Halo3:ODST is more than just another installment in the Halo series. It's a step backwards in the right direction.
For a long time Halo has always put you into the shoes of Spartan 117 & The Arbiter or Arby n The Chief as we've come to know them. This time is different. ODST doubles the fun by making the player play through the memories of four Orbital Drop Shock Troopers. Of course there is a mysterious main character we consistently play through the game as. He is the "Rookie" and even though his name may not seem threatening you come to love him like The Chief's little brother.
The Rookie is a character of few words,mostly gasps and grunts,and you never get to see his face...go figure. However playing as him you enter a city that has been devastated by covenant. This means you become a detective and must try to figure out what has happened to your squad. The game mostly takes place during the night and gives you a slight case of paranoia.
Along the way you find clues that allow you to play in the shoes of your fellow teammates and see what happend prior to your waking up.
Usually a theme like this would be considered outlandish in the Halo series, if you were the chief. In ODST you play as humans therefore you now have a stamina bar which means if your shields drop you'll slowly die. The only way to prevent this is to think clearly and use the cover of night as your greatest weapon. The human shields drop much faster than a Spartans also you run a little slower, jump a little lower, and you even throw grenades a bit differently. But if you can come to terms with this you'll feel like a badass when you take down an entire troop of brutes by yourself with almost no stamina.
The overall feel of the game is quite recognizable to the game's veterans. Which means you can comfortable get into the game without having to feel awkward for the first few levels. The silenced pistol and MSG are fun additions to your arsenal as well as being able to carry three of each grenade instead of two. Also you feel that your character is more alive now since every time he gets shot he starts to gasp, grunt, and maybe have a heart attack. The game's unique atmosphere is boosted by the dark and gloomy music that differs from its usually heavy duty soundtrack.
The biggest and probably most anticipated addition is the firefight mode. Firefight is a type of invasion game where you, either by yourself or with friends, take on wave after wave of the covenant. You play as one of the four ODST and get to customise them in a similar way as your Spartan alternatives. Firefight is addictive in the worst way possible, and it feels amazing. The game includes the same old multiplayer with the addition of three new maps. Really now, how can you go wrong with the best multiplayer developed so far?
Overall ODST is a great installement for the Series. Even though it does notoffer anything new to the multiplayer (except three maps!) gamers should enjoy it all the same. Bungie has been dedicated to their fans for years and they have yet to disappoint. Some may not like the game and that's fine. But it's hard to say that it isn't fun. Especially since we are beginning to see what started the whole thing and finally get the answers we've so patiently waited for.