'Halo 3' not a next-gen game, says Braben

David Braben, boss of Frontier Developments and creator of nostalgic epic Elite, has said Halo 3 and BioShock are not examples of next-generation games.

During an interview with Eurogamer, the outspoken chief said: "I loved the 1930s-1950s atmosphere of BioShock: the lovely Art Deco visuals and the audio, that worked especially well. Overall the whole game was beautifully executed, but the gameplay itself was not 'next-gen'.

"I found Halo 3 great fun, too, but also a little disappointing - as although there were a few nice touches and improved graphical fidelity, it hadn't really moved on much from Halo 2 in terms of the gameplay."

Braben, currently working on a game called The Outsider, believes the title will be one of the first true examples of fifth generation gaming, adding: "I think Outsider more than stands up to them, and I still think Outsider will be one of the first 'next-gen' games."

First announced in 2005, Braben claims The Outsider will offer the same kind of freedom as Elite.

No details of a release date or formats for The Outsider have yet been announced.