Got a friend over mine at the moment and he brought up Halo 3: ODST (Or just ODST. Why is it called Halo 3: ODST? It’s just awkward to say) and it’s actually… really, really good. Like, seriously good.
As you all probably know I hated Halo 3 so much I have a life-sized master chief cardboard cut-out that I just punch everyday when I walk past it, because the game was so bland and unimaginative It made me permanently angry. But ODST is like someone took Halo 3 and made it something that’s actually good to play. Unlike the shiny, colourful world of previous Halo games, ODST places you into the ruined city of New Mombasa. At night. In darkness, you only have your helmet to keep you from being slaughtered by the Covenant… oh, and did I mention that you’re just a regular foot solider and not a super solider like Master Chief? The Rookie, who you play as primarily for most of the campaign, would have been killed within the first ten minutes of Halo 3. As would his team mates.
But although ODST sounds like another run of the mill shoot em and kill em and get bored after about an hour, ODST has this depth to it that makes it… well one of the finest FP’s I've played in a long time. The music is gorgeous, the graphics are fine, the characterisation (You play as members of your missing squad through “Flashbacks” as the Rookie explores the city) is spot on and overall? It’s an incredible little game. Oh, and did I mention that it’s free roam when you play as the rookie? Trust me, it really adds to the overall experience.
My only problem however is that ODST suffers from Portal syndrome as me and Friz finished it in around four and a half hours. This game could have been something incredible if it was longer, but as it is it's certainly worth picking up. Even if you’re not a Halo fan.
I know. Shocking isn’t it? (Bad pun).
