Microsoft Offers 'Halo 3' Sneak Peek

Microsoft has come out with a sneak peek preview of its much awaited "Halo 3" game for its Xbox 360 gaming console.

The company held invitation-only previews of the game in New York and San Francisco last week, in advance of the public test, or 'beta' of the game, which goes live day after tomorrow.

Going by the preview, the game once again puts players in control of 'Master Chief', a futuristic soldier trying to save humanity from an alien coalition known as the 'Covenant'. And to make things more realistic, developers of the game, Bungie Studios, have made the movements in "Halo 3" more closely follow the laws of real-world physics. For example, there are dead bodies, which will float in the water, much like they would in the real world.

It is however learnt that the opinions on the preview of "Halo 3" have been divided. Some of the gamers are happy, but many of them remain unsatisfied with the game. One of the most common complaints is regarding the graphics of the game, that they are not so different from those in the prequel, "Halo 2".

Speaking on the occasion, Shane Kim, Head of Microsoft Game Studios, said that he definitely believes that "Halo 3" is going to be bigger than "Halo 2". Retailers know what "Halo 2" did, and that they would not want to be caught 'out of stock'. Kim said the company plans to launch "Halo 3" in autumn this year.

Craig Davison, Director of Marketing, Microsoft, said that in addition to being one of the year's hottest-selling games, the publicity surrounding "Halo 3" should also spur some consumers to run out and buy an Xbox 360.