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Can someone tell me, what the hell was the deal with Halo ODST?
- Thread starter Mineshaft_Gap
- Start date
soundscream
Member
Warm Machine
Member
Incredible campaign. Loved the semi open world of the city, the night mood, and the music. It also has some of Bungie's best art and industrial design in it. I've completed and played the SP of ODST almost as much as Halo CE.
Yeah it was a contractual obligation but grew from its original design into a larger product.
As far as $60 I found it worth every penny.
Yeah it was a contractual obligation but grew from its original design into a larger product.
As far as $60 I found it worth every penny.
Buckethead
Banned
The mood was interesting but holy shit was it boring.
TheCongressman1
Member
I enjoyed the characters and story, it was interesting to see the universe from another point of view.
But really all that doesn't matter. The gameplay was great. Open exploration is very welcomed by me, and I think should have been a much bigger part in the series.
But really all that doesn't matter. The gameplay was great. Open exploration is very welcomed by me, and I think should have been a much bigger part in the series.
TheFurizzlyBear
Member
My 3rd favorite Halo campaign with Halo 4 in second and CE at #1. But a lot of people dislike Halo 4 for some reason so I guess I'm an outlier
Also anyone calling it boring must have only played on Normal. On Heroic and Legendary combat can get super tense and exciting due to your more limited tools and more vulnerable player character. On Normal you can get through most of the time by just going in guns blazing, but the higher difficulties really make you work for your kills while scrounging for ammo you desperately need while under fire by enemies who are all legitimate threats. Tayari Plaza (those Hunters...) and Kizingo Blvd. have some of my favorite encounters in the series.
And of course Firefight took all this to the next level.
And of course Firefight took all this to the next level.
FUNKNOWN iXi
Member
ODST Hunters >
Yeah it was definitely not suited for me neither. I actually had far more enjoyment from Halo 4. Halo 4 was one of those games that really made it half way enjoyable just from the visuals alone...what a beautiful game on the older 360 hardware.
I got Halo 4 day one, but was never really following it that much. At the very start when it lets you take control, my jaw dropped. I thought I was in a cut scene. ODST was alright looking, but the real stages were kind of ugly, and they had this weird orange filter over everything like it was Ratchet and Clank 3. Night time visuals were great though, and that is what sold me on the game (night time exploration). So damn fun on Legendary, for the first time in Halo I felt vulnerable. Also, 2 player co-op, me and my bro had an absolute blast.
Kocolino67
Member
ODST was fun. I needed some time to get into it, but it became a decent Halo game after all. And as boni: Nathan and Tricia.
NameGenerated
Who paid you to grab Dr. Pavel?
Cool game, but Firefight not having Matchmaking was just a huge wtf. I guess later games showed that it would have been a shitshow anyways seeing all the input lag in Reach and 4.
Campaign was good, but too many faux-firefight sections. Overworld got tedious after an hour.
Campaign was good, but too many faux-firefight sections. Overworld got tedious after an hour.
The best campaign, a good duology with Reach (they're really companion games to each other), and Bungie's attempt at an expansion that was overpriced due to stupid Microsoft corporate policy and Don Mattrick's executive meddling.
In terms of story in the games, we learn more about how shady Oni really is, the corrupt politics of New Mombasa, and first contact (in the games) is made with the Engineers.
Also that soundtrack.
It's also the only online-capable Halo game that 1) never needs to be patched and 2) can 100% be played splitscreen offline and still get maximum enjoyment out of it. It's the only Halo game that was really a complete, finished product on day 1. Never got any DLC either, but it didn't need any.
The only downside to ODST is since it came out before Reach, it's on the Halo 3 version of the engine. It's a good sendoff for the Halo 3 engine, but they could have done things better with the Reach engine.. like the character faces.
Also, it's the only Halo game post Halo 1 that has a gun designed entirely for campaign and co-op, the ODST Magnum. So fun to use, and it can be so fun and overpowered because it didn't need to work in versus multiplayer.
In terms of story in the games, we learn more about how shady Oni really is, the corrupt politics of New Mombasa, and first contact (in the games) is made with the Engineers.
Also that soundtrack.
It's also the only online-capable Halo game that 1) never needs to be patched and 2) can 100% be played splitscreen offline and still get maximum enjoyment out of it. It's the only Halo game that was really a complete, finished product on day 1. Never got any DLC either, but it didn't need any.
The only downside to ODST is since it came out before Reach, it's on the Halo 3 version of the engine. It's a good sendoff for the Halo 3 engine, but they could have done things better with the Reach engine.. like the character faces.
Also, it's the only Halo game post Halo 1 that has a gun designed entirely for campaign and co-op, the ODST Magnum. So fun to use, and it can be so fun and overpowered because it didn't need to work in versus multiplayer.
XANDER CAGE
Member
ODST didn't pull it off perfectly, but I was definitely happy that you were just a crew of regular dudes doing regular soldier stuff. I wish more shooters would do that, I'm tired of saving the world in every game. It's a lazy stake.
Twin Tails
Member
Were you playing on mute?
Glorious OST
Glorious OST
I get what people are saying about the atmosphere and soundtrack, and I appreciated both, but it has that same flaw that all Bungie Halo games have,
which is to say the damn level looks all the same, except this time it's open world this time. So you get to see the same repeated assets like the huge angular architecture, big garage doors between loading screens, orange things that look like they might be doors but aren't, and Blade Runner cars.
The only way I was able to navigate the open world segments was by ignoring what I saw on screen and blindly following the nav waypoint, and even then I got lost several times.
I'm really surprised that Bungie didn't make it a company rule to not use copy and pasted assets after all the complaints when the original Halo came out. It's present in every game Bungie Halo game I've played (I haven't played Reach yet), and I wonder if it'll be in Destiny as well.
That said, the flashback levels were pretty good, and had quite a bit of variety.
The story wasn't amazing, but it wasn't awful either, and yeah, having half the cast of Firefly definitely helped.
Game did make me wonder why the humans even need the Spartans, though, since their regular soldiers seem to be pretty much just as good when you're playing as one.
which is to say the damn level looks all the same, except this time it's open world this time. So you get to see the same repeated assets like the huge angular architecture, big garage doors between loading screens, orange things that look like they might be doors but aren't, and Blade Runner cars.
The only way I was able to navigate the open world segments was by ignoring what I saw on screen and blindly following the nav waypoint, and even then I got lost several times.
I'm really surprised that Bungie didn't make it a company rule to not use copy and pasted assets after all the complaints when the original Halo came out. It's present in every game Bungie Halo game I've played (I haven't played Reach yet), and I wonder if it'll be in Destiny as well.
That said, the flashback levels were pretty good, and had quite a bit of variety.
The story wasn't amazing, but it wasn't awful either, and yeah, having half the cast of Firefly definitely helped.
Game did make me wonder why the humans even need the Spartans, though, since their regular soldiers seem to be pretty much just as good when you're playing as one.
Oni Link 666
Member
I liked it.
Pound_lb003
Member
Gotta say I don't like Halo particularly (although I can appreciate it's design) - but this one ACTUALLY looked interesting to me. Would still like to play it at some point.
dragonbane
Member
An add-on made into a full price game.
Dr D Wayne Love
Banned
I preferred it to 3
I believe it was planned as a smaller stand alone game. Microsoft's contract with Bungie stipulated they were to publish Bungie's next two games before Bungie could be free to pursue a new publisher. Bungie made them both Halo games, so as to not hand over new IP to Microsoft. The first was a smaller game than Microsoft wanted, so they held it back to add some of the Halo 3 DLC maps and justify a full $60 release.
Agree about the campaign. I've really come to appreciate how well it pushed the Halo combat and mission design. In particular, having the rare discipline to pare back the combat sandbox from its predecessor, rather than add more and more layers. (Removing the BR and equipment from Halo 3.) And the hub city showed how well exploration and Halo pair. I wish Halo 4 had carried those learnings forward.
â Narayan
Member
Other than Halo 1 and Reach, it's the only Halo campaign that I thoroughly enjoy. I really love how open the game is. A lot more could have been done with the setting and gameplay, but I feel that the game has a good combination of linear and open encounters overall. I would love to see a similar Halo game where you control a SPARTAN and have even more gameplay options available, but with the way Halo is going now, I doubt anything like that will ever happen.
It's interesting that ODST feels more like a Marathon game to me than any other Halo game does. Not that I'm saying Halo should feel like Marathon, but it's interesting to pick up on similarities with ODST when it doesn't feature as much homage to Marathon as the other Halo titles do.
It's interesting that ODST feels more like a Marathon game to me than any other Halo game does. Not that I'm saying Halo should feel like Marathon, but it's interesting to pick up on similarities with ODST when it doesn't feature as much homage to Marathon as the other Halo titles do.
AdmiralSnackbar
Member
The whole point was that you were a regular dude who was just lucky to get out of the city alive. Everyone already knows Master Chief is the glorious savior of humanity, this was just a different story in that universe. Despite what the game was originally planned as the campaign was of a quality beyond most others shooters.
The alien was reason the humans had that incredible ship in Halo 4.
Also OdST had the best campaign since Halo CE
It was also found that, well before ODST had it's final name, let alone people knowing it existed, you could bug Halo 3 into a state where it would claim you couldn't play with a player in a lobby because they were "using the HALO 3: MYTHIC disc". So H3: Mythic was planned from day 1.
Add in Microsoft's policy that two-disc games had to be 60$, and .. yeah.
Ignoring the price, the execution of Halo 3: Mythic was -stellar-. It gave us DLC majority in matchmaking and allowed Core users to finally play Halo 3 multiplayer since they couldn't use the DLC. Great for LANs, too. Of course, it was such a good idea that we ended up with the tragifarce that was the Anniversary Reach disc.
∀ Narayan;95945524 said:
Probably due to how much heavier it was with the story and the mysterious mood. Whereas the Chief games are OO RA FUCK YEAH CHIEF USA USA USA
That's kinda the point.
It's a different take on the universe. It's dark and moody. Kinda jazz influenced music. And not only are you as a character weaker you are even physically smaller. It was interesting seeing all the enemies suddenly seem bigger. Getting a feeling of how a regular human was fighting them.
I actually think it's one of the better campaigns.
MichaelFassbender
Member
The only Halo game I've ever bought. It was alright, neat effects and all. Don't remember a thing about the story, though.
Agreed. I don't see the appeal of a Halo game where you play as an ODST grunt rather than a Spartan with all his/her greater abilities.
NobleGundam
Banned
Dude you're kinda over thinking it in a way.
Sure the plot isn't well made, but you have to consider that, at the time, it was only a dlc expansion and not a standalone game until the former devs, Bungie, realized how large the game had already become.
Now if you don't feel the game isn't challenging enough being a lesser version of a Spartan since you're an ODST, doesn't mean the game plays horribly. You're given the access to the City's weapons/vehicles storage lockers. Shortcuts through rooms/buildings. Night Visr. And a map to distinguish your location, your waypoint destination, and an indicator where almost exactly each nearby enemy patrol roams the city. The weapons are a scarcity at times but you'll manage to bend your destiny against all odds in a human perspective fighting off an overwhelming alien invasion instead of being an invincible cyborg wearing near indestructible armory that can survive a drop burning through Earths atmosphere and crash landing onto the planets surface then destroys a whole armada or mega structure all on his own.
But opinions yo.
Sure the plot isn't well made, but you have to consider that, at the time, it was only a dlc expansion and not a standalone game until the former devs, Bungie, realized how large the game had already become.
Now if you don't feel the game isn't challenging enough being a lesser version of a Spartan since you're an ODST, doesn't mean the game plays horribly. You're given the access to the City's weapons/vehicles storage lockers. Shortcuts through rooms/buildings. Night Visr. And a map to distinguish your location, your waypoint destination, and an indicator where almost exactly each nearby enemy patrol roams the city. The weapons are a scarcity at times but you'll manage to bend your destiny against all odds in a human perspective fighting off an overwhelming alien invasion instead of being an invincible cyborg wearing near indestructible armory that can survive a drop burning through Earths atmosphere and crash landing onto the planets surface then destroys a whole armada or mega structure all on his own.
But opinions yo.
ODST are not regular human soldiers. They're the hardest, baddest motherfuckers around. They're not augmented like the Spartans, but they're not the regular joe schmoe.
If you look for the narrative of the series, you'll see that the ODSTs are the best soldiers the UNSC Army could muster up, and yet they weren't enough. I personally love ODST because it focuses on the characters that had the least "screentime" in the series so far.
Ever since reading the first book (and I never did read any of the others, mostly because the second book was just Halo 2), i've been very interested in ODSTs. Sure, this is expanded universe material, but they're kick ass. I loved their appearance in Halo... was it three? or two? On the sniper den. They even look cool.
Besides, the Live Action commercials were great: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jYRI11XNsHM
Also, I don't need to repeat myself: Best Single Player Halo experience, great cast, nice story, Firefight (which I never played, btw). The fact that you're not the almighty, invincible master chief battling a horde of numerous aliens is also great. You're not saving the world, you're a small team, against the odds, where people are messing up and dying, looking for some sort of intelligence.
Again, not all games have to be you saving the world.
The ODSTs come across as stronger due to gameplay/fun reasons, but they are still ultimately weaker than Spartans. In ODST you definitely have to make sure to strip Brutes armor with a PP overcharge and go for the headshot, whereas Chief can easily get into a fist fight with one of them.
ProfessorMoran
Member
4 was by far the weakest.
I agree OP. I also think they watered down the franchise with all games that were not the Halo 1-3 releases. This combined with Halo 4, general "FPS" genre fatigue, has left Halo not being the star it was last 2 gens.
Halo 5 will have to be something amazing for the magic to come back along with the full previous fan base. This is important because if they think it is cool again then another generation of younger gamers will think the same and the cycle will continue. If they don't then Halo won't be cool, and MS will lose luster on one of it's main exclusives. People have chose XBOX of PS just because of Halo in the past so this is important for MS.
Halo 5 will have to be something amazing for the magic to come back along with the full previous fan base. This is important because if they think it is cool again then another generation of younger gamers will think the same and the cycle will continue. If they don't then Halo won't be cool, and MS will lose luster on one of it's main exclusives. People have chose XBOX of PS just because of Halo in the past so this is important for MS.
Northeastmonk
Gold Member
I couldn't stand the marketing for ODST. The commercial with the young cadet growing up and being proud to be part of ODST was stupid. Plus the regular marines in Halo were fun to have drive off cliffs, grab grenades or guns, and etc not whatever ODST was. I never found much interest in it.
Solidsoul
Banned
First off, this.
Also, that alien had more importance than just showing up for the hell of it. It appeared in Halo Reach and bungie had every intention of it being in Halo from the beginning. Some of the books explain them and their importance more in detail. Here's what they looked like in Combat Evolved.
REMEMBER CITADEL
Banned
ODST was aIl right, although not nearly as good as it could've been, but yeah, it didn't do a very good job of filling in the holes in Halo 2's storyline.
Not as good as Halo and Halo 3, about as good as Reach, better than the rest. So no.
Not as good as Halo and Halo 3, about as good as Reach, better than the rest. So no.