Some call him the “Master Chief,” others know him as “Spartan 117” and the enemies that fear him recognize him as “The Demon.” One of the most famous action heroes in video game history is called these three names due to his rank as a superior fighter for the human army.

“Halo 3” was released Tuesday, September 25 for the XBOX 360, and the gaming community is now able to enjoy one of the greatest video games of all time.

The Halo series is about one elite soldier who, with hardly any help, is the single cause of the continued existence of humanity. The human race’s survival depends on his ability to defeat the aliens who attempt to destroy the galaxy by activating the Halo rings.

Above average graphics and a variety of environments help create a realistic perspective that gamers can really enjoy. Levels range from jungles to tundra to forests and even enemy-infested buildings.

Some of the enemies are the same as in the previous two installments, such as the Flood, a strange race of beings similar to zombies that invade a body and use it to do their bidding. Their goal is mainly to infest any life forms and spread across the galaxy. However, there are some new forms of Flood. Some are large and powerful, while others walk like spiders and are lower to the ground. They are all as disgusting as ever.

The Brutes, warriors of the Covenant, are also similar to the ones in the previous game with their large bear-like appearance, except that they have different armor and uniforms. Their tactics are the same as well; most of them have a Brute Shot, a grenade-launching weapon, until the player really gets on their nerves, and then they attack by charging at the gamer. They are a part of the religious fanatics called the Covenant led by a prophet named Truth. He is the ultimate villain whose goal is to blow up the galaxy. Although Truth is not present in the original Halo, the Covenant’s goal has always been to destroy the galaxy.

Allies are also recognizable, consisting of Sgt. Johnson, the Arbiter and Cortana, who all aid the Master Chief in his attempt to destroy the Flood and prevent the religious fanatics from destroying the galaxy.

There are new weapons, but most are recognizable to Halo fans. Both the Assault Rifle from “Halo 1” and the Battle Rifle from “Halo 2” are available, along with other guns seen in the previous two. Unlike “Halo 2,” which presented the gamer with entirely new guns, “Halo 3” huns are both new and from the previous installment.

There is also the multiplayer mode that is even more popular than the campaign. Billions of games were played on XBOX Live for “Halo 2” alone, and most players are even more impressed with “Halo 3.”

In the end, there is closure and remorse for the ones who sacrificed their lives. However, those who were lost were at least sent out with a bang.

Although “Halo 3” lives up to the hype as an excellent game, it is not worth buying a new XBOX 360 for this one game. It would probably be better to play at a friend’s house or some other way, rather than invest so much money.