Halo 3 Ready to Roll

And now for the news many gamers have been waiting for: Halo 3 has gone gold.

No, a video game didn't just win an Olympic medal. Instead, it's gamer-speak for a title's imminent release. It means Bungie's next, and likely final release in the Halo universe will indeed make its planned ship date of September 25. (Source: gamespot.com)

In case you're some newbie Wii gamer, Halo 3 resolves the conflict between humans and the "Covenant", an outer-space alien race. Players take control of the main character, Master Chief, a tough-as-nails cyborg intent on preventing our virtual eradication. The Halo series follows the first-person shooter, or FPS, mold, making it much like early PC favorites Doom and Quake. (Source: worthplaying.com)

The game is largely, and wisely, considered the flagship franchise of the Xbox and newer Xbox 360. The 360 has yet to receive its own edition of Halo, with the first two games released in 2001 and 2004 to Microsoft's big black box. Hype for this version is at its apex, proven by an article Marissa Reaume recently wrote detailing the game's unprecedented mark of 1 million pre-sale orders.

Three versions of the final product will be available on September 25. The standard edition, retailing for $59.99, will include just the game. The $69.99 Limited Edition ships with an exclusive behind-the-scenes DVD. A final $129.99 "Legendary" edition meant for the very hardcore will include, get this, a Master Chief helmet. Even the Xbox 360 hardware itself is getting a Halo 3 makeover, with a special edition shipping the same month (for $399).

Why do I care?

If you're interested in one of the best gaming experiences going, you'll want to check out this game noted for its impressive single-player and simply unmatched multiplayer features. Other than an updated story and upgraded graphics, Halo 3 also boasts other cool bits, like the ability to play co-operatively with players online.

Now, if you'll excuse me...I really do need to reserve this game.