Difference in Opinion

The latest Halo 3 maps are out, and we’ve all had a chance to take them for a drive now. This gamer has determined that the maps pass muster and live up to Bungie’s continued excellence at supporting this game we all love, say thankya. The battlefields of the Haloverse have once again been lit up and for most of this past week, a large portion of my Friends List has been active in Halo 3.

Personally, I’ve anticipated this map release ever since finding out that the Lockout remake was being included in this set. Lockout was one of the most popular maps from Halo 2, and this gamer built a grenades-only gametype specifically for that map was fast-paced, chaotic, and lots of fun. So the notion that Blackout would present the opportunity to play this gametype once again in its native environment inside the realm of Halo 3 was absolutely thrilling.

Overall, Blackout plays very much like its predecessor, with a few slight modifications with regard to scale and layout. In some ways, I almost like Blackout better than Lockout. No longer is there the degree of danger in getting cornered on the Elbow, and respawning energy cores add a level of strategy that did not exist on Lockout. The only things about Blackout that I like less are the fact that some of the ramps - like the one between the lift room to under-glass - are less steep. Blackout is a little more squashed than Lockout was, and that carries with it a mixed blessing. On the one hand, it’s possible to make more jumps than was possible on Lockout, but on the other hand, some shooting angles are no longer present.

On the whole, though, Blackout is still huge amounts of fun, and I look forward to many an epic battle on this map.

I haven’t been blessed to play Sidewinder in the Original Halo title, so I wasn’t sure what to expect of Avalanche. There was a bit of a learning curve to work through as I fought my way through unfamiliar corridors, but once I learned my way around, Avalanche has quickly become one of my favorite maps for team play. Capture-the-Flag is especially enjoyable, much to my surprise. The huge man-cannons everywhere really make things fun. Hey, there’s an idea! Bungie needs to add rocket packs as equipment for future maps. Flying Spartans armed with lasers and battle rifles equal death from the skies.

Ghost Town is the n00bz0rrs to these parts, and it’s a chaotic tangle of debris and broken down passages. A skilled team can effectively lock this map down and decimate the competition, and it’s another fast-playing map that makes a great addition to an already fabulous lineup. Multiple levels and routes of approach make Ghost Town a challenging map to play, which just adds to the enjoyment.

All in all, I think the Legendary Map Pack is a raging success, and I’m looking forward to more battles in the near future. See you on the killing fields.

I am a gamer - and I am hardcore in my own fashion. It’s true that I don’t log massive numbers of hours playing every title under the sun, and I don’t top (or even approach) any of the leaderboards. My gamerscore is pathetic (compared to most), and I can almost count on one hand the number of games I actually own.

But I’m passionate about my gaming. I lead a full and busy life, and I game whenever I can spare a few moments away from other life obligations. What’s more, I’m a Halo junkie, and what little time I get to game is spent on the battlefields with my Spartan brethren. Occasionally, I even manage to break free of the Mjolnir and relax with a fun Xbox Live Arcade title.

I am hardcore in my fanaticism and enjoyment of gaming. I am a casual gamer only by the fact that my sum total number of hours per week spent playing video games stays in the single digits. I am casual about my gaming in that it’s not my life blood if I don’t get to play all the time, and I don’t stress about my standings or scores. I game because I enjoy it and because it helps me relax.

I am a casual gamer, and this column features articles, opinions, and viewpoints from a gamer who loves video games but doesn’t have a lot of time to play them. Join me, if you will; your feedback is most welcome and appreciated.