​Let's get the old reviewer's cliche out of the way: Halo fans are already playing Halo 3: ODST and Halo haters have already decided that they're not interested. There's nothing here that will change either group's mind. This strictly a review for the Halo-agnostics. Now that we've gotten that out of the way, let's get on with the review!

Halo 3: ODST is Bungie's first attempt to expand the Halo Universe beyond the story of its starring character Master Chief (RTS spin-off Halo Wars was created by Ensemble Studios, not Bungie). In several ways, ODST is a big departure for the series. In many ways, its simply more of the same.

Halo 3: ODST

ODST is the story of a group of Orbital Drop Shock Troopers during the Covenant invasion of New Mombassa, placing it right before the start of Halo 3 in the timeline. Over the course of the game, you'll play as each of the ODST troopers, all of whom are about as memorable as a slice of dry white toast. The central character is The Rookie, a voiceless cypher who you'll guide through New Mombasa as you search for clues to the whereabouts of the rest of your squad. When you discover a clue, you'll play through the story of one of the other troopers. We're a no-spoiler zone here, so I won't say much else about the story, except that is serviceable - no better or no worse than an average FPS tale.
​The absence of Master Chief brings with it a few gameplay tweaks. First, the ODST troopers don't have a shield and don't regenerate health. Instead, they have "stamina," which works pretty much the same way as the Chief's shield. However, health is regained with health packs, a gameplay mechanic that seems antiquated in the days of regenerating health. Gone also is dual-wielding (although the ODST troops can all still flip an overturned Warthog with their bare hands). The biggest change to the Halo formula in ODST's campaign is the open-world area that links together the rest of the missions. As The Rookie, you're free to pick your path through the streets to your goal. Unfortunately, The Rookie's sections of the game feel the flattest. The New Mombassa map isn't large enough to feel truly open, the devastation doesn't feel big enough to feel oppressive, and backtracking through streets to various locations just isn't an exciting goal.

Fortunately, the other characters' missions are more lively, (mostly) avoiding the series' tendancy to force you through endless same-y looking corridors. Overall, the short campaign is an enjoyable romp, with few dud levels (save The Rookie's) amongst some nicely designed setpieces. A second disc features every map and mode released for Halo 3 thus far, including all DLC. The online community for Halo 3 is still going strong, but the second disc is overshadowed by what is clearly ODST's highlight: Firefight Mode.

​Similar to Gears of War 2's Horde mode, Firefight is a four-player cooperative mode that pits a team against increasing waves of Covenant enemies. Despite a similar setup to Horde Mode, Firefight feels completely distinct - this is pure Halo gameplay, with big, intricate levels, fast-paced movement and well-balanced weapons. Players share a pool of lives, encouraging teamwork and each round sees the introduction of new challenge like enemies reflecting bullets or requiring melee attacks to refill lost stamina. It's a simple mode that's been done before, but it's a blast. While games can last well over an hour, don't be surprised if you rack up several rounds back-to-back.

If you have a good group of friends to play Firefight with, then Halo 3: ODST should be a no-brainer. It's one of the most addictive co-op games I've played in a long time. If the single-player mode were more impressive, ODST would be a must-buy for more players. While it's by no means bad, the campaign simply feels too perfunctory to get really excited about. Halo games tend to get held to a higher standard because of its huge success, but there's no shame in calling ODST exactly what it is: a good game. Not a great game, not a terrible game, simply a good one. Whether "good" is "good enough" for Bungie and its fans remains to be seen.


Three out of five Blue Pig Ganons.

This review is based on a copy of the Xbox 360 game provided by the publisher.