Well gamers, it has indeed been confirmed! Halo 3 will now get 3 new maps. Each of which shall be detailed below in a manner that should get you prepared for your first (but definitely not last) battles on these maps. The map pack (aptly named the “Heroic Map Pack”) will be available to gamers for 800 microsoft points (or roughly $10 USD). Gamers that choose to pay the 800 points for the pack will be able to participate in their own matchmaking playlists made specifically for the maps they will have downloaded.
Let’s start out with Standoff. A fairly huge map, that will be implemented into Matchmaking.
Standoff will be a symmetrical valley, with identical bases on each side. There’s plenty of rocks and various places to hide behind cover if your shields are down, as well as bases for people who choose the route of camping (which regardless of all arguments, is a legitimate strategy, if not a bit annoying). Standoff will be well suited for 8-16 players as it is a huge map. The scenery is beautiful and is not unlike Bungie’s usual art.
Next comes Rat’s Nest.
Rat’s nest is identical to the campaign level titled - “Crow’s Nest”. The name of this multiplayer map should at least give that much away. This will mainly be an indoor map with plenty of hallways and places for cover, while still providing an outside area for anyone brave enough to take the outdoors. While there is a Pelican parked outside, you are not able to pilot it (sorry guys, i wanted to as well). This map will be suited for smaller portions, I’d say about 4-12 people at most. Any more and it gets hectic…But this is Halo 3, and hectic isn’t always bad, right? This map will be implemented into Matchmaking as well.
Finally, there comes Foundry. A personal future favorite
Foundry will be unlike any other map you have played in all halo games. Not only will the map be a perfect indoor map, it will also be completely editable. Meaning anything you see in this map, can be completely removed and you can add in anything you wish. Think of Foundry as the customizable template map, meaning you can do with it as you wish. Sure you can’t change it into an outdoor map with your own backgrounds, but what you are able to do with it is quite amazing, to say the least. This map is well suited for 4-12 people, but again…more could be better, you never know. This map will be the only map that will not show up in Matchmaking, at least not now, as far as we know.
Along with these new maps will also come more Forge options. Ever wanted a ManCannon on HighGround? Now you can do it, and do it well. Forge will be spectacular. I’m certain Bungie will come up with more incredible things for us to play around with in the future.
So get ready halo gamers, our time has come!