Halo 3 has finally launched for the PC, a mere 13 years after its original release on Xbox 360.
Now available on PC through Steam, Xbox Game Pass for PC, and the Microsoft Store, it's part of the continuing efforts of the Master Chief Collection on the PC, offering enhanced versions of all the main Halo games. Halo 3 is widely regarded as the best Halo game out there (feel free to dispute that until the end of time) and is sure to delight many.
The game comes with some enhanced features compared to its original release. It has support for 4K and 60+ FPS visuals, along with the ability to work effectively with ultra wide monitors, FOV customisation and more. Anecdotal reports suggest that the game runs pretty well with TechPowerUp reporting that they managed to achieve 150+ FPS on 4K and maximum quality settings with an Nvidia RTX 2080 Ti. As the site points out, that's to be expected given the age of the game and the fact it hasn't been remastered but that's still pretty nice to see.
The introduction of Halo 3 has also led to a bunch of new features and fixes for The Master Chief Collection. For instance, Forge game mode is now back for Halo: Reach, Halo 2: Anniversary and Halo 3. It's been updated with new features including "object physics, rotation, coordinate snap and precision edit tools." For those keen to design their own multiplayer maps, this should be rather appealing.
Other changes have also been implemented such as the addition of challenges for all titles, tweaks to the skill rank backend for Ranked Matchmaking, and a few adjustments to audio for both Halo: Reach and Halo 3.
It's possible to pick up Halo 3 separately for £6.99 but the better deal is the full Halo: The Master Chief Collection for £29.99. For your money, you get Halo: Reach, Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary, Halo 2: Anniversary, and Halo 3, with Halo 3: ODST and Halo 4 set to be included in the future.
It's a fine time to lose yourself in the adventures of Master Chief again. With the lack of remaster, most recent systems will have no problem running it.
October 14 2021 | 15:04
Want to comment? Please log in.