Halo : ODST

Mr. K · 27-09-2009 12:55pm

I finished the campaign earlier, really enjoyed it. The team are a cool group, with class voice actors. The last part was

classic Halo, with the vehicle escape. The upgrading from Warthog to Gauss Warthog to Scorpion was fun

! Haven't played much Firefight yet, the lack of matchmatching kinda makes a spontaneous game unlikely...

FutureGuy · 27-09-2009 8:02pm

Halo 3: ODST

Gamewise, biggest letdown of the last 2 years for me. Graphically underwhelming, repetative gameplay, silly enemy AI.

The only reason I havent already traded it in is because of the multiplayer disc.

sink · 27-09-2009 10:01pm

Looking for a 4th to play firefight anyone up for it?

Exon · 27-09-2009 10:08pm

I can't wait to get it, is it as good as 3?

Moiph · 27-09-2009 10:34pm

I'm on now for a few hours if anyone wants a game.

GT is in my sig.

Edit: I just realised my friends list was full so anyone that was adding me mightnt have been able to so I've deleted some randomers off my list. Playing ODST now anyways so gimme a shout

Liber8or · 28-09-2009 1:10am

My brother and I just finished Halo 3: ODST and found it enjoyable. It took us roughly six hours to win it in two player cooperative mode on Legendary difficulty and we found half of the audio tapes; for those who may or may not know, if you wait until after the credits upon completion of Legendary mode you get an added bonus epilogue in true Bungie fashion.

As the game was coming to a close i remarked on how the game felt like more than an expansion pack, but not quite a full game. I enjoyed the witty chatter between the other drop troopers in the cutscenes and as ever the music was exciting, if not very James Bond-esque.

I will try out Firefight tomorrow after college, but I don't anticipate anything to grip me for hours. Afterall, Firefight is just Bungie's rendition of Left 4 Dead's key feature, or Gears of War II's Horde mode. So, in terms of innovation it is pretty mundane in this day and age. All that remains different is the scenery and pixels you have to kill.

Overall, I am glad I rented ODST and did not buy it. Yet again, this is another attempt at milking a franchise which doesn't even feature the protagonist who made the franchise as reputable as it has become. ODST should have been DLC (as was originally announced) which could have been split into two or three episodes at 800MSP each. And as a tribute to the community, Bungie could have thrown in the Mythic Maps for free to those who bought all the episodes. This would have eliminated all the packaging and pointless two discs.

6/10

0ubliette · 28-09-2009 2:15pm

Finished it on saturday, enjoyed it thoroughly. It was classic halo, each flashback was like a best bit from Halos past, between vehicle sections and sniping sections and whatnot. The last few levels were particulalry brilliant, just some great scenes,

on the highway, when the carrier comes out of nowhere and flies overhead, or when you see the carrier begin to glass new mombasa, up to defending the entrance of the building right at the end.

Loved it

happyfriday74 · 28-09-2009 2:31pm

Regarding campiagn length, a lot of poeple are complaining about flying through the game on normal. Anyone who plays halo knows that normal is far far to easy and herioc is the reccomended skill for solo play.

As for 4 player co op( Or co op of any sort) legendary and not a notch lower is the way to go. Halo doesnt scale the amount of enemies to match the player numbers, if you do legendary with 4 people you will face the same amount of covenant as you would in one player and you will still breeze though(but have a lot of fun!)

Fire fight is fantastic especially lost Platoon!

I only spent 40 euro on this and felt I have got my moneys worth.

0ubliette · 28-09-2009 2:42pm

happyfriday74 wrote: »

Regarding campiagn length, a lot of poeple are complaining about flying through the game on normal. Anyone who plays halo knows that normal is far far to easy and herioc is the reccomended skill for solo play.

As for 4 player co op( Or co op of any sort) legendary and not a notch lower is the way to go. Halo doesnt scale the amount of enemies to match the player numbers, if you do legendary with 4 people you will face the same amount of covenant as you would in one player and you will still breeze though(but have a lot of fun!)

Fire fight is fantastic especially lost Platoon!

I only spent 40 euro on this and felt I have got my moneys worth.

Yep, i played on heroic and id say it lasted a good 8 - 10 hours. I wasnt disappointed with the campaign at all. I was actually pleasantly surprised, after the 4th flashback i thought that was gonna be the end, id heard there were only 4. When it turned out there were close to 10 missions i was well chuffed

NunianVonFuch · 28-09-2009 2:45pm

Played this for an hour or so yesterday - quite impressed with the campaign. I like the change in the way you have to play the game as the more vulnerable ODSTs. The way they use the flashbacks to setup set pieces with different weapons and vehicles is quite well done. I'm presuming there's no god-awful flood levels to "look forward" to and the pistol adds quite a bit more skill to the game. You can't just run straight towards every enemy emptying your clip into them and then when they're stunned punch them in the face! Even on Legendary in Halo 3 that still worked reasonably well.

Firefight's decent enough, is there any comment from Bungie as to why matchmaking isn't implemented as part of it? Can't see myself organising mates to play it too often which would be a shame as its quite well done and though inferior to Horde in Gears for tactics, the larger levels and vehicles are decent compensation!

edd027 · 28-09-2009 2:47pm

good solid campaign and it doesn't bother me that it's short because i always play the halo campaigns over and over..the new maps are great on the second disk and firefight is a great addidtion imo..i would pick it up if you played any of the previos halo's..the only problem i have is that recon armour is very easily acsessable now nad lost it's rareness?but still a good game..peace out im going to slay some covenant scum

edd027 · 28-09-2009 2:48pm

Exon wrote: »

I can't wait to get it, is it as good as 3?

yeah the campaign matches up but the lack of matchmaking kinda sucks but firefight is pretty cool

Mr Freeze · 28-09-2009 2:49pm

0ubliette wrote: »

Yep, i played on heroic and id say it lasted a good 8 - 10 hours. I wasnt disappointed with the campaign at all. I was actually pleasantly surprised, after the 4th flashback i thought that was gonna be the end, id heard there were only 4. When it turned out there were close to 10 missions i was well chuffed

+ 1. It took me around the same time, solo on heroic, and I thought it was good. Next will be co-op on Legendary, and then give fire fight a go too.

Having never bought an Halo 3 Maps, the multiplayer disc is great for me.

The lack of Fire Fight match making is the only problem I have with the game. Because of the lack of it, I have only played it once on my own, its a pain to organize a game.

happyfriday74 · 28-09-2009 4:34pm

Remember kids,

When you put in that second disk for multiplayer always kit your spartan out in bright pink armour and add love hearts or somthing suitably feminine as your logo, get your mates to do likewise then hit team slayer. Tea bag them when they are vanquished.

The reaction you get from americian halo brats is hilarious and provides much entertainment.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=POaVtB6fMOk

The above isnt us but its some dude who did a similar stunt.

Back to topic, The campaighn had some great moments but the flashbacks levels were quite small, the city sections dont work as intended in 4 player co op as well as you can easily overwelm the randam patrols

thebman · 28-09-2009 4:44pm

In fairness that is just sad that he got over 3 minutes of video from the Halo community saying crap like that.

Halo community in general just sucks TBH. I just mute everyone, can't be arsed talking to people and the number of games where people start betraying and quiting early is ridiculous.

Twilightning · 28-09-2009 5:00pm

thebman wrote: »

In fairness that is just sad that he got over 3 minutes of video from the Halo community saying crap like that.

Halo community in general just sucks TBH. I just mute everyone, can't be arsed talking to people and the number of games where people start betraying and quiting early is ridiculous.

The Halo community doesn't suck, it's the Xbox Live community that sucks. It's a common misconception that's associated with the game, that every second person you play with online is just some twonk out to talk trash. Halo was only popularized for it because Halo 2 was the most played game on Xbox Live on the original Xbox, and it was still the same story even when the 360 came out. It was only overtaken by Gears of War. Fastforward to Halo 3 and not much has changed, but it can be said for any popular 360 game that has a large multiplayer fanbase.

It's not exclusive to Halo. I've encountered just as many people trash talking on Call of Duty 4, Gears of War 2 and to a lesser extent, Rock Band. I just don't think it's fair to tar everyone with the same brush. I met over half of my current friends list in Halo 2 back when I had an original Xbox and they're some of the soundest guys you'll ever play with. And there were just as many assholes, like with all Xbox Live games.

thebman · 28-09-2009 6:12pm

Well then Ms need better moderation TBH, I don't see any of these problems playing on Pc.

Of course there are dedicated servers with administrators to ban people like that on Pc. Maybe Ms should actually realise that this existed on Pc for a reason.

Twilightning · 28-09-2009 7:21pm

thebman wrote: »

Well then Ms need better moderation TBH, I don't see any of these problems playing on Pc.

Of course there are dedicated servers with administrators to ban people like that on Pc. Maybe Ms should actually realise that this existed on Pc for a reason.

Unfortunately with the sheer volume of people accessing the service on a regular basis, it's impossibly to root out every single trash talker, but if people go to extremes with racial language and the like, MS usually do look into it. An incident actually comes to mind. A guy I used to play Halo with was an avid trash talker, this was back on the original Xbox. He actually did so much of it Microsoft relieved him of his voice chat privileges for a day.

Best advice I can give is to avoid any player you come across who's annoying and if they've really taken the piss, file a complaint. You don't get any disclosure about what happens to these people but a fair few have been banned.

thebman · 28-09-2009 10:43pm

Twilightning wrote: »

Unfortunately with the sheer volume of people accessing the service on a regular basis, it's impossibly to root out every single trash talker, but if people go to extremes with racial language and the like, MS usually do look into it. An incident actually comes to mind. A guy I used to play Halo with was an avid trash talker, this was back on the original Xbox. He actually did so much of it Microsoft relieved him of his voice chat privileges for a day.

Best advice I can give is to avoid any player you come across who's annoying and if they've really taken the piss, file a complaint. You don't get any disclosure about what happens to these people but a fair few have been banned.

ah I just mute everyone to be honest. Couldn't be bothered putting up with that nonsense. It is rare that someone would actually give useful information in any console online game. It only happens with games with friends that people communicate and work together.

dunie001 · 29-09-2009 4:45pm

if you ever come across people who trash talk to everyone my advice is simple...DON'T TALK BACK! because that's exactly what they want....

Just mute them and when the game is over file a complaint...;)

chrislad · 29-09-2009 11:12pm

Grrrrr. Was looking forward to playing this tonight with a friend, but nothing but lag, lag, lag over both co-op campaign and firefight. It wasn't our connection as we managed to play the Halo 3 maps on the other disc with no issues at all. Irritating. Hopefully, we'll have better luck tomorrow.