User Score
7.6

Generally favorable reviews- based on 1697 Ratings

User score distribution:
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  1. AlexK.
    Sep 22, 2009
    10
    Campaign 10/10 FireFight 10/10 its all awesome
  2. michaelk
    Jan 8, 2010
    10
    this is another fantastic game that just seems to be getting loads of negative feedback but it really is a fantastic shooter the story is great with a real sense of depth plus the secret story that you descover by downloading all the audio files really adds a sense of depth. firefight is awesome fun with the only real setback being that its friends only i'd really of liked it to be this is another fantastic game that just seems to be getting loads of negative feedback but it really is a fantastic shooter the story is great with a real sense of depth plus the secret story that you descover by downloading all the audio files really adds a sense of depth. firefight is awesome fun with the only real setback being that its friends only i'd really of liked it to be open to everyone but i'm lucky to have friends to play with and if none of them are about i have the classic halo 3 multi player plus every dlc map to play on against one of the largest communities of players thats still going strong even after 3 years as one of the most played games online i really honestly dont understand all the negativity ?????? this game is awesome on every level Expand
  3. Apr 27, 2011
    9
    Not the best Halo but at least like a lost episode , very nice. Actually it added cool features the game, just like the DLC and the firefight mode apart from the short campaign . The campaign was nice, playing as an a ODST felt like a challenge against the covenants and that was a great feature in difference about Master chief that is (obviously) a spartan (easy) . A littleNot the best Halo but at least like a lost episode , very nice. Actually it added cool features the game, just like the DLC and the firefight mode apart from the short campaign . The campaign was nice, playing as an a ODST felt like a challenge against the covenants and that was a great feature in difference about Master chief that is (obviously) a spartan (easy) . A little disappointed in the campaign , I mean it needed the battle rifle, and mostly in all the level you used the silenced m7s , the levels vastly appeared the assault rifle and come on the protagonist never talked it just felt like another master chief only human. But anyway is full entertaining and you get a good use for your money . Expand
  4. Oct 8, 2011
    9
    Story: 9
    Characters: 7
    Graphics: 9
    Setting: 7
    Multiplayer: 10
    Technical: 10
    Audio: 10
    Gameplay: 10
    Re-Playability Value: 8
    Fun Factor: 8

    Score: 8.8/10 = A
  5. Nov 13, 2010
    8
    I normally really enjoy playing halo games and I enjoyed this one as well... just not as much.
    I don't know what happened but this was not even close to how good I thought halo 3 was and this game is good just the worst fps halo in the series.
  6. jesseR
    Oct 20, 2009
    10
    this is my favorite halo game ever! when i played as chief i felt no strategy but odst is strategic and has those big climax battles like at the end of the game. also the audiofiles make the game more interesting and i enjoy that is open world, offers alternitives an opens a big window in the halo universe
  7. MarkM
    Oct 4, 2009
    10
    ODST was a great game in my opinion. the campaign was very fun and it had a good story. The new health system makes the game a bit more challenging and the controls are easy for nearly any one to learn almost right away. the new firefight mode has been hours of fun for me and the H3 multiplayer is most like the most fun I've ever had in a game. Even if you own the normal halo 3 disc, ODST was a great game in my opinion. the campaign was very fun and it had a good story. The new health system makes the game a bit more challenging and the controls are easy for nearly any one to learn almost right away. the new firefight mode has been hours of fun for me and the H3 multiplayer is most like the most fun I've ever had in a game. Even if you own the normal halo 3 disc, ODST brings 3 new fun and exiting maps and it would be good if one of your friends doesnt't have halo 3 or ODST you can let them barrow your halo 3 and be able to play online with them. Overall I believe ODST is a great buy and that if you are new to halo it is even a greater deal. Expand
  8. Feb 22, 2013
    10
    Copy/Paste to all Halo reviews after all these years: I didn't have a 360 for a few years (played 3 and ODST). In the meantime I played all sorts of fps- COD, BF, Killzone (which is awesome), Resistance, and every single other one. And coming back to Halo when I rebought a 360 was like the greatest homecoming ever. Unlike those other games, every Halo battle is like a chess match waitingCopy/Paste to all Halo reviews after all these years: I didn't have a 360 for a few years (played 3 and ODST). In the meantime I played all sorts of fps- COD, BF, Killzone (which is awesome), Resistance, and every single other one. And coming back to Halo when I rebought a 360 was like the greatest homecoming ever. Unlike those other games, every Halo battle is like a chess match waiting to happen. And once you truly know every enemy and every weapon, you fall into a sweet spot of gaming that is possibly the best of all action games ever made. It's just the best. Great now I have to copy and paste this 4 more times. Expand
  9. Dec 22, 2010
    9
    Halo 3: ODST is what you get when you try to create DLC but add to much content, the story in this game is one of the best in the series, it's better than Halo 3's in my opinion, the environmental graphics are outstanding as are the armor graphics, facial animations are terrible though, voice acting is great and the sound effects are top notch, and the new Firefight mode is really fun, aHalo 3: ODST is what you get when you try to create DLC but add to much content, the story in this game is one of the best in the series, it's better than Halo 3's in my opinion, the environmental graphics are outstanding as are the armor graphics, facial animations are terrible though, voice acting is great and the sound effects are top notch, and the new Firefight mode is really fun, a few new gameplay changes only give it a slightly different feel, and there is no multiplayer, but it does come with all of Halo 3's maps plus the DLC maps and two new maps, this game is in my opinion amazing and one of the best in the series. Expand
  10. Aug 1, 2011
    9
    You know I was going to give it a bad rating because its a bad "halo game" but then I played some other much worse fps's and other bad games and thought wow this really is so much better than those other games. so sure out of all the halo games its definitely the worst (yes that includes wars) it's still a superb game by gaming standards and deserves to be regarded as such.
  11. Feb 26, 2012
    9
    Halo 3: ODST should have never been an "expansion" and should have just been a game on it's own. Regardless, it is a truly unique game. For those expecting the standard, stellar Halo-style experience they will be somewhat disappointed. The art style and color palette are totally different from Halo 3. The cut-scenes have a more cartoon-like feel to them, and the game is amuchdarker inHalo 3: ODST should have never been an "expansion" and should have just been a game on it's own. Regardless, it is a truly unique game. For those expecting the standard, stellar Halo-style experience they will be somewhat disappointed. The art style and color palette are totally different from Halo 3. The cut-scenes have a more cartoon-like feel to them, and the game is amuchdarker in tones. The story-telling is vastly different, but once you get used to it only then can you appreciate it. ODST slows down the fast pace of Halo story telling to focus, in detail, on the episodic encounters of surviving members of an ODST unit. Instead of vast, galactic battles with epic proportions, ODST tells the small-scale story about the lives of brave and honorable men and women who would have otherwise been considered insignificant. ODST takes a mysterious, suspenseful approach in a fantastic tale on how ODST struggle to save Humanity from the invasion of the Covenant. The Human-Covenant War takes a heavier toll as you literally feel and experience the War from a purely human perspective. You dwell among the dark, dead ruins of one of earth's greatest cities: New Mombassa. You can see Covenant ships hovering nearby and laying waste, you see human soldiers scrambling in guerrilla warfare against alien invaders. You can explore the city and uncover interesting side-stories from a civilian perspective of the attack, and you experience -block-tp-block fighting against occupying covenant forces. The stakes seem higher, and I almost wish this game would have been called Halo: ODST so it could have been a $30 tie-in special release in between Halo 2 and Halo 3. I think more people would have appreciated the game more than way, especially with how the plot progresses and then ends. The story is very interesting, and enjoyable. At first I had a hard time actually liking the characters, but as the game continued on I felt like i fit in among them, and I felt for them and connected to them. The music is unique and enjoyable. The gameplay is solid and smooth. The game is challenging and immensely fun. This game has a high replay value, and is a must-get for anyone who wants a game where they can take time to explore and relish details of a larger story. Expand
  12. Dec 9, 2021
    9
    Хорошее дополнение к 3 части в которой вы можете почувствовать себя в шкуре обычного солдата, а не спартанца
  13. JasonN
    Oct 1, 2009
    10
    The campaign was more enjoyable than the two previous Halo games. While there are times I was forced to hide and sneak past enemy soldiers, I played the ODST character nearly the same way I played the Master Chief. The different scenes were fun to perform, and the music flowed great with them. Firefight is very fun if you have friends to play with. The enemy retains its A.I. so difficulty The campaign was more enjoyable than the two previous Halo games. While there are times I was forced to hide and sneak past enemy soldiers, I played the ODST character nearly the same way I played the Master Chief. The different scenes were fun to perform, and the music flowed great with them. Firefight is very fun if you have friends to play with. The enemy retains its A.I. so difficulty level is not an issue. The game comes with the Halo 3 multiplayer, so it's bringing the best of both worlds. I personally would buy this over Halo 3. Expand
  14. ChrisA
    Nov 6, 2009
    9
    Halo 3: ODST is a good buy if you have 30 pounds to spend on a game. If you don't have halo 3 Halo 3 ODST is a good experience. Main Gripes is that the campagin is a but too short and firfight should have some sort of matchmaking ability. Single Player- 8.0 Multiplayer- 8.7 Overall gameplay- 8.3 Presentation-9.0 Lifespan- 8.4 Score- 8.5 (I rounded for base score)
  15. JordanB
    Oct 3, 2009
    10
    Although $60 may be a little steep for an expansion, it
  16. B
    Oct 6, 2009
    9
    Anytime anything gets this big it gets haters and there are 1 Halo hater for every 20 games sold so there are a lot of Halo haters. Yes you can finsih this game in less time then it took you to be super mario bros 1 when you were a special ed kid but its still a good game and the hours of multiplayer you will play of the firefight and new Halo 3 maps will more then make up for theAnytime anything gets this big it gets haters and there are 1 Halo hater for every 20 games sold so there are a lot of Halo haters. Yes you can finsih this game in less time then it took you to be super mario bros 1 when you were a special ed kid but its still a good game and the hours of multiplayer you will play of the firefight and new Halo 3 maps will more then make up for the slightly shorter campagin. The price could have been a few bucks less but considering all the MP I have played I am not going to complain. Expand
  17. AngelA
    Jan 5, 2010
    9
    this game i think is one of the best halo games to date. i mean who dosent love teaming up with three friends and beating alien ass! i mean the down side to this game was the short campain mode and poor grafics but great game play definitly! firefight is the best feature on this game so if your not gonna by it atleast rent it cause halo out did there selfs on this one!
  18. JW
    Mar 27, 2010
    8
    ODST is a solid shooter better than average but the campaign is too short and easy to get completely excited about. It's main new feature is Firefight which while fun is a time consuming affair, expect to spend over 2 and a half hours if you're performing well so casual gaming goes out the window. Expect to beat the campaign 3-5 time in your fisrt few days of owning it. And dont ODST is a solid shooter better than average but the campaign is too short and easy to get completely excited about. It's main new feature is Firefight which while fun is a time consuming affair, expect to spend over 2 and a half hours if you're performing well so casual gaming goes out the window. Expect to beat the campaign 3-5 time in your fisrt few days of owning it. And dont expect any gameplay revolutions for the Halo franchise. The multiplayer disk though is great, Halo 3's entire multiplayer with every DLC and adding that onto the solid but not great campaign and this is a solid game decision. Expand
  19. ShaneZ.
    Oct 1, 2009
    10
    Best Halo Game EVER! What we lacked in the length of the game is made up for in the endless hours you can enjoy playing with friends in Firefight!
  20. DrewK
    Oct 21, 2009
    9
    I for one am extremely happy with this game, you get all $30 worth of the multiplayer from Halo 3, which I hadn't bought before. So that makes the Campaign and Firefight together about $30. If the story took you 4 hours to beat, play it on legendary, getting all the data logs, and then tell me its short. This game is wonderfully made, with a stealthy environment as the rookie, and I for one am extremely happy with this game, you get all $30 worth of the multiplayer from Halo 3, which I hadn't bought before. So that makes the Campaign and Firefight together about $30. If the story took you 4 hours to beat, play it on legendary, getting all the data logs, and then tell me its short. This game is wonderfully made, with a stealthy environment as the rookie, and different styles as your teammates. GOW wasn't the first to have a survival mode, but I think that ODST has done the best job of any game so far. Great purchase for the first person shooter lover. Expand
  21. AdamW.
    Oct 5, 2009
    9
    A worthy expansion to the Halo saga well worth 39 pounds (I don't know what that is in dollars) The campaign all be it short is great fun even though the storyline is a bit weak. Firefight makes up for this with loads of maps and a shared pool of lives means that you have to work as a team. It is much better than COD WAW Nazi Zombies. However you must have friend online because of A worthy expansion to the Halo saga well worth 39 pounds (I don't know what that is in dollars) The campaign all be it short is great fun even though the storyline is a bit weak. Firefight makes up for this with loads of maps and a shared pool of lives means that you have to work as a team. It is much better than COD WAW Nazi Zombies. However you must have friend online because of the lack of an ability to player with another three random people. Overall the new weapons, firefight and the ability to unlock recon (why is vidmaster endure so hard) this makes it a worthy purchase. Expand
  22. OwenM.
    Sep 22, 2009
    10
    Great story mode, wicked awesome Firefight mode, and every single map pack. What's not to love?
  23. CoryD
    Sep 23, 2009
    9
    The campaign has a different feel than the rest of the halo series, buthas a great look to it. Firefight is a blast, and is gonna eat up many hours in the near future. The new Mythic maps are just the icing on the cake... forget the retards that gave this a zero, it's the best game released in 2009, no contest at all.
  24. Bob
    Sep 25, 2009
    9
    Great addition to the Halo franchise. $60 for a game is standard and if you are new to Halo, you get Halo 3 multiplayer with all the DLC in the package. Bungie, keep 'em coming!
  25. QuentinV
    Jan 4, 2010
    10
    my friends at school were talking about this alot, so I figured might as well get it,when I popped the disk in and started playing it wasintresting and very fun and challenging, and I loved every minute of it. the only annpying thing about it is the lack of matchmaking for firefight nut I guess ,y brothers are more then enough,
  26. TylerM
    Nov 1, 2009
    9
    This game improves on Halo 3 in almost every way. The Campaign is very unique, presenting a more open method of play than in other Halo games, and presenting missions in flashbacks. Firefight, the "multiplayer", might get old after a while, but if you have friends to play with, it'll probably last you hours and hours. My only complaint is that while the ODST's gameplay functions This game improves on Halo 3 in almost every way. The Campaign is very unique, presenting a more open method of play than in other Halo games, and presenting missions in flashbacks. Firefight, the "multiplayer", might get old after a while, but if you have friends to play with, it'll probably last you hours and hours. My only complaint is that while the ODST's gameplay functions differently from that of a Spartan or Elite in Halo 3 (ex. weaker melees, lower endurance, grenades thrown differently), shields were replaced with "stamina", which functon identically. In addition, a bonus disc with all the Halo 3 multiplayer maps is included, so if you;re not interested in Halo 3's campaign, but want to try the multiplayer, this is the game to buy. Expand
  27. MarkJ
    Oct 1, 2009
    8
    ODST is in its essence an expansion to Halo 3. Int his capacity it makes for a great game. The inclusion of the Multiplayer map packs alone almost makes up for the cost of the game, but adding firefight and the beautifully done campaign it is totaly worth it. The only reason to pass this game up would be if you have all the maps and dont want to spend the cash on the 8 new missions and ODST is in its essence an expansion to Halo 3. Int his capacity it makes for a great game. The inclusion of the Multiplayer map packs alone almost makes up for the cost of the game, but adding firefight and the beautifully done campaign it is totaly worth it. The only reason to pass this game up would be if you have all the maps and dont want to spend the cash on the 8 new missions and one new game type. The only bad thing to be said about this game is the shortness of the campaign. Expand
  28. CT
    Dec 10, 2009
    9
    The main gripe for this game, unfortunately, is the price. For people who owned the maps already, this is definitely not worth it. Fortunately, I only bought one map pack, and didn't have to focus on the high price when I played the game. The campaign is very short, and the Mombassa parts lack action, but the replay levels was done with the same level of quality as past Halo games. The main gripe for this game, unfortunately, is the price. For people who owned the maps already, this is definitely not worth it. Fortunately, I only bought one map pack, and didn't have to focus on the high price when I played the game. The campaign is very short, and the Mombassa parts lack action, but the replay levels was done with the same level of quality as past Halo games. Graphics aren't great, but that's never been a strong suite for Halo. The mechanics work solidly. Firefight is a ton of fun, and for those who complain about matchmaking, it is very difficult for it to work as the Bungie developers have said, but hopefully this will change in the future. Multiplayer, of course, the same good ol' Halo. Expand
  29. AJP
    Oct 9, 2009
    8
    First and foremost, ODST is more than an glorified expansion pack. The story is better than the other Halos in my opinion. I like the fact that you are just a regular trooper instead of Master Chief, it makes you think more during the fights, especially since you don't have have recharging health or recharging shields. The way the story is told is interesting, finding things left First and foremost, ODST is more than an glorified expansion pack. The story is better than the other Halos in my opinion. I like the fact that you are just a regular trooper instead of Master Chief, it makes you think more during the fights, especially since you don't have have recharging health or recharging shields. The way the story is told is interesting, finding things left behind by your squadmates and playing flashback missions through their eyes. The length of the story depends on how long it takes you to get to where the items are that trigger the flashbacks and if you want to find all the hidden audiofiles. The package is a great deal, provided you don't already have the map packs for Halo 3 multiplayer, since they are included on the second disc, which is Halo 3's multiplayer, the only new thing is 3 new maps. Speaking of multiplayer, the new Firefight mode on the ODST disc is a blast, it is pretty much horde mode with a twist. Different skulls activate during each round turning on different modifiers like all enemies dodge grenades and plasma more often or enemies do nothing but throw grenades until they run out. Overall this is a great package, especially for Halo fans. I will say this, if you already own the map packs for Halo 3, rent ODST first to see if the campaign and Firefight are something you'd be willing to pay full price for. Expand
  30. JonathanO
    Oct 9, 2009
    9
    In my opinion most people are missing the point. The story is more complex than it appears at first. To see the true beauty of the game you must look beyond.
Metascore
83

Generally favorable reviews - based on 94 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 80 out of 94
  2. Negative: 1 out of 94
  1. The bottom line here is that this is a nice little piece of Halo, and that anyone who has ever enjoyed Halo will probably enjoy this too. The only question is how much it is worth to you. As a full priced stand-alone game, its value is somewhat dubious.
  2. Not only an add-on! This is better than many of the main games! Next to the single player, you also get a great multiplayer mode. You just cannot do wrong if you buy this game!
  3. Halo 3: ODST is an excellent add-on campaign for Halo 3, and one which all Halo fans should own.