If you consider how far the Halo franchise has progressed since the original back on the Xbox, then Bungie must be applauded for their efforts. Despite Halo 2 and 3 having been released, nothing could ever be compared to experience of the single player campaign back on the original title. Sure, the games have progressed with Halo 2 proving to be a competitive title on a console, and Halo 3 adding tonnes of features on the multiplayer side of things, however ODST falls short of actually taking anything a step further. There certainly are some neat additions (or removals) in this game, but aptly naming it Halo 3: ODST would suggest that it's more or less the same as Halo 3 in terms of gameplay, however with a brand new story mode and the inclusion of something called Firefight.

What any Halo fan will notice right away, is the absence of Master Chief. Instead, you play alongside a squad of Drop Shock Troopers. Being one yourself, you play through the entire story and experience the lives of these brave marines. Those who are accustomed to the standard weaponry from Halo 3 will need to readjust since practically all of the popular guns have now been removed. Although the lack of a battle rifle or regenerative shield may anger many veterans, it simply wouldn't have made sense to give a marine the same arsenal as a Spartan. If anything, the lack of these weapons, and the inclusion of some old classics, is actually refreshing.

Instead of a shield, you now have a health bar. In order to replenish this, you need to find health packs. Although taking cover for a while will recover your stamina, only health packs can heal you. The lack of the shield makes ODST a lot harder than Halo 3. You can no longer run right through a wave of enemies, and then simply hide behind a box to allow your health to return. Ensuring that you never run out of ammunition, and being accurate when firing is essential.

Thankfully, the scoped pistol makes a return. Those who played the classic Halo titles will remember the greatness that was the pistol. Although it may not be strong against giant brutes, a simple headshot will eliminate the smaller critters. Dropped into New Mombasa, a city that has been taken over by hostiles, your task as a rookie marine is to survive, and kill. Slowly, your comrades are perished, leaving you to walk alone.

The environments are beautifully made. Unfortunately, the majority of it is played in dark quarters, so you cannot experience what it would look like in broad daylight for most of the time. Nonetheless, with the help of the visor, a new system that brightens your surroundings, you can just about see enough to spot enemies, who glow red, and travel without walking into walls. It's the feeling that you are walking through a totally different, and new setting, without any regenerative shield to protect you, that makes you realise just how vulnerable the marines actually were.

Although one must be cautious in their approach, the game still isn't stealth-based. There are occasions when you can creep up behind an enemy and melee it to death, however you will spend most of your time having to fight your way out of situations. Most of your campaign is spent just doing small missions and finding clues. You start off by looking for other marines and by locating their helmets or weapons, you might somehow eventually locate another drop pod. There is no doubt that ODST is not the greatest Halo campaign, however the co-op mode can be more diverting.

You can complete the whole campaign with three other human players. The story doesn't change, you're simply not alone. When playing the campaign on the hardest difficulty, then having three other skilled gamers will be crucial, since the enemy AI improves and they don't miss a shot!

After having completed previous Halo titles, there are a lot of annoyances with ODST. The story is nowhere near as compelling, it's only a mere six-seven hours long (shorter if you play on the easiest mode) and you cannot help but skip through many of the cutscenes which aren't interesting to watch. Although I love the idea of a game based on the story of the marines, it isn't as exciting as the tale of Master Chief.

Action on the other hand, can be enjoyable. When pit against a large Covenant force, things will spice up. With the typical Halo-esque dramatic music in the background, one feels a sense of urgency as enemy forces begin to approach you. Keeping too long in the same place will not work since enemies do not always wait for you to make the first move.

Although it may seem as if ODST isn't a great game, the truth is that if you look at it from a standalone perspective, it actually delivers. It's only when compared to previous Halo titles, when it falls short. After all, despite the game not officially being named 'Halo 4', it still has a brand new campaign mode. On top of that, another disc which has all of the maps for Halo 3 multiplayer, that would cost you quite a large amount if bought separately (although still not as expensive as ODST). Let's not forget the brand new firefight mode, which is by far the best aspect of the game. With all of this having been said, ODST is a good, but not great game. Halo fanatics will certainly want to pick this up simply to fill in the missing gaps in the overall story. The fact that you can access many of the great vehicles that made previous Halo titles so fulfilling, makes this a fitting tribute to the Halo trilogy. Having said that, I'm sure that this isn't the end of Halo!

New Mombasa itself is a delightful sight. Whether you are in the urbanised parts or working through forest-like landscapes, the destruction caused by the Covenant is evident everywhere, and you aren't going to spend your whole campaign in one type of surrounding.

The newest, and by far greatest addition to the Halo franchise is Firefight. Although it may be very similar to the Gears of War 2 Horde mode, this adds its own level of excitement. Halo has always been famous for its multiplayer experience and a mode like this will only liven things up. Working as a team, you and three others can take on wave upon wave of Covenant enemies. I would be highly surprised if a mode like this wasn't featured in any future Halo titles, because it has clearly proven to be a major hit with those who already own ODST.


It's not the multiplayer that lets ODST down, it's the campaign. Although playing through it co-operatively will be less tiresome (but often more frustrating), the story doesn't change, and it just isn't as powerfully scripted as Master Chief's tale. Considering there aren't many new additions to the game, one has a right to question the price tag.

In conclusion, Halo 3: ODST is, as a standalone game, a relatively decent addition to the franchise. However, when compared to its predecessors, one cannot help but think that it's a step back, or certainly not a step forward. What might make this a valuable purchase, is the new Firefight mode, the second disc with all of the Halo 3 map packs, and of course, the Halo: Reach beta access which hits us in Spring 2010. I cannot see many gamers playing this for countless hours. After having completed the campaign, and spent many hours on Firefight mode, the game will probably start collecting a lot of dust. Come Spring 2010 when the Halo: Reach beta is released, all bets are off.

ConsoleGaming Rating:

Gameplay: 8.5
Graphics: 8.5
Sound: 9.0
Lasting Appeal: 7.5

Overall: 8.4