Dropping in with ODST: Hands-on impressions
(Credit:
GameSpot)
Halo has been the defining franchise series for Microsoft across two generations of consoles. After Halo 3 was released last year, it appeared the first-person epic had finally seen its last installment. Then developer Bungie hinted at a spinoff title, Halo 3: ODST.
While ODST takes place during the events of Halo 2 and 3, the campaign does not feature Master Chief. Instead, you'll assume the role of a rookie Orbital Drop Shock Trooper who is separated from the rest of his crew. With the help of a citywide artificial intelligence known as The Superintendent, you'll find out just what has happened to them.
We have had the final retail build of ODST for some time now, and here are our impressions:
Jeff:
ODST is just the right combination of a Halo game and something new. Sure there's a lot that looks familiar, but you'll also be greeted by some fresh gameplay mechanics. Each ODST soldier can use a VISR (visor), a heads-up night vision display that separates friend from foe. This visual element, in combination with the AI assistance known as The Superintendent, helps ODST separate itself enough from being just a Halo spinoff, feeling more like a legitimate expansion.
Since the ODST campaign shouldn't take most gamers more than five hours to complete, developer Bungie has sweetened the deal by incorporating Firefight, a "survivor" game mode that challenges you (and up to three friends) to fend off waves of attacks from enemy forces.
ODST also comes with a separate game disc that contains the entire Halo 3 multiplayer experience, including maps that weren't available in the standalone copy of Halo 3.
(Credit:
GameSpot)
Halo 3: ODST will probably appeal to Halo fans who want a bit more of the story from the universe, though it may not be enough to justify a purchase from a casual gamer. Regardless, we probably won't hear again from the Halo series until 2010, when Halo: Reach, the prequel to the original Xbox title, launches.
Scott:
Not only am I not a huge FPS type of guy, I'm also not a huge Halo fan. Maybe it's the semi-cartoonish aliens or the over-revered storyline, but I've felt more repelled than attracted to anything that bellows "Halo Universe."
ODST doesn't have Master Chief, and it doesn't have super-jumping superpowers, either. Your main character is an everyday guy, a trooper, and the world that's portrayed in the single-player campaign of ODST is grittier, muddier, and somehow darker. Maybe it was knowing that my character was a nobody, not a legendary hero--I felt more vulnerable in shoot-outs, and that meant I had to employ more stealth.
The graphics and auditory experience of ODST are movie quality, and among the best that the Halo series has offered. I also appreciate the new tools, such as the Metroid Prime-style visors for scanning the environment for threats. ODST feels like it was an opportunity to loosen up the Halo franchise and get it moving in less reverential directions, and even though this still comes across like a secondary game in the series, it's well done. Maybe not spectacular, but in a fall that's lacking some game release firepower, ODST will do.
(Credit:
GameSpot)
A note on multiplayer: the Firefight mode has shades of Gears of War 2 and Left4Dead, and is a nice wrinkle to the Halo online experience. For the hard-core competitive, ODST comes with a second disc containing every Halo 3 multiplayer mode and DLC map. My only question is, why didn't they just throw in the Halo 3 single-player campaign as well?
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I sold my $70 halo 3 when i couldn't play online without BUYING more maps.Thanks for turning halo into ****.
ODST,i'll wait and pick it up when it 9 bucks and no one cares anymore.
When is Halflife 4 coming out....
LOL, good one I didn't even catch that
Microsoft do a lot of things wrong, but the Xbox 360 and Halo in particular are things they (thus far) have got right. So is it a lot for a mere "update" to Halo 3? Well maybe, but when you consider the awesomeness that is Halo 3 (especially online) then it's probably OK.
Anyway, if you're not going to play Halo 3: ODST on your Xbox 360 - well, what's it for then?
Halo 1 4ever. Halo sequals = balls.
@kevinsmacdonald: No, not suggesting that, in many ways Halo 2 & Halo 3 are quite flawed. In Halo 2, did anyone like being the Arbiter? No I didn't think so. In Halo 3 anybody want to go play The Grave Mind again? No, me neither. And what's with the ending - a drive in the Warthog, with a lot less going on than in Halo (anti-climax or what?!)
But, Halo is a wonderful universe, and the multiplayer is masterful. Having played ODST I can say, it's very like the best bits of Halo3. The mechanic of the flashback is useful, you get different weapons, and a different situation - you get to play everyone in your squad (except Captan Dare) but as they're all ODST this isn't like having to be the Arbiter (did I mention how much I hated that?)
What's wrong with it? Well the campaign is short, fun but short. There isn't much time spent in the Warthog (because that's always great).
What's right? Well there aren't any bits in the campaign that aren't fun - no Grave Mind moments here. The night vision thing is really well done. Time passes in the map - seems like a little thing, but it means you can't stop the game by calling up the map. Firefight is brilliant, utterly brilliant - very much like Gears. The Superintendent is a great idea and really well done.
So is it good? Well this is still Halo - which is good, and the multiplayer is this games strong suite. If that sounds like fun - well you're right, it is.
Everybody thank microsoft for turning an otherwise great game to an microsoft product.
The story should have at least some well written story. This halo feels like it was rushed knowing that people play online most of their time agains their friends and people anyways. Nonetheless, my problem with that will then be that it shouldn't have cost that much money, they should have sold it for less. My friend bought the game and i just borrowed for three days and completed the game already.
A game where basically all you do is play online is not worth 60. I know they will probably expand it with add-ons, but they too will cost money.... just saying
AND on top of that it's getting great reviews from trusted websites, I think this is a safe buy for most people.
remember how long it took them to release HALO 2?
yeah i wonder how long it will take them ODST when halo 3 isn't even out for pc yet....
Having read this article I am a little miffed to learn it's only around 5 hours of gameplay although I do appreciate the seemingly easy achievements and gamerscore.
BTW - am I missing something, I played the first solo level and found my first teammate's helmet but ran out of ammo along the way for my special battle rifle. I don't want to drop it since I'm assuming it's special. Luckily I'm on EASY so I was able to pick up loose weapons and beat up baddies.
Halo, COD, and Diablo are just about the only games that will ever get me on one of these blatant scams.
That's a lie. Gears, Peggle, Fable, FF anything, Battlefield anything, and many more have a pretty good chance as well.
And we all know the truth either you buy it now or buy it later but you will buy it.
We all HATE Microshaft for hitting us for another $60 for what should be $40 but we buy it anyway so we can play with our buddies who have it.
I want to see how the online experience stacks up, it can be a mediocer game and if my friends are playing it makes it enjoyable.
It doesn't matter if it's xbox, PS3, or the next gen Amiga if my buddies are playing i'm buying.
Seey guys online tonight.
Other than that I'll keep my money and hope that someday "Cap'n Tight-pants" will voice a game for Sony. Preferably, a Firefly MMO.
seems like a good deal for $60 if you like the halo story, halo 3, want to play the halo reach beta, and like co-op gameplay.
Seriously, I don't think this is a bad deal - assuming you like Halo.
i am going to say you are just a trolling CoD fanboy trying to get attention.
- by FIREitUP913 September 22, 2009 11:30 AM PDT
- HALO 3: ODST = HALO 3: Operation D1ck Sucking Tactics
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- by kalel33 September 22, 2009 2:36 PM PDT
- They do this because they know this will sell more copies than Uncharted 2 and Killzone combined. I'll buy it, reluctantly, because it's the only multiplayer game, that I like, that allows guests to play. If COD had guest enabled online then you'd see Halo ODST have horrible sales numbers because everyone would wait for MW2 to come out and skip ODST.
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Showing 1 of 2 pages (57 Comments)Because MS makes you think you are getting a full game for 60 bucks using hype and advertising. Because they are tactfully getting you to suck their d1ck by suckering you to buy a game with an way outdated halo2 engine, mediocre graphics, and repackaged Halo 3 maps. PS3 gets 60$ games like Uncharted 2 and Killzone that have engines built from the ground up bushing the limits of graphics and physics systems. Xbox360 and Halo3 ODST are nothing but a joke