Halo: ODST.

[SilverStrike]

Searchbar'd, nothing recent that I could find.

I just finished ODST, since I got it pre-owned a few days ago. I'd not heard great things about it, can't specifically recall, but just a general feeling that most didn't tend to like this particular game.
Personal opinion?
I liked it quite a bit actually. It has a nice pace, action where action was needed, and was more patient. You take your time wandering around the deserted city, you see some enemies in the distance and pick them off if you can, or even avoid them if they're big scary hunters..
Missions had the right amount of all the vehicles getting some funtime, and I -really- liked some of the character interaction. Although part of that has to be because Buck Mickey and Dutch are voiced by the same guys that did Malcolm Wash and Jayne from Firefly..
Although the audio logs seemed a little.. tedious.

Either way, it was a nice change from Halo's usual dash in guns blazing and shoot the crap out of everything taking the linear path and shoot some more crap. Not that that's bad. It's just a different -type- of fun. Sure, Halo doesn't do new. But it does what works, well. And it's fun.
ODST just takes a bit of a different theme for itself.

The discussion here I'm reaching for is basically along the lines of what were your thoughts on ODST? Did you like it? If you didn't, why? Are you one of the easily influenced masses that must have Halo's online killing frenzy whilst spouting various profanities down the mic? (I hope not. Escapist tends to be pretty good for not having that. )

Also, Reach in 11 days. Oughta be fun.

 

[Godavari]

I felt let down with ODST. I liked some of the new game modes (free-roaming in campaign, Firefight) but as far as the story goes, it felt forced. Almost as if they were creating an entire narrative based on shoehorning the Engineer into the canon. The constant switching between normal/VISR mode was tedious, especially in those twilight areas where you're just not sure which is the better option. It was an okay game. Not something I'd shell out $60 for if I had the chance to go back in time.

 

[Judgement101]

I thought ODST was one of the better Halos because it wasn't about Master Chef

 

[Godavari]

i liked it, although it should have remained as an expansion.

...as far as the story goes, it felt forced. Almost as if they were creating an entire narrative based on shoehorning the Engineer into the canon.

the engineer was already in the canon (the books) but hadn't appeared in any games.

The books aren't technically canon, as far as I'm concerned. Nevertheless, I didn't specify that I meant game canon, so I apologize.

 

[bak00777]

I loved ODST, the soundtrack was one of the best i heard in a game. The story was nice, but i wish it was a bit longer. I understand why it wasnt as long as it could have been, its because it was originally going to be a DLC. Oh and Firefight is so much fun when you're with your good friends.

 

[maddawg IAJI]

I liked the idea of it, but the open world enviorment just felt like a let down to me. I was forced to move at a very slow pace, unable to use vehicles for the most part of it and forced to wander over what looked to be the same buildings over and over again, with only the occasional Brute and Grunt to break up the wandering.

I liked the story, I liked the characters and I liked the missions, but the open world felt lacking along with the weapons and vehicles. It just didn't feel like it added anything.

 

[Benmonkey7]

I really liked it. It was nice to be sneaky since that's always fun. The visor was a really nice addition.

 

[Sarahcidal]

I loved ODST, the soundtrack was one of the best i heard in a game. The story was nice, but i wish it was a bit longer. I understand why it wasnt as long as it could have been, its because it was originally going to be a DLC. Oh and Firefight is so much fun when you're with your good friends.

100% agreed. i really liked the game.. it took me just as long to beat ODST as it did for me to beat the first modern warfare so im not sure why everyone complains about its length. good game. good storyline. fun new features.. also I loved Buck.. good comic relief lol *pulls rocket launcher* "eatin the pipe! ..thats what she said"

 

[MiracleOfSound]

I liked ODST a lot actually, it was fun, well made and the hub world was atmospheric, if a little empty.

 

[Eldritch Warlord]

I really enjoyed ODST as well. Most of the negativity surrounding the game came from the fact that it was originally announced as "not a full game". When development came closer to finishing and they did have enough original content to justify a full price people couldn't get the original idea out of their head.

Personally I look at it as a Game of the Year Edition with a new campaign, game mode and the DLC on the disc instead of in a download code.

The books aren't technically canon, as far as I'm concerned. Nevertheless, I didn't specify that I meant game canon, so I apologize.

As a fan you have no control over what is and isn't canon, just accept that. The one who controls the canon of the Halo universe is 343 Industries and they say that the books are canon. In fact, they probably regard the novels as the "better" canon.

 

[imagremlin]

I walked in with low expectations. Partly because halo 2 & 3 had not met the hype and partly because ODST had pretty much none (hype that is).

I came away pleasently surprised. It's better than Halo 2 or 3. Its just as much fun as Halo CE. So much, in fact that I re-played the single player campaing just after finishing it just for the sheer fun of it (not many games can claim that).

This is what Halo 2 & 3 should have been...

 

[MiracleOfSound]

100% agreed. i really liked the game.. it took me just as long to beat ODST as it did for me to beat the first modern warfare so im not sure why everyone complains about its length.

Well in fairness, COD4 had a huge multiplayer mode and ODST just gave us the Halo 3 multi and a tacked on horde mode, to a lot of people it felt a bit of a rip off for full price.

 

[AlternatePFG]

I bought ODST instead of Halo 3, so I thought I got my moneys worth. It was short, but it was really atmospheric. I liked it. I still felt a bit ripped off, they could've made it a little longer or cheaper.

 

[RanX3roX]

Admitted Halo fan here. Halo just hits on all cylinders for me... Its not the only game I play nor are FPS the only genre I play...

But back on topic.
I freaking loved ODST. I liked the story the voice acting, the combat, and especially FIREFIGHT...
Playing it tonite actually with a couple of friends with about a six pack.
Canon schmanon...

 

[Vrex360]

I actually rather enjoyed ODST. It was a cool concept and it played out quite interestingly, it had the voice cast of Firefly and perhaps best of all it had great atmosphere.
For me at least, Halo games define themselves with good atmosphere and playing ODST as the Rookie at night with the visor on and reading audio logs and exploring the dark city stealth fully while quiet jazz music played softly in the background gave the game this great ambiance that made it feel different to other Halo games in the past.
Plus I loved firefight for giving me the ability to have a little Halo action without having to play a full campaign to get it.

 

[philosophicalbastard]

I thought ODST was one of the better Halos because it wasn't about Master Chef

I assume you feel the Chief is a bad character, you would be wrong because he is not. The Master Chief is not a character, he is a weapon. The only interesting thing about the chief is his backstory, which is responsible for him being military ordinance. So view him not as a person to identify with, but as a powerful weapon to use.

Anyway I enjoyed ODST (I preferred recon) as much as I could, but it was prised to high for my liking.

 

[Thunderhorse31]

I loved ODST for all the reasons you already mentioned, but then again I too paid little more than 8 bucks for it.

Had I done something stupid and paid full price for it at release... I dunno how drastically my opinion would change. I might have still enjoyed it while it lasted because it is a fun, well-paced, unique spin on the familiar, but I did pretty much everything I wanted to do in a matter of 2-3 days.

So yeah. Great game, but it was never ever worth more than half the original asking price.

 

[MisterShine]

The discussion here I'm reaching for is basically along the lines of what were your thoughts on ODST? Did you like it? If you didn't, why? Are you one of the easily influenced masses that must have Halo's online killing frenzy whilst spouting various profanities down the mic? (I hope not. Escapist tends to be pretty good for not having that. )

Also, Reach in 11 days. Oughta be fun.

I actually just played it about a month or so ago, and hadn't played the Halo series in many years seriously (I got sick of it during Halo 2, I played Halo 3 once, still didn't like it). Honestly? I was... pleasantly surprised. I only played the campaign mode, as multiplayer for games like Halo don't hold much interest for me. The storytelling was interesting, finding objects scattered around the city and flashing to those events..

Par for the course on the Halo series, the music was balls-to-the-walls awesome. With the jazz-y/softer music playing during the street roaming sections, very noir. I was impressed at the new direction for the art style in general. Yeah the campaign itself was kinda short, but I played it on the Legendary setting so it took me a couple days to finish it. Plus it was a friends copy he'd left at my place, so I didn't have to pay for it! Overall pretty good I'd say

Same friend is picking up Reach for the midnight release, I intend to be waiting for him at his place with the food so we can co-op together. Though honestly, I'll play co-op pretty much anything.

edit: Oh yeah, and at least 3 or 4 voice actors from Firefly, including the Cap'. I nerdgasmed.

 

[SL33TBL1ND]

Well, I'm not really into Halo, but ODST is my favourite due to Alan Tudyk and Nathan Fillion.

 

[latenightapplepie]

You got the title wrong. It's called Halo 3: ODST. Before you call me a pedant, this correction leads to a point.

I really liked the game for all the reasons that people have already provided (particularly the soundtrack), but I now that I think about it, I didn't like that it had the number 3 in its title. Despite being its gameplay's similarity to Halo 3, ODST deserves to be viewed as a separate game in its own right. It should be called what you refer to it in the title of this thread. Sadly it is not.