Halo 3: ODST
Developer: Bungie Software
Publisher: Microsoft Game Studios
Systems: Xbox 360
Release Date: September 22, 2009
I'll never forget the first time I saw Halo in action. I had told a good friend of mine that I intended to buy a Nintendo GameCube, and he had mentioned Halo as a good reason to consider Microsoft's Xbox. He booted up a video on his computer showing Bungie's future masterpiece, and I was hooked.
What amazed me the most about this new shooter was admittedly very superficial. In the background of many of the shots, the Halo ring on which the Master Chief fought was visible, splitting the horizon in two and arcing up over the player's head. For some reason, this aesthetic impressed me in a way I can't really describe. It somehow gave a heightened sense for the grandiose nature of the Halo universe, and told the player without words that he or she was part of something larger than just the battle at hand. I imagined the ability to pick any spot on that ring in the horizon and travel to it via Warthog (known then as the "Halo Jeep").
Obviously, this open world aspect never panned out for Halo: Combat Evolved, but the game still managed to be flat-out amazing, and arguably shaped the future of first person shooters in the same manner the original Half-Life did in 1998.
It's 2009 now, and Kirkland-based developer Bungie recently released Halo 3: ODST to retailers. This game features neither the Master Chief nor a Halo ring, but that open world aspect I imagined years ago has finally been realized. Sure, this game has "Halo 3" in the title, but it could easily stand alone as its own title, if not for one glaring flaw.
ODST puts the player in the combat boots of the Rookie, a faceless, mute hero who recently entered the ranks of the Orbital Drop Shock Troopers (also known as "Helljumpers"). The game begins during the end of Halo 2's third campaign level, right before the Covenant cruiser and In Amber Clad make the Slipspace jump right over New Mombasa, devastating the city. The Rookie and his fellow ODSTs are preparing to drop into the city, presumably to assault the Covenant cruiser. After the Slipspace rupture causes the ODSTs' jump to go awry, the player takes control of the Rookie six hours later, searching for clues to what exactly happened to his team.
A lot of changes have been made between Halo 3 and ODST. Dual-wielding and equipment are gone, and the health system is a hybrid of Combat Evolved's health pack system and the constantly-recovering stamina system of Halo 2 and 3. Also, the motion tracker is nowhere to be found, and has been replaced by a map visor system to help the player navigate the open world in the dark. These changes make the gameplay feel a bit different from Halo 3, in a good way. Taking cover is more important than ever, since these ODSTs are mere mortals compared to the Master Chief.
You won't be selecting levels from a menu this time around. Following map markers will lead the Rookie to different clues throughout New Mombasa, each one serving as the beginning of a flashback level. In the flashbacks, you'll piece together what happened by taking control of one the Rookie's squadmates.
This new game design is a welcome change from the past Halo games. It feels very fresh, and wandering the destroyed New Mombasa as the Rookie isn't as boring as I initially thought it would be. The meat of the game takes place in the flashbacks, sure, but the exploration aspect is an appreciated addition.
Graphically, ODST is what we've come to expect from the Halo franchise. It's no Gears of War in the looks department, but it is very impressive nonetheless. It's really amazing to see how far the graphics, and specifically character models, have come since Combat Evolved.
As with all its predecessors, the most complete part of ODST's package is the audio department. The music composed by series regular Martin O'Donnell is absolutely perfect, which we've come to expect. The sound effects are very cool as well, especially those of the new Silenced SMG and Pistol.
The voice acting deserves a special mention. The Rookie never speaks, but the other characters' voice acting is phenomenal. The player-controlled characters in the flashback sequences (Buck, Romeo and Mickey) are voiced by Firefly's Nathan Fillion, Adam Baldwin and Alan Tudyk, respectively. Browncoats will recognize them immediately as Mal, Jayne and Wash from Joss Whedon's masterful TV series and the movie Serenity. Their voice acting is remarkably well-done, and holds up to the series standards, even beating them out in some respects. More than anything, it's really neat for a Firefly fan like myself to hear their voices together again.
All this wraps up nicely to make a wonderful purchase for any Halo fan, but that glaring flaw I mentioned earlier could be the game's undoing in the eyes of more casual gamers. ODST's campaign can be completed in a few hours. I knew the game was short, but I was still surprised when the game ended. Some places are selling ODST for $60, so I would recommend shopping around a little before buying. I found my copy on Amazon.com for $50.99, so that might be a good place to start.
That said, the rest of ODST's offerings do go a long way towards remedying the campaign's length problem. Firefight mode is an absolute blast. It pits one to four players against wave after wave of Covenant at locations from throughout the campaign. The waves increase in difficulty as the skulls, a staple of the series, are activated, each one adding new quirks to the gameplay so that no two rounds are alike. Be warned: Firefights can last a long, long time, so come prepared.
Also packed in with ODST is a much-appreciated second disc titled "The Halo 3 Multiplayer Experience." It includes Halo 3's immensely popular multiplayer mode, along with every update and map every released via Xbox Live, plus three new maps that aren't available anywhere else. I love this disc's inclusion, because I don't have Xbox Live access at home. It's a very welcome inclusion in my book.
One other notable feature included in ODST is the Road to Recon. Hardcore fans of the series will have no doubt heard of the fabled Recon Armor, which Bungie only gives out to people they deem special enough to have it. Now, anybody can get it, as long as they can obtain the seven "Vidmaster" achievements, some of which are only obtainable in ODST.
In the end, Halo 3: ODST is a must-buy for any fan of the series. Even though Halo 3 is part of the title, the gameplay changes really do make this a game of its own. Sadly, the campaign's length make this a tough recommendation to make for casual gamers. The hidden secrets throughout the overworld will add some extra collecting time, and Firefight is a nice addition, especially for fans of Gears of War's Horde mode. Bungie even threw in the Road to Recon and an invitation to the beta of their next game, Halo: Reach. However, it's arguable whether it runs enough of the extra mile to make this package worth 60 bucks.
If you're anything but a hardcore Halo fan, I'd recommend either finding this game for cheaper than $60 or renting it first. Halo fans will love it, and most other gamers will too. ODST is a phenomenal game, but it simply ends far too quickly for its own good.
Score: 8.5 out of 10
All images from Bungie.net.
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