Halo 3: ODST
October 28, 2009 - Let me start this review off with a statement. Halo 3: ODST is not an expansion pack to tie Halo fans over until Halo: Reach, while that may have been the reason in the beginning, the final product has exceeded it with a dramatic story and excellent cooperative mode known as FireFight.
Also included is the award winning multiplayer mode featured from Halo 3 which includes all the original and latest downloadable maps, and if that isn’t enough then maybe the ability to unlocking the multiplayer Recon armour could guidance you to the purchase.
The game takes a different approach compared to the previous titles with Master Chief no where to be seen or heard. Instead you take on the role of an ODST also known an Orbital Drop Shock Trooper, they don’t have the splendid talent that the Master Chief can take advantage of but they are still very highly trained soldiers when in action. They can only equip one weapon at a time so dual wielding is absent along with the fan favourite Battle-Rifle and Energy Sword.
ODST’s have a health bar and stamina that involves medic / health packs to regain, think of stamina as the Master Chiefs over-shield which takes a couple of seconds to reach 100%. Receiving gunfire from the opposing force also depletes health much faster than usual so you find yourself using health packs much more often and taking cover where necessary.
Bungie has taken a different approach with the story and has it focussing on all the characters within the game, it’s a great step to take and works truly well. The game opens up with your squad nicknamed Hell Jumpers in a space center preparing for there next battle on Earth, this is were you meet your team.
Within the team you have Mickey who’s a specialist in bomb disposal, Dutch the savage cat with strong convictions, Romeo with his hostile skilled sniping abilities and Buck the 25 year veteran counting time go by while in cryo-sleep. Your also introduced to the new squad leader, Dare.
She has a past history with fellow teammate Buck which can be seen over the course of the game but we won’t ruin it for you. The Rookie is the inexperienced trooper who you take control of throughout most of the game, and very much like the Master Chief has barely anything to say.
After the objective has been told you and your crew are ready to plummet to Earths grounds, but not all goes well without a complication. Their operation takes place during the same time period as Halo 2, with the Master Chief attempting to hunt down the Prophet of Regret an exit is made through a slipstream. The prior event happens to take place while your squad is descending towards the ground, the results are catastrophic with the entire group being scattered all over New Mombasa.
Six hours go by before The Rookie regains responsive, the streets are derelict with no life to be found. Steam and smoke streaming through the streets with rain dampening the air.
The city is in darkness and time is not on your side, you must find your squad quick so you can complete the missions objective and clear out. The only thing which stands between you as well as your team is the Covenant and they won’t clear off without a fight.
Using your ODST’s visor you can access perks which the Master Chief didn’t have, one of these is the newly night vision mode. This provides access for yourself to see in dark surroundings, in addition is allows you to scope out the difference between allies and foes with an unsophisticated outline corresponding in green or red.
Ahead of your journey you are presented to the ODST’s Superintendent, this computer AI offers help where needed and supplies The Rookie with waypoints to his next destination, health packs and the occasional collectable.
Throughout the story you will come across traces of another ODST’s equipment or piece, once the scene has been observed you enter the role of that ODST. These daytime action portions supply massive open skirmishes with Wraith’s and Hunters to taking control of Tank while bombarding yourself through the streets of New Mombasa. Whether your fighting alone or with a few remaining soldiers it has endless fun with each chapter tying in together with one and another.
The campaign in Halo 3: ODST is thoroughly enjoyable throughout, with emotional and entertaining scenes. Playing the campaign in co-operative mode slightly ruins the atmosphere, since the story is only focused on The Rookie with no friends to take his side throughout the majority of the story. We clocked our game time in at rough 8 hours on Heroric but it left us happy with the conclusion of the saga.
If you do have the needs for a co-operative experience then the new addition Fire Fight mode should fulfill your hunger, it pits yourself along with three friends against a legion of Covenant foes.
There is eight different maps with two of them having different day and night cycles, so in total ten. To keep things tense throughout the match, Skulls make a return which modifies the match with drastic results. These are by no means change a game entirely but it throws in the odd challenge to keep the mode feeling fresh and not bland.
After each round that you and your buddies complete the set of Skulls will change, from tougher enemies, no stamina regain to cluster’s of grenade spamming. Medals are also featured which are all similar to those found in Halo 3’s multiplayer, Double Kill, Sniper Kill and plenty more. Fire Fight is by no means a fully multiplayer experience but if you enjoy Gears of War 2’s Horde or Call of Duty: World at War Zombie modes then Firefight should be right up your street for you and your buddies.
If you find yourself to have the a more competitive nature then don’t worry, Halo 3: ODST also comes with a second multiplayer disc. Everything on this has every single Halo 3 map from the release of Halo 3 to the latest Mythic Map Pack which includes the maps Longshore, Heretic and Citadel.
This is a great addition to go along with Halo 3: ODST, while they aren’t truly new it’s a good incentive for those who never bought the previous DLC map packs for Halo 3.
Halo 3: ODST could have been improved in certain areas, but at the end of the day, it’s a great game and every Halo fan will end up buying it. It could also bring a new crowd to the franchise with the unique story driven mode and some of the greatest online co-operative I have had in a long time with friends.
Even though the campaign is short it will tie the majority of gamers over until the release of Halo: Reach in 2010.
Like I said at the start, it’s not an expansion pack but it’s still not a true sequel. You could compare it slightly to Grand Theft Auto: IV and it’s downloadable stories of The Lost and Damned and Ballad of Gay Tony.
That said, don’t give it a miss. It’s a great addition to place in the Halo franchise and it’s still worth the cash.
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