Not only is Microsoft Game Studios ’HALO 3 the most eagerly anticipated video game of 2007—it achieved a milestone of one million pre-orders—but this action-sci-fi series has become a cultural phenomenon, spawning novels, comics, action figures, and a top-secret project with Academy Award-winning director Peter Jackson (The Lord of the Rings).

So the big question is: Does Halo 3 live up to the hype? Absolutely.

The third and final game in this billion-dollar franchise doesn’t detract much from what made its predecessors so sought after, but fans can expect a few new features to justify the purchase.

This Microsoft Xbox 360 exclusive begins as your character—super soldier Master Chief—crash-lands on Earth and is recovered by teammates. Your first goal is to make your way through a densely populated forest with fellow space marines to uncover an alien base. While ducking behind trees, rocks, and waterfalls, you battle alien creatures who are loyal to the militaristic Covenant, an alien species that has long been fighting humanity.

The plot in this third game is deeper than a trite “save the world” campaign, but it would be a shame to reveal too much of the story in this review. Suffice it to say that fans of the series will be satisfied with the conclusion of the story.

Played primarily from a first-person perspective, much of the action takes place on foot, but a number of levels require you to drive vehicles, switching to a third-person camera angle. Memorable missions include “The Ark,” “Floodgate,” and “The Covenant.” The best one is “Halo,” which features a climactic conclusion as you race to reach your frigate amid attacks and a collapsing platform.

The extraordinary high-definition graphics, which include many non-interactive cinematic story sequences, push the limits of the Xbox 360. Thousands of lines of dialogue and a Hollywood-quality epic musical score also help you become immersed in this slickly produced sci-fi thriller.

But it’s the new features that truly make this game stand out from its two predecessors (2001’s Halo: Combat Evolved and 2004’s Halo 2, both for the original Xbox). For one, Halo 3 lets up to four gamers play through the entire campaign together in a cooperative mode—either in front of the same TV (via split-screen mode) or over the Xbox Live online gaming service ($50 a year). But there’s only one Master Chief, so additional gamers will take on roles of other characters, such as an Arbiter alien, each with unique skills.