Wait, hold on, put down the pitchfork, just hear me out.
One of my favorite things about Halo 3 was the maps. Guardian, The Pit, High Ground… So many classics. However, to me, all of these classics pale in comparison to what is perhaps one of the most under-played, and greatest, maps in the series: Valhalla.
Stemming off the basic design of blood gluch, Valhalla, to me, was one of the few maps that captured the true essence of Halo. Every time I play Valhalla I can’t help but think how much it reminds me of that first area in Halo: CE. Lush, green rolling hills, a giant battlefield filled with different vehicles, blasting enemies from hundreds of feet away, and yet, simultaneously, providing all those close-quarters chokepoints, caves, and bases where intimate CQB fights were destined to happen. To me, this is the perfect Halo map.
A lot of people think Valhalla is too big, or they dislike the look of it. This, I do not understand. People constantly complain about shooters, especially newer Halos, scaling down the scope of the game and becoming too claustrophobic. Valhalla maintains the classic feel of blood gulch but with a much prettier, more vibrant color palette. Am I the only one who gets tired of endless metal hallways, generic space ships and depressing deserts? I like PERSONALITY! I like seeing giant trees, rays of sunshine, deep greens and light blues, all the things that the original Halo was associated with. Halo games always taught me that war and destruction don’t have to look like war and destruction, there can be beauty intertwined with struggle. Halo: CE and Halo 3 show this exceptionally well.
Valhall is just a very diverse map. Again, you have a large battlefield which is ideal for tank battles, banshees etc, but also provides close quarters battles. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve played custom games with friends, racing around on ghosts, sniping from the rocks, and meeting inside the plinths for deadly sword fights. So much fun, I can barely relate.
