Game: ''Halo 3''

Publisher: Microsoft

System: Microsoft Xbox 360

Cost: $60

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	'HALO 3' - In 'Halo 3,' the Master Chief once again battles elements of the alien civilization the Covenant to save humanity. CNS Photo courtesy of Microsoft.

ESRB rating: M

Review rating: 4 stars

After receiving more hype than a Paris Hilton jail stay, "Halo 3" finally blasted onto the Xbox 360. Whether you are a seasoned "Halo" enthusiast or new to the series, this highly anticipated first-person shooter does not disappoint.

It features a robust single-player mode full of action and excitement, and the online multiplayer content will keep people coming back for more.

Anyone looking to buy a holiday gift for a gamer would be hard-pressed to find one more appreciated than "Halo 3."

The series is set in a future in which players help the Master Chief save humanity from the Covenant, an alliance of hostile aliens.

The single-player mode in "Halo 3" has only received a few enhancements. But new online multiplayer modes - as well as the ability to edit levels and films - offer more than enough content to keep players busy.

"Halo 3" focuses on coordinated enemy assaults usually led by giant enemies called Brutes, so players need any advantage they can get their armored mitts on. That's why it's so cool to use the devastating new emplaced weapons, such as the missile pod and plasma cannon, which can be ripped off their foundations. Wielding these highly damaging armaments greatly enhances a player's firepower but drastically reduces movement speed.

Also new to the player's repertoire is the ability to use various sci-fi equipment such as trip mines, radar jammers and bubble shields. Only one type can be carried at a time; the devices are activated with the press of a button.

Perhaps the best piece of equipment is the grav lift, which elevates beings and objects. Imagine a giant Brute charging at you with his massive hammer at the ready, and just when he is about to strike, you send him soaring 30 feet up. Now that's comedic genius.

Although the single-player campaign is rather slow and linear at the beginning with some annoying instances of backtracking, it quickly picks up and tosses you into wide-open "sandboxes" of game play where you are free to assault the objective however you choose. These open-ended sessions never play out the same way because the artificial intelligence controlling the enemies isn't on a set pattern.

"Halo 3" vehicles have been enhanced. Players have access to a speedy all-terrain vehicle called the Mongoose, a futuristic motorcycle named the Brute Chopper, a hovering vehicle called the Hornet and the gigantic flying troop transports Pelican and Phantom. Some of these vehicles are only available in multiplayer mode, but they are all fun to use and effective in their own ways.

Taking "Halo 3" online greatly enhances the gaming experience in single- and multiplayer modes.

For starters, up to four players can simultaneously tackle the entire single-player campaign, which seriously ramps up the intensity. With three human-controlled squad mates at your side, finishing "Halo 3" at its highest difficulty level, Legendary, seems entirely possible.

Online multiplayer matches can include up to 16 players, and every ranked game offers a carnage report and ratings at its close. "Halo 3" features a wide variety of large and small maps on which to play. If a particular map doesn't suit a player's taste, he or she is free to use the level editor and manipulate objects (not the environment) to reshape the surroundings. The player can invite anyone to an unranked match on the newly created level.

Also new to online multiplayer is the ability to edit the film of any match in which you are participating. Want to savor that deadly triple kill? Simply go into the editor, find the right moment in the match and then customize the camera angle, take screen shots, and save the film for bragging rights. This mode alone can easily suck up hours.

"Halo 3" offers the same style of play that "Halo" fans have come to love, with welcome tweaks in single-player mode and tons of new multiplayer content. While it may not be perfect, "Halo 3" is a fantastic gaming experience.

ENEMY ASSAULT - Whether you are a seasoned 'Halo' enthusiast or new to the series, this highly anticipated first-person shooter does not disappoint. CNS Photo courtesy of Microsoft.

Game: "Stuntman Ignition"

Publisher: THQ

System: Microsoft Xbox 360 (PS3, PS2)

Cost: $60

ESRB rating: T

Review rating: 3 stars

Ahhh, the life of a fall guy. Fast cars, movie stars, big explosions, even bigger bandages. What's not to love? THQ has captured this risky lifestyle and packaged it under the name "Stuntman Ignition," resulting in a high-octane, action-packed thrill ride that would make the Lee-Majors-portrayed Colt Seavers proud.

Although the action in this game may be limited to vehicular carnage, there are enough jumps, wheelies, crashes and other forms of destruction to entertain even the shortest attention span. "Stuntman Ignition" makes players perform stunts every two seconds in order to sustain their combos.

	'STUNTMAN IGNITION' - THQ's 'Stuntman Ignition' is a high-octane, action-packed thrill ride. CNS Photo courtesy of THQ.

Building up a high score by performing stunt combos rewards promising drivers with movies that contain new scenes and vehicles. Five movies are available that lampoon well-known motion pictures, with my favorite being a James Bond knockoff called "Never Kill Me Again."

Because players can miss up to four main stunts without failing, this title is more forgiving than its predecessor. But that doesn't mean it's easy. The ultimate goal is to flawlessly string together every stunt in a scene.

Achieving this requires players to constantly improvisestunts between the ones called out by the director, which can be difficult.

When you add a stunt constructor that lets players create custom stunt courses and three online multiplayer modes, the result is nonstop adrenaline.

KEEP IT ROLLING - 'Stuntman Ignition' makes players perform stunts every two seconds in order to sustain their combos. CNS Photo courtesy of THQ.

RATING KEY

4 stars - Must have

3 stars - Pretty good

2 stars - So-so

1 star - Don't waste your time

Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB)

E: Everyone

T: Teen (13 and older)

E10-plus: (Everyone 10 and older)

M: Mature (17 and older)

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