I've got quite a lot of catching up to do.
Given the current market and coming times, I wouldn't expect a price drop.
The online play is really good too, finding players of similar level/skill to play with. While people bemoan the trashtalking and immaturity that occurred in Halo 2, I've only had one person be very vulgar and even then, I muted them, problem solved. I've had an excellent time playing online, people are friendly and the maps are diverse.
However it does pick Shotty/Snipers unusually often.
Trust me, flying around and blasting the hell out of Scarabs kicks ass.
I've liked all the Halo games, but one can't deny that there are issues purely based on one's fandom.
I wasn't grabbed by the story either, felt like something was 'missing'.
The graphics are beyond excellent, I think it's a type that people don't really realize how good they are, what effects are going on, how many are going on, no framerate dropping and several characters on screen with several effects on each. You really have to take a technical look at the graphics to appreciate them.
The replay mode is awesome, watching from every angle, seeing where you made mistakes, where you made smarter decisions. The online play is fun too(at least the lone match I played), balanced enough to where one player isn't totally dominating.
All considered, campaign, presentation, the replay mode, online/multiplayer/co-op modes, I'd give the game a solid 9.5/10