Halo 3: ODST has taken over my life. Ever since the game came out I have found time to play it every single day, which is kind of unusual considering my otherwise hectic schedule. With that being said I have some mixed feelings about the game.
The story is nestled well into the Halo universe and there's no denying the atmosphere is incredible. It follows the exploits of an elite team of ODSTs (Orbital Drop Shock Trooper) on a special mission. Things go wrong as they are on their way down to the streets of Mombasa and the squad is separated from each other. As the Rookie of the squad, you scour the darkly lit streets by yourself trying to find your fellow ODSTs. As you come across "beacons" you'll experience a flashback that puts you in the shoes of the other members at varying points. The game deftly strings the different stories together and the characters are interesting enough to pull the rest of the experience together. The thing that's important to note is that you won't miss Master Chief and Cortana. Things are handled so well here that the Halo motif is kept intact without the famed Spartan.
The gameplay is traditional Halo, except the ODST members do not regain health and they have a visor that helps in darkly lit areas. This all means you have to play the game differently, since you can't run in guns blazing Rambo-style and expect to make it out unscathed. Imagine going up against a Hunter on Legendary as a significantly more human player. It's kind of scary.
Now, when you play the campaign you have the option to go at it solo or with some help, should you happen to have some friends to play with. Both play out like you'd expect, though the additional team members definitely helps through some of the tougher parts. With that being said, two friends and I plowed through the campaign on Normal in about three hours. That's the negative aspect of the campaign game. It's just not long enough. And at the end it also kind of, well, just ends. Let's just say it leaves you wanting more.
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