Halo 3: ODST review (Xbox 360) By Sayed Islam Published: 10/03/09 PrintEmail
When the very first esoteric Halo 3: ODST (formerly called Halo 3: Recon) video came to fruition, it was never clear what kind of Halo game we would see. Ultimately, this turned into a game that adds to Halo lure for avid fans of the franchise. The storyline transpires during the same period as Halo 2, and it parallels the events of Master Chief in his endeavor to continue the fight as oppose to finishing the fight in Halo 3. This acronym ODST stands for Orbital Drop Ship Troopers, and they are far less superior to the iconic Spartan Master Chief. In any case, these Orbital Drop Ship Troopers are dropped into the Covenant invested location of New Mombasa. Furthermore, the advent of the Covenant adversaries has led to the burgeoning of the most elite human trained troops (ODST) being dropped to New Mombasa. As the Orbital Drop Ship Troopers are dropped, they were sent to various locations in New Mombasa. Eventually, their ultimate objective is to collaborate and extricate themselves from their dubious predicament. One of the real enjoyable aspects of this game is its narrative. There is a real sense of humanity’s struggle against the Covenant foes with each flashback sequence, and players can really appreciate the characters who play as the Orbital Drop Ship Troopers as human beings and not just robotics with faceless emotions wearing sophisticated suits.
The gameplay mimics many portions of previous iterations in the Halo series. This of course includes both a single player and multiplayer. You control the main protagonist (also known as the Rookie) who is a novice to the fight against the Covenant. Along the way, there are parts where other teammates are playable via the aforementioned flashback sequences. The first conspicuous thing is that you are in no way, shape, or form Master Chief. Therefore, going into a room with a commando rush and ammunition firing ubiquitously will be ineffective. The regenerative shields from previous editions of Halo have been superseded with a rudimentary health schematic that encourages a heavier emphasis on strategy. The majority of the weapons and enemies have been intact from its predecessors, so there is little to talk about in those two departments. Nevertheless, you will discover the usefulness of the new night vision goggles that illuminate your surroundings. The new addition to the multiplayer is the firefight mode that would be analogous to Gears of War 2’s horde mode. You and your team will have to battle through waves of Covenant opposing forces that start accruing at an alarming rate. If you inject some skulls that alter the difficulty, then you have a fresh Halo multiplayer mode at your fingertips. In addition, Halo 3: ODST comes packaged with all multiplayer maps from Halo 3 (for those two people who have not experienced those maps).
In terms of the art direction, Bungie used virtually the same engine as Halo 3. Moreover, the overarching visuals did receive a marginal facelift from what we have witnessed approximately two years ago in September 2007.
The audio in the Halo series has always been one of its biggest strength, that same exact rule can be applied here in ODST. Seductive yet sassy Tricia Helfer plays the role of Orbital Drop Ship Trooper Dare, and a member from the cast of Firefly (Nathan Fillion) also makes an appearance by acting as the voice behind Duke. Musically, it delivers on all fronts. The music easily enhances the combat, and pulls the emotional strings during the more poignant segments.
For what it is worth, Halo 3: ODST is still a Halo game at its core. To say it is better than Halo 3 would be a hyperbole. Overall, there is plenty of incentive to keep the Halo magnetism in our minds.
Art direction 8 In terms of the art direction, Bungie used virtually the same engine as Halo 3. Moreover, the overarching visuals did receive a marginal facelift from what we have witnessed approximately two years ago in September 2007. Audio 9.5 The audio in the Halo series has always been one of its biggest strength, that same exact rule can be applied here in ODST. Seductive yet sassy Tricia Helfer plays the role of Orbital Drop Ship Trooper Dare, and a member from the cast of Firefly (Nathan Fillion) also makes an appearance by acting as the voice behind Duke. Musically, it delivers on all fronts. The music easily enhances the combat, and pulls the emotional strings during the more poignant segments. Gameplay 8 For what it is worth, Halo 3: ODST is still a Halo game at its core. To say it is better than Halo 3 would be a hyperbole. Overall, there is plenty of incentive to keep the Halo magnetism in our minds. Presentation 9 One of the real enjoyable aspects of this game is its narrative. There is a real sense of humanity’s struggle against the Covenant foes with each flashback sequence, and players can really appreciate the characters who play as the Orbital Drop Ship Troopers as human beings and not just robotics with faceless emotions wearing sophisticated suits. Replay Value 9 Great firefight mode, but the single player campaign is succinct. Final verdict 8.5 out of 10
When the very first esoteric Halo 3: ODST (formerly called Halo 3: Recon) video came to fruition, it was never clear what kind of Halo game we would see. Ultimately, this turned into a game that adds to Halo lure for avid fans of the franchise. The storyline transpires during the same period as Halo 2, and it parallels the events of Master Chief in his endeavor to continue the fight as oppose to finishing the fight in Halo 3. This acronym ODST stands for Orbital Drop Ship Troopers, and they are far less superior to the iconic Spartan Master Chief. In any case, these Orbital Drop Ship Troopers are dropped into the Covenant invested location of New Mombasa. Furthermore, the advent of the Covenant adversaries has led to the burgeoning of the most elite human trained troops (ODST) being dropped to New Mombasa. As the Orbital Drop Ship Troopers are dropped, they were sent to various locations in New Mombasa. Eventually, their ultimate objective is to collaborate and extricate themselves from their dubious predicament. One of the real enjoyable aspects of this game is its narrative. There is a real sense of humanity’s struggle against the Covenant foes with each flashback sequence, and players can really appreciate the characters who play as the Orbital Drop Ship Troopers as human beings and not just robotics with faceless emotions wearing sophisticated suits. 
