PlatformOVERALL
Xbox 3607.70
Overall 7.70
This is for the single player only has I have not touched any of the multiplayer stuff.

ODST is the full game expansion from Halo 3, with its own campaign but still using the same engine. It looks a bit better than Halo 3 but overall still a pretty substandard looking game.

What makes ODST so interesting is how you play as normal human marines, not a super powered badass. This changes the dynamics as in many areas you have to play it safe, hide in shadows, avoid combat or do stealth attacks. The game has a major city that you get to explore which has enemy patrols moving about. You can try to avoid the patrols or attack them head on. These segments were some of my favorites as it really made you play smart and the huge open areas gave many options.

The city section is like your hub and from there you enter missions of other characters that take place in a far more focused area. These sections all take one gameplay element as the focus, for instance one is about sniping, one is heavy weapons, one is warthog, and so on. Each of these missions were handed very well and kept the game interesting as the variety kept coming. It all uses the tired and true Halo gameplay, all the guns and vehicles feel exactly as they do when you are master chief. That is kind of a contrast from the city moments where you feel more vulnerable.

As fun as all these scenarios are it never finds a flow that matches a true Halo game. It is also missing the major war moments where you have massive vehicle moments with a huge battlefield, here the setpieces feel more guided. I also found myself getting a bit bored of the enemy loadouts as it never really changes from start to finish. As much as the flood bothers me at times, they at least change up the action considerably and are great when mixed with covenant. This game has no flood so you will battle the same enemies from start to finish. I don't think I saw one new enemy that is not in Halo 3.

The final mission was a let down as well. The different chapters each had some really great level design. Not sure if they fired the guy that did the other levels but the last one was just a long hallway repeating over and over, it was like a mini library.

It still plays like Halo, its still a blast for the most part but it never breaks out of the "expansion" feel. It is too much like Halo 3 and I cant say the setpieces are better. It had great ideas, the city for one, but in the end doesn't change the gameplay enough to fully appreciate what could have been done with a level like that.

Posted by Dvader Tue, 23 Oct 2012 04:58:16
 
Tue, 23 Oct 2012 15:06:52
Nice read.
 
Fri, 26 Oct 2012 10:43:03
No one lese with me?
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