Pros: new weapons, vehicles, and equipment
Cons: ending
The bottom line: If you've played the first two, get this one. If not, start with those.
If you're reading this review then you most likely have played the first two Halo games. If not, get with the program. Although the Halo series itself has been riddled with things to hate, like cliffhangers and lag, the games somehow always amount to being something that most people love. It is quite hard not to fall in love with the series.

I would sum up the first two games here but that would not do them justice. If you haven't played them yet, please take the time to play through them before playing the finale.

Let's get one thing straight here: This game is rated M for a reason. It is filled with blood and gore, along with the occasional bad language. Parents should make the decision if it is suitable for their child. It is soley a maturity issue here. In my opinion, most 15 years old would be fine playing this game, but the parents need to make that call.

The campaign, or 1 player, aspect of this game was definitely the main draw for me. I just had to see how the series ended. I have to admit that in the end, I was a bit disappointed. Oh, and by the way, make sure you watch the cinematic after the credits. Even though the ending was a let down for me, I thoroughly enjoyed fighting my way toward it.

I don't want to go into details about its storyline or anything like that in case that would ruin it for some players. All I will say is that it is a great game. One other thing, you'll play as the Master Chief the whole game this time around. The good ol Arby is by your side.

Well, in co-op, player 2 plays as Arby. Co-op runs smoothly either on one screen or over Xbox Live. That's right, you can finally play co-op over Live. Not only that, but you can play with 3 other friends. I've tried this 4 player feature on Live and encountered no problems.

On to multiplayer, my favorite part. Online matches play exquisitly, at least for the most part. There are some occasions where lag becomes a problem, but it is in no way as prominent as it was on Halo 2. Also, NO MORE MODDERS. These were people that modified their Xbox console to allow them to cheat in the most annoying ways. Thankfully, they are gone.

The level system is based on 50 levels for ranked matches. It is relatively easy to level up this time around, as of now I am a 45. Again, the ease with which you advance through the ranks is heavily due to the lack of cheating. Before, when you hit the mid 30 range, it was like a brick wall. Now it is much less frustrating.

You can also customize your online character, choosing between an elite and a spartan. After that, you can choose an emblem, service tag, and customize your character's colors. Assuming that you play the game some, you can unlock new armor for online play.

This game is filled with some of the best visuals on Xbox 360 as well as a great soundtrack. My only real qualms with this title was its lackluster ending.