E3 2009: Halo 3: ODST Hands-on
Fans of Halo: Combat Evolved will be pleased.
June 2, 2009 - After months of secrecy and hinting by Bungie, I've finally gotten my hands on Halo 3: ODST. The newly announced Firefight is what Microsoft and Bungie chose to put in the public's hands first and it's easy to see why -- this new mode is simple, straightforward and a whole lot of fun. As a fan of Halo: Combat Evolved, it was doubly fun for me. ODST is most definitely a return to the roots of the franchise.
That last sentence might have you excited -- or it might have you fretting -- so I'd best explain it right off the bat. In Halo 3: ODST, you don't play as the Master Chief. Instead you fill the shoes of an Orbital Drop Shock Trooper (ODST). These elite soldiers don't have all of the advantages that a Spartan like Master Chief enjoys. That means that their overshield, though regenerative, isn't as strong. They have health bars that slowly whittle away just like the first Halo game. They take damage if they fall too far. They can't jump as high. They even have a powerful pistol with a zoomed scope and suppressed muzzle. Now do you get the references to the first Halo?
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There are a few other major differences in the way ODST plays. These troopers don't have access to the same set of equipment that Halo 3 introduced. The Brutes you run into might start dropping shields or flares, but if you hit the X Button you'll find it activates an alternate vision mode. This secondary setting on the visor is great for low light levels and even outlines everything with a handy tracer. It's particularly useful for recognizing enemies in the dark that you might want to sneak up on and use the other new weapon -- a slightly suppressed SMG.
If you've played Horde mode in Gears of War 2 or Zombie mode in Call of Duty: World at War, then you have a general idea of how Firefight works. The mode can be played with four players cooperatively, each taking on one of the ODST personas. Preorder the game through select retailers and a fifth ODST soldier, Sgt. Johnson, will be added to the list of selectable characters. Each is only different in appearance and voice. You won't get a stat boost by choosing one over the other.
![[IMG]](http://xbox360media.ign.com/xbox360/image/article/989/989275/halo-3-odst-20090602012330196-000.jpg)
Security Zone is a medium sized, open map.
Once the game starts, it's all about survival. There are only a set number of lives that the entire team shares. And since you need health packs to regenerate your health, you'll want to make sure you use them wisely as a team. The scoring works largely the same as it does in the Halo 3 metagame scoring. Headshots are worth more. Kill several enemies quickly and you'll rack up big combos. Kill a teammate and you'll lose points. Each player's individual score is kept as well as a cumulative team score and along the way you'll also earn medals and achievements.
The game is laid out into rounds. The enemies start out pretty easy before building up to a squad of shielded Brutes which is where some sweet music kicks in to let you know this is a mini-climax. Beat those guys and you'll move on to the next round. Each time you move up a round, new mixes of skulls are added making the game just a little more difficult. Make it far enough and you'll find almost all of the skulls activated, making the fight just about impossible for all but the pros.
Two maps were open for play: Security Zone and Crater (Night). Security Zone takes place near the ONI complex and is a large, well lit area. A central valley funnels most of the action into one column while sniper rifles and turrets conveniently sit atop overlooks. Midway through each round of enemies you'll find a Wraith or two to tackle. Sadly, you can't jack these in this level though I'm told ODST do have the ability to jack vehicles. It was just disabled for that map for balancing purposes.
Security Zone is a pretty big map so it's easy to get separated from your partners. I would advise against this, particularly at the end when the last wave of Brutes is sent out and the music kicks in. Seeing five Brutes using jump packs to leap towards you, flying dozens of feet in the air carrying Brute Hammers, while you sit on the ground with your wimpy ODST shield is quite intimidating even on the easier difficulty settings.
![[IMG]](http://xbox360media.ign.com/xbox360/image/article/989/989275/halo-3-odst-20090602012329118-000.jpg)
Those Brutes are not so nice. And your shield is not so strong.
Crater is a much smaller map with a layout that fits the name. The outer edges are all raise with ramps leading down to a central, lower courtyard. The Covenant drops in from all sides, sometimes surprising you from the rear which makes it highly necessary to keep moving so as not to get surprised. If you can make it through the first round of enemies and snag a Brute Hammer you'll find quite the effective weapon in these close quarters.
The Crater map had a telling set of brackets after its title indicating that it was a night map. Bungie wouldn't confirm that you could also play it in a day setting, but the smile sent my way during that lack of info spoke volumes. I'd bet my only dime the certain Firefight maps will be playable in both lit and dark modes.
![[IMG]](http://xbox360media.ign.com/xbox360/image/article/989/989275/halo-3-odst-20090602012327602-000.jpg)
Stick together...unless there is a large explosion.
There will obviously be other maps to use in Firefight once ODST ships, though Bungie isn't putting an exact number how many that will be just yet. Some, I'm told, will even feature vehicles to use in your Covenant kill-fest. The Forge mode won't work with Firefight, so you won't be able to design your own custom co-op arenas. Creative Director Joe Staten lamented, "Wouldn't it be nice if we could put everything in the game?" Yes, it would.
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