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7.6

Generally favorable reviews- based on 1697 Ratings

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  1. Apr 21, 2013
    8
    Nice storyline and guns and the intro of firefight make this game to me. The Firefight is pretty good for a first time, and it's very challenging. I wish that the elites were on this because the Elites are a trademark of Halo. The Hammerhead brute is probably the best enemy of all of them. With only the Rocket Launcher or assassination to depend on to kill him reliably, You need wits toNice storyline and guns and the intro of firefight make this game to me. The Firefight is pretty good for a first time, and it's very challenging. I wish that the elites were on this because the Elites are a trademark of Halo. The Hammerhead brute is probably the best enemy of all of them. With only the Rocket Launcher or assassination to depend on to kill him reliably, You need wits to master firefight, especially on a level like Chasm 10, where Phantoms don't come and with many turns. Now the main thing that keeps this from the 10 are as goes:
    1) Lack of elites
    2) Non-customizable Firefight (understandable since it's a first run)
    3) The jellyfish (Hate them with a passion. A hammerhead with an extra shield isn't an ideal enemy)
    By far the best weapon has to go to the pistol. Reliable for headshots on grunts and jackals. This is the most reliable human weapon, since other human weapons are crap against Covenent shields
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  2. Apr 11, 2013
    8
    Until this game my only experience with Halo was the original on the PC. From an outside looking in perspective, I found the game (both multiplayer and campaign) to be quite enjoyable. The graphics are quite nice and the storyline was very well done. The only complaint I had was the controls. It seemed as though the controller setup was made as unconventional as possible. Thank goodnessUntil this game my only experience with Halo was the original on the PC. From an outside looking in perspective, I found the game (both multiplayer and campaign) to be quite enjoyable. The graphics are quite nice and the storyline was very well done. The only complaint I had was the controls. It seemed as though the controller setup was made as unconventional as possible. Thank goodness for being able to change it. Expand
  3. Mar 23, 2013
    5
    This game really could of just not existed. Really, it could of been an Add-On for Halo 3, and life could go on. This is my least favorite Halo game. The campaign has its moments, but it never wowed me at any moment. I never had feelings for any of the characters, and that brings it down a lot. Firefight was ok, nothing exiting or interesting because it did not have many options. The bestThis game really could of just not existed. Really, it could of been an Add-On for Halo 3, and life could go on. This is my least favorite Halo game. The campaign has its moments, but it never wowed me at any moment. I never had feelings for any of the characters, and that brings it down a lot. Firefight was ok, nothing exiting or interesting because it did not have many options. The best part of the package was the multiplayer. It has all the Halo 3 map packs and original maps. I cannot argue with that. But if you already own all of the maps, this game really has nothing to offer. Unless you want to see what the lore is, of course. In the end, this game is great for hardcore fans of the series, but I am not a hardcore fan. Just a guy who was expecting more from this game. Expand
  4. 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
  5. Nov 5, 2012
    9
    I don't no why ppl hate on this it was a welcome edition to the halo lore I myself always thought about how would someone else fair in the wars of halo besides john 117 aka master chief. And then odst was made and I enjoyed playing it all the way through. Like all the halos from the past the gameplay was top notch playing in the city environment was awesome I mean this game was a good.I don't no why ppl hate on this it was a welcome edition to the halo lore I myself always thought about how would someone else fair in the wars of halo besides john 117 aka master chief. And then odst was made and I enjoyed playing it all the way through. Like all the halos from the past the gameplay was top notch playing in the city environment was awesome I mean this game was a good. game story and just all around fun time. Expand
  6. Nov 3, 2012
    9
    If you're thinking about buying it now (for about $20), do it. every multiplayer map, and in my opinion the best campaign in the halo series. for what it lacks in length it more than makes up for in its characters (the cast of firefly with a cylon? fantastic!), the perfected gameplay and graphics (with a silenced magnum and smg, who needs dual wielding?), and the mood and atmosphere thatIf you're thinking about buying it now (for about $20), do it. every multiplayer map, and in my opinion the best campaign in the halo series. for what it lacks in length it more than makes up for in its characters (the cast of firefly with a cylon? fantastic!), the perfected gameplay and graphics (with a silenced magnum and smg, who needs dual wielding?), and the mood and atmosphere that puts reach to shame, this is bungie's masterpiece. firefight, whilst in its best incarnation in my opinion, is the game's only weak point. didn't anyone think to put it on Live? Expand
  7. Nov 2, 2012
    10
    I thought this game was great, a lot of people knocked the short campaign, but you need to look at the whole package. The campaign was fun and a nice change from the norm, the FireFight feature was a nice addition, I loved the challenge of it. The game also came with Halo 3 Multiplayer disc with all the DLC, which I loved and still play. Good solid game and quite a challenge on Legendary.
  8. Oct 11, 2012
    9
    After a year of owning the game I finally got around to playing it through. I really was expecting another linear Halo game when I popped this in. It was delightfully different to be presented with the option to walk about a city fighting through the covenant to regroup with my lost squad mates. Visually the game was really no different from any other Halo; however, the ability to walkAfter a year of owning the game I finally got around to playing it through. I really was expecting another linear Halo game when I popped this in. It was delightfully different to be presented with the option to walk about a city fighting through the covenant to regroup with my lost squad mates. Visually the game was really no different from any other Halo; however, the ability to walk through a city at night and then see it at a different time of day during a mission was quite enjoyable. The music was supposed to be an homage to the previous games OST's but I really believe the change in style for ODST sound was one of its biggest strengths. The ability to quickly tell a story through little snippets of each squad member made for a great storyline that required you think about how the pieces fit together. I think the timing of the game was also a huge strength. Having a game that you could get through in a little over six hours yet receive an ample story was a nice change of pace. I have found this series to sometimes drag levels out by forcing you to spend a lot of time on non-story progressing moments. That was not at all the case with ODST. Overall I am fairly pleased with the game and it has re-sparked my interest in the series quite a bit. Expand
  9. Sep 21, 2012
    5
    For me this game is not up to par with those that came before it. Running around trying to find beacons gets repetitive early on, as well as the level design being used over and over again - like earlier Halo games. The storyline change is what happens when the developer has finished and closed a trilogy, yet the fans want more - and so they had to come up with an alternate storyline. TheFor me this game is not up to par with those that came before it. Running around trying to find beacons gets repetitive early on, as well as the level design being used over and over again - like earlier Halo games. The storyline change is what happens when the developer has finished and closed a trilogy, yet the fans want more - and so they had to come up with an alternate storyline. The narrative certainly is, for the most part, what separates this game from the others - unfortunately though I didn't find it very engaging and otherwise the game doesn't add anything that wasn't already there in past titles. I also found the presentation to be too dark at times, and the hud takes up too much of the screen. In addition I found the gameplay to become too repetitive. Upon trying to play through the Halo games chronologically, I have hardly seen any new opponents or breakthrough gameplay elements since the original Halo. It was decent fun at certain moments, I'll give it that - though sadly my optimism for this game just isn't anything more than that. Expand
  10. Aug 13, 2012
    10
    YES YES **** YES Bungie! ODST may only be an expansion to Halo 3 but it is easily the best entry in the entire series. Set during the New Mombassa mission in Halo 2 you play as Rookie, a new addition to a group of ODST's sent in to assist Chief in the defence of New Mombassa, however things go pear shaped and the Covenant cruiser hits hyperdrive in orbit. Now scattered you and your squadYES YES **** YES Bungie! ODST may only be an expansion to Halo 3 but it is easily the best entry in the entire series. Set during the New Mombassa mission in Halo 2 you play as Rookie, a new addition to a group of ODST's sent in to assist Chief in the defence of New Mombassa, however things go pear shaped and the Covenant cruiser hits hyperdrive in orbit. Now scattered you and your squad must regroup and escape the crumbling ruins of New Mombassa before the Covenant glass the place. The game plays in 2 different ways, with Rookie during the night searching for your lost squad members, gathering clues and using stealth to your advantage. Then there is the flashback sections where you play as each of the other members of your squad in a defining moment in the battle of Mombassa. It uses all the same mechanics and features from Halo 3 whilst adding a couple more but its the story and sound engineering that make Halo 3: ODST the series standout game. Expand
  11. May 14, 2012
    1
    Oh wow, $60 for this 5 hr campaign with dick for replay ability and a **** horde mode rip off. **** you Bungie. You managed to ruin the Halo name without help from anyone else
  12. Apr 29, 2012
    8
    Its not Bungie's best halo ever. But its a great game to have. Campaign was the best about Halo 3 ODST, at first I thought it a bit silly, but once you go past the start it gets to very good. Firefight something new and fun with a friend but it was hard to find a game. And now the second disc with the multiplayer with 3 new maps witch were okay but very useful if you never got any of theIts not Bungie's best halo ever. But its a great game to have. Campaign was the best about Halo 3 ODST, at first I thought it a bit silly, but once you go past the start it gets to very good. Firefight something new and fun with a friend but it was hard to find a game. And now the second disc with the multiplayer with 3 new maps witch were okay but very useful if you never got any of the map packs [like me] because its give you all the halo 3 maps witch was cool. Campaign 8/10 Firefight 8/10 Disc 2 8/10 Halo 3 ODST 8.0/10 Expand
  13. Apr 22, 2012
    4
    Give your Halo character little health and change absolutely NOTHING else, and you have ODST. The gameplay mechanics are exactly the same, except you have bugger all health (jumping from fairly low heights can hurt you), the story is boring and forgettable, levels are repetitive (I HATED the night time level in the city) and this game is obviously just a cash ploy made by Bungie. We canGive your Halo character little health and change absolutely NOTHING else, and you have ODST. The gameplay mechanics are exactly the same, except you have bugger all health (jumping from fairly low heights can hurt you), the story is boring and forgettable, levels are repetitive (I HATED the night time level in the city) and this game is obviously just a cash ploy made by Bungie. We can wait for Halo Reach without crappy sequels to fill the gap. Expand
  14. Mar 19, 2012
    7
    It's a fun game with a great atmosphere and very good voice acting. I managed a legendary single-player run through without much difficulty, which is probably not a point in its favor. It's hard to give the game a good rating because Halo, to me, is really made by multiplayer. It was fun, and I've played it on and off for achievements, but it's a game I'd consider selling back at some point.
  15. 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
  16. Feb 16, 2012
    4
    ive been a fan of halo ever since the 2nd one came out and i have to say this is the worst halo ive ever played the story is the worst in the series you are random solders in the unsc army that get lost in there drop pods and get scattered around this city and you have to find out what happened to your squadmates and do random missions this halo has the worst plot line out of the seriesive been a fan of halo ever since the 2nd one came out and i have to say this is the worst halo ive ever played the story is the worst in the series you are random solders in the unsc army that get lost in there drop pods and get scattered around this city and you have to find out what happened to your squadmates and do random missions this halo has the worst plot line out of the series although they did bring in this mode called firefight which is amazing its like horde mode from gears of war and zombies from cod and you have fend off waves of the covenant but that is the only good thing about the game and they completely scraped competitive multiplayer if it wasnt for firefight i would give this a zero Expand
  17. Jan 7, 2012
    5
    I hope Microsoft is listening. You can't sell 4 hours of content, and a new multiplayer mode as a full game!!! The game was meant to be an expansion pack for Halo 3, hence the name Halo 3: ODST, so who's idea was it at Bungie, or Microsoft to sell this game as an independent title?!?!?
    The game play is similar to the other Halo titles. You kill aliens, to be frank. This time around you get
    I hope Microsoft is listening. You can't sell 4 hours of content, and a new multiplayer mode as a full game!!! The game was meant to be an expansion pack for Halo 3, hence the name Halo 3: ODST, so who's idea was it at Bungie, or Microsoft to sell this game as an independent title?!?!?
    The game play is similar to the other Halo titles. You kill aliens, to be frank. This time around you get a few new guns, and a vision mode that highlights enemies. Does that sound like it deserves to be a full purchase? No. But wait there is also a new multiplayer mode called Firefight, where you, and up to three friends fight in a survival type of mode where endless hordes of enemies will attack, and you have to fight them off. Aside from that, and a tacked on single player, the multiplayer is the exact same, without the new guns. Simply put, its one game mode, a short and tacked on single player, and the old Halo 3 multiplayer without any chances. I haven't left anything out at this point. I've said everything that Halo 3:ODST has to offer. So if that's all that was added why did the game set sold as a full price game rather then DLC? I'll tell you why. It's because some executive at Microsoft who figured they weren't making enough money said so that's why. This game is nothing new at all, it's just a recycled Halo 3. This game should not in anyway be praised.
    If this would have been released at DLC it would warrant a better score such as a 6, maybe 7. However, because of the price tag, I have to deduct points from it. The game doesn't deserve anything else other then a 5, because it simply isn't enough to get a better score when you have to pay full price for it.
    Shame on you Microsoft, shame on you Bungie, shame on you Halo fan boys who would be willing to cough up $60 for this trash at launch.
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  18. Dec 26, 2011
    4
    AWFUL campaing, Just **** garbage. Why people would like to see a story in mixed order is beyond me, Yeah it's not gonna make no sense if you do the second last mission then the second, but it just feels like a way to pad the game play, "Oh we have a 4-5 hour campaing, but instead of just telling a story, were gonna force you to walk around for 10 mins before you get to the next part ofAWFUL campaing, Just **** garbage. Why people would like to see a story in mixed order is beyond me, Yeah it's not gonna make no sense if you do the second last mission then the second, but it just feels like a way to pad the game play, "Oh we have a 4-5 hour campaing, but instead of just telling a story, were gonna force you to walk around for 10 mins before you get to the next part of the story" Firefight isn't online and the multiplayer is halo 3. Do not buy unless you don't have halo 3 anymore. even then halo 3 is dead sooooooo Expand
  19. Nov 17, 2011
    1
    I hate the fact that this game exists. You play as a weak ODST, who dies too easily making the game very difficult even on normal difficulty. The storyline does not flow smoothly and I find no likeable characters in the game. This is not how Halo is supposed to be, the only time you will have fun is in a vehicle where you can run down the covenant forces with ease. The visuals are ok, butI hate the fact that this game exists. You play as a weak ODST, who dies too easily making the game very difficult even on normal difficulty. The storyline does not flow smoothly and I find no likeable characters in the game. This is not how Halo is supposed to be, the only time you will have fun is in a vehicle where you can run down the covenant forces with ease. The visuals are ok, but good graphics does not mean a good game, they only compliment one. Expand
  20. Nov 15, 2011
    5
    So heavily recycled from Halo 3 its like playing a modded version of it when you put in ODST. The only good things about ODST are the addition of firefight and the bonus disc that gives you all the halo 3 maps for free.
  21. Nov 6, 2011
    9
    The campaign in this game ventures off from the previous Halo games. While playing as the Rookie and wandering around the darkened streets of New Mombasa alone you actually get the feeling that you are indeed "alone". While in this segment of the game you would want to avoid enemy as much as possible which is why I think those Hard Core Halo fans say that it sucks but overall the campaignThe campaign in this game ventures off from the previous Halo games. While playing as the Rookie and wandering around the darkened streets of New Mombasa alone you actually get the feeling that you are indeed "alone". While in this segment of the game you would want to avoid enemy as much as possible which is why I think those Hard Core Halo fans say that it sucks but overall the campaign is amazing and possibly the best in the Halo series. It has great storytelling and a good transition between flashbacks with a good ending. Firefight is one of the best modes for a fps to date you've might have seen games where you fight waves of enemy but Bungie's take on it is amazing. This would be the perfect feature to the game if it had matchmaking but Bungie neglected to add it to the final product. Overall the game is amazingly good from the spectacular campaign to having fun with friends in firefight but for a 60.00$ price tag it is not. The game is only an expansion with the price tag of a full game. If Bungie would have made an entirely new multiplayer featuring the Odst and their new guns and Visr as well as making matchmaking possible with firefight then the game would be an 11/10 that's how great it would have been just imagine playing multiplayer on it with some night maps using the Visr and the new SMG all the things that could have been but isn't in the game. Still it's a spectacular game none the less but for it having a 60.00$ price tag for something that's not a full game turns that "spectacular" to a great which is why I'm giving it a 9.1/10 instead of a 10/10. Expand
  22. Oct 28, 2011
    6
    This is a really hard game to want to play because it's nothing more than a four hour dlc pack. Granted I didn't pay the original $60 for this, more like $25, but it still didn't draw me into the game to enjoy it. What's my motivation here? To fight a battle that took place just prior to Halo 3? Wander streets as an underpowered ODST trooper and unfold an irrelevent story? It'sThis is a really hard game to want to play because it's nothing more than a four hour dlc pack. Granted I didn't pay the original $60 for this, more like $25, but it still didn't draw me into the game to enjoy it. What's my motivation here? To fight a battle that took place just prior to Halo 3? Wander streets as an underpowered ODST trooper and unfold an irrelevent story? It's basically boring. Expand
  23. 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
  24. Sep 28, 2011
    1
    Story is awful. I still couldn't complete the game because to unlock data hive (seond to last level) I had to do all the levels again. Not worth it- especially since it's not exciting, the gameplay is terrible, health system sucks compared to Reach and it's really dark. It's a badly made game.
  25. Sep 28, 2011
    4
    Halo ODST was a massive missed opportunity for Bungie. They could've actually crafted a game that broke from their previous efforts. They could've actually shown us what combat was like from a vulnerable human's point of view, instead of from a power armored supersoldier's point of view. Instead of walking around like some sort of shielded tank, maybe we'd be able to go prone and takeHalo ODST was a massive missed opportunity for Bungie. They could've actually crafted a game that broke from their previous efforts. They could've actually shown us what combat was like from a vulnerable human's point of view, instead of from a power armored supersoldier's point of view. Instead of walking around like some sort of shielded tank, maybe we'd be able to go prone and take cover and do interesting stuff. But they squandered it all, they just didn't give a damn.

    So you're an ODST. Well, I guess that means you're really vulnerable, right? You can't rely on shields to save your bacon, this gameplay's probably going to be a lot more like Rainbow Six, and even grunts will pose a considerable challenge... oh wait. No, no they didn't do that. There's still a shield, it's just now called stamina and it's hidden from the HUD.

    Well, you're just a human. I guess that means you can't break off machine gun turrets and lug them around and... oh wait. Yeah, I guess you can still break off turrets and walk around with them. You've still got superhuman strength. You can still carry Spartan lasers as if they weighed nothing, even though they're huge weapons that would probably strain a normal human.

    But hey, you're way way weaker than a Spartan II, you've probably got a much much weaker melee attack now, right? You probably can't deliver a couple of punches to kill grunts and Brutes and stuff, right? After all, regular humans don't have the superhuman strength to do that. Oh wait... yeah, I guess your melee attacks still kill them quickly. Your punches are still superhuman for some reason.

    But without the finely tuned motor reflexes and stabilizers of the Mjolnir armor, your aim is probably going to be really bad when you move a lot, right? I mean, your reticle is probably going to expand if you're running or strafing a lot, right? That's what happens when a human being moves rapidly while carrying a gun, their aim suffers. So that's surely... oh wait. Oh wait, that's not... that not what we get. The crosshair just remains static and perfectly accurate. Boy, that's not right is it?

    If you just expected more of the same, I guess ODST might've been just peachy-keen for you.
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  26. Sep 6, 2011
    9
    +6 for the best Halo campaign I've ever played.
    +5 for the Firefight being awesome.
    -1 for not having matchmaking in Firefight. -1 for not being able to unlock bigger portions of Firefight maps. Okay, I am a long time Halo fan. I've read all the books and own all the games. I understand why people would think that ODST should not have come out as a full priced game. It didn't have an
    +6 for the best Halo campaign I've ever played.
    +5 for the Firefight being awesome.
    -1 for not having matchmaking in Firefight.
    -1 for not being able to unlock bigger portions of Firefight maps.

    Okay, I am a long time Halo fan. I've read all the books and own all the games. I understand why people would think that ODST should not have come out as a full priced game. It didn't have an independent multiplayer, but is that seriously what we base game quality off of today? Some of the most amazing games I've ever played are single-player and ODST is no exception. The inclusion of Firefight easily evened out the lack of mulitplayer for me. With Reach coming out so soon after, I wouldn't have spent any time on ODSTs mulitplayer anyway.
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  27. Aug 30, 2011
    10
    I really enjoyed this halo because of the story and the soundtrack. I actually like this story better than Reach's and the characters were much more enjoyable in this. I can understand why some people thought it was too expensive for what it is, but I still picked it up quite cheap. The facial graphics of the odst's are the weakness of the graphics overall a great game.
  28. Aug 18, 2011
    5
    The campaign of this game was really bad, but the firefight mode in this game saves the game to be a very awful one. But, to get the maps for firefight, you need to play the campaign! I feel it's an okay game, but the campaign just lacks in story and makes no sense at all.
  29. Aug 9, 2011
    1
    Avoid this game at all cost total wast of time and money. If you've already bought this game I'm very sorry. Game play was terrible campaing was full of glitches and bugs. This game was a waste of time and money.
  30. 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.
  31. Jul 24, 2011
    6
    This is the worst Halo game in the series yet. To me most of the things are recycled content, and that's probably because the guys at Bungie are to lazy to add new content. The multiplayer is totally recycled, and that pissed me off. The campaign is not that good also, and I was especially much more pissed when a glitch in the game made me start all over again. The only good thing in thisThis is the worst Halo game in the series yet. To me most of the things are recycled content, and that's probably because the guys at Bungie are to lazy to add new content. The multiplayer is totally recycled, and that pissed me off. The campaign is not that good also, and I was especially much more pissed when a glitch in the game made me start all over again. The only good thing in this game, i would say, is the firefight mode. Besides that, not really a game worth getting. Expand
  32. Jun 27, 2011
    3
    when i was in the store with my money at hand just enough for a new game i was at walmart at the time when i saw halo 3 the game i always wanted after halo 2 came out i wanted more but somthing else caught my eye halo 3 odst i immedietly bought it today i regret that descicion for poor story line and even worse gameplay it is not a good choice at all
  33. 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
  34. Apr 22, 2011
    6
    Halo 3 ODST is a decent game on it's own, but with the full Halo 3 multi-player experience packaged with it, it makes this an awesome deal. The campaign is interesting, with varied locations and classic Halo battles with the Covenant; although you don't play as Master Cheif, it doesn't detract from the experience. Firefight is a good addition, but the ability to go on Xbox LIVE would haveHalo 3 ODST is a decent game on it's own, but with the full Halo 3 multi-player experience packaged with it, it makes this an awesome deal. The campaign is interesting, with varied locations and classic Halo battles with the Covenant; although you don't play as Master Cheif, it doesn't detract from the experience. Firefight is a good addition, but the ability to go on Xbox LIVE would have made it much more interesting. Nonetheless, it is fun whether you go it alone or with some friends. Expand
  35. Mar 22, 2011
    8
    Halo 3 ODST is close to being the best Halo game yet, placing it second place to Halo; Reach. It has an intriguing Campaign and it brings more realism to the series. The campaign is shorter than the series's previous game. To put it in a different way I guess you can say that the campaign is quality over quantity. Halo 3 ODST also introduces a new game mode called "Firefight" which testsHalo 3 ODST is close to being the best Halo game yet, placing it second place to Halo; Reach. It has an intriguing Campaign and it brings more realism to the series. The campaign is shorter than the series's previous game. To put it in a different way I guess you can say that the campaign is quality over quantity. Halo 3 ODST also introduces a new game mode called "Firefight" which tests how long you can survive against an unlimited amount of Covenant. This new game mode is definitely very fun and is the perfect thing to play with your friends. Unfortunately, they do not introduce a new Online Multiplayer experience. Instead they give you a special Halo 3 Matchmaking disc which includes all the DLC maps. Once you complete the Campaign and play alot of "Firefight", you will find that this game might start to get boring. Expand
  36. Mar 1, 2011
    4
    One of the biggest disappointments I've ever had to suffer. I'm a long time Halo fan, and while I don't exactly love Bungie, I trusted them to deliver a great experience. I'd already given up hope for a great campaign since Halo 2, and all I really cared about was playing survival Halo. I was initially taken aback that a game Bungie themselves had dubbed an "expansion to Halo 3", with anOne of the biggest disappointments I've ever had to suffer. I'm a long time Halo fan, and while I don't exactly love Bungie, I trusted them to deliver a great experience. I'd already given up hope for a great campaign since Halo 2, and all I really cared about was playing survival Halo. I was initially taken aback that a game Bungie themselves had dubbed an "expansion to Halo 3", with an estimated price for $40 was now being marketed as a full game (thankfully Amazon gave me $10 back soon afterwards). Loading up into the campaign, I was almost immediately struck at how.. well.. bad it was. The cutscene animations are laughably poor, and the characters are all bland stereotypes. The storytelling was rather annoying, as between levels you'd have to "explore" an extremely repetitive New Mombasa while fighting outposts of Brutes (more like driving past them with a ghost you steal) and then searching for 10 minutes to find the next "clue". Somehow this piece of garbage reveals an extremely complicated story to your "rookie". Honestly, this is probably the worst Halo campaign in existence. Besides that, two things stuck out to me:
    1. Where in the hell are the elites? I personally hate fighting brutes; they're dumb, slow, and boring. Obviously since this game takes place about 2 seconds after the Master Chief fights with about a MILLION elites, you'd think there would be.. I don't know.. some elites left over. Well you'd be wrong. I'm not sure what the canon explanation is, but basically the H3 engine didn't have enemy AI coded into the elite characters, so we're stuck fighting Halo 3 elites before they even existed.
    2. You're supposed to feel different. You're supposed to feel like a smaller soldier, without super shields, who can't take on 50 brutes by himself. You don't. You still feel like a spartan, but you can see your hands this time. You still run and gun as you kill dozens of grunts and elites with superior firepower to your own. Yeah, you have to find healthpacks from time to time. Big woop. You definitely do NOT feel like a small fragile soldier, and there is no more strategy than previous Halo games offer.

    On to firefight.. boy what a disappointment. There is no defense strategy, there is no teamwork involved. Playing with 4 friends, we just got into a game and found the best strategy was to run our separate ways and kill as many enemies as possible. What makes this incoherent mess even worse is that you're forced to deal with these stupid skulls that turn on after a couple waves. These skulls force you to melee enemies to regain shields, to constantly dodge enemy grenades while yours are rendered ineffective, to deal with a terribly low supply of ammo. Do any of these things sound fun to you? They sure aren't. I knew they would offer the skulls for those looking for additional challenge, but to force them on you? Ridiculous. It ends up playing like a 4-player co-op campaign, except there's only one tiny level, and there's no story... and it's not even remotely fun.

    Some people loved the "storytelling" and "style" of this game, but ultimately, as a Halo fan, it was a huge disappointment. I played ODST for about a week before stopping altogether. Do I regret buying it? Not entirely. For one, I now have all the H3 maps on a single disk and my HDD has much more space. Two, I was able to complete the achievements towards getting Recon armor in H3. And finally, I was able to participate in the Reach beta. All that aside, I found this game terrible. I'm a HUGE Halo CE to Halo Reach fan, and I found this game TERRIBLE. Take from this what you will.
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  37. Feb 23, 2011
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This game is great. I felt/feel that it's not worth $60 but at the same time I had such a good experience playing it that I have a hard time gauging what it's worth. Definitely $20, $30, maybe $40. It is great because of the moodiness, and because of the frailty of the playable characters. You are not a spartan, you are a soldier, and you don't have super shields and you are not unstoppable. Choices must be made with consideration to ammo, health and environment. Battles with hunters in tight corridors vs. out in the open are awesome and difficult choices to make. Finding the snipers in the buildings is essential to cross some sections, with soldiers coming on your position from multiple directions. Survival strategies become important.

    There are multiple mission types, each carried out by other members of the ODST team focusing more (albeit not by much more) on their characters special training, well voiced by half the cast of firefly (with multiple references to the show). I would liked to have seen a longer game just to get to flesh them out more. Or, better yet a new game continuing their story. With master chief gone I was really hoping they would be the future of the game franchise.


    You can get the game dirt cheap now, and if the cost or halo-burnout kept you at bay before it's worth the $10 or twenty bucks you would pay to get it.
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  38. Feb 16, 2011
    10
    The graphic are Horrible ! The monster are **** ! The characters are (comment on dit un travelo ?), the story is whoring. The Game-play is moisi... ODST Is a **** game which is good and pourri.
  39. 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
  40. Dec 11, 2010
    8
    Not as good as Halo 3 but it is and expansion after all. Campaign is still as great is ever but is now getting too short. Like the idea of new vulnerability, not being a spartan anymore, and the return of zooming magnum is nice. Firefight is kl but it is kind of laggy and there's no olnine, only friend co-op =(. The audio files r sweet tho and the campaign has a lot of hidden easter eggsNot as good as Halo 3 but it is and expansion after all. Campaign is still as great is ever but is now getting too short. Like the idea of new vulnerability, not being a spartan anymore, and the return of zooming magnum is nice. Firefight is kl but it is kind of laggy and there's no olnine, only friend co-op =(. The audio files r sweet tho and the campaign has a lot of hidden easter eggs so keep an eye out. Unfortunately gun-play doesn't feel as good as before, but too me thats actually just the smg and magnum and not any other gun really, for others its virtually unnoticeable. The new DLC and Reach beta inclusion was great but... Why am i paying for some DLC I've already bought. Negative points aside, a great game but notas good as others in the series, and I recommend you play the other Halo's first. Expand
  41. 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.
  42. Oct 27, 2010
    2
    The storyline was very short and ruined mombasa was a dissapointment. As well as that the storyline wasnt that good. If you want a better game at half the price just buy halo 3. dont buy this game
  43. Oct 16, 2010
    4
    Halo 3 ODST is by far the worst Halo game. The story is boring, there isnt really anything new about the game, exept the firefight mode,the game is short, the characters are stupid and the campaign totally sucks.This game should have been just a DLC for Halo 3, nothing more.
  44. Oct 9, 2010
    0
    SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO boring its exactly the same as every single other halo and its just a overrated piece of rubbish, i cant actually believe i pre ordrered it. Biggest waste of money in my life !
  45. Oct 7, 2010
    8
    Halo 3 ODST has seen mixed reaction from Halo fans due to a short campaign and an "invite only" multiplayer gametype. The game, despite short, has a great atmosphere and music. This isn't an action first person shooter, this is more of a mystery / crime thriller game where you investigate what happened to your teammates through objects found on the city. Firefight is a great addition toHalo 3 ODST has seen mixed reaction from Halo fans due to a short campaign and an "invite only" multiplayer gametype. The game, despite short, has a great atmosphere and music. This isn't an action first person shooter, this is more of a mystery / crime thriller game where you investigate what happened to your teammates through objects found on the city. Firefight is a great addition to the Halo series and it's addictive, sadly there are only a few maps and there are like only 2 or 3 that are enjoyable and really fun. A must buy for REAL Halo fans, it's been a year anyways, it's now for $30 USD or less and contains Halo 3 multiplayer maps on a second disc. Expand
  46. Sep 29, 2010
    9
    Halo 3: ODST is little more than an expansion pack. But where there isn't a rethought mutliplayer component that pushes the series forward, there is a stellar story told through a scope that is brand new to Halo and will really please fans that are wanting to answer the question "why am I doing this?" as they progress through the campaign. The only real new face in ODST besides theHalo 3: ODST is little more than an expansion pack. But where there isn't a rethought mutliplayer component that pushes the series forward, there is a stellar story told through a scope that is brand new to Halo and will really please fans that are wanting to answer the question "why am I doing this?" as they progress through the campaign. The only real new face in ODST besides the obvious 6-8 hour campaign portion is the intriguing Firefight mode that brings up to 4 players together to fight off massive waves of Covenant soldiers & vehicles. This mode is reminiscent of Gear of War 2's "Horde" mode and will give friends something great to enjoy while playing with up to 3 other friends. But other than that, you're looking at minimal changes to what has been a solid formula up to this point. Though adding in great voice acting from the likes of Nathan Fillion certainly pushes the game into believable AND captivating territory. If you were hoping for something big, new, and a step up graphically... well you'll only get a little of each. Though running around, guns blazing, has never been so cool. Expand
  47. Sep 25, 2010
    5
    This game isn't the worst ever, but it certainly is not a Ã
  48. Sep 24, 2010
    10
    As MikeW put it "The ruined Mombasa that you play for most of the game as the rookie is very dull and lifeless." Duh. It's supposed to. Anyway, The game brings back some features from Halo: Combat Evolved, such as the health system and the ability of dual wielding is absent. The music is great and sets the tone of the game. While Firefight is not matchmaking, it is great to play withAs MikeW put it "The ruined Mombasa that you play for most of the game as the rookie is very dull and lifeless." Duh. It's supposed to. Anyway, The game brings back some features from Halo: Combat Evolved, such as the health system and the ability of dual wielding is absent. The music is great and sets the tone of the game. While Firefight is not matchmaking, it is great to play with friends and is an excellent addition to the franchise.Also, be sure to visit Bungie.net and get your Halo 3: ODST nameplate for Halo: Reach! Expand
  49. esp
    Sep 6, 2010
    4
    Perhaps Halo just isn't my thing, but this game is just dumb. The annoying childlike aliens, the (very) weak attempts at humor, the vague and contradictory mission objectives -- I played the first two missions and sold it back to the shop where I'd gotten it. There are many ways to get one's FPS fix, and this just didn't do it for me.
  50. Aug 29, 2010
    7
    i played through the campaign once, never played that again. Not because it was bad, it was just that there was really no reason to go back and play it again. The firefight mode is a very good mode where you fight waves and waves of enemies until you run out of lives. The downside is that there is no matchmaking for firefight. You are stuck playing either locally with 2 people or 4 playersi played through the campaign once, never played that again. Not because it was bad, it was just that there was really no reason to go back and play it again. The firefight mode is a very good mode where you fight waves and waves of enemies until you run out of lives. The downside is that there is no matchmaking for firefight. You are stuck playing either locally with 2 people or 4 players online. it is still fun but should have been tweaked before release. Expand
  51. Aug 22, 2010
    7
    Halo 3:ODST was different from other halo games. Over the game you were forced to travel to your mission by walking throught the dark city of new mombasa. Sometimes i would get lost. It probably took me 45 minutes to get to the first mission cause it took that long to get used too. How ever the campaign was fun and still play it from time to time.How ever it was short. Firefight is fun butHalo 3:ODST was different from other halo games. Over the game you were forced to travel to your mission by walking throught the dark city of new mombasa. Sometimes i would get lost. It probably took me 45 minutes to get to the first mission cause it took that long to get used too. How ever the campaign was fun and still play it from time to time.How ever it was short. Firefight is fun but it is hard to get someone to play with online. This game should have been an add on instead of a full priced game. I give halo 3:ODST a 7.5 out of 10.

    Review9
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  52. Aug 13, 2010
    1
    wow if by deffinition you mean a game company crapping out a turd into a box marketing it for $60 then this is the true deffinition of that . so first this was suppose to be a expansion pack which probubly woulda went for 1600 points if marked reasonably ... yeah right like bunjie would do that they have to rape you for every thing you are worth because they are greedy and know halo fanswow if by deffinition you mean a game company crapping out a turd into a box marketing it for $60 then this is the true deffinition of that . so first this was suppose to be a expansion pack which probubly woulda went for 1600 points if marked reasonably ... yeah right like bunjie would do that they have to rape you for every thing you are worth because they are greedy and know halo fans will pay any thing to get it no matter how bad it is. if this was atleast a 1600 point expansion like it was intended to be i could atleast give it a 6/10 . as is its a $60 overpriced expansion that took me all if 4 hours to beat and i didnt enjoy any of it . outdated graphics ... oh and you dont get to play as the master chief you get to play as some bozoo who just runs around living out what other people have done. then theres the gears 2 horde mode rip off fire fight which wasvately fun for a hour . playing this game felt like i was banished to hell . The halo series is beyond repair in my book . only positive note is i only borowed this game and didnt pay for it . if i did pay for it man id have been really pissed. Expand
  53. Aug 12, 2010
    5
    I was extremely dissapointed in odst. Honestly i think that odst should have stayed as an expansion. I wasted 60 dollars on a 5 hour game. IT was a rundown version of halo 3. The only good thing about the game was that it came with the extra halo multiplayer disc. I was really excited for firefight and you cant even use it in matchmaking
    none of my friends had the game so i was stuck
    I was extremely dissapointed in odst. Honestly i think that odst should have stayed as an expansion. I wasted 60 dollars on a 5 hour game. IT was a rundown version of halo 3. The only good thing about the game was that it came with the extra halo multiplayer disc. I was really excited for firefight and you cant even use it in matchmaking
    none of my friends had the game so i was stuck playing it by myself and its not fun. The free roam wasnt even free roam. It was run from point a to point b. The gameplay was exactly the same as original halo. The dificulty was not that hard at all. The game itself is ok but for 60 dollars its not worth it at all. Mabye for 40 but thats a mabye
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  54. Aug 12, 2010
    8
    A very good, enjoyable campaign. Though my only complaint is that the campaign is a bit short and is the difficulty equals that of Halo 2 if you decide to play it by yourself ;D . The campaign is very well done, but its not really a game that you would pop in your Xbox just to play. It does however come with the Halo 3 multiplayer disk with all the DLC included. Overall, not a bad deal ifA very good, enjoyable campaign. Though my only complaint is that the campaign is a bit short and is the difficulty equals that of Halo 2 if you decide to play it by yourself ;D . The campaign is very well done, but its not really a game that you would pop in your Xbox just to play. It does however come with the Halo 3 multiplayer disk with all the DLC included. Overall, not a bad deal if its your first time buying a halo game. Expand
  55. 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
  56. thedude
    Mar 23, 2010
    5
    Hugely disappointing. Most of the content is content that most Halo fans have already paid for, since the main multiplayer is Halo 3's multiplayer. Tacked on you get Firefight mode which will get old fairly fast. The only other new content is the super-short campaign(around 6 hours long). There were a lot of great games last year(mw2, l4d2, gh5, borderlands, arkham asylum). Compared Hugely disappointing. Most of the content is content that most Halo fans have already paid for, since the main multiplayer is Halo 3's multiplayer. Tacked on you get Firefight mode which will get old fairly fast. The only other new content is the super-short campaign(around 6 hours long). There were a lot of great games last year(mw2, l4d2, gh5, borderlands, arkham asylum). Compared to those, this game was a terrible waste of money. Expand
  57. DavidM
    Mar 4, 2010
    3
    Halo 3 odst really had my hopes up i thought it was going to be a fantastic game! But i was one stupid person for thinking this game will be good. I can go on and on and on about ranting this game. But first let me start with the cost when the game came out. 60$ for a crap campaign that i beat in one night, the firefight gamemode and the Halo 3 multiplayer expierience. I mean when i got Halo 3 odst really had my hopes up i thought it was going to be a fantastic game! But i was one stupid person for thinking this game will be good. I can go on and on and on about ranting this game. But first let me start with the cost when the game came out. 60$ for a crap campaign that i beat in one night, the firefight gamemode and the Halo 3 multiplayer expierience. I mean when i got the game I was woah cool a halo 3 multi disc sence my halo 3 game disc broke. But for me the game is stupid unpolished and super boring to me. I barley even touch the game the only reason why i am keeping it is because the multiplayer disc. Reason 2 The campaign: The campaign is a kind of open world thing when your the rookie but all he does (said in gameinformer) is that he just finds out about his squad mates awesome moments. the campaign was about 5 hours to me and the legendary difficulty is 1 whole clip to kill one brute! I beat legendary on the orginal but the legendary on halo 3 odst is just down right ridiculous. It just seems like bungie is bribeing the famous game companys to vote high on there game. Reason 3 Plays like original halo 3: Ok so you think there will be some cool new feature to the gameplay like lets say like sprinting? no its the exact same thing from halo 3 i know most of you will be like why is he whining about that... Well first of all halo 3 has been out forever! and you think if you play halo 3 alot it will get boring and yes it did. There is only 2 new weapons as well i mean a 60$ expansion with no new gameplay features besides the VISR... Come on bungie so greedy. Reason 4 Firefight: For me on halo 3 odst firefight was the best thing in there (Besides the multiplayer expierience) But i have a few proplems with it. What if i want to play with my friends at my house? No i cant i can only play with one of them sence its only 2 player Split-screen so no 3 or 4 player matches. Pretty stupid a 4 player survivor mode that 2 people can only play locally... And the last proplem in firefight there is no good maps. My favorite map on the campaign to hold off was the rooftops but that map was not on there. Expand
  58. JjonathanW.
    Feb 23, 2010
    9
    I think that the campaign was better than halo 3's,overall, the reason i say overall is because the last mission didn't come close with halo 3's final driving scene. the firefight was really fun and stuff, but really, it was just a copy of hoarde mode from gears of war 2, and it kind of got boring to me after awile.It also comes with the who halo 3 multiplayer, which has I think that the campaign was better than halo 3's,overall, the reason i say overall is because the last mission didn't come close with halo 3's final driving scene. the firefight was really fun and stuff, but really, it was just a copy of hoarde mode from gears of war 2, and it kind of got boring to me after awile.It also comes with the who halo 3 multiplayer, which has all of the maps, even the dlc, from halo 3 plus a new map pack. overall, it's a great game. Expand
  59. MichaelB
    Feb 13, 2010
    8
    The new Campaign offers a great experience, but it is not without it's problems. Traversing the New Mombasa sandbox starts okay, but gets a little old. The basic strategy is: clear enemies in the current courtyard, check your map to determine a path, repeat until you get to the next beacon. The flashback missions are the highlight of the new campaign. Each mission offers something The new Campaign offers a great experience, but it is not without it's problems. Traversing the New Mombasa sandbox starts okay, but gets a little old. The basic strategy is: clear enemies in the current courtyard, check your map to determine a path, repeat until you get to the next beacon. The flashback missions are the highlight of the new campaign. Each mission offers something different. For example, some missions have you fighting on foot, while others force you to use a certain type of vehicle, like the Scorpion tank or Banshee fighter plane. The Firefight game mode is a nice addition to Halo, but I recommend playing it co-operatively; it tends to get boring when playing alone. Even if you're not interested in the Campaign or Firefight, the second disc is still worth the whole price. Disc 2 allows you to play the original Halo 3's multiplayer mode. It includes the original maps plus every map pack. IMO, this alone makes ODST worth it. Expand
  60. JackS
    Feb 8, 2010
    5
    The game is SO boring and definitely not worth the money. Bungie tried to apply an open world to the Halo series, but failed miserably. As the cookie cutter protagonist that is the Rookie (promising young rookie, never speaks, where have we seen this before? Oh, yea: EVERYWHERE), you travel the bleak, depressing city of a destroyed New Mombasa. There is WAY too much walking, and to top it The game is SO boring and definitely not worth the money. Bungie tried to apply an open world to the Halo series, but failed miserably. As the cookie cutter protagonist that is the Rookie (promising young rookie, never speaks, where have we seen this before? Oh, yea: EVERYWHERE), you travel the bleak, depressing city of a destroyed New Mombasa. There is WAY too much walking, and to top it off, the scenery is bland and uninspired. Everything looks the same in New Mombasa, and worst of all, there are few fights in between objectives, and when you do enter a fight, it's so small and easy that it's nothing worth remembering. The Rookie is trying to find his squadmates who dropped into New Mombasa as well. Upon discovering their remains, you enter standard linear Halo levels, playing as the character you discover up until their crash. This concept seems to be the only thing original about this game. The linear Halo levels aren't completely terrible, but it's nothing worth remembering. The graphics in the game are the same as those in Halo 3, which is a 2007 game. This game came out in 2009. It seems like Bungie just added a bit of blur, but no major polish. Firefight is also boring. A lot of people seem to love it, but I absolutely hate it. The regular multiplayer is fun, but it's Halo 3's multiplayer with every map pack, so I can't credit any of that to ODST. People may tell you that this game is an expansion, but it's not. If it is the same price as a full game, then guess what? It's a full game. If I were you, I'd wait until this game dropped to $30-$40. Otherwise, it's cheaper to buy Halo 3 and every map pack separately, and will definitely leave you with a better experience. Expand
  61. 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
  62. TiaV
    Jan 7, 2010
    0
    Let's say that you are on the far left corner of the map....your objective would be on the farthest possible point away from you. The first 5 minutes were captivating. It involved fighting aliens at night. I said 'that was fun' and the game said, 'really? then let's do it another 5000 times for the rest of the game.' Apparently, if most of the gameplay is Let's say that you are on the far left corner of the map....your objective would be on the farthest possible point away from you. The first 5 minutes were captivating. It involved fighting aliens at night. I said 'that was fun' and the game said, 'really? then let's do it another 5000 times for the rest of the game.' Apparently, if most of the gameplay is done at night, then not too much effort will be needed on the graphics. And one more thing, my favorite. HARDER difficulties does not mean SMARTER enemies. It means healthier and faster ones. Meaning, the bad guys are just as stupid, but on steroids. What a waste of time. It's a fricking expansion pack that costs 6 times as much as it should. And after you're finally done with that pain-in-the-ass legendary difficulty, you put the game aside, and NEVER play it again. Seriously. There are better things in life to play with, and ODST is far from one of them. Expand
  63. 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!
  64. 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,
  65. MikeW
    Jan 2, 2010
    4
    The story is very non flowing, even if it is good I couldn't tell because it's so choppy. The ruined Mombasa that you play for most of the game as the rookie is very dull and lifeless. It has it's moments and I was entertained but it really doesn't hold a candle to what the halo name has set itself to be.
  66. GavinM
    Jan 2, 2010
    6
    Halo 3 :ODST is a serviceable game, it doesn't do anything new or isn't exactly memorable, but is an enjoyable game when you don't take in the Halo name or the hype buildup. If it wasn't a Halo game though, it would wash away in the sea of better games that came in the fourth quarter of this year.
  67. [anonymous]
    Dec 27, 2009
    5
    Stick to normal Halo 3, this one isn't too good. It was nice of them to include the map packs for Halo 3, though.
  68. GaryL
    Dec 21, 2009
    3
    $60 game, 5 hours of campaign, new Gears of War rip-off multiplayer mode you can only play with your friends, and the same multiplayer you probably have because chances are if you are buying this game you already have Halo 3. This doesn't add up to a good game to me. The new campaign is barely different from other Halo games in terms of gameplay and the story seemed to be written by $60 game, 5 hours of campaign, new Gears of War rip-off multiplayer mode you can only play with your friends, and the same multiplayer you probably have because chances are if you are buying this game you already have Halo 3. This doesn't add up to a good game to me. The new campaign is barely different from other Halo games in terms of gameplay and the story seemed to be written by a 7th grader. The audio logs you can go collect around the city have the most nonsensical and embarrassing dialogue I have ever heard in a game series of this caliber. This is a bad game at a high price. Expand
  69. Tahoe
    Dec 10, 2009
    3
    This game should've been an expansion to Halo 3 instead of being a standalone game. There's not enough in this game to make it a $60 game. A short campaign, and the same versus mode, except a new firefight mode, which is essentially the same thing as Gears of War 2's Horde mode. Firefight isn't very innovative, yet it is argued to be the most amazing part of Halo 3: This game should've been an expansion to Halo 3 instead of being a standalone game. There's not enough in this game to make it a $60 game. A short campaign, and the same versus mode, except a new firefight mode, which is essentially the same thing as Gears of War 2's Horde mode. Firefight isn't very innovative, yet it is argued to be the most amazing part of Halo 3: ODST. Aside from these, the game is put into two discs, one for campaign and one for multiplayer? What was the point of this? The campaign isn't so long that it's like Lost Odyssey where it has to be on multiple discs. Halo 3 was a longer and interesting game and shipped in one disc. Why should this game be any different? Disappointment. Expand
  70. 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
  71. ClintK
    Dec 2, 2009
    6
    The Halo campaign though fun, had way too few enemies, challenges, and far too much repetitiveness and the game was too short. The firefight is the highlight and easily the most fun we had. Not having a Halo 3:ODST Multplayer is a total cop out job. I would have loved to have played ODST Multiplayer with a visor and no health recharge, but alas what a disappointment on that portion.
  72. AD
    Nov 23, 2009
    4
    I have never been a Halo fan, but gave this a try after seeing the awesome live action teaser "We are ODST". This game is crap! Every time I tried to play it, I fell asleep, so I never even finished the game. Ugly graphics, badly animated cutscenes, boring........
  73. MikeG
    Nov 16, 2009
    9
    Love the game! The campaign is short but I enjoyed ever second of it! I still felt like master chief though, just playing on another difficulty. It also includes all multiplayer maps wich is really really awesome!
  74. SamD
    Nov 15, 2009
    0
    Terrible addition to the Halo series, the campaign is terribly boring and the new roaming around mombasa feels tedious and just adds extra play time to an already stale experience, I think the biggest joke was the no matchmaking in firefight mode a ridiculous move on bungies part and they have no plans to add it in the future. The graphics are poor especially on the characters faces and Terrible addition to the Halo series, the campaign is terribly boring and the new roaming around mombasa feels tedious and just adds extra play time to an already stale experience, I think the biggest joke was the no matchmaking in firefight mode a ridiculous move on bungies part and they have no plans to add it in the future. The graphics are poor especially on the characters faces and background scenery and uses the same old engine from Halo 3. Let's hope Reach is actually half decent. Expand
  75. AnthonyF
    Nov 8, 2009
    9
    Easily the best Halo game. I actually think it could do without the "choosing your path" thing though, because when you do the missions out of order it makes things confusing; playing it through in a linear fashion makes the story much stronger. The hub world of New Mombassa night could also have been improved, as the "random" Covenant encounters are the same every time you enter an area. Easily the best Halo game. I actually think it could do without the "choosing your path" thing though, because when you do the missions out of order it makes things confusing; playing it through in a linear fashion makes the story much stronger. The hub world of New Mombassa night could also have been improved, as the "random" Covenant encounters are the same every time you enter an area. Exploring New Mombassa only really becomes fun once you get the Mongoose, a reward from the SuperIntendent after completing several missions and finding audio logs. Audio logs are the most interesting collectible in any game I've played, and they tell a story that's even better than that of the game itself. Firefight mode might seem like a rehashed Horde or Nazi Zombies, but ODST makes it more fun, and reorganizes it to make it much more team-oriented. The lack of matchmaking that forces you to play with your friends only reinforces this. Firefight was clearly made for groups of close friends. The only complaint that I have is that if it was made for co-op play with your friends, why wasn't 4-player split-screen included? It seems like something that would be easy to add in, considering it's already available in other multiplayer modes, but it's something that the campaign, which was the base Firefight was built upon, lacks. As well as the main disc, ODST also comes with a second disc carrying Halo 3's complete multiplayer experience, including every map from the Heroic map pack, to Cold Storage, to the second half of the Mythic map pack not released for download. While the Heroic map pack and Cold Storage are free, The Legendary map pack and the first Mythic map pack both fetch a price of 800 microsoft points ($10) on Xbox Live Marketplace. Add in the second half of the Mythic pack and that's $30 worth of maps on the disc. The multiplayer disc also contains Forge and Theater, so nothing is missing from the original Halo 3 disc except for the campaign. I've heard criticism of the length of the campaign. While the campaign is only about seven hours long, there's been little criticism of Modern Warfare 2's campaign, which is approximated at five hours in length, shorter than even Mirror's Edge. I'd like to note that ODST was originally planned as an expansion, and not a full game, and was developed under strict time constraints and a very small budget. On the other hand, Modern Warfare 2 was developed with a much larger budget, by a lot more people, and in a greater amount of time. While I too would like a longer campaign, if the campaign is good (as is the case with ODST, and will no doubt be the case with MW2), it doesn't warrant the amount of criticism that it has been getting. While ODST's campaign may lack in length, it makes up for it in re playability. Offering co-op with up to three other people, many players will play it through once by theirself, and again with friends, likely going back a third time to collect audio logs and get achievements. The biggest flaw in ODST is that it was created using the Halo 3 engine. Not that it could be helped, as it was developed under strict constraints, but the Halo 3 engine is really beginning to show its age, particularly in cutscenes. Characters don't move naturally, and the facial expressions aren't up to par with most other current gen games. While it's not quite as easy to tell in-game, there's still a notable difference between the look of ODST and the other games coming out this year. Overall, I'd say it's worth at least a rent and a single playthrough of the campaign. Unlike the other Halo games, acting is top notch thanks to the crew from Firefly and Tricia Helfer from BSG voicing the main characters. The story itself isn't literary gold, but it's still better than any of the other Halo games. Multiplayer is fun as always, with the addition of Firefight. Halo fans will love it. If you're on the edge, get it, you'll enjoy it. If you hate Halo, you'll probably hate ODST too. Expand
  76. 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)
  77. LuckyWolf
    Nov 5, 2009
    0
    Halo fanboy since day 1. I can't believe I wasted $60 on this garbage. It doesn't even compare to past Halo games. Bungie is so fond of the number 7, here are 7 reasons this is overpriced garbage... 1. Terribly short campaign 2. Copy and pasted levels 3. No matchmaking for firefight 4. Same theater but with less options (can't record movie clips anymore) 5. Only 2 player Halo fanboy since day 1. I can't believe I wasted $60 on this garbage. It doesn't even compare to past Halo games. Bungie is so fond of the number 7, here are 7 reasons this is overpriced garbage... 1. Terribly short campaign 2. Copy and pasted levels 3. No matchmaking for firefight 4. Same theater but with less options (can't record movie clips anymore) 5. Only 2 player split screen vs 4 player 6. Repackaged halo 3 disc I've already paid for. 7. Easy achievements which lack replayability. You can easily get 1000/1000g in less than a day. Expand
  78. 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
  79. MiikaK
    Nov 1, 2009
    1
    Totally one peace on crap. Half of the game u are wasting walking neon-lighted city back and forth, back and forth, back and forth, copy/paste, copy/paste like the game itself. And the other half u are wasting with halo 3 ripped deserts with same pattern (kill all, wait drop ship to bring more turtles and kill them too) every time. I played the hole game with my friend and we have to stop Totally one peace on crap. Half of the game u are wasting walking neon-lighted city back and forth, back and forth, back and forth, copy/paste, copy/paste like the game itself. And the other half u are wasting with halo 3 ripped deserts with same pattern (kill all, wait drop ship to bring more turtles and kill them too) every time. I played the hole game with my friend and we have to stop playing in just 1 hour of play because it just was too boring. The only thing that keep us going was the money spend this peace of crap that some magazines give good points. I wont by any of those magazines anymore. Because reliability is the key thing for critic and without it, u are not a critic at all. There are many many better FPS games to choose like: Left 4 Dead, Fallout 3, Borderlands, Killzone 2, Resistance 1-2, COD 4... Expand
  80. TomoH
    Oct 27, 2009
    3
    If this game didn't have HALO in the title, people wouldn't be interested. Played through about half the campaign now, and the story is about as deep as a puddle. Some of the review scores are incredible. There is no new multiplayer, only a couple new maps and a survival mode. Neither of which I'm interested in. Honestly the dialogue takes clichéd military tough guy If this game didn't have HALO in the title, people wouldn't be interested. Played through about half the campaign now, and the story is about as deep as a puddle. Some of the review scores are incredible. There is no new multiplayer, only a couple new maps and a survival mode. Neither of which I'm interested in. Honestly the dialogue takes clichéd military tough guy talk to a new level. It's retarded really. I've served and I'm telling you it's ridiculous. Artistically, it's a darker HALO 3 with a broad cast of nobodies you don't really care about because the game doesn't bother introducing them on a personal level. It's never been more obvious that Microsoft buy their review scores. Really I think this deserves a 70 or a 3 out of 5 stars. There's so little thats new and yet it is being put out there as a stand alone game. If you've played HALO 3 and are desperate for more, go ahead. But if you're looking for a decent shooter, I'd pass on this. Expand
  81. ColinJ
    Oct 26, 2009
    10
    The best halo game of all time. Has small flaws in the campaign such as, it's harder on diffuculties like Heroic and Legendary but too easy for normal and easy. But those flaws are easy to dismiss and the Firefight mode is still the best take on Gears of Wars Horde
  82. jacob
    Oct 25, 2009
    5
    the story line was too short, and always being interrupted by long and unnecessary bits of walking around and looking for the smallest most inanimate object that triggers a flashback. the online game play is good but not enough so to revive itself. overall, a mediocre score for a mediocre game.
  83. IanT
    Oct 25, 2009
    8
    By no means a perfect game, it's very good while it lasts. Firefight mode is a pretty good distraction, but a bit more multiplayer effort would have been nice, instead of just 3 new maps. Fans of the series will enjoy; everyone else probably won't see what the fuss is about.
  84. 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
  85. 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
  86. MichaelC
    Oct 20, 2009
    4
    Some of my friends bought this, a couple of whom are halo fan boys. At first they said it was awesome but after a few days one of them changed their mind. I decided I would try it myself and paid £35 for it. Waist of money if you ask me. I found the new campaign, in one word: poor. The missions where you are the rookie are brainlessly unchallenging and boring to a sleeping level. Some of my friends bought this, a couple of whom are halo fan boys. At first they said it was awesome but after a few days one of them changed their mind. I decided I would try it myself and paid £35 for it. Waist of money if you ask me. I found the new campaign, in one word: poor. The missions where you are the rookie are brainlessly unchallenging and boring to a sleeping level. When you are in a flashback mission it is usually difficult to see where you are supposed to go next and cut scenes are dull and unintreging. Overall you can't get to grips with the characters or really the storyline as a new character is thrown at you over and over again. Firefight adds a great element to Halo as it now has a defensive game mode like the other main shooters. It introduces intelligent game play that you could go on for hours at a time. The only thing it lacks is a host system that doesn't end the game if a person disconnects or a search for other random players to play with. The new multiplayer maps are also very good. Expand
  87. LorenzoC
    Oct 18, 2009
    5
    Halo is a good game, it have a long story but i think it can't have more than 7 out of 10 because it have a good grafic and a good multiplayer on xbox live but it use only a part of the joistick, not like call of duty or other war games, they use all the joistick, then halo is limited, i don't understand many things also in the story and in the multyplayer on live, when one Halo is a good game, it have a long story but i think it can't have more than 7 out of 10 because it have a good grafic and a good multiplayer on xbox live but it use only a part of the joistick, not like call of duty or other war games, they use all the joistick, then halo is limited, i don't understand many things also in the story and in the multyplayer on live, when one player or covenat death they only go on the ground, i don't want blood but only the sign on the body. Expand
  88. AmmarH
    Oct 15, 2009
    8
    It's pretty fun, but i just thought that there is going to be kind of a good change on graphics, but there isn't. the graphics are just a bit better than halo 3 but not that much. any ways, it's a good game. and actually i give it an 8.4 but i can't use decimals.
  89. BruceC
    Oct 15, 2009
    4
    I have all of the Halo series games and have been a Halo fan from day one. I was really excited when I heard this game was going to be released in September. I got the game and finished the game in a few hours. When I got to the end, I said to myself, "Huh? What happened? Did I miss something?" I don't care about the price of the game, It's the content and playability of the I have all of the Halo series games and have been a Halo fan from day one. I was really excited when I heard this game was going to be released in September. I got the game and finished the game in a few hours. When I got to the end, I said to myself, "Huh? What happened? Did I miss something?" I don't care about the price of the game, It's the content and playability of the game that matters. As others have said previously, the play in the dark, then play in blinding light was just unacceptable. I thought the music score was excellent. I hated the side story that was presented in the kiosks about the human inhabitants of Mombassa, third and fourth graders would like it. And what the heck happened to the humans? Were you suppossed to find them somewhere in the city? This game had sooo much potential with multi-level capabilitiy within the buildings, and street levels. Too many doors that could have been explored were locked, There was too much time spent wandering through empty streets. The overall maps were huge, but they were not used to their fullest capability. ODST was a big disappointment. Expand
  90. JimboH
    Oct 15, 2009
    7
    It has been a very long time since I've wandered a level for 40 minutes, searching the same places, riding along the edges of the map, and having no clue where to go. This describes the very first level I played on ODST. Eventually, some bad guys showed up who weren't there before, and suddenly I got a hint that told me to push the d-pad... for another hint. Since I am an expert It has been a very long time since I've wandered a level for 40 minutes, searching the same places, riding along the edges of the map, and having no clue where to go. This describes the very first level I played on ODST. Eventually, some bad guys showed up who weren't there before, and suddenly I got a hint that told me to push the d-pad... for another hint. Since I am an expert gamer, this kind of experience is ridiculous in AAA title. This also describes the "rookie" missions in the game, in particular the very first mission, and the third "rookie" mission. I dont understand the logic in "lets let the player wander with no idea what they are supposed to be doing". The rest of the game is more halo 3. There is in particular a part of the game where you collect audio clips and can view a slide show that plays with it. The voice acting was pretty bad, like Reading Rainbow children's book bad. You'd think Microsoft could find an aisan lady who actually sounds naturally asian and not phony stereotype cartoon character asian. The plot of the game seems irrelevant to the big picture (thus far). I was hoping it would explain Halo 3's quizzical beginning and fill in for what the kaput movie was supposed to explain, but it doesn't. At all. By itself though, its not a bad plot. Best part is that there's no AI chick who freezes your view and controls and nags you for abandoning her (for which you have no idea what she was talking about nor do you care). The size of the game is well suited for a rental; beat it on legendary on day 6 of my 7 day rental period, spending 1 - 3 hours a day on it. Firefight, while interesting, isn't worth 60 bucks, especially if you don't have any friends who also have this game. There's no matchmaking for it. The "par" score seems rather high as well. I got a 4,000 something score on my first try, after playing for over 20 minutes. The par was 200,000. Expand
  91. GeorgeOgan
    Oct 14, 2009
    10
    I gave this game a 10 because it's that good and the price should not have anything to do with the score of the game. The campaign was not as short as some say unless you are on a speed run on easy. FireFight is a blast. Get this game, you will enjoy!
  92. SamB
    Oct 12, 2009
    8
    Great twist to the HALO series . . . and, amazingly, without Master Chief. FIrefight is a hoot of a game mode that keeps me coming back for more. I can think of nothing to make it better. The campaign needs at least two more chapters or the first few "rookie" levels need to be more expansive and require many more fights to reach that mission objective. I believe ODST demands a solid 8.5 Great twist to the HALO series . . . and, amazingly, without Master Chief. FIrefight is a hoot of a game mode that keeps me coming back for more. I can think of nothing to make it better. The campaign needs at least two more chapters or the first few "rookie" levels need to be more expansive and require many more fights to reach that mission objective. I believe ODST demands a solid 8.5 rating. An 'expansion' addon to lengthen the campaign would be welcome and probably bump the rating over the 9 mark. Expand
  93. RowanF
    Oct 11, 2009
    7
    A real solid game and well worth your purchase, but let's not for a minute pretend that its of the same genre - reorganising caliber of Halo 3 or Halo 1. This is basicaly because its pretty much the same as Halo 3 - hence all the talk about it being an expansion. The graphics, enemies and gameplay are almost identical. Not only this, but lots of bits have been removed: You're A real solid game and well worth your purchase, but let's not for a minute pretend that its of the same genre - reorganising caliber of Halo 3 or Halo 1. This is basicaly because its pretty much the same as Halo 3 - hence all the talk about it being an expansion. The graphics, enemies and gameplay are almost identical. Not only this, but lots of bits have been removed: You're now incredibly weak and move painfuly slowly, you can't dual weild, use equipment, or use the battle rifle (cry). Bungie's answer to all this identical/removed content is the two new weapons: the silenced SMG and the Automag. I feel i must make a point here about the fact that in Halo 2 and 3, the SMG was frickin' useless unless dual-weilded, and even then it had the range of the frickin' energy sword. And yet in ODST, you can't dual-weild and it's still just as useless on its own. Ok so now its got a scope, but like I said, the thing's about as accurate as a shotgun with a 2 foot barrel. The Automag is ok, those first few instant-kill headshots against grunts are fun, but once you see how useless it is against everything else, you'll soon be swapping it for your trusty assault rifle. Weapons - wise, I was more excited about the return of the Brute Plasma Rifle. Of the new content that has been added, it's mainly new locations, which I have to admit are nice and interesting and as always it's probably worth getting it just for an inside look into the amazing Halo universe. The new story is interesting and again reveals lots of stuff about the Halo universe, but it's short and nowhere near as epic or enthralling as the other games, and the characters involved are nowhere near as likeable, mainly because its impossible to keep up with who's who unless you go onto Bungie.net and look at the character profiles, and plus I found it impoosible to take them seriously considering how retarded they look in the cutscenes. Honestly, in Halo 3, people in the cutscenes moved calmly, considerately and realisticaly, but in ODST they look like poorly made ragdolls being hung from the ceiling by nylon stings, and these strings are then being operated by a blind drunk man. The one realy soldily new and interesting bit of the game is Firefight, which it's probably worth getting for: it's fun, tactical and great entertainment for hours on end, my only complaint is perhaps that it starts way too slowly and is measured in such silly numbers: it doesn't exactly sound very cool to say ' i got to the end of set two', but that's acutaly quite an achievement. Expand
  94. BlaineH
    Oct 10, 2009
    9
    Who does and who doesn't like this game is totally dependent on if you owned halo 3 previously. I give it a good rating because I did not own it before hand. As for the graphics the designers managed to tweak the color pallet to make ODST really shine. The soundtrack is amazing and the voice acting is very impressive. The campaign may be short but the way the story is told is really Who does and who doesn't like this game is totally dependent on if you owned halo 3 previously. I give it a good rating because I did not own it before hand. As for the graphics the designers managed to tweak the color pallet to make ODST really shine. The soundtrack is amazing and the voice acting is very impressive. The campaign may be short but the way the story is told is really creative. My only disappointment with the game is the ending. But the real action is at Firefight. It may not be the most original idea but it's a lot of fun. I prefer it a little more to horde just because the combat and gameplay is a little more open. But that's my opinion. It's a great game and anyone considering getting should defiantly snag a copy. Expand
  95. AGLion
    Oct 10, 2009
    7
    The campaign was short and started to get repetitive, but it kept bringing me back with its really cool side story and its awesome music. Firefight is both awesome and innovative, with the skulls being activated after every round keep the game flowing pretty well and adding a new aspect to survival game modes. Despite the bad campaign, I found that it met the $60 price tag with its The campaign was short and started to get repetitive, but it kept bringing me back with its really cool side story and its awesome music. Firefight is both awesome and innovative, with the skulls being activated after every round keep the game flowing pretty well and adding a new aspect to survival game modes. Despite the bad campaign, I found that it met the $60 price tag with its firefight mode, and it's still keeping me occupied. Expand
  96. 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
  97. 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.
  98. ChrisS
    Oct 9, 2009
    10
    It may not be Halo 4 material but this is still an epic adventure in the Halo saga. Halo 3: ODST sets an outstanding change from the other Halo games. When I first played Halo 3: ODST I instantly realized this wasn't a space opera. Halo 3: ODST's story is similar to that of a murder mystery. With a completey new and brilliant soundtrack, gameplay that makes you feel like a It may not be Halo 4 material but this is still an epic adventure in the Halo saga. Halo 3: ODST sets an outstanding change from the other Halo games. When I first played Halo 3: ODST I instantly realized this wasn't a space opera. Halo 3: ODST's story is similar to that of a murder mystery. With a completey new and brilliant soundtrack, gameplay that makes you feel like a mortal while staying true to the other Halo games, set pieces that make Bruckheimer look cheap, brand new survival game mode Firefight with fantastic AI and great voice acting. Halo 3: ODST is deffinitely worth buying. The only downside would be the fact that you only recieve three new maps if you already own all of th other dlcs. I can understand the criticism of ODST's value but any rating below 6 is just rediculous. Expand
  99. JV
    Oct 7, 2009
    5
    Feels like an expansion pack. Its short. The the interface is horrible. The learning curve is sharp, most of the HUD which they force you to step through the tutorial for is pointless. The first half dozen levels are severely disjointed and not particularly enjoyable. I found it extremely hard to keep track of the plot or associate with any of the characters mostly because of how it keeps Feels like an expansion pack. Its short. The the interface is horrible. The learning curve is sharp, most of the HUD which they force you to step through the tutorial for is pointless. The first half dozen levels are severely disjointed and not particularly enjoyable. I found it extremely hard to keep track of the plot or associate with any of the characters mostly because of how it keeps switching who you're playing as and the horrible cut scenes. The are many instances where they should have reinforced with visuals where you should go or what the objective was - maybe they didnt do sufficient usability testing to figure out the traps and areas that needed to be smoothed. But like always the fan boys jump on the bungie wang and give it a good polish... just like how halo3 was a 9.9/10 game? yeah right. Expand
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.