 multiplayer with my friend. I have huge frustration that not only I lose many time, but I have this cramped isolated feeling with the surrounding and that the first-person view is very difficult to deal with or even see anything. The game still play well, but I keep saying that Halo 1's multiplayer and single player game are much better at higher caliber than Halo 2 and 3.

Why?

Now that I found out by playing Halo 1's multiplayer, I am finally convinced why Halo 2 and 3 couldn't match up to legacy of Halo 1. They lack IDENTITIES.

What do I mean by that? Gameplay, plot, and graphic/design, of course. Still confused? Let me explain then:

Gameplay
Halo 1 is al about fun run-and-shoot gunplay that also have smart balance between offense and defense methods. Running and shooting can be fun, but so do dodging many of enemy's incoming fire and it make you feel both smart and strong.

Also, Grenades are freaking fun and explosive to use! So do the extremely popular Pistol with scope and powerful Assult Rifle and Shotgun with fast reloadng and sniper rifle with night vision. Halo 2 stupidly dumbed them down to make them more "balanced". Unfortunately, that made Halo 2 and 3 feel more like tactial shooter than fun and explosive shooter we all came to love.

Also, Brutes should never replace Elites and Arbiter should never replace Master Chief.


Plot
The plot in Halo 1 is serious, intense, smart, and actually very very fun. The characters are wickedly enjoyable to listen during gameplay and cut-scenes. The lines are top notch and realistic. It is when being Master Chief felt the most throughout, that it is very important to plot and characters and that he's a tool of war, not a savior.

Halo 2?
They made Master Chief as if he's a savior and the plot is very dumbed down to make it simpler for many people who aren't used to Halo universe and it is very alienating to those who follow the plot closely. Also, the game series do not really explain anything about why Covenent are splitting up, why there are more Halos, why there are Floods, and more. Halo 2 and 3 are very cliched in the plot and stray too far from how Halo 1's plot is more superior. Disappointing.

Also, Halo 2 are marketed about saving and defending Earth, not about another Halo and Convenent Civil War.


Graphic/Design
I can't argue that Halo 2 and 3 are beautiful, yes. But they're so detailed that it easy to get lost in the architecture. I believe that the art direction is more superior, not graphic because art direction is more simplier to look at and enjoy, not heavy use of graphic. Metroid Prime series and Halo 1 succeeded that that.


I can't deny that Halo 2 and 3 ca be fun to play, yes. But Halo 1, to me, will forever remain my absolute favorite in the series that will be remembered for years. Multiplayer and Single Player are blast to play and is not like Tactical Shooter which is not what Halo is about.


Sorry, Halo series. You're now extremely overrated.


Peace, Avek