The Most Highly Anticipated Game of 2009!
Developed exclusively for Xbox 360 by acclaimed developer Bungie.
Halo 3: ODST is a new, stand-alone expansion to the Halo saga that lets players experience the events leading up to the epic story told in Halo 3 through the eyes of an entirely new character the ODST (Orbital Drop Shock Trooper), as they search for clues leading to the whereabouts of their scattered squad and the motivations behind the Covenant's invasion of New Mombasa. Halo 3 ODST adds a new dimension to an all-encompassing universe that gamers around the world have known and loved since the release of the first Halo game in late 2001.
Set just before the events of Halo 3, Halo 3: ODST tells a side story in the Halo universe. There'sno Master Chief and no Spartans, but that doesn't mean the game is any less a Halo title. From what we saw in our limited time with the game, Halo 3: ODST fits right in with the Halo universe. With its focus on an entire squad of playable characters, Halo 3: ODST just might be the most story-driven game in the franchise yet.
Playing as the nameless Rookie in an ODST squad, you are sent to New Mombasa in the middle of a Covenant attack in order to complete a secret mission for a superior officer. Like good troops no one questions orders, but as you drop into the city a Covenant ship jumps out and knocks out your pod's systems. Six hours later you're on the ground, disoriented and completely out of touch with your squad. It's up to you to find out what happened, both to your squadmates and to the city.
Because you're not playing as Master Chief, the experience as an ODST is somewhat different than standard Halo. For one, you actually have a life bar now, and it doesn't automatically regenerate. There is a small shield, referred to as stamina in-game, that will absorb limited damage and does have the ability to regenerate, but once your stamina shield is down, your core health gets hit. The only way to restore health is to find a medkit pickup.
While it may not seem like much, this one little tweak changes a core element of gameplay. You can no longer just run into danger willy-nilly, expecting to take damage and then hide for a few seconds to re-engage with full health. Do that here and it'll work the first time, but instead of full health you'll end up with half a life bar and a full stamina shield. Try it a second time, and there's a good chance you'll be dead. As a result, ODST players are forced to think and act a bit more tactically.
