It's been three years in the making but Bungie Studio's much-anticipated Halo 3 has finally been released.

The series has a legion of dedicated followers and the launch parties around the world were attended by rappers, models and… Big Brother contestants.

All of this might seem excessive for a game based on the adventures of Master Chief and his mission to save humankind from various warring aliens, but the ground-breaking Halo: Combat Evolved (the first in the trilogy) was so good that the gaming public has come to expect great things from developer Bungie.

This third instalment sees a return to roots – where Halo 2 was seen by some a bit of a failure, despite selling well – part three returns to the feel of the original. It kicks off straight from the end of the last game, with no story recap for the uninitiated.

You are joined on your mission to save the universe by the Arbiter, a character you were pitted against in the original game, Cortana, a holographic sidekick who pops up now and then, and Sergeant Johnson, who is the stereotype of all the tough-nuts in US marine corps and who adds a bit of grit and emotion to balance Master Chief's cold and calculative side.

There is very little variation to the game play, which mainly comprises shooting enemies of one form or another, be it members of the Covenant (the Arbiter's former employer), or the Flood, the organic fungus which consumes other life and is intent on taking over the entire universe. It might be a simple remit but this is about as good an alien-fighting gun-fest as you're likely to get.

The early levels are lush, well-designed affairs with some epic encounters and some stunning cut scenes – which are cheesy but superbly lit and well directed. There are also some superb sound effects and epic musical scores to build the tension and pace.

As the game progresses there's the opportunity to drive a few vehicles and try some satisfying weaponry but the aim is essentially the same: if it moves, shoot it. The later levels don't offer much variation on this theme, but it's fun.

The single-player game is simple and direct, and it rounds off the trilogy nicely, answering most of the questions raised by the previous games. But where this game excels is in multiplayer mode. Where the original game was mainly a single-player affair, the series has now become synonymous with balanced, exciting all-against-all and team battles.

As well as there being multiplayer maps to host matches of up to 16 players, four players can also connect on Live to go through the campaign and even turn on scoring systems to compete with one another for bragging rights. There is also a new addition called Forge, which is an in-game multiplayer map editor allowing players to rearrange game objects, spawn points and weapon settings.

And if this wasn't enough, there is a Theatre mode for replaying your previous 25 encounters, either multiplayer or campaign, in which you can review game clips and take screenshots for posterity - maybe even send a picture of yourself taking out your opponent at a crucial moment in battle.

This really is a massive game, and while some people will deem the campaign too short, the multiplayer options, numerous game modes and extras mean Halo 3 has plenty of longevity for both newcomers to the series and old hands. It really is the epic shooter it set out to be.