What better way to celebrate a newly-repaired Xbox than with some new Halo 3 maps? I was lucky enough to score a Mythic Map pack download code and spent a good chunk of time over the weekend getting my fill. Here are my thoughts and impressions.

Sandbox

Given my love for big, open vehicle maps, it came as no surprise that Sandbox turned out to be my favorite map of the trio. Like its little brother, Foundry, Sandbox is a large, open map designed for use with the forge level editor. I'm not much of a forge user, so I can't really comment on that aspect. What I can say, however, is that unlike my initial impression of foundry, I really like Sandbox's standard design.

Sandbox is very large, with only a handful of structures and identical bases at each end of the map, which makes it ideal for CTF. What I really love about it is that while there is plenty of cover to hide behind, there's just slightly less than enough. This means that, while it is possible to trek across the map and keep your life, it's not easy; especially when an opponent is perched on top of their base, keeping watch.

The Skybox and Crypt are pretty self-explanatory - two big blank slates for forge. Tundra, the Crypt variant that's included in the playlist, was a lot of fun. It features two big bowl-shaped bases, which one must climb out of it to jump into the action. The map is slightly sectioned off with tall structures, but with its very tall roof, it has an open-yet-confined feeling that really makes for a frantic gaming experience. I constantly played Team SWAT on Tundra and it was a hoot, but the small size of the map also makes for great fast-paced CTF-type games.

Assembly

I would rank Assembly my second favorite map in the pack. It's a relatively small map, but the way it's designed makes it feel somewhat sprawling. It's littered with platforms, going up multiple stories, but there are only a few structures that you can actually enter, making it pretty open. Most of your time on this map will be spent running around, so the structures are only good for short breathers. Any longer and you're likely to get flushed out, either by someone deliberately hunting you or just another player looking for shelter.

CTF on Assembly was a blast to play. Any objective-based gameplay on a map this small is likely to be hectic, but that's what made it so fun. When your flag is grabbed, you have a very small window to get it back. This usually entailed the flag runner taking the ground floor, weaving through cover, while I chased him from one floor above, hopping across platforms and raining down fire whenever I got the chance.

I feel obligated to mention how fantastic Assembly looks. It's impossible to get a good look around with so many people trying to kill you, so I fired up a custom game all by my lonesome just to take in the sights. The only word that comes to mind when describing the world surrounding Assembly is epic. You're inside a Covenant Scarab factory and when you look up you can see partially constructed Scarabs being moved along a gravity beam conveyor belt. Breathtaking would be another good word to describe it.

Orbital

I was going to refer to Orbital as my least favorite, but truth be told, it's just the map I don't really like. I'm not saying it's a bad map; it just doesn't suit my playing style. Those who excel at close quarters combat will likely love it. When I first played Orbital, I got turned around quite easily and I thought the map was pretty huge. It's actually a pretty simple horseshoe design, made up of multiple layers and two somewhat-parallel hallways. One thing I love about this map is that there are only a couple paths to take, so oftentimes teams will be forced to stick together and comb the halls like a well-oiled machine. This means that even when you're playing with uncooperative players, they're most likely going to cover you, whether they intend to or not.

There is one section of the map where the two hallways meet, with one looking down on the other. This room will see a lot of action, usually with those on higher ground shooting down while the opposing team responds with some grenades. The higher ground also houses a rocket launcher, so whichever team is there usually has the upper hand.

At each end of the hallways are open rooms that serve as bases, where you’ll find flags and mongooses. I admit to not being a good enough driver to navigate the halls of Orbital without crashing into everything I see, but I imagine that someone with good behind-the-wheel skills can actually do a lot of damage, given how few hiding spots there are.

Orbital is just too cramped for my liking. Call me claustrophobic, but I enjoy large sprawling areas where I can run and hop and be free, and also climb into the occasional warthog and tear ass. This is simply not the map for me, but the same can be said for multiple Halo 3 maps, so I have no doubt that Orbital will find an audience.

PROS: Sandbox takes the idea of Foundry leaps and bounds further. Assembly looks amazing and is fantastic for quick games of CTF.

CONS: Orbital is a bit too small, with not a lot of room for strategic variety.