Halo 3: ODST is the sequel to the best-selling Halo 3 for Microsoft’s Xbox 360. This highly-anticipated title has garnered massive attention as well as expectations from both fans of the series and gamers in general. For this reason, the StarReviews has decided to pick up a copy and provide a detailed review of the game for potential consumers.
ODST is a title which was initially planned to be downloadable. As such, in terms of new content it’s a bit lacking. There is a new campaign which follows a new protagonist rather than Master Chief, the star of the Halo series. Throughout the campaign you play as an ODST, an Orbital Drop Shock Trooper in search of his squad, from whom he was seperated at the start of his mission.
This campaign departs from that of the usual Halo campaign in a multitude of ways. First, it stars a character who is not as capable as Master Chief in that he cannot take as much damage, hit as hard or jump as high. As a result, the feel of the game is tweaked to cater toward more hardcore shooting game fans who’re more interested in difficulty than interesting capabilities.
Second, ODST makes use of a new tool, the ODST visor or VISR. The visor is software built into the helmets of ODST’s, which brighten areas like night vision goggles and cast an outline along anything not growing from the ground. You can use this outline to discern foe from friend from ordinary object. A red outline means an enemy, green means ally, and blue or yellow means just any old thing laying around. As a result, aesthetically at least, the experience is extremely different from that of the original Halo 3.
Another new feature in Halo 3: ODST is the Firefight mode, in which players can team up with a friend locally or up to three other friends over Xbox Live to fight off a horde of Covenant, the game’s enemies. This feature is by no means unique to ODST, but it certainly is a new step for the series in general. While it is an incredibly entertaining mode, Firefight lacks on online matchmaker, which has become standard for modes such as these. That being the case, it won’t offer much to those with friends who don’t own the game.
The multiplayer in ODST is not new in anyway. The game is broken into two discs, one containing the multiplayer and the other holding the campaign and Firefight mode. The multiplayer disc comes with every downloadable Halo 3 map pack built into it as well as three new maps.This additional content, while providing added incentive for potential consumers who do not own Halo 3 to purchase ODST, diminishes the value of the package as a whole to anyone who does own Halo 3. Because this is the case, the price for Halo 3: ODST is a bit extreme, making the game itself a rather unintelligent business deal for Bungie, the game’s developers, and an illogical choice for past customers to buy.
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StarReviews Top 3
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Halo 3 Testing Results
ODST, in trying to provide for a reason to use its VISR feature, creates a key issue in gameplay. Most of the levels you’ll play take place outside in the daylight. Since the visor increases brightness, there really is no reason to use it on these levels, yet when you aren’t using it it’s so dark that you can barely see without it. As a direct result, you’ll end up flicking the visor on and off, and straining your eyes to quickly adjust to the changes in lighting. It really takes away from the gameplay, which is otherwise very smooth and responsive.
Halo 3 Pros
The best reasons to purchase Halo 3: ODST are the unique visual style, immersive gameplay, entertaining Firefight mode, and six-to-eight hour campaign mode.
Halo 3 Cons
The reasons not to get ODST are the uneven visual quality and lighting, near-value-less multiplayer, lack of matchmaking in Firefight, and the fact that at the end of the day it’s just not a complete package.
Overall Halo 3 Performance
When all is said and done, Halo 3: ODST is a game which could stand up to any other top-tier shooting game of this console generation. That said, If the question is whether or not you should purchase the title, then the answer depends completely on your current situation. If you have not purchased any of the DLC for Halo 3, then there’s no reason not to get ODST. However, if you own all of the DLC, the campaign and Firefight mode just aren’t worth the full retail price of sixty dollars.
Halo 3: ODST can only muster 3 out of 6 Stars.
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