Where's the Energy Sword?
Missing from the "Halo 3" beta is one of the most controversial weapons from the previous title: the Energy Sword. In the hands of a skilled player, the crackling sword was a one-hit death machine that unbalanced a match within seconds. Bungie has not said if the sword has booked a return engagement, but losing it permanently would be a good way to keep scores from becoming lopsided to the point of spoiling the fun.

The beta includes samples from several game modes, such as the free-for-all Slayer and a variant on schoolyard keep-away called Oddball. (Instead of a ball, though, the "it" player lugs a skull.)

VIP is a new game mode that anoints one player on each team the titular VIP. The only way a team can score is to eliminate the other team's VIP. This is fun on the Highground and Snowbound maps, thanks to some close-quarters locations where you can set up competent defenses. Hopefully, some issues with multiplayer will be tuned as a result of the beta, such as the opaqueness of the border around the contested territory in King of the Hill. Right now, it's just too hard to see opponents streaming into the zone thanks to the brightly pulsing walls.

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Quit dwelling on graphics, people
Too many gamers are dwelling on the "Halo 3" beta's graphics. Yes, they are not as phenomenal as the crumbling vistas of the current-gen benchmark, "Gears of War." At points, the beta really does just look like a higher resolution take on "Halo 2" — which is still an impressive game — but complaints are premature and unwarranted. At least, they are at this point.

The final two months of a game's development cycle are often the most critical, as this is the point in the process where a lot of elements truly gel — visual upgrades. Even if the graphics are significantly improved for the final release, a steady frame-rate that ensures smooth game play is far more important that the polygon count of a player model or the texture on a rock. And, so far, that's something this beta delivers.

Lambs to the slaughter?
"Halo 3" handles pretty much exactly like "Halo 2," though, and this gives returning players an immediate advantage over newcomers. One of the most frustrating elements of "Halo 2" was how quickly the multiplayer universe became stratified — after only a few weeks of release, it just wasn't fun to play against gamers that obviously had several hours a day to devote to mastering the Master Chief. By the end of the second day of the "Halo 3" beta, this buzz-killing nuisance was already starting to show. Imagine how frustrating it could be for players that get "Halo 3" next March, a full six months after the launch? Lambs to the slaughter.

Fortunately, the final "Halo 3" should offer a working filter that funnels you into matches with players of a comparable skill level (this feature is hit-and-miss on the beta), but still, there's just no way for things to slow down enough to accommodate a beginner. Taking cover has never been a big part of "Halo" (unlike "Gears of War" or "Rainbow Six Vegas," where using cover smartly is the only way to survive), but it would have been a good way for new players wade into the shallow end of the blood pool.

The "Halo 3" beta runs now until June 10, thanks to a four-day extension to make up for the "Crackdown" inconvenience. This gives players ample time to check out the new maps and weapons and then offer feedback on Bungie's Web site.

This beta program is a landmark for console gaming, where gamers are typically only given occasional access to neatly packaged demos. Not only do fans get a chance to influence the development of one of their favorite franchises, but the willingness to have beta programs for gamers serves to build a tremendous amount of goodwill for the Xbox 360 itself.

And going into what should be a cutthroat holiday season in the video game industry, a little goodwill certainly can't hurt.

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