Halo returns to the Xbox 360! Is it worth the 60 dollar price tag?

I am going to do this review a bit different. I am not going to bore you with a 5 page review on ODST. I went out at Midnight and paid for the game. If you are asking me if it was worth the $60 I would tell you yes, it sure as hell was. And I will tell you why I feel it is worth the price in this review.

Halo was one of the first games I saw back in the days at E3 when Microsoft was getting ready to dive head-first into the gaming console business. I remember being blown away because I was really starting to get into first-person shooters on the Playstation 2.

Since that day I have become a huge fan of the Halo series. I know that many (fanboys mostly) say that Halo is over-rated, but I really love the whole storyline as well as the amazing music and the gameplay. Hell, Halo 2 was my first Xbox Live game on the original Xbox. And until that game I never looked back.

Now we have what I guess you can call an extension into the Halo universe. Everybody that is a fan of the Halo series knows that Master Chief is the man. But I really love what Bungie did with ODST. They basically give you a shot at being a rookie. Many were spoiled with Master Chief. Being able to duel-wield weapons and have your health auto-regenerate as time goes on. Now it is time to step into some new shoes.

The Story of ODST:

If you are looking for Master Chief, look elsewhere…

“Halo 3: ODST” is a new game in the “Halo” saga that lets people experience events leading up to the epic story told in “Halo 3” through the eyes of an ODST (Orbital Drop Shock Trooper), as they search for clues leading to the whereabouts of their scattered squad and the motivations behind the Covenant’s invasion of New Mombasa. The release adds a new dimension to an all-encompassing universe that gamers around the world have known and loved for close to eight years.

The basis of the game is you are the new guy… the rookie. You roam around New Mombasa for clues as to what happened to your crew. You will be able to play through the eyes of various characters, including Buck (voiced by the cool-ass Nathan Fillion). As you play through the single player mode you will unlock characters and levels for the very addicting Firefight.

I really enjoyed the story mode of ODST. I commend Bungie for taking the series in a different direction and not milking Master Chief. And lets get something clear here, I am not a system fanboy but I am a huge Halo fan which dates back to 4-5 years ago. To me, ODST is like watching a 4-part Special for one of your favorite Television shows. It is not too short nor is it too long.

Is Halo 3: ODST worth the $60 price tag:

Personally I think Halo 3:ODST is worth $60. First off, the graphics look very good this time around. Bungie is really getting the hang of the Havok engine. I really wish Halo 3 looked this damn good. I love the new polish and look. The new visor is pretty groovy as well and helps a lot at night. I suggest that you may want to brighten the game up a bit of it is too dark (done in the options section). The game seemed rather dark on my HDTV but was fixed once I tweaked the in-game brightness.

As with past Halo games, the music is AMAZING. I always felt that the success of the Halo series has a lot to do with the soundtrack. Halo 3: ODST is no different. Without a doubt some of the best music in a videogame. The voice acting and enemy voices are also top-notch. As I said earlier, when you have as a lead character voiced by Nathan Fillion it’s always a huge plus.

The single player mission is also co-op. And you can always play it on Legendary if you want to play it how it should be played (in other words, tough as hell). You are looking at a good 6-8 hours of playtime. You can also look for all of the voice recordings as well that are scattered around New Mombasa.

You will also get a Beta Invite to Halo: Reach when the beta goes live sometime next year. Halo: Reach is one game I am really looking forward to in 2010 and I really can’t wait for this Beta to start up. You MUST keep the copy of ODST to play this game once it goes live. I know some gamers are beating the ODST disc and selling it. You might want to keep it or otherwise you will be screwed out of a kick-ass Beta.

The second disc in the package includes the Halo 3 multiplayer experience (the campaign mode is now gone so you have to keep that copy of Halo 3 in your collection). This disc includes all original “Halo 3” maps, as well as the “Legendary,” “Heroic,” and “Mythic” Map packs for a total of 24 maps.

And here is what could be the coolest thing about Halo 3: ODST. The new Firefight is AWESOME. I think I have spent well over 8 hours playing this with friends and it is addicting as hell! You basically go through waves of enemies much like in Gears of War 2’s Horde Mode. But I believe that Bungie has taken what was done in Horde and added to it, making it a very entertaining and fun experience.

The Bottom Line:

If you love the Halo series then this game is a must-have. If you own all of the maps you may want to check it out before you buy. I was missing the last map pack so this was just a bonus. I am looking forward to playing the Halo: Reach beta in the future. That alone is worthy of the price and I am sure that most of the people complaining now will not be complaining once the Reach Beta hits.

I also LOVE the new “Firefight” mode. Just think of Gears of War 2’s “Horde” on steroids! You could get lost for hours playing it with friends.

Overall, another Xbox 360 gem from Bungie Studios.

Halo 3: ODST Final Score: 9/10

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