GenieKnows Games Narrowing the field

The Covenant controls Earth. The Flood is unleashed and on the loose. With the fate of the galaxy hanging in the balance, Master Chief is the only one who can save the human race. The entire epic story arc has led up to this moment. Master Chief, the last of his kind, is a warrior born for combat and bred for war — and is humanity’s only hope.

The Blockbuster Saga Concludes: After stowing away on a Forerunner spacecraft, Master Chief, a genetically altered, cybernetically enhanced Spartan supersoldier, must race back to Earth to stop the Covenant once and for all and save mankind. With his artificial intelligence companion Cortana in the grip of the Flood’s intelligent embodiment, Gravemind, Master Chief and his allies are vastly outnumbered, but the stakes are too high to do anything but face them head-on.

A Desperate Enemy, A Desperate War: In “Halo 3,” the third installment of the legendary epic, the war has come to a climax; the Flood continues to grow in numbers and strength, the armies of Earth are scattered and decimated, and the Covenant threatens to activate the Halo, effectively destroying all life in the galaxy. Master Chief’s mission is to stop the Covenant, destroy the impending Flood threat and, ultimately, save mankind.

The Gameplay:

• Next-generation experiences. With the power of Xbox 360, “Halo 3” raises the bar on the next-generation gameplay experience with nonstop action, an incredible story, massive battles and visually stunning worlds.
• Stunning single-player action. Epic and compelling storytelling is on a scale never before seen in interactive entertainment, with new weapons, characters and challenges. Gamers can experience Master Chief’s greatest battle as he transcends greatness and becomes a legend.
• Enhanced Xbox LIVE multiplayer capability. Working in concert with Xbox LIVE on Xbox 360, “Halo 3” builds upon the unique social multiplayer experience of “Halo 2” and promises to enhance the innovative and evolving online gameplay of “Halo 2” on Xbox LIVE*.

The Technology:

• Evolution of a blockbuster. Taking full advantage of the power of Xbox 360, “Halo 3” will expand on everything that has made the “Halo” franchise great and will add a wealth of technical advancements.
• Next-generation, high-definition visuals. Presented in stunning high-definition, the well-known “Halo” universe will appear as it’s never been seen before. State-of-the-art high dynamic range (HDR) lighting makes every scene look and feel like the real thing, from terrifying gloom to dazzling sunshine, adding more detail to every weapon, more texture to every character and more realism to every battle.
• Enhanced AI. Countless foes, each with their own distinct personality, strategy and fighting style, make for better encounters and more replay value, which will culminate in larger-scale combat than previously witnessed on the “Halo” battlefield.
• Split-screen support. Staying true to the original games, “Halo 3” will support four-player split-screen and system-link gameplay, letting gamers battle it out online, via Xbox LIVE or with a group of friends in their own living rooms*.
• In-depth statistic tracking and standings. Made famous as a key component of the renowned “Halo 2” multiplayer experience, Bungie.net will continue to offer innovations in ways that gamers track their progress as they view their rankings and stats in real time.
• Fully positional Dolby Digital 5.1 surround sound. Duck as a rocket sizzles overhead. Take action as the footsteps of a Covenant adversary echo in the distance. Every sound in “Halo 3” is fully positional, bringing the world of “Halo” to an even more vivid level of realism.
• Saved films. Record and save a memorable match and watch it over and over again from any angle or player viewpoint. A simple press of a button saves the entire game to a file sharing area where players can watch favorite films and recommend them to friends.
• File sharing. Create and customize a variety of content that can be shared with anyone around the world who is connected to Xbox LIVE. Edit custom game types, saved films and screenshots and upload them, or check out films, game types, screenshots and more that are recommended by Bungie Studios.

Legendary Edition:

Individually numbered and available while supplies last, the Legendary Edition includes a copy of “Halo 3” in a collectible Spartan Mjolnir Mark VI helmet case. In addition to the game, the exclusive set includes the following content:

• Storyboard collection. Exclusive selection of storyboard art from the cinematics of “Halo 3.”
• Legendary Edition disc. Found only in the “Halo 3” Legendary Edition, this DVD will play in an Xbox 360 or any DVD player and features a wealth of rich, unique and exclusive content:
• “Halo” Cinematics Reloaded. Completely remastered, high-resolution versions of the “Halo” and “Halo 2” cinematics with Dolby Digital 5.1 audio and complete with a director’s commentary track featuring Marty O’Donnell, Joseph Staten and Jason Jones.
• Bestiarum. An expanded digital guide to the creatures, cultures and worlds of “Halo 3,” with art and assets exclusive to this interactive edition.
• The Cortana Chronicles. Jen Taylor, the voice of Cortana, takes a worldwide tour to meet Halo Nation, where she meets “Halo” fanatics from near and far, obscure and famous.
• Plus all-new, exclusive Machinima episodes from “Red vs. Blue” and “This Spartan Life” and a “mockumentary” voiced by Sgt. Johnson himself, David Scully.
• On the interactive Xbox 360 bonus disc (included in the Legendary and Limited editions):
• High-definition “Halo.” Bungie’s graphics and audio engineers have created a simple-to-use, “Halo”-themed calibration tool to make the most of the home theater experience.
• Art attack. Exclusive “Halo 3” gamer pics and Xbox 360 Dashboard theme, a vast gallery of concept and production art (complete with musical accompaniment), and a fully playable version of a classic “Halo”-themed minigame.

Featurettes. A series of short films covering a range of subjects, from making a network play better with multiplayer action to the challenges of building the biggest “Halo” ever.
The Legendary Edition will be available in limited quantities for a limited time at select retailers.

Limited Edition: Available while supplies last, the Limited Edition includes a copy of “Halo 3” in a sleek metal collector’s case. In addition to the game, the exclusive set includes the following content:

• Bestiarum. A bound hardcover collection of information and art about the species, cultures and civilizations of “Halo 3.”

On the interactive Xbox 360 bonus disc (included in the Legendary and Limited editions):

• High-definition “Halo.” Bungie’s graphics and audio engineers have created a simple-to-use, “Halo”-themed calibration tool to make the most of the home theater experience.
• Art attack. Exclusive “Halo 3” gamer pics and Xbox 360 Dashboard theme, a vast gallery of concept and production art (complete with musical accompaniment), and a fully playable version of a classic “Halo”-themed minigame.
• Featurettes. A series of short films covering a range of subjects, from making a network play better with multiplayer action to the challenges of building the biggest “Halo” ever.

The Limited Edition will be available for a limited time at select retailers.