While the game wasn't really long, there's a large amount of content there.  I believe there are eight missions each with very large maps and something like 12 multiplayer maps so there's a very large amount of content there.  I don't know how big their level design team is, but a single map that size can take anywhere from three to six months to make.  The multiplayer maps probably take about the same amount of time it doesn't surprise me that the game took three years.  From what I hear they have a big team, but that doesn't necessarily make the levels go faster, just means more can be made at once.

 Normal on single player.  I tried heroic and repeatedly got my ass handed to me on the first mission.  Yeah, I'm really not good at these kind of games.  >_>

And just remembered something else that bothered me. This might be considered a spoiler by some but I really don't think it is so I won't bother blacking out this text.

During the first mission and at some point during another mission you come upon sleeping enemies. I saw this in the first mission and thought awesome! they added a stealth element to the game! Sadly, these sleeping enemies only appeared in two places (that I saw at least) and they were pretty lame both times. It involved runnign (note: running) up to them and just using the melee button. I tried sneaking around at other points and sometimes I could sneak up on enemies, but the levels just really weren't built with that in mind so it rarely worked for more than one enemy (it actually never worked for more than enemy except the sleepers).

The stealth element would have been awesome if they actually built the levels around it more and if it involved more than running up on sleeping enemies and using the melee button. 

one thing that I never really understood is that if these Halo were weapons, then why did they have trees, oceans and land on them etc?

And no dont say they all evolved on there cuz gravity was put there on purpose to hold in the air. they couldnt have evolved without air.

Are you serious? You wonder what Bungie was doing all that time?

It takes time to spit-shine a game like Bungie did. Halo 3, while not perfect gameplay-wise, runs with nary a hitch and every aspect of the game is nearly perfectly executed.

Personally I would've hated that. I don't mind sneaking up and meleeing an enemy but if I had to use real stealth it wouldn't be Halo. I guess that's why I didn't like games like Hitman & Splinter Cell.

Nicely worded and fairly done. With all the hype everyone was so sure that this game was a guaranteed 10, and while it is definitely a great game, it's really nothing groundbreaking.

I'm not a big fan of stealth games myself. I've never liked MGS much (though I love its music). If there is any game that I like stealth in it Beyond Good and Evil, but that game was exceptional. It was just executed so simply and perfectly.

Thats what Im getting at. They spent all there time spit shining it that they forgot to had anything really new. Yes I knew forghed and video editer are new but i mean something massivly new, something to fully justify the hype.

Return of the Jedi was spit shined but it didnt do anything ground breaking like empire strikes back.

it gets at least a 9

@Rocket, I'm usually pretty good when it comes to FPS's, my friend and I have this tendancy to RAPE a game for its value :P We spent a good 20 minutes beating a stuffed bear from one end of the map to the other in Bioshock, we have a very good sense of what we expect as far as detail is concerned in an FPS and I'm usually pretty good at the games ^^ it's not that I sucked at Halo, in fact quite the opposite, I found it pretty easy, but again like I said it was just the glitches and certain areas of horrid low quality that really drag me down :/ I've read a ton of reviews on it, and I was just so into the hype that the actual game kinda pushed me away :(