When a game that has sold over five million copies several months into its release offers new content, gamers take notice. Most have had the game since launch, playing the maps on the disc until they could take no more; or until Call Of Duty 4 came along. So, with three new maps for 800 Microsoft Points, is it worth getting now or waiting until this spring when they are free?
The first map pack, in what is sure to be an ongoing series, is an uneven bunch that will leave most gamers in love with one of the three, with the other two serving as minor disappointments. Unfortunately, the saying goes, 'two out of three ain't bad'. It is early, and as with any new maps it will take weeks to find out all the best battle points. Here is a brief rundown of the three, as the first night with the new battlegrounds went.
FoundrySomehow, the map with the most objects eating up the space seems the most vapid. It feels like a less organized version of The Pit. Bungie has not hidden the fact that they created this map with the Forge in mind, for gamers to create their own layouts. As it stands, it is a cluttered warehouse full of stacked semi trailers. The team that takes to the top of the stacks will quickly find themselves in control of the round, easily sniping from across the map and firing down never-ending supplies of bullets from all angles.
Teams that try to take to the ground for weapon upgrades will find themselves literally facing an uphill battle, with little hope for a comeback. There is a generous amount of cover, but it can only protect you from same-level attacks most times. Players that find the cross-map hallowed-out trailers for sniping will do extremely well. There is a ghost on the level to use, but the maze of trailers and skyward enemies make it irrelevant. The map will be as successful as the Forge-using gamers make it. While all the maps in Halo 3 are available for Forge tweaks, Foundry is the first map that feels as though it needs it. Heck, as it stands there are no giant soccer balls; which the map offers as an item.
Rats NestRats Nest is the most vehicle-centric map on Halo 3, thus far. Each side's base comes equipped with two warthogs, two mongooses, and a single ghost to share, but it is not just about the available vehicles. Encircling what seems like a drained underground sewer system is a roadway that seems ready for a Halo-themed racing game. The team bases are on opposite sides of the track, leaving the center a maze of brick, mortar, stairs, and overhead walkways.
The large circular track culminates in a brief stretch in the outdoors, which is where most action takes place. This is where most gamers will feel they have the best shot at taking down the zooming warthogs, as the single ghost, active camo, and a detachable turret are a quick leap from the track. It is also the sweet, bloody center between the two bases, making an action-packed kill zone sure to house stacks of dead bodies, discarded grenades, and warthog carcasses within minutes of the round's start.
