‘Jazzy neo-noir Halo game’ is such a bonkers idea that I can’t be too mad that it mostly doesn’t work. I love quiet loneliness in games, but the toolkit that the Halo franchise is unable to leverage it properly with its fabricated, cultureless personality devoid city design inspiring only boredom as you wander the empty streets. ODST is a deeply fractured, conflicted experience but it at least provides the spectacle of examining an oddball creative vision colliding into the routine bombast expected of the franchise up to this point.
This game made me trans
I can see why people love this game so much but it simply got too repetitive for me. While the story is better than 3 I think 3 has the better levels.
second best halo game fuck you halo 3
the best soundtrack out of any halo game, and one of the most palpable atmospheres out of any video game, let alone FPS shooter, i've played
This game certainly exists and is a game.
Gameplay: Good.
Story: Good for a side story.
Controls: Great
Graphics: Great for its time
Length: Great.
Story: Good for a side story.
Controls: Great
Graphics: Great for its time
Length: Great.
I was mostly interested in this game for the Halo Reach Beta, but it ended up being one of my favorites in the whole series.
MCC Edition)
It’s been fun going around and reliving some core Halo memories with the master chief collection, but I was also really anticipating to go back and finish the installments I never saw all the way through.
ODST is one of those installments, and honestly, I played the first few levels so long ago it might as well be a brand new game to me. It’s still a glorified spinoff but sticks to it’s guns and cements itself as it’s own little thing in the Halo universe, with a few callbacks and nods sprinkled in with some different gimmicks to make it stand out.
The story is great, characters are cool, the level design and music are reminiscent of Bungie at it’s prime when it could evoke so much emotion just with a beautiful skybox and a couple of piano notes. It’s pretty hard to see the fall from grace when this studio managed to put so much emotional weight and adrenaline into so many small sequences, like the introduction orbital drop, the rainfall, or the final escape on the coastal highway.
I didn’t remember anything past the first half of the game so the ending was a pleasant surprise for me. I was almost expecting a second Reach finale but this was a clever subversion and a nice way to end it all off.
Halo will always have a special place in my heart so it’s always pleasant to save up an afternoon for a little throwback and refresh.
It’s been fun going around and reliving some core Halo memories with the master chief collection, but I was also really anticipating to go back and finish the installments I never saw all the way through.
ODST is one of those installments, and honestly, I played the first few levels so long ago it might as well be a brand new game to me. It’s still a glorified spinoff but sticks to it’s guns and cements itself as it’s own little thing in the Halo universe, with a few callbacks and nods sprinkled in with some different gimmicks to make it stand out.
The story is great, characters are cool, the level design and music are reminiscent of Bungie at it’s prime when it could evoke so much emotion just with a beautiful skybox and a couple of piano notes. It’s pretty hard to see the fall from grace when this studio managed to put so much emotional weight and adrenaline into so many small sequences, like the introduction orbital drop, the rainfall, or the final escape on the coastal highway.
I didn’t remember anything past the first half of the game so the ending was a pleasant surprise for me. I was almost expecting a second Reach finale but this was a clever subversion and a nice way to end it all off.
Halo will always have a special place in my heart so it’s always pleasant to save up an afternoon for a little throwback and refresh.
Incredible atmosphere, completely different feel to playing as a spartan. Soundtrack is so good.
This game is short, but the story and the environment is something out of this world. Adding more world building to the story, but following the ODST instead of Chief. This game will make you wanting more from the story as well as the great maps they had for Firefight.
The streets of Mombasa are littered with the aftermath of a Covenant war machine rampaging through. Bodies strewn, Covenant and Human alike. Cars alight, buses overturned. In the midst of all this, you, a lone ODST, wander through the dead city in search of your fellow ODSTs.
The thing I love so much about ODST is its feeling of vulnerability. It grips you the moment you jump out of your crashed pod. You're thrown into the middle of the street, not knowing what lurks behind every dark corner. Your team is scattered, and you don't even know if they survived the crash. There you are, alone in every sense of the word. Maybe if you were a Spartan then it would be fine. Regenerative shields, superhuman strength and dexterity, you wouldn't be fazed at all. It would just feel like any other Halo game to date. Yet here you are, an ODST, unaugmented, shieldless, just you and your trusty silenced submachine gun (the coolest yet worst gun in Halo). Having no shields means that every encounter becomes deadlier to you. Your screen turns a jarring red with each hit you take; your health doesn't regenerate; healing stations are few and far between. Every encounter feels fragile, every encounter triggers a fight or flight response. Every aspect of the game will tell you exactly how killable you are.
ODST's storytelling helps to further amplify this feeling of vulnerability. Right from the start of the game, you're dropped into an empty street. Empty buses and cars are left haphazardly along the roadside. Stray bodies can be found at every corner of the map. The city is silent, less for the incessant grunting of the prowling brutes and the robotic beeping of the Superintendent, Mombasa's resident city AI. Perhaps one of the most underappreciated parts of ODST is Sadie's Story, pieced together from various audio logs found in data terminals scattered throughout New Mombasa. Without getting into the details of the story, it depicts really well the chaos and panic that ensued when the invasion started It showed a very real visceral image of war from the civilian standpoint, one that we rarely got to see in Halo. What I like about ODST so much is that we get to see a more fragile state of the UNSC. The UNSC without the Spartans. One of my most memorable moments in ODST's campaign is during Uplift Reserve, listening in on an injured marine's dialogue with another marine.
The marine's dialogue is as follows:
Injured Marine: "No, no, no! You're not listening! It's a zoo, okay?"
Marine: "Well, technically it's a corporate-funded wildlife reserve."
Injured Marine: "Semantics! This whole place is one...big...cage!"
Marine: "Listen, Marine. You're wounded; you need to try and relax."
Injured Marine: "Except we, we're the zebras. All fenced in... and ready for the slaughter!"
Marine: "And the Covenant?"
Injured Marine: "They're the lions... RAAWR!"
Marine: "Careful. I think you just strained a metaphor."
Injured Marine: "Oh, oh God, oh God! Is that...serious?"
Marine: "Only if you keep it up."
While clearly meant to be a funny easter egg (which it was I laughed when I found it), it showed the humanity in the UNSC. The one with marines and ODSTs that fought against aliens taller, stronger and with much more lethal weapons than they had. Playing ODST had me feeling part of the UNSC. Not as a powerhouse on the battlefield like in other Halos, where I played as a Spartan going against inhuman odds, but rather as part of the war effort, another piece on the ground, inconsequential in the grander scheme of the war. Yet in every small battle, winning just that small an edge that the UNSC might prevail over the Covenant.
Despite all these things going for ODST, it would not be the game it is today without its music. ODST is carried by its soundtrack. The gravity of the Covenant invasion on Earth would be lost to me if it were not for 'Overture' during the introduction cutscene. Wandering the streets of Mombasa would not be as eerie without 'The Rookie' playing in the background. Or as tentative without 'Asphalt and Ablution'. Or as peaceful without 'Deference for Darkness'. I could go on forever, but it goes without saying that one of the most important elements in a game is its soundtrack, and Martin O'Donnell and Michael Salvatori did an amazing job with ODST.
For a game that took just over a year to develop, ODST was and always will be a game that I adore.
The thing I love so much about ODST is its feeling of vulnerability. It grips you the moment you jump out of your crashed pod. You're thrown into the middle of the street, not knowing what lurks behind every dark corner. Your team is scattered, and you don't even know if they survived the crash. There you are, alone in every sense of the word. Maybe if you were a Spartan then it would be fine. Regenerative shields, superhuman strength and dexterity, you wouldn't be fazed at all. It would just feel like any other Halo game to date. Yet here you are, an ODST, unaugmented, shieldless, just you and your trusty silenced submachine gun (the coolest yet worst gun in Halo). Having no shields means that every encounter becomes deadlier to you. Your screen turns a jarring red with each hit you take; your health doesn't regenerate; healing stations are few and far between. Every encounter feels fragile, every encounter triggers a fight or flight response. Every aspect of the game will tell you exactly how killable you are.
ODST's storytelling helps to further amplify this feeling of vulnerability. Right from the start of the game, you're dropped into an empty street. Empty buses and cars are left haphazardly along the roadside. Stray bodies can be found at every corner of the map. The city is silent, less for the incessant grunting of the prowling brutes and the robotic beeping of the Superintendent, Mombasa's resident city AI. Perhaps one of the most underappreciated parts of ODST is Sadie's Story, pieced together from various audio logs found in data terminals scattered throughout New Mombasa. Without getting into the details of the story, it depicts really well the chaos and panic that ensued when the invasion started It showed a very real visceral image of war from the civilian standpoint, one that we rarely got to see in Halo. What I like about ODST so much is that we get to see a more fragile state of the UNSC. The UNSC without the Spartans. One of my most memorable moments in ODST's campaign is during Uplift Reserve, listening in on an injured marine's dialogue with another marine.
The marine's dialogue is as follows:
Injured Marine: "No, no, no! You're not listening! It's a zoo, okay?"
Marine: "Well, technically it's a corporate-funded wildlife reserve."
Injured Marine: "Semantics! This whole place is one...big...cage!"
Marine: "Listen, Marine. You're wounded; you need to try and relax."
Injured Marine: "Except we, we're the zebras. All fenced in... and ready for the slaughter!"
Marine: "And the Covenant?"
Injured Marine: "They're the lions... RAAWR!"
Marine: "Careful. I think you just strained a metaphor."
Injured Marine: "Oh, oh God, oh God! Is that...serious?"
Marine: "Only if you keep it up."
While clearly meant to be a funny easter egg (which it was I laughed when I found it), it showed the humanity in the UNSC. The one with marines and ODSTs that fought against aliens taller, stronger and with much more lethal weapons than they had. Playing ODST had me feeling part of the UNSC. Not as a powerhouse on the battlefield like in other Halos, where I played as a Spartan going against inhuman odds, but rather as part of the war effort, another piece on the ground, inconsequential in the grander scheme of the war. Yet in every small battle, winning just that small an edge that the UNSC might prevail over the Covenant.
Despite all these things going for ODST, it would not be the game it is today without its music. ODST is carried by its soundtrack. The gravity of the Covenant invasion on Earth would be lost to me if it were not for 'Overture' during the introduction cutscene. Wandering the streets of Mombasa would not be as eerie without 'The Rookie' playing in the background. Or as tentative without 'Asphalt and Ablution'. Or as peaceful without 'Deference for Darkness'. I could go on forever, but it goes without saying that one of the most important elements in a game is its soundtrack, and Martin O'Donnell and Michael Salvatori did an amazing job with ODST.
For a game that took just over a year to develop, ODST was and always will be a game that I adore.
This is the Halo game ive played the least but its still a fantastic entry in the series. Its atmosphere and new combat mechanics make it very interesting and fun to play. The story having ODST instead of the characters we know brought a fresh look for it. Solid level design and a funny ass ending, i loved it!
kino
Replay ⏪
3 / 5.
A perfectly fine 'spinoff' game that doesn't do much new or add anything particularly interesting to the lore of the series.
Nathan Fillion is a cool addition, but the game just kinda peters out towards the end, leaving a lot to be desired.
3 / 5.
A perfectly fine 'spinoff' game that doesn't do much new or add anything particularly interesting to the lore of the series.
Nathan Fillion is a cool addition, but the game just kinda peters out towards the end, leaving a lot to be desired.
Such a magical game, and also secretly the best Halo game. Something about the soundtrack and the tone is just something special, it made me feel a way I didn't think a Halo game could make me feel, the vibes here are truly perfect.
I remember feeling small and helpless, scurrying around in the dark battle-torn streets, trying to survive and make sense of it all. And then ODST came out. Pretty cool game
This review contains spoilers
I think the music and atmosphere carries this game pretty hard, and the gunplay is good, it's not too far removed from Halo 3's. The Automag pistol was a nice change of pace from the at the time standard Battle Rifle precision weapon (which I believe is completely absent in this game). Firefight was also a great addition to the franchise and it is very fun. While I do enjoy Reach's customization features, ODST's atmosphere really lends to the desolation that comes in this gamemode.
I also think the open-world loop in a destroyed city was rather experimental and it was a nice change of pace as well as a breather for the more linear levels. It's a good size considering you'll usually be on foot. I definitely like the unique aesthetic, aged as it is. Despite being over a decade old I find the nighttime hub levels very engrossing and immersive to be in. Stuff like the Engineer graffiti and seeing the aftermath of small setpieces both within the flashback levels and in the hubworld also added to the sense of a ruined city after having gone through an apocalyptic battle. Lastly, the soundtrack is one of the best you can find in gaming, incredibly unique among the Halo games.
However, I think my biggest issue is what we got narratively and mechanically wasn't really hitting the tone I feel like they should've aimed for here. The "WE ARE ODST" trailers set up this incredibly gritty story; you're an ODST, not a Spartan, with a lack of physical augmentations and simple metallic body armor, you need your wits about you to survive against enemies that are far outmatching you in physicality and weaponry. Your comrades will die, but you will have to soldier on without them, as the fate of humanity hangs in the balance.
Ultimately though, what we actually get feels far more Whedon-y in tone. Alpha-Nine are jokesters through and through, and you never really get the sense that they actually truly came together as a team, especially since most of the game keeps them fractured (I also found the scene where Romeo gets injured very weird when it comes to this team cohesion message, as they wait until the next mission chronologically to do anything about it). Bungie weren't known for being great writers but at times the dialogue in this game could get really grating, and I find it odd that they saved the grittier tone for the next game in Reach. Overall this game is let down by me just not really enjoying the writing or general story, I think it could have been done better and this is part of the problem with the tone not reflecting what I think fits the marketing, the atmosphere, or what I think was generally expected, and thus being dissonant.
The gameplay itself also doesn't help when it comes to setting the tone of the game and being a novel twist on the Halo formula; playing through each of the Halo games on Legendary, this one was by far the easiest, and I really wish they had done more to change the gameplay to fit being an ODST. Shields are replaced with "stamina" which recharges slower, as well as non-regenerating health requiring you to pick up Optican health packs to heal up. In essence, it's a slower version of CE's health system, but frankly, it still feels like you're playing as a Spartan. You can still do absurd feats of strength like hijacking vehicles, take large amounts of damage before dying even on Legendary (at least considering you're playing as an ODST), and your stamina even drains much like shields do in Halo 3 when hit with a Power Drain, which felt really lazy, this should have been changed. Also, this is a nitpick, but it's a huge shame that Elites didn't return as an enemy given the fact that (at least according to Halo 2's story), the inciting incidents that started the Changing of the Guard/Great Schism hadn't happened yet, so to explain their absence (bar their corpses) they had to rewrite it so that the betrayal of the Elites was executed earlier. I think they would've been a great addition to 3's gameplay loop and likely added more challenge.
It's a okay game, but it combines a narrative and gameplay loop that sort of undermines what it felt like the game should be aiming for tonally (in other words, the former is too stilted and jarring, and the latter is not novel or difficult enough). Lastly, it feeling like DLC for 3 despite the full price tag and combining that with the samey gameplay and at times annoying writing makes this the weakest title in Bungie's Halo games. However, there's cool ideas here and it's certainly one of the most unique in the series (also Huragoks are awesome, I love their design). Worth checking out if you have MCC.
I also think the open-world loop in a destroyed city was rather experimental and it was a nice change of pace as well as a breather for the more linear levels. It's a good size considering you'll usually be on foot. I definitely like the unique aesthetic, aged as it is. Despite being over a decade old I find the nighttime hub levels very engrossing and immersive to be in. Stuff like the Engineer graffiti and seeing the aftermath of small setpieces both within the flashback levels and in the hubworld also added to the sense of a ruined city after having gone through an apocalyptic battle. Lastly, the soundtrack is one of the best you can find in gaming, incredibly unique among the Halo games.
However, I think my biggest issue is what we got narratively and mechanically wasn't really hitting the tone I feel like they should've aimed for here. The "WE ARE ODST" trailers set up this incredibly gritty story; you're an ODST, not a Spartan, with a lack of physical augmentations and simple metallic body armor, you need your wits about you to survive against enemies that are far outmatching you in physicality and weaponry. Your comrades will die, but you will have to soldier on without them, as the fate of humanity hangs in the balance.
Ultimately though, what we actually get feels far more Whedon-y in tone. Alpha-Nine are jokesters through and through, and you never really get the sense that they actually truly came together as a team, especially since most of the game keeps them fractured (I also found the scene where Romeo gets injured very weird when it comes to this team cohesion message, as they wait until the next mission chronologically to do anything about it). Bungie weren't known for being great writers but at times the dialogue in this game could get really grating, and I find it odd that they saved the grittier tone for the next game in Reach. Overall this game is let down by me just not really enjoying the writing or general story, I think it could have been done better and this is part of the problem with the tone not reflecting what I think fits the marketing, the atmosphere, or what I think was generally expected, and thus being dissonant.
The gameplay itself also doesn't help when it comes to setting the tone of the game and being a novel twist on the Halo formula; playing through each of the Halo games on Legendary, this one was by far the easiest, and I really wish they had done more to change the gameplay to fit being an ODST. Shields are replaced with "stamina" which recharges slower, as well as non-regenerating health requiring you to pick up Optican health packs to heal up. In essence, it's a slower version of CE's health system, but frankly, it still feels like you're playing as a Spartan. You can still do absurd feats of strength like hijacking vehicles, take large amounts of damage before dying even on Legendary (at least considering you're playing as an ODST), and your stamina even drains much like shields do in Halo 3 when hit with a Power Drain, which felt really lazy, this should have been changed. Also, this is a nitpick, but it's a huge shame that Elites didn't return as an enemy given the fact that (at least according to Halo 2's story), the inciting incidents that started the Changing of the Guard/Great Schism hadn't happened yet, so to explain their absence (bar their corpses) they had to rewrite it so that the betrayal of the Elites was executed earlier. I think they would've been a great addition to 3's gameplay loop and likely added more challenge.
It's a okay game, but it combines a narrative and gameplay loop that sort of undermines what it felt like the game should be aiming for tonally (in other words, the former is too stilted and jarring, and the latter is not novel or difficult enough). Lastly, it feeling like DLC for 3 despite the full price tag and combining that with the samey gameplay and at times annoying writing makes this the weakest title in Bungie's Halo games. However, there's cool ideas here and it's certainly one of the most unique in the series (also Huragoks are awesome, I love their design). Worth checking out if you have MCC.
Halo 3: ODST is the most unique Halo entry. It was the first Halo game to not have Master Chief as the main protagonist, nor did it have a traditional multiplayer mode the series had been known for up to this point.
Nevertheless, it succeeds with a bleak and emotional single-player campaign, the best soundtrack in the Halo series, and the addition of the amazingly addictive Firefight mode. It has become one of my favorite video games of all-time.
Nevertheless, it succeeds with a bleak and emotional single-player campaign, the best soundtrack in the Halo series, and the addition of the amazingly addictive Firefight mode. It has become one of my favorite video games of all-time.
De verdad que no les hacía falta hacer la atmósfera tan buena en la ciudad
The most unique halo out of the series, the story is good the gameplay is great I enjoyed the stealth mechanic in this game is fun, overall I highly recommend.
cool twist for this franchise
big props for Bungie for making 2 unique games in this universe instead of forcing themselves to make shit sequels
big props for Bungie for making 2 unique games in this universe instead of forcing themselves to make shit sequels
Très bonne surprise un halo dans une ambiance film noir avec un (petit) monde ouvert qui comme dans les autres halo permet plusieurs approches du combat (ou pas) afin d'avancer dans notre enquête (et aussi les terminaux qui racontent l'histoire de sadie sont très intéressants et ça rajoute un peu de profondeur au jeu), probablement le halo avec les meilleurs ost. Les quelques reproches qu'on peut lui faire sont que la campagne est effectivement un peu courte et on se sent pas assez souvent en danger/faible comparé aux jeux de lz trilogie originale aloes qu'on est censé jouer un soldat moins fort et enfin lorewise ça a très peu de sens de ne croiser aucun élite vivant dans le jeu.
My favorite halo. The guns, music, and atmosphere are better than the other games. The only thing that isn't better is the weird ass facial animations.
Easily my favorite Halo game. Game play ripped straight from 3, with a story that rivals Reach. Halo 3 is probably a better made game, but ODST is my personal favorite 10/10
The definitive Halo experience, especially on legendary.
It's amazingly paced on legendary. Back to back banger missions, only broken up by rainy walks through New Mombasa, accompanied by an amazing soundtrack. There's nothing I could write that could possibly describe the amount of effort which went into every single encounter in this game. Every room, every enemy placement, every weapon and ammo drop deliberately placed to absolute perfection.
This game has a level of polish and detail which is all but extinct nowadays, and all this back in 2009. Berton, Bakken, Miller and Pfeiffer pulled out all the stops on this one. Cramming everything that makes Halo great into a 3-4 hour campaign, that never lets off the throttle. Joseph Staten made sure ODST fit perfectly into the story, all the while providing interesting and new concepts.
The game only tumbles twice, in my opinion. Once at the beginning with the brain-dead tutorial and during the last mission. The last mission just looks a little unfortunate at the tail end of an almost flawless experience. It underdelivers on the pacing, stakes and difficulty. This being said, it's a fine mission and people are too obsessed with endings anyway.
Play this game. You won't be disappointed.
It's amazingly paced on legendary. Back to back banger missions, only broken up by rainy walks through New Mombasa, accompanied by an amazing soundtrack. There's nothing I could write that could possibly describe the amount of effort which went into every single encounter in this game. Every room, every enemy placement, every weapon and ammo drop deliberately placed to absolute perfection.
This game has a level of polish and detail which is all but extinct nowadays, and all this back in 2009. Berton, Bakken, Miller and Pfeiffer pulled out all the stops on this one. Cramming everything that makes Halo great into a 3-4 hour campaign, that never lets off the throttle. Joseph Staten made sure ODST fit perfectly into the story, all the while providing interesting and new concepts.
The game only tumbles twice, in my opinion. Once at the beginning with the brain-dead tutorial and during the last mission. The last mission just looks a little unfortunate at the tail end of an almost flawless experience. It underdelivers on the pacing, stakes and difficulty. This being said, it's a fine mission and people are too obsessed with endings anyway.
Play this game. You won't be disappointed.
Easily the best game in the series, I really enjoyed Reach and 2A but this blows them both out of the water honestly. The combination of the more linear classic type of levels and the open world while playing as the rookie is perfect. Many of the missions give you more freedom to do things differently. For example you can choose to take the covenant head on or you could go into a nearby building and find a sniper on a balcony. Many of the missions have details like that to make it that much more enjoyable to play. While the story did not really have much connection to the Master Chief story the setup of having the team separated and then each mission is them trying to get back together was unique and interesting. I genuinley had fun playing each mission (not something I can say for the other Halo games) and I look forward to replaying this one and finding all the hidden details and ways to complete missions.
Hikayenin ilerleyişi ve kurgusu baya hoş. Rookie kısımlarında çalan müzik ve depresif hava insanı baya moda sokuyor. Serinin her oyunu gibi bu oyunun da müzikleri baya iyi. Odst ekibini Halo Reach ekibinden biraz daha sevilesi buldum ama öyle aşırı bir fark yok. Hikaye güzel başladı fakat sonlarını çok aceleye gelmiş gibi hissettiriyor. Genel olarak keyifli bir oyundu.
The campaign for this game had a great aesthetic that I adore. The mission design was also good for the most part. The story was perfectly fine, however. I didn't hate it and it served its purpose. However it doesn't reach the emotional pains of Halo 2 or the bombastic feeling of Halo 3.
Firefight was a solid, yet difficult, distraction if you could find 3 other people to do a run with you. Sadly there was no matchmaking for this mode, which it desperately needed
A good side package overall, despite the price point at the time frustrating fans
Firefight was a solid, yet difficult, distraction if you could find 3 other people to do a run with you. Sadly there was no matchmaking for this mode, which it desperately needed
A good side package overall, despite the price point at the time frustrating fans
A great Halo game to play which captures the smaller scale aspects of the greater Human-Covenant war.