The biggest downside in this campaign is the repetition of scenery in a few levels that creates an unwelcoming feeling of monotony. One of the last levels is especially guilty of this, laying out an endless line of similar-looking corridors and making the visuals far too repetitive. The fast-paced combat saves these sections from becoming boring, but they offer a sharp contrast to the excellence offered in the rest of the adventure. There is also one annoying visor quirk that you cannot escape. Whenever you are shot, your screen turns red and stays in this ugly hue until you fully recharge your shield. It doesn't matter if you are mortally wounded or just suffering from a flesh wound; the screen distorts your view, obscuring your vision for far too long. This is paired with an unnecessary beeping noise that will bore into your brain before long. Like the sometimes-repetitive level design, this certainly doesn't kill the thrilling action, but it's far from a pleasing effect.
6228781>Playing with a friend makes the game better, but not any easier.None
The campaign is shorter than those in previous games, but there is still plenty to do when you finish your quest. Firefight is the biggest addition to ODST, and it is a fantastic experience for anyone who enjoys shooting grunts and brutes. The rules are simple: You and up to three friends shoot down wave after wave of enemy attackers until your shared pool of lives has been exhausted. Each round presents more formidable foes than the last, so while you start out picking on hapless grunts, you quickly move on to heavily shielded jackals, screaming brutes, and hammer-wielding chieftains. Dynamic gameplay settings represented by skulls add to the difficulty and either hamper your own abilities, give your enemies new powers or, most likely, offer a combination of the two. For instance, during some rounds, your enemies will toss an endless stream of grenades your way; while in another round, you may have to land a melee attack to replenish your shields.
The 10 Firefight levels force you to change your tactics, keeping the experience fresh and exciting. The lights have been knocked out in a large section of one level, so you must not only fight the enemies who are mercilessly trying to kill you, but you also have to be on guard from assaults in the darkness. Another level takes place on narrow pathways, and your enemies fly in from above, giving you no place to hide. A massive outdoor level stretches far off in the distance; here, a nondescript shanty provides the only reprieve from the open air, and your only other source of cover comes from some rock dotting the landscape. You can grab a warthog and gun down your foes in style, and if you can steal a Chopper from an incompetent brute, you can give yourself even more firepower. Every level forces players to work together. Because the ammunition is limited and your precious lives are shared, you have to defend each other at all costs, which makes for an intoxicating experience that continually sucks you back in to top your previous best score.
The competitive multiplayer hasn't been forgotten, though it can't match the heights offered by the other elements of the game. The biggest strength and weakness of this mode is that it has been transported wholesale from Halo 3. If you would like to read how this works, please refer to our review of Halo 3. The only difference between this mode in ODST and Halo 3 has to do with the number of maps you can access. Halo 3 shipped with 11 maps and added 10 more with downloadable content. Those 21 are all included with ODST, along with three new ones, one of which is a remake of Halo 2's Midship. The multiplayer is as exciting as ever, but for those who have tired of the action, there aren't any new gameplay features to tempt you. For those who hunger for more, the new maps are well constructed, and the various play types--along with forge, film sharing, and all the other elements--are just as amazing as ever.
The vehicle sequences are awesome even with the overused red effect.
Halo is starting to show its age visually, but it can still wow at times because of the excellent artistic design. In open-air environments, ODST continually brings your focus to the background with stunning effects taking place far off in the distance. In one sequence, you can see a building crumble to dust as you tear down a road. In another, you are greeted by a haunting blood-red sky when you step outside. These impressive moments won't let you forget the awkward character animation during cutscenes, though, and the inconsistent lip syncing will make you pine for the days when your hero's face was hidden. The music, however, is without fault. This is the best score in a Halo game so far and perfectly complements the mood with a variety of well-constructed beats. The eerie musical score during the city levels is the most impressive, but it is often the absence of music that creates the biggest impact. The ambient noises outside of fights slowly build a nervous energy, and the music explodes when bullets start flying, which adds to the intensity.
Halo 3: ODST is an excellent package. The delicate construction of the story adds a new wrinkle to the typical Halo plot, and the action-packed campaign levels are full of intense battles and surprising encounters. Firefight mode is a standout addition, crafting highly addictive cooperative battles for players to experience. It's disappointing that the competitive multiplayer hasn't received any updates or innovations from its Halo 3 incarnation, but it's as fun as it ever was, and well worth sinking more hours into if you haven't yet seen the many downloadable maps. ODST is a superb addition to the franchise and a must-play for anyone who craves top-notch action.
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