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MY RATING: 9.2

Halo 3: ODST (2009)

DEVELOPED BY: Bungie

PUBLISHED BY: Microsoft Game Studios

BRIEF SYNOPSIS: The Orbital Drop Shock Troopers (ODSTs) take on a secret mission. But they are separated and must find a way to regroup if they wish to survive the onslaught of Covenant forces.

PROS: Same classic gameplay as previous Halo games; New plot, new characters; No Flood!

CONS: Awkward health system; No duel wielding; Ending somewhat anti-climactic.

BOTTOM LINE: Halo 3: ODST provides another enjoyable addition to the Halo franchise.

My first thoughts when hearing about Halo 3: ODST was: Yes! More Halo! Quite honestly I didn't care if there was no Master Chief (he probably deserves more than a side game anyway). I was just happy that there was more to play, and the game lived up to those expectations.

The ODST are Orbital Drop Shock Troopers also known as Helljumpers. In the game there are six main characters the Rookie, Buck, Dutch, Romeo, Mickey, and Dare. All but Dare are playable characters. Dare drops in at the beginning of the mission to lead it. You start the game as the Rookie. When a Covenant ship enters a slipstream the shockwave is enough to cause a malfunction in the control of the one-man pods the ODSTs are using to get to the surface of New Mombasa. Several hours afterward the Rookie regains consciousness and begins looking for his companions, often encountering Covenant forces. As he discovers clues as to the whereabouts of his fellow Helljumpers, you get to play as his companions, learning their story. Eventually they all reunite and are able to take on the main mission.

The story was decent even though I would say the ending was a bit anti-climactic, ending with a somewhat confusing mystery at the end causing players to wonder exactly what the point of the whole mission was. But it leaves the options open for a sequel, which I won't complain about.

Halo 3: ODST is much darker than its predecessors and there is a lot of roaming the mostly deserted streets of New Mombasa city at night. There is little of the sprawling landscapes and epic environments seen in other Halo games. However, instead of dulling the experience it heightens the variety of Halo in general, providing another twist on classic gameplay. The gameplay still remains as fun and balanced as previous Halo installments, but in ODST with new characters and a new plot it becomes a very different game whilst still maintain the unique qualities that we have come to identify with the Halo franchise. One positive aspect that I found very appealing was that there was no Flood. While the Flood did provide previous games with a balance of thrills and horror, I was honestly glad to have a game where all I had to worry about was the Covenant.

There are a few downsides to this game when compared to Halo 3. First of all, there is no duel-wielding. Are you telling me that elite ODST Helljumpers are not man enough to hold a weapon in each hand? Also the health system is a bit awkward. Helljumpers do not have shields as Master Chief does. Instead they have "stamina" which plays the part of a shield, but how does stamina recharge? It is impossible to measure when your stamina gives out and when the health is about to decrease, making the shield solution a little better in my opinion.

Overall, Halo 3: ODST is a great addition to the Halo franchise and I would recommend it to all Halo fans and anyone else interested in the series.