The Mythic Map Pack for Halo 3 is set to debut on Xbox Live Thursday for 800 points, but we at GPU wanted to give you all a bit of a preview of the maps before putting down the $10. Containing Assembly, Sandbox, and Orbital the Mythic Pack may be one of the most diverse and best looking set of maps to date. Having bought Halo Wars LE I have had the opportunity to play these maps for a few weeks now and can tell you that Halo fans will not be disappointed. The Mythic pack fills a void in the map selection by adding these three very diverse maps. Below you can see an image of each map as well as a mini review of the overall feel and gameplay, along with what gametypes fit best. Hit the jump for our complete impressions and check out Bungie’s new Mythic Map Pack trailer.

Assembly

Assembly Aesthetic:

The story behind Assembly, a covenant-themed map, is that it takes place inside of a Scarab factory. For those of you deep in Halo lore you will know that the Hunters in Halo are made up of these orange “worms” of sorts called Lekgolo, it turns out that Scarabs are no different. If you look up at the ceiling while playing this map you will see a Scarab body shell trave across the belts and be filled with the Lekgolo. From an initial reaction the map doesn’t look all that amazing (good still) but once you start looking at the entire picture and areas outside (and above) the map you will see why this may be one of the best scenic maps from Bungie to date.

Assembly GamePlay:

The gameplay that Assembly offers brings back a nostalgic feeling of Halo’s past. The map has the overall feel of Halo 2’s Midship mixed with Warlock. The map is symmetrical with slight variations from side to side. There are two main big bases on each end and a smaller base on each side. Each base (and one of the small side bases) has a gravity lift that takes players from the bottom floor into the main base area similar to the lifts in Midship. The upper level of the map contains platforms that all converge in a center room containing a slightly hidden invisibility orb, and the bottom level has many barricades and converges in the middle room with a gravity hammer.

The gametypes that I found work best on Assembly are dual objective games like two flag CTF, territories or even two bomb games. Slayer works decently although teams tend to become split up often in the confusing lower level. Chances are if you liked a certain gametype on Midship or Warlock, you will like it on Assembly as well. The weapon set offers the normal staples, battle rifles & carbines here and there, a few Needlers, some Spikers, a Gravity Hammer, and a Rocket launcher make up most the cast.

Assembly Verdict:

Assembly is a great map and offers great team-based gameplay. The aesthetic is underwhelming at first, developing into breathtaking once you have had a chance to step back and take it all in. This is one of those maps that will go down in Halo history right next to Midship and Warlock as heavy havoc and good fun.

Sandbox

Sandbox Aesthetic:

Sandbox will remind players of Sandtrap, mostly due to the architecture and desert setting. This map may be the best map for value in the pack overall as it is a Forge map maker’s dream. Offering three levels and the ability to wipe the canvas completely clean, Sandbox could turn into something huge. Set in a desert on a planet surrounded by forerunner architecture, the map is guarded by enormous towers that watch players keenly so they don’t get too far outside of the boundaries. Think about the rockets that come out of the ground in Sandtrap, like those these towers’ lasers will activate if you get outside the set of blinking lights. For normal gameplay the top level and crypt of Sandbox are blocked off, but in Forge you can let your imagination run wild and create levels in the sky, underground, or using a combination of all three areas. Bungie has added a nice grid system that will help those using Forge, on each of the three levels this grid will show players where the “floor” is (and thus the death floor in the uppermost level) and make it a bit easier to try and built those 90 degree angles.

Sandbox Gameplay:

Sandbox was most certainly made to use in the future, when the great Forge community gets their hands on it and creates some amazing levels, but it plays decent now. The initial setup offers a completely symmetric map (on the middle level) that has two big bases equipped with a Mongoose, Warthog, and Chopper. In between the bases are various small stones and obelisks to block the annoying carbine shots that the other team will undoubtedly start spraying you with from their base when you start the map. The only downside to the gameplay on Sandbox was this very concept; as soon as the match starts you are able to see mostly the entire map, thus making it easy to shoot (or be shot at) almost immediately. Alas, it is hard to offer criticism on this map because it is truly meant for the Forge community, and once they start building Sandbox will evolve into something outstanding.

The weapon set is nearly the same as Assembly minus the gravity hammer and adding an overshield in the middle on top of a pillar. Besides the regular variant of Sandbox I have played two games in the Crypt (accessible by removing a block under the center pillar where the overshield is). Griffball has finally gotten its own arena and it works like you think it should. I also played the best variant of SWAT in recent memory on a map with many peaks and valleys in the Crypt, whoever made that map variant deserves a raise. Best gametypes for normal Sandbox are two flag CTF, neutral assault, slayer, and neutral flag.

Sandbox Verdict:

Sandbox is a tough map to pose a verdict because its life cycle has not yet begun. Normal games on the map are fun, but missing something that the community will develop in time. The Forge potential for this map is even greater than Foundry (Bungie added a golf club that acts like a hammer and a golf ball with a hole!), and with three levels I am very anxious to see what the community can do. I just hope Bungie adds some of the map variants players come up with to matchmaking for the rest of us to play.

Orbital

Orbital Aesthetic:

Orbital is the best looking Halo map to date. It is set in the Orbital Space Elevator facility that will remind many players of Halo 2’s first level Cairo Station. The attention to detail in everything from the computer terminals to the Earth outside the windows is breathtaking, and Bungie’s artists should be commended for their work. I suggest jumping into Orbital at least once while not in battle just to admire the work put into the map.

Orbital Gameplay:

Orbital has an odd, yet affective, map design. Think of it as two of the letter “U” laying flat and overlapped, confused yet? Basically each base has two doors that lead around one of the “U’s,” the lower door for one base will lead to the upper door for the other base and vise-versa. There is a single point in the middle where you can see from one “U” to the other, and there is a leap of faith that you can try to make to get to the lower level. Once you roam the hallways a few times you will feel right at home, I promise. The level is the most fun out of the three Mythic maps to actually play on and offers a variety of game type options. The best gametypes for Orbital are slayer, one or two flag CTF, two bomb Assault, and SWAT. The weapon set is again similar bringing a Rocket Launcher next to the leap of faith, and no power-ups.

Orbital Verdict:

Orbital is a great map for team-based gametypes, and is beautiful to look at. It offers the same feeling as Longest and Elongation offered in previous games, and will be loved by the community for its complex yet simple level design. As mentioned earlier, take the time to simply walk around this map and admire the views.

Mythic Map Pack Verdict:

The Mythic Map Pack is, in my honest opinion, the best out of the three map packs released for Halo 3. It offers a diverse set of maps to cover any gametype you could want to play, as well as offers huge potential to change the way we play Halo with Sandbox customization. If you are a Halo fan and play the game often, or even if you just like making maps in Forge this is definitely the pack to pick up. With the addition of funny items like the golf club and hole along with three skulls to find, the Mythic pack offers a great amount of gameplay for the money you put in. Overall, if you like Halo and play it more than once a month pick up this pack.