Halo 3: ODST, available only on the Xbox 360.
Despite its success though, one area which Halo has typically been criticized for is its single player mode. Outside of the original, the series has always taken heat from the press and fans alike for presenting a campaign that, while fun, felt a little too similar from entry to entry.
However, after years of waiting, it is with great joy that I present to you a Halo game that boasts not only the same, fantastic multi-player experience you've enjoyed for years (and then some), but an absolutely magnificent single-player element as well; and this game is called Halo 3: ODST.
ODST began its life as a simple expansion pack to the already wildly popular Halo 3. However, during development, Bungie decided to use ODST as a way to both tide over fans in their anticipation of Halo: Reach, and also introduce a lot of new concepts to the series beforehand. As a result, the game would no longer be shipped as simply a minor side-project, and it was clear that more content would be necessary to justify its $60 price tag, so Bungie went hard at work on creating a Halo experience unlike any other- and in this case, that's a very, very good thing.
Gameplay
When you open up ODST for the first time, you'll find two discs in the box. The first disc is labeled "Campaign", and it contains all of the story missions, as well as a brand new multiplayer mode called "Firefight". Now, what makes ODST's story mode different from many games in the Halo series is its subdued, lonesome environment that tends to put the player into situations that wouldn't normally be found.
In the classic Halo games, you play as Master Chief, a super-soldier who is almost like a god of war. He can jump many feet in the air, he can soak up bullets like a sponge, he's hardly damaged from falling, and he can even dual-wield weapons with ease. Because of this, the series has never really required stealth. In ODST, however, you don't play as the Chief, you play as a nameless, faceless character called the "Rookie". The Rookie is still a powerful, highly-trained operative like the Chief, but unlike him, the Rookie is much more human in his abilities, so when you play as him, strategy is of the utmost importance if you wish to survive.
Instead of rushing into battle guns blazing, you'll often find that stealth is the best option in ODST. Many of the weapons you are provided have been altered from their Halo 3 counterparts, such as the SMG which now features a scope and a silencer. These kind of changes reinforce the concept in ODST that you're supposed to fight smart, not hard.
While a game like Halo 3 is renowned for its simplistic, over-the-top battles and design, these are mostly attributes which are positive in a multi-player setting because they allow people of all different skill levels to compete and still have fun. When playing the campaign mode though, these same attributes tend to hurt the experience, because they limit what your options actually are. This is why ODST is a refreshing entry in the series: it allows you to choose whether you want to just spray and pray, or actually use stealth and wit.
As a huge fan of the James Bond video games, which tend to emphasize brains over brawn, I am immensely happy with the changes that Bungie has made to the Halo formula in ODST. Instead of introducing another dull kill-fest (which they could done just as easily), they finally explore concepts outside the normal Halo comfort zone- and in my opinion, they succeeded.
The story mode is only one facet of what makes ODST such a great experience though- and in fact, it's probably the least important. The main draw of the game lies in the other mode that comes packed on the "Campaign" disc, and that is FireFight.
If you have ever played Horde Mode in Gears of War 2, or Nazi Zombies in Call of Duty: World at War, you'll get the basic concept of FireFight. Essentially, you and a few friends get to go up against ever-increasing waves of classic Halo enemies. While this might seem like a pretty standard concept, what makes this particular mode fun is that it's just crafted so perfectly, and the addition of small things like "Skull" modifiers makes the experience all the more entertaining.
The amount of options is staggering; you'll get to choose between one of 10 different maps to play on, then you'll get to choose a character, a difficulty mode, and finally, you'll even get to use different modifiers to effect the game. These "Skulls" as they are called, effectively change the way the match is played. Some Skulls will cause the enemies to throw lots of grenades at you, or perhaps dodge more incoming attacks than normal. What makes this system particularly interesting is that while you can create a custom FireFight match and pick your own Skulls, when you're playing normally, Skulls will automatically activate one by one as you continue to kill enemies. So, after a few waves are killed, you might end up with 5 or 6 different Skulls modifying your game- and this drastically changes the pacing. Where you might have started off fighting a handful of Grunts with little excitement, you'll soon be facing mountains of different enemies hurling grenades at you, flying above you, firing rockets, and so on. It's really a sight to behold.
Now, while the story mode is excellent and the FireFight mode is simply amazing, that's not all there is to ODST. As mentioned before, there is a second disc included in the box, and this is labeled "Multiplayer". Contained on this disc are all of the multiplayer options and features found in Halo 3, including the Theatre, Forge, and more. In fact, every single DLC map released for Halo 3 is compiled on this disc as well, and you even get 3 all new, never-before-seen maps too. Even though this may not be too exciting for anyone who already owns all of the DLC, it's still a great deal for those who don't own it, and hey- you still get those 3 new maps to boot.
Overall, ODST is just a fantastic experience. Whether you're playing the story mode, FireFight, or the excellent Halo 3 multiplayer, you're going to be having fun. Some may criticize the game for being too different from older Halo games, but I find no such problem- if the series didn't evolve with time, there would be no point in making any sequels at all. Halo 3: ODST sports some of the greatest gameplay around, and even if you don't like the campaign, chances are you'll at least find something to love in FireFight or multiplayer, because this is one title that has something for everyone.
Presentation
When Halo 3 was released in 2007, it was an extremely good looking game. However, sporting the same graphics engine, Halo 3: ODST is beginning to look a little dated. This is not to say that it is a bad looking game, not by any means, but compared to the heavy-hitters of today's industry like Uncharted 2 or even Bungie's very own Halo: Reach, there is definitely room for improvement.
Overall, the graphics just aren't very impressive from a technical point of view. Textures are good from a distance, but blocky and washed up-close. Environments are big and have perfect draw distance, but there is no complex geometry that just makes you go "Wow". Character models are nice and still animate with the same fluidity and grace as before, but there's still a roughness to them that just doesn't look quite right.
Indeed, Halo 3: ODST is not the most impressive looking game around. It is definitely good- just not great. Where ODST shines though, is in its artistic qualities. In keeping with the darker and more stealth-oriented tone, everything in the game is much more gloomy and aural than before. Pitch black streets are speckled by bright red lamps, dead bodies reflect off the glow of a crashed police car's spinning lights, and futuristic walkways are illuminated by an eerie orange glow. It's almost as if the designers were shooting for a sort of Neo-Tokyo, Blade Runner look that focused on contrast between bright monotone colors and dark areas. Surprisingly, it works very well, and I'd have to say its definitely the most unique and interesting looking Halo game to date.
Another thing which further improves the dark, brooding ambiance of ODST is the use of the Rookie's visor. Because things are typically so dark, your character has been provided with a special visor that illuminates everything by casting a glow around it, and highlighting it with colored lines. While this definitely has a significant and welcome impact on the gameplay, the most astounding thing about it is just how it makes everything look. Enemies are outlined in bright red, weapons in blue, building in orange, and so on. It looks and feels really cool.
It's true that the graphics in Halo 3: ODST are somewhat of a mixed bag due to its combination of old tech and great art direction, but there is one place that doesn't fail to disappoint: the sound. The sound design in ODST is absolutely phenomenal. The guns sound powerful and the enemies give off satisfactory squeals and squeaks as you rip them to shreds. Additionally, the main characters in the game are voiced very well and come across as convincing as any Hollywood actor ever could.
More impressive than the sound effects is the music though. It would not be an stretch of the imagination to say Halo 3: ODST has the best sound track in the series. The composers were obviously fearless in their interpretation of the environment's mood, blessing every stage with something that is different and unique, but feels entirely well placed in context with the events of the level. When you're exploring the black streets of New Mombasa at night, you'll hear lonely, discordant jazz riffs. Are you to traverse the same areas at day, you'll be greeted with futuristic, techno-inspired tunes. Even though the genres are entirely different, all of these songs just seem to fit perfectly.
While it's a shame that the audio/graphical presentation couldn't be absolutely stellar all around, Halo 3: ODST is still a good looking game, and an even better sounding one. It's clear that the developers took the engine as far as they could with the time they had, and they attempted to craft something that as much of an experience as it was a game, and for that I commend them.
Value
Even though the game debuted with a $60 price tag, you can find it these days for under $20. However, even if you had to pay $80 for it, I would still completely recommend the purchase. When you buy Halo 3: ODST, you're not just getting some lackluster little bargain bin title, you're getting a whole lot.
On disc one, you have a 6 hour campaign with multiple difficulty settings and co-op support. You also have FireFight mode which in and of itself could be a game with more than 10 different maps, a dozen or so Skull modifiers, selectable characters, and 4 difficulty modes.
If that wasn't enough for you, you get the entire Halo 3 multi-player experience on the second disc, complete with the Forge, Theatre, Custom Game, and Matchmaking modes. Additionally, you get all 21 maps and even 3 brand-spanking new ones available only in ODST.
No matter what way you look at it, this is a good value. Were each of these components, namely FireFight, Campaign, and Multiplayer, sold as separate games, a $20 or $30 value could be justified. But, the fact that you can snag all 3 for less than the price of a single dinner makes the whole package even sweeter. There is no reason to avoid buying this game because of any lack of content because this game is filled to the brim.
Conclusion
Simply put, Halo 3: ODST is one of the finest Halo games ever made, if not the finest. While it will never sit in the annals of history as a defining game in the series due to its strange timing and change in perspective, that shouldn't keep you from enjoying this game to its fullest. ODST is different, but its wildly fun, engaging, and interesting, and with the inclusion of FireFight and an entire disc devoted to multi-player, there is absolutely no reason you should second-guess buying this game. Do yourself a favor, go buy Halo 3: ODST right now.
Final Score: 9/10
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