Halo 3: ODST Member Review for the Xbox360

     The Campaign is short and sweet. Bungie admits its an easy run through if you are playing on normal but the time increases alot as you raise the difficulty. I agree somewhat if you play solo then thats an accurate way to think of it. However if you have a partner for the campaign it will be too easy(Team work, team work, team work!). I like the idea of being an ODST and I think Bungie captures what it would be like fairly well. You don't have shields like a spartan so your character huffs and puffs, takes fall damage (though you halo 1 vets if you crouch you can avoid fall dmg altogether or dramatically reduce it) and has stamina. This is kind of like shields, Stamina in Halo ODST creates a buffer for you before you get yourself into trouble. Once a certain threshold is reached your screen is nearly covered with red as you can now take damage and you really do prove to be a soft target so watch out !. If you can find cover long enough your stamina comes back, but your health does not. So be on the look out for medkits !

 The graphics are Halo 3 quality and the VISR mode really is a nice thing to have. VISR illuminates the world around you as well as helps with target acquisition (enemies are red, teamates are green). Also objects important to the story light up yellow and guns, ammo, and medkits light up blue.

  The city Super does help you with subtle clues such as lights turning on or obstacles moving in or out of your way. That  along with the VISR map you wont get lost. The "new" weapons really aren't so new although are fun its just not enough to win you over. Also the fact that the smg and pistol are silenced is merely for aesthetics and cool sound effects as they serve no purpose otherwise. If you shoot a silenced vs non silenced weapon the enemy will react the same.


The story in the campaign is pretty cool and has an interesting twist, then that's it. The story ends abruptly and doesn't resolve anything. In fact the twist causes new questions that aren't answered in Halo 3 so the end is quick and really is lack luster if you ask me.

You see that, that's all there is to the story it really is that short, it just sucks that Bungie created a good story, then threw in some side story about the Super of New Mombossa but then just stopped. You really can see that this should be more of an expansion than an actual full game.

Firefight is fun and really only worth it with all 4 people unless your one whom likes to run the gauntlet with only 1 or 2 other people. The fact that each wave has a skull active really defines firefight and gives it a bit of variety which I think is a nice touch.

A short and sweet game gets a short and sweet review from me. I purposely included no spoilers this was just my experience with the game as a whole.

Halo 3 ODST gets a


 6 out of 10 from me

+ It's halo
+ Great levels
+ Good story
+ Firefight (You get to be Sgt. Johnson if you pre ordered)

+/- pistol is back... sort of
+/- 2 new weapons aren't so new and don't do enough to inspire


- Way to short
- Story isn't resolved
- Full $60 price for something that's easily just an expansion pack really