great game...under the right circumstances
Duel wielding has been completely removed...which makes sense when you try to imagine an ODST trying to duel wield 2 SMGs with silencers, reflex sights, and what appears to be flashlights attached to them, but loses its appeal when you realize you can't duel wield 2 plasma pistols. Which brings me to the weapons.
There are 2 new weapons in the game, first is the silenced SMG which is just like the old SMG except it comes with a futuristic looking reflex sight, a silencer, and a flashlight(that you cant use). The other weapon is a silenced pistol called the automag. It fires as fast as the magnum from halo 2 and does just as much damage, but unlike the pistol from halo 2, the automag can zoom in and has a silencer built in. If anyone remembers the brute plasma rifle from halo 2 then prepare for the nostalgia, because its back! replacing the normal plasma rifle...however, it doesn't shoot any faster than the old one, its just red. Unfortunately the battle rifle, one of my favorite weapons, has been removed from ODST along with the energy sword.
The equipment system has been severely limited in favor of the ODST's visr mode, which outlines objectives in yellow, enemies in red, allies in green, doors in blue, and scenery in tan. It also serves as a sort of night vision, making everything slightly brighter. Visr mode replaces the button to use equipment, so that means you cant use any bubbleshields or powerdrains, but you can still use the ones enemy brutes throw down.
The sandbox gameplay is probably one of the biggest improvements on the halo series...it works similar to bioshock, in that you are put in a nearly abandoned city, you can go wherever you want and pick up audiologs around the city...there's even messy writing on some walls. Its also similar to grand theft auto in that you pick up missions at certain points on the map, but whats different is that each mission puts you into a classic halo-style linear flashback mission which is more action packed than the sandbox parts and offers a more varied experience.
Grenades have changed both for the better and for the worse. For the better, you can now hold 3 of each type of grenade, and firebomb grenades are now more widely available. For the worse, the grenades are now thrown at a strange trajectory, different from halo 3, which helps for throwing frags where you want them to go, but makes it harder to stick someone with a plasma, spike, or firebomb grenade
Only problem i had about the story is how little information it revealed about the rookie, the main character, who is another silent protagonist (i thought developers have gotten over this by now) which makes him harder to relate to. Points in the story hint to the fact that he really isn't a rookie at all, but it never says what kind of experience he had. He also doesn't have a name which makes him harder to like.
The best part of ODST is the new firefight mode. You can start a game of firefight with up to 4 friends, and it starts out at set 1, round 1, wave 1...5 waves make up a round, 3 rounds make up a set, and 5 sets ends the game (or so im told, ive never actually reached it). every few waves or so you get a few more lives or the weapons will respawn (the spawn point has SMGs and Pistols, but there are more advanced weapons like rockets and snipers out in the map) every wave, harder enemies are sent, every round, a new round skull is turned on (resets after 3 rounds) and every set, a set skull is turned on (never resets) the set skulls, in order, give the enemies more shield resistance to bullets (plasma still has the same effect), then make the enemies drop weapons with less ammo, then give them twice as much health and shields. the round skulls, in order, make the enemies avoid danger more often, then make them throw grenades more often, then make it so you have to melee to get stamina(shields) back.
The problem with firefight, however, is that there is not the option to enter matchmaking to find people to play it with, so if your friends don't have ODST then you have to play alone.
Overall, bungie has changed halo for the better in ODST and i hope we see similar things from reach =)