Breaking down the Halo 3 trailer

Freakin' Sweet! - Those were the first words out of my mouth after watching the Halo 3 trailer with my son this evening. I downloaded it from Xbox Live Marketplace (sorry, but I'm not sitting through an Eagles/Panthers game just to see the trailer) and was amazed. Of course there are all sorts of teasers that bring up a ton of questions. If you haven't seen it yet, go to http://www.xbox.com/en-US/games/h/halo3/20061204-trailer-starrynight.htm and get caught up. Now, as rap legend MC Hammer used to say: Break it down!

Who are the kids at the beginning? - Right off the bat my first thought was this was the Master Chief as a kid, sitting in the grass staring at the stars and thinking about life on other planets. Just a little backstory perhaps? Maybe he was thinking about a childhood memory while he was knocked out. Of course this begs the question - who's the girl? Is it his sister? A childhood crush? Is she alive? Is it really the Master Chief as a boy or is it just some dream he was having. Will the game even answer this question?

How cool is that grenade shield? - Right before the Master Chief is about to get blasted by some Covenant artillery, he hammers a grenade into the ground that surrounds him with a protective shield. Sweet! Does this mean gamers will be coming under heavier fire than normal? What other tricks and goodies does Bungie have up its sleeve? I'm dying to know.

Who was he talking to? - Near the end of the 60-second trailer, Master Chief was talking to someone on his helmet com and it certainly wasn't Cortana. Is it Cortana's replacement? A new commander? Is it even anyone important at all?

What about them graphics? - Sure its only a trailer but Master Chief looked amazing! He's always looked good but he looked so much more battle ravaged. How close are the graphics in the trailer to that of the game?

On the link above is also a place where you can sign up to be part of the online Halo 3 beta. Give it a shot if you're interested.

In other news...
- ESPN, Electronic Arts will again present Madden Nation – a reality series taking fans inside the world of Madden NFL 07. Airing weekly on Wednesdays, beginning December 13 the eight-episode series will pit the nation’s top 13 Madden NFL 07 gamers—along with real-life NFL player sponsors—against each other in elimination-style tournaments on a 12-city bus tour. NFL players Reggie Bush, Carson Palmer, Michael Strahan and Vince Young will be among the players featured during the tour, including scenes in the actual homes of some NFL players. The finale, which takes place in New York City’s Times Square, will air Wednesday, January 3, on ESPN2. The Madden Nation winner claims a $100,000 prize.

- Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops for the PSP was released yesterday. Portable Ops features a full stealth-action single player story mode as well as wireless features that let players recruit and play as a unique squadron of mercenaries. Set in 1970, Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops follows the events of Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater and lets players take on the role of “Big Boss” as he establishes the FOXHOUND unit and attempts to topple a revolt instigated by the FOX unit. The game features the return of many Metal Gear characters and completes a major portion of the ongoing Metal Gear timeline, as players participate in the events that directly lead into later games in the series, including Big Boss’ greatest tragedy. Metal Gear Solid: Portable Ops sells for $39.99 and is rated “M”.

terry.terrones@gazette.com