Legendary = actually, a bit tough

We're still in the middle of the first level here, but a few notes:

#1: Those Jackal snipers (remember them from the Earth levels of Halo 2?) are every bit as deadly as they used to be. Be prepared for some spotting-by-death tactics if you're going through on Legendary.

#2: While this isn't the best-looking game out there, it certainly is no slouch. The attention to detail and the small effects are quite stunning. For example, in a quick multiplayer match last night in Sandtrap, one of the new maps, you can even see wind kicking up sand if you look closely enough. The lighting in this first level is also pretty spectacular, with the sun blinding you momentarily as you come out of darkness. It's one of those games that doesn't "Wow!" you with the initial look, but everything is so consistently solid in both art direction and overall quality that it's hard not to be impressed.

#3: Similarly, though we're playing over the Xbox Live together, we've encountered zero lag. As veterans will attest, this makes tagging your buddy with a plasma grenade just that much easier.