[shotgun ko]

I've been eyeing this game suspiciously for a while, now. So, now that you've all had chance to play through it, I need the questions to be answered.....

Is it better than Halo 3? - (assuming that if the two were released simultaneously)

Is it worth 40 quid?

Thanks for the replys!

[The Bass]

I would say it is definitely worth £40 (but why wouldn't you get it for £30?) if you are going to play the multiplayer even if it's only occasionally. The campaign itself is shorter than Halo 3's by a few hours but it has many great moments to match it and no missions at all that I'd consider bad or didn't enjoy.

The campaign certainly feels less epic than Halo 3's because it all takes place within a city with only one flashback offering any kind of wide open space. I can't really say one is significantly better than the other though.

Firefight is great but it takes a long time to start getting high scores and it is hard to get 4 friends at once to play so I don't see it as being as popular and constantly played as people had hoped. When you are playing though it is brilliant fun.

I'm not sure whether it was worth £30 for the ODST disc alone. While I am completely finished with the game on my own I still have many hours of co-op fun to be had. And that is not even counting the Halo 3 Multiplayer disc. The game is worth it for me even though I have all of the DLC maps because I will get so much use out of them. If you don't own the multiplayer maps however ODST is an absolute bargain and there is no reason not to buy it.

[shotgun ko]

So, you're saying that it is just as worthy of a purchase as any other upcoming game (e.g. Brutal Legend) even though I already have all of the halo maps?

[The Bass]

Will you play the multiplayer at all? If so then absolutely. If not but you have lots of mates to play Firefight/Co-op campaign then yes. If not and you are only going to play solo wait for it to be £20 .

[MANGABOY]

I would go for something original like Brutal Legend. ODST is just a rehash of everything you seen in Halo 3 which I think is the better game. Anyway if you did decide to buy, why pay £40? Nearly all online stores are selling brand new for £30 and theres loads of cheap ones in the classifieds, I picked up my copy for £23 here last week.

[EDDS]

imo i'd pay £30 for the first 10 minutes alone.

[sordid_sentinel]

Originally Posted by shotgun ko

So, you're saying that it is just as worthy of a purchase as any other upcoming game (e.g. Brutal Legend) even though I already have all of the halo maps?

Unless you own the multiplayer disc that comes with ODST you don't have all the maps

It's worth the £20-30 it'd cost you imo. The campaign, although short, is really atmospheric and Firefight is awesome

[Droogie 2001]

Firefight is probably the best bit about ODST for me at the moment.
You do need to have a few people playing (get yourself on the AVF Firefight team) to get the most out of it.
Nearly got to the 5th set and it really starts to get difficult (3 player)

Of course you cannot play the extra Halo MP maps without ODST though I suspect Bungie will release them on their own eventually.
Also you get to play Halo Reach beta sometime next year.

I think it is a good deal and am starting to get bored of people slating it saying it is overpriced blah blah...

[mattclarkie]

Originally Posted by MANGABOY

ODST is just a rehash of everything you seen in Halo 3 which I think is the better game

Despite being set in a completely different environment, with entirely new characters, a new way to progress the story and having a completely new story to be progressed?

[jamienufc]

Originally Posted by The Bass

I would say it is definitely worth £40 (but why wouldn't you get it for £30?) if you are going to play the multiplayer even if it's only occasionally. The campaign itself is shorter than Halo 3's by a few hours but it has many great moments to match it and no missions at all that I'd consider bad or didn't enjoy.

The campaign certainly feels less epic than Halo 3's because it all takes place within a city with only one flashback offering any kind of wide open space. I can't really say one is significantly better than the other though.

Firefight is great but it takes a long time to start getting high scores and it is hard to get 4 friends at once to play so I don't see it as being as popular and constantly played as people had hoped. When you are playing though it is brilliant fun.

I'm not sure whether it was worth £30 for the ODST disc alone. While I am completely finished with the game on my own I still have many hours of co-op fun to be had. And that is not even counting the Halo 3 Multiplayer disc. The game is worth it for me even though I have all of the DLC maps because I will get so much use out of them. If you don't own the multiplayer maps however ODST is an absolute bargain and there is no reason not to buy it.

Well said that man

[MANGABOY]

Originally Posted by mattclarkie

Despite being set in a completely different environment, with entirely new characters, a new way to progress the story and having a completely new story to be progressed?

Meaning gameplay wise. Still firing same weapons, against same enemies, in same flying banshee battles etc etc etc. Apart from Mombasa streets the other levels look really similar to Halo 3 too but just on a smaller scale. One thing I don't get with the new characters is, I get why they can't dual wield or jump as high or shield regenerate like the masterchief cos they human, but how the hell they still able to rip off plasma turrets from the ground or flip over warthogs?

[mattclarkie]

By that argument Halo 3 is a rehash or Halo 2 which is itself a rehash of Halo: CE.

[GarythePotato]

The good:

(+) Nice to have a new character thrown into the mix
(+) VISR mode is a great combat addition
(+) The open world environment is pretty cool
(+) Firefight mode is very welcome

The bad:

(-) ...but fails unless you're playing in co-op
(-) No matchmaking in Firefight
(-) Old weapons are a bore
(-) Some of the character models look as if they're made of LEGO
(-) Anti-climactic

[bearman3784]

Stick with Halo 3 if you have all the multiplayer maps anyway, the campaign although decent is nothing new really and can be completed in like 5 hours, firefight would be good if it had matchmaking but it doesnt so that gets forgotten easily unless you have 3 friends online that all want to start a game at the same time (oh and make sure everyones connection is rock solid otherwise it kicks everyone out of the game). Pick it up when its around the £20 mark

[RCD01]

The only negatives for me would be, as mentioned b4 no matchmaking on firefight (such an oversight) and the conclusion of the campaign (bit of a let down). Other wise worth getting just for the extra maps (which I had already paid for) and some pretty excellent battles.

[The Bass]

Originally Posted by GarythePotato

Some of the character models look as if they're made of LEGO

[Billy Goodgun]

Originally Posted by RCD01

The only negatives for me would be, as mentioned b4 no matchmaking on firefight (such an oversight) and the conclusion of the campaign (bit of a let down.

On a very small point of pedantry, I don't think it was an oversight, per se. Yes, it's an unfortunate omission, but as I understand it, this was a technical limitation and not an oversight. Bungie based Firefight on the campaign engine, which has no capabilities for matchmaking either in Halo 3 or ODST.

Either way, Firefight is already dying on my friends list.

[sordid_sentinel]

Originally Posted by Billy Goodgun

Either way, Firefight is already dying on my friends list.

Same here, I thought it would happen but not so soon

I blasted through the Firefight achieves for this very reason, any Firefight games I get from now on are a bonus

[Billy Goodgun]

Originally Posted by sordid_sentinel

I thought it would happen but not so soon

My thoughts exactly! I still need four of the 200k cheevos (Security Zone, Rally Point, Windward and one other), but they're all easily doable. The hardest bit is finding three other players!

Then just "Good Samaritan" to collect, and it's 1k for me

[1LeeDenton]

Originally Posted by Billy Goodgun

My thoughts exactly! I still need four of the 200k cheevos (Security Zone, Rally Point, Windward and one other), but they're all easily doable. The hardest bit is finding three other players!

Then just "Good Samaritan" to collect, and it's 1k for me

Sounds a carbon copy of my ODST needs - not far off 1k for me either

Oops, forgot about the 'Marty' achievement.....

[Billy Goodgun]

If you're ever an ODST or two short, Vipes, send me an invite. I can usually arrange to bring a friend if need be

[jamienufc]

I think ODST is a great package, but like others have said, I am disappointed about the lack of matchmaking on firefight.

[GarythePotato]

Originally Posted by Billy Goodgun

Either way, Firefight is already dying on my friends list.

Yeah, that's annoyed me too. I only need two more Firefight achievements - Security Zone and Last Exit - so if anyone fancies a go at them, drop me a friend request or a game invite . I'll probably be playing a different game, but invite me anyway and I'll put the ODST disc in.

[MrTeaBelly]

I really enjoyed ODST. Being a big fan of the Halo series and Bungie in general -I dare say that my appreciation of ODST is a bit biased - but I can seem to find fault in anything really...I even found the absence of The Flood made my experience of ODST even more enjoyable.

Want to play through again on Heroic, but enjoying multiplayer and Firefight far too much at the moment...