Topic: Halo 3: ODST (Orbital Drop Shock Troopers)

[MysterD]

Halo 3: Recon announced.
And you won't be playing as Master Chief, either.

TGS 08: Halo 3 Recon Announced for Fall 2009
Prepare to drop in Halo 3 and play as the Flood in Halo Wars.
By Chris Pereira, 10/08/2008

It's as many hypothesized (myself included) -- Halo 3 is getting an expansion pack starring a Master Chief-looking ODST Marine. Entitled Halo 3 Recon, you'll be getting action in the form of both a single-player campaign and new multiplayer maps. As Garnett said, think of it as Halo 3.5.

Not playing as the Master Chief isn't as jarring as it seems at first, or have you already forgotten about a little game called Halo 2? Look for Halo 3 Recon in fall 2009 and a trailer on GameVideos very soon.

EDIT:
Extended trailer with a little more to it than the last cryptic one

EDIT #2:
Microsoft adds that this Halo 3: Recon is a stand-alone product.
So, Halo 3 original game IS NOT required to play this.

[W7RE]

Did they say how it would be distributed? I couldn't find any solid info, but for some reason I got the feeling it would be downloadable for a price. I'm not sure why, because usually something like this would be sold retail, since it IS a standalone game.

[idolminds]

Last I read it will be sold on DVD.

[MysterD]

Did they say how it would be distributed?

DVD.

I couldn't find any solid info, but for some reason I got the feeling it would be downloadable for a price. I'm not sure why, because usually something like this would be sold retail, since it IS a standalone game.

It's not an expansion pack, so it won't be a small DLC-sized product, I'd guess.

B/c it'll be a complete stand-alone product for a console, I'll bet you it'll go to retail outlets.
Especially since they said in my link from 2 posts above, it says it'll be a stand-alone DVD-release.

Plus, with as many Halo fans the X360 has, putting it only over XB Live would be a grave mistake, I think -- that'll really bog down their servers to holy Hell. Plus, everybody and their cousin will want this Halo 3: Recon thing, I'd bet.

I think Halo 3: Recon, from what I read, sounds to be the console answer to say a PC having something like the Crysis: Warhead stand-alone product. Halo 3: Recon sounds like it'll be a little more content than say the usual expansion pack, but it'll have less content than the usual true-blue full-fledged Halo 4 would have.

[MysterD]

More details on H3: Recon.

Notes:
--Game's SP length is anywhere from 3 to 5 hours (like an expansion pack would).
--Game will NOT cost $60

[MysterD]

Halo 3: Recon gets renamed to...
Halo 3: ODST.

 

For those wondering...
ODST = Orbital Drop Shock Trooper.

Halo 3
: Recon renamed to Halo 3: ODST

Bungie's upcoming Halo 3 expansion has been renamed from Halo 3: Recon to Halo 3: ODST. According to Bungie the new name more accurately reflects the role you'll play in the game:

    The upcoming Bungie project formerly known as "Halo 3 : Recon" will now be known as "Halo 3 : ODST."

    If you recall, this is our recently announced stand-alone extension to Halo 3 that features an all new campaign played from the perspective of an ODST in the heart of a Covenant occupied New Mombasa. In addition to sleuthing around the city and piecing together the details surrounding your squad's whereabouts, the game will also include some new Halo 3 multiplayer content as well as one or two unrevealed surprises when it's released next Fall.

    This new title is a more straightforward account of the experience that awaits and the role you will assume as you explore the streets of New Mombasa. But don't worry, you can still has Recon. (the armor that is, it's still tied to the Vidmaster achievements and will be accessible via the final retail release next Fall).

    "ODST" (literally pronounced "Oh-Dee-Ess-Tee" and not "ohdst") is the acronym for "Orbital Drop Shock Trooper." This special forces branch of the UNSC military force is called into action for highly specialized, small scale operations. ODST units were deployed during portions of the Halo 2 and Halo 3 campaign and have also been featured in some of the Halo novels. To learn more about this elite military operation, check out this recent interview with Bungie's Halo fiction guru, Robt McLees.

    Halo 3 : ODST will drop into stores next Fall and the Halo 3 Mythic Map Pack will be coming to Xbox LIVE Marketplace sometime early next year*. (More info as soon as we have it!)

[Ghandi]

This interests me even less than Halo 3 did.

[MysterD]

Microsoft is trying to defend why Halo 3: ODST will cost $60, since it pretty much is a stand-alone expansion pack.

[Quemaqua]

Apparently trying to rip you off and then explain why it's a great idea for them to rip you off is becoming an industry-wide trend.

[PyroMenace]

Why is this a surprise? And why are they having to defend? And why are you calling it a expansion pack?

This is just another 360 title set in the Halo universe being released at the regular retail price like all other new 360 games.

Edit: And in my opinion from what Ive seen, Im rather excited about it.

[Ghandi]

3-5 hours for 60 bucks?!!?!!!!! That's insane!

[angrykeebler]

I paid $50 for 3-5 hours with Max Payne and that didn't have multi-player. i don't regret it either.

[Ghandi]

Max Payne was only 3-5 hours? I remember it being longer than that.

Still, these glorified expansion packs being sold for top dollar is starting to worry me. I like a little longevity with my games.

[MysterD]

Max Payne was only 3-5 hours? I remember it being longer than that.

More like 6-8 hours for most.

For me, being the save and reloading and perfectionist I am, that means like 8-10 hours. :OP

Still, these glorified expansion packs being sold for top dollar is starting to worry me. I like a little longevity with my games.

Amen.
First L4D, now L4D2, and now this w/ Halo 3: ODST...ugh.
I'll wait for the price drops w/ games being way over-priced, thanks....

[PyroMenace]

This game is exciting me more by each trailer. In this case, Mal, Jayne, and Wash are going to be in the game, well not literally but they all practically play the same character roles. Yea I know, its not THAT big of a deal, but to a Firefly nerd, its something special.

[MysterD]

Halo 3: ODST Reviews (X360)

9.0 from GameSpot
Written Review.
Video Review.

9.0 from IGN
Written review.

4 stars from Gamespy
Link for review.

[KontrollerX]

I've got it.

I've played a bit of campaign but I found it meh so far but the Firefight mode is epic and makes the game worth every penny as far as I'm concerned.

[W7RE]

I've played just a little, I'm in the first mission right now. I don't know if I want to play too much, since I still need to play through Halo 3 and don't know if that would spoil things or experience them in an order that doesn't make sense. (I'd appreciate if anyone can comment on wether that would be the case or not)

The overall mood and tone seems different, in that you're supposed to be a weaker unit with little or no support, which is nice. I really like the pistol, and the new silenced SMG. Unfortunately like all other Halo games, you run out of ammo and are forced to swap out for alien guns, which are mostly lamer, and in a lot of cases inferior. Or maybe they're not inferior but I just never gave them the chance becasue they "feel" lame compared to the human weapons.

I was fighting a brute and he got in a little close and melee'd me, he was lunging and I was dodging. When he died, I realized my character was breathing heavy, which sort of emphasized that I'm not a spartan anymore.

[idolminds]

I've played a bit of campaign but I found it meh so far but the Firefight mode is epic and makes the game worth every penny as far as I'm concerned.

Thats basically what Tom Chick said. He hated the campaign but said Firefight alone is worth the price.

EDIT

Heh, I read this somewhere:

There aren't many gameplay differences between the ODST and Chief, but probably the most noticeable and important IMO, is that you are slower in ODST.

Slower? Slower than Halo? Fuck, do you play as a stationary turret or something?

[Quemaqua]

Haha, oh man.  Are the suits made of lead and powered by gum syrup and glue?  I know I'm sort of trolling, but seriously, I always felt like those games were super slow.  I can't imagine getting any slower.  And why change the speed at all?  That seems like an odd decision.

[Pugnate]

Ever since all the trailers, I started getting this feeling that they were shooting for "realism".