Just yesterday, I manage to snag my own personal copy of the much-awaited side story to the Halo universe called Halo 3: ODST. Thanks to piling amounts of work though, the copy I bought is still encased in its shrink wrap. Luckily, I still have the numbers of two friends of mine who got their copies first-hand. Specifically a few familiar faces from an article about Killzone 2 on this site. I’ll leave the stage to XTC, an avid Xbox 360 owner, and PendragonS, worshipper of all things Sony-related, as they discuss about the hours they spent on Halo 3 ODST.

XTC: Holy shit, Halo 3 ODST is the best goddamn thing to ever appear in, like, ever! WOOOO! (raises his left arm, fists clenched)

PendragonS: (sighs) Hold on there, X-Bot. While the first Halo game perfected the shooter controls and formula on consoles, why do I feel that Bungie is still riding on the coattails of their success? Look at the graphics; it’s so two-years ago….

XTC: It IS a sidestory, not a full-fledged sequel to the Halo series. The story itself focuses on a lone ODST unit searching for what remains of his crew after a dropship mission went haywire, resulting in the unit stranded in the ravaged nighttime city of New Mombasa.

PendragonS: I’ll, bite; you have to give credit for the stylized overabundance of red and black Bungie used to paint the mood of the non-linear map, even if the graphics are still two-years ago. However, I for one don’t really care too much about the characters. As if Master Chief wasn’t a vanilla-laced bravado of a man, we now have to deal with five wannabes…

XTC: Compared to the foul-mouthed sailors in Killzone 2, I much prefer the characters in ODST; men in uniform equipped with one-liners, punchy writing, and a few guns to protect themselves.

PendragonS: Won’t fanboys of the series be more pissed off at the fact that Master Chief isn’t around? And also the fact that you’re controlling someone a tad weaker than him throughout the game?

XTC: True, the ODST units you control are short, weak, and follow the health system set in the first Halo game. While your shield regenerates, you health wouldn’t, thus you have to search the city for medic bays to patch yourself up. However, this also adds in a new way of playing through the game. No more guns ablazing like in Halo 3; now the focus is on stealth and taking cover more often than usual. Even so, the guns ablazing scenarios are peppered in-between the story via flashbacks: prepare to enjoy riding the Ghost/Warthog once again killing hordes and hordes of aliens.

PendragonS: Now that you think about it, when I’m on the Heroic difficulty, I can’t one-hit kill a brute like usual, I can’t outrun that dude who runs around with a huge hammer and wearing that Galactus Helmet when he beeline towards me, and go all commando against a group of drones and sniping Jackals. Hell, even those bulky green projectile-spraying dudes are much more dangerous than before. I think they’re called Trappers?

XTC: It’s “Hunters”! Learn to do research, n00b.

PendragonS: Whatever. Wish there were more variety in the enemies though. But that doesn’t answer my question: would Halo fans, I mean those who really like the action bits, take this part-stealth and part-action change in stride?

XTC: Hmm… I do wish the game was a bit longer though. Normally, I was hoping for the usual linear action-based experience, but this whole open-world take isn’t so bad either. The pacing’s good, the city feels mysterious and has that touch of noir to it, and using your visors to see through the night is a must.

PendragonS: There’s also multiplayer if you don’t happen to be a fan of the single-player though. Halo 3 ODST has Horde mode (labeled as Firefight), only instead of generic bug monster thingies, you fight the colorful and can’t-be-taken-seriously aliens in the Haloverse, unlike the serious Helghast.

XTC: Not so! It’s not a complete rip-off. For one, you get lives you have to share with all four of your teammates. For two, the only way to finish Firefight Mode is if your entire team dies. For three, the action and ammo count does not scale in accordance to the people playing: whether you are going solo or go with three others, the escalating difficulty and swarm remains the same. Also, penalties will be given as you start new rounds against the alien horde, making sure that your team’s death is inevitable.

PendragonS: Perhaps. But shouldn’t the game in the end just become a DLC expansion, instead of a $72 two-disc package? Are they content with just ripping idiots like you dry

XTC: Don’t question the marketing ways of Microsoft, Sony fool! Go back to your non-backwards compatible and yellow light of death hellhole where you belong!

PendragonS: I expected that sort of intelligent quip from you.

XTC: (*sigh) You’re right, I didn’t mean to say such nasty things to you. I really don’t know why Bungie and Microsoft couldn’t just make an alternate deal on getting ODST. Still, there’s a ton of new maps on the second disc for your multiplayer Halo 3 needs.

PendragonS: No thank you. I’m only playing Firefight because that’s probably the only noteworthy online thing about ODST. I’ll just resume to killing Helghast n00bs on my PS3 for my online kicks.

XTC: Oh yeah, and the music: freaking awesome! Sure, the jazz music in the nighttime missions are totally gay, but everything else sounds good.

PendragonS: Can’t argue with you there, although the jazz bits make more sense, given the noir mood and feel; like you’re playing a gumshoe with a gun instead of a standard military unit. Speaking of sound, isn’t that the clock alarm I just heard? Aren’t you suppose to head off now and polish Bill’s balls with your mouth?

XTC: I’m only leaving after you’re done fondling Kaz Hirai’s balls with your face, Sony Defence Fartknocker! OOOH SNAP!

PendragonS: On that silly note, I’ll sum up the game in a nutshell: okay.

XTC: It’s great, damn you. Great!

PendragonS: Not when you use this game as a starting point to the series.

XTC:….still, what about Firefight? That’s good regardless if you know your Sergeant Johnsons to your Scarabs.

PendragonS: (pauses)…fine. But everything else is just okay; I applaud Budgie…

XTC: BUNGIE!

PendragonS: …whatever; Bungie for taking a new fresh perspective to the story and game, but it won’t mean much unless you’ve played a few of the Halo games. Firefight is good and well-designed though.

XTC: No prize for guessing my vote. Two thumbs up! Up through Killzone 2’s ass! Haha..

PendragonS: That was unnecessary.