Review: Halo: ODST

[Culnaej]

*bows head in respect to THE MAN*
just as i thought - halo 3 again, just with a couple different guns and a naturally harder difficulty

and completely different story? from a perspective of a soldier that isn't god-like?

 

[Culnaej]

I dont trust any game that gets an great review by handing out advance copies to certain large websites that specialize in game reviews. Coincidence it scores a 9.0 on Gamespot 2 days before launch with huge ODST banners everywhere on their site?

Second post in a row by me. I trust those games. Probably because I'm not a huge conspiricist of corruption because I understand that to review/preview a game, you need to have it. That's why a lot of companies already have the reviews, so you can decide if you want it or not so you don't buy a shit game and a couple weeks later find out its a shit game from a review. Also, about the banners? It's not coincidence, it's just marketing.

 

[Slycne]

What ranks are the new characters? Pope, King, Emperor, and maybe Master of The Universe? Master Chief is a Navy rank not a marine rank, so why not include other ranks Not part of the marine Corps?

Your point being? It's not being presented as factual, present day or even necessarily a futuristic look of our own universe. Obviously they are borrowing terms, but yes if they wanted to say that Corporals of the Halo-verse are called Popes there is no factual reference for why they couldn't. Besides the fact, in the lore Master Chief is not a Marine. The Spartans fall into the UNSC Naval Special Warfare Command. [footnote]http://halo.wikia.com/wiki/SPARTAN-II[/footnote]

 

[Kermi]

I just want to say, the more I play the ODST campaign the more I love it. The missions are your typical Halo action, if a little slower paced than what we came to expect in Halo 3 - but then it might just be what happens when you set a game in New Mombasa, since they were fairly reminiscent of the Earth missions from Halo 2.

The nighttime exploration of the city while playing as the Rookie is just... fantastic. It's not a particularly deep city, but stalking the dim streets, being guided through a side-story by the Superintendent, broody sax music playing in the background. It all comes together perfectly.

 

[Geoffrey42]

Your point being? It's not being presented as factual, present day or even necessarily a futuristic look of our own universe. Obviously they are borrowing terms, but yes in if they wanted to say that Corporals of the Halo-verse are called Popes there is no factual reference for why they couldn't. Besides the fact in the lore Master Chief is not a Marine, Spartens fall into the UNSC Naval Special Warfare Command.

Kudos for both providing an excellent reason for why it was a silly complaint, AND pointing out how he was wrong. Delicious.

 

[Susan Arendt]

I dont trust any game that gets an great review by handing out advance copies to certain large websites that specialize in game reviews. Coincidence it scores a 9.0 on Gamespot 2 days before launch with huge ODST banners everywhere on their site?

Second post in a row by me. I trust those games. Probably because I'm not a huge conspiricist of corruption because I understand that to review/preview a game, you need to have it. That's why a lot of companies already have the reviews, so you can decide if you want it or not so you don't buy a shit game and a couple weeks later find out its a shit game from a review. Also, about the banners? It's not coincidence, it's just marketing.

Indeed. Companies want you to buy the game the day it comes out, so they want to have the reviews at the ready. The only way to coordinate that is to get copies to reviewers early. No big conspiracy at work, just timing. Same with the adverts. It's really not all that different than movies. Movie reviewers are either sent the movie before it's released or allowed into an advanced screening of the film.

 

[Snowalker]

Im not the one person to bother with Halo. As long as the game is long (Wich ccesarano implies is only four hours). Mostly i dont even care about multiplayer wich this game seems to lack. Or does it?

Actually, no, no it doesn't, not sure why he left htis off, but it has a new Multiplayer feature called firefight, which if you've played CoD: WaW, its similar to Nazi Zombies, but instead of being locked in a room, your in a an open map, and instead of zombies, your fighting covenant. So.. I think that sounds fun, you might not though.

 

[Curtmiester]

Wow, I have to say for a Halo thread this isn't that bad. Normally it's just screaming and swearing.
OT: I think I'll pick it up. Firefight looks to good to give up.

 

[UsefulPlayer 1]

I just wanted to add that if you didn't buy Halo3 (how could you?) then ODST is probably your best bet.

You'll save some money since you get most of halo3 (except the campaign) and you get all the map packs, including the newest one exclusive to ODST.

If you have Halo3 and all of the map packs then you're in the same boat as me and got pretty ripped off I guess.

 

[Kstreitenfeld]

I have never heard such a fanboy review, seriously I think I heard you say "10 different kinds of awesome" like 10 times.

-edit-
Ok so maybe I was a little harsh, the review got better as it went on.

 

[Russ Pitts]

I have never heard such a fanboy review, seriously I think I heard you say "10 different kinds of awesome" like 10 times.

-edit-
Ok so maybe I was a little harsh, the review got better as it went on.

I was going to thrash you for your comment, but then I decided to read all of it before responding. Glad I did that. Wish more people did, too.

 

[awsome117]

I guess people forgot about the engineer...

I guess that wouldn't count as an enemy right? Anyway, nice review, if only my xbox didn't break a day before it's release

 

[theultimateend]

Incidentally can I remind you of the old proverb "if it aint broke don't fix it"

Very true when that is the case.

But I'll leave it at that. There are enough people that like the game to justify it never changing.

 

[maantren]

Indeed. Companies want you to buy the game the day it comes out, so they want to have the reviews at the ready. The only way to coordinate that is to get copies to reviewers early. No big conspiracy at work, just timing. Same with the adverts. It's really not all that different than movies. Movie reviewers are either sent the movie before it's released or allowed into an advanced screening of the film.

It's a little more complicated than that. I worked on 2 magazines and a TV show that did videogame reviews, and saw firsthand the subtle & overt pressures brought to bear by publishers and PR firms. They have swag, previews, access, and advertising money to play with: it's usually not as simple as 'give us a good review and we'll buy $x worth of ads', but it is fundamentally their job to try and get positive coverage. Good outlets like The Escapist resist or ignore the pressure, but there's a reason so many prominent sites give 'blockbuster' games (ie those with a large PR budget) such crazy high review scores in their first week...

Cheers

Colin

 

[JugglerPanda]

Wow. It's amazing how many people can look at a recommendation like this:

Recommendation: If you're a slave to multiplayer, then you need this game. Everyone else will be playing it, plus it comes with the complete set of Halo 3 downloadable maps as a bonus freebie. If multiplayer isn't your thing, then you might give this a rent to see if it hooks you. You'll probably still enjoy it, even if you're not a Halo fanboy, but the price is a bit high for such a short game.

and still say this review proves the game isn't any good. Say hello to the internet's biggest demographic which hates a game without playing it, everyone! The Halo hater!

It helps when you read the thing that you quote before boldly stating the exact opposite of what the message was trying to convey.