Halo 3 Playable ''From End to End''

Bungie has revealed that Halo 3's single-player is now in a state that's almost playable, from the beginning right through to the end. Unfortunately though, according to the developer, the game is still apparently a bit "all over the place" in terms of performance.

"Pretty much every level is not only in the build, and for want of a better word, populated, but that the levels actually flow together pretty well. It's playable enough now, from end to end, that we've started testing properly for difficulty and length. Performance is all over the place of course, from build to build," explained Bungie's Frank O' Connor.

Speaking as part of the weekly Halo 3 update on Bungie's website, O' Connor also noted the game is steadily being upped in terms of graphical finesse. "Layers. Layers and layers of detail. That's what's going into Campaign now, and the speed at which it's happening is astonishing," he revealed. "Artists are checking in such amazing stuff, at such an amazing rate, that something you get at 6pm might be markedly different than something you picked up at 8am."

For the next two weeks O'Connor will be getting to grips with the dialogue in the game. "We have a lot more characters this time around, with more Marines, Grunts, Brutes, Elites and more to write dialogue for. The acting roster is being filled out now, and the people involved are going to be amazing folks to work with. True talents, old and new, famous and obscure. It's going to be a riot.

"The sheer number of characters on screen, talking simultaneously, affects the flavour of combat. Hearing three grunts panic while two charge you, yelling, makes combat feel way more intense. Grunts are still funny, but it's not so funny when they're winging plasma 'nades at you like The Big Unit after a bad haircut. The number of times I have been taken by surprise by a gang of angry Grunts - I can't even tell you. And don't even get me started on Brutes and Jackals."

We've all been surprised by a series of angry Grunts from behind, Frank. Don't worry.

News Source: www.ign.com