Halo 3: ODST Review

November 26, 2023

Platform: Xbox 360
Review Score: 8/10

Halo 3: ODST is a short but interesting side story for the Halo universe, taking place during and after the events of Halo 2. Unlike the rest of the series, which focuses on the story of the Master Chief, ODST is played through the multiple perspectives of a squad of ODSTs. I find this to be a refreshing change that expands Halo's lore and characters. The group is scattered after dropping, and must find one another in order to escape the city of New Mombasa. The player's primary character, The Rookie, must wander the streets of New Mombasa looking for clues as to where his comrades are. As the player searches, they find beacons of the last known locations of the rest of the team. For every beacon found, the game switches perspectives, and the player goes through flashback missions, playing as the other ODSTs and unraveling the story of what happened after they all dropped onto Earth. The story is well-executed, and it is enjoyable to see everything piece together as you play through it. The characters are well-written, and you get to know them as the story progresses. In particular, Nathan Fillion does a great job portraying Buck. Another high point of ODST is its atmosphere and soundtrack. The composers made great use of different jazz instruments and percussion to create a soundtrack that is unique, but still very Halo. The music adds to the film noir atmosphere of roaming the rainy, empty streets of New Mombasa as The Rookie. The gameplay is similar to Halo 3, as it is made in the same engine. There is more of a focus on survival, since the ODSTs aren't as heavily armored as Spartans, but it's still largely the same first-person Covenant fighting action.