It has been quite some time since I last played a Halo game. Actually, not since Halo 2. It was due to the Master Chief Collection Quick Look and Drews unbridled enthusiasm that compelled me to finally do some catching up. So I started Halo 3: ODST. While I enjoyed the adventures of Master Chief in the past, I was always intrigued by ODST.
As far as military sci-fi goes, the Halo series is pretty standard. Yet it does enough to set itself apart from the crowd. In terms of presentation and aesthetics; ODST is quite a departure from the main games. Instead of the one-man-army called John-117, the protagonist is simply named “The Rookie.” Just as faceless and even more silent than Master Chief, the Rookie serves as a way for the story to unfold.
I have always liked what is called the frame-story. Where it is told through multiple perspectives. ODST does an OK job at this. As the Rookie, you wander the neon drenched streets of New Mombasa seeking the whereabouts of your squad-mates. Your squad, while a bit cliché, are likable enough. There's squad leader Buck(Nathan Fillion!), sarcastic sniper Romeo, spiritual Dutch, Mickey, and tough-as-nails UNSC Navy Captain Veronica Dare.
Each level of the campaign is from a different teammates point-of-view. The missions felt varied. I especially liked the Banshee flying mission.
There was also an optional side story, told through audio logs(of course!). It involved a girl named Sadie trying to find her father during the initial attack by Covenant forces. I was only able to get about half of the logs, but the tale seemed interesting enough. For once, it attempted to show how an average person would react to what is going on the world.
The visuals of ODST are often described as being “noir”. For the most part this is true. The streets are lit only by neon signs or burning wreckage. You often have to rely on your night vision to navigate safely. Though sadly, there are no fedora sporting gumshoes hanging about. Another thing that stood out to me was New Mombasa. Its darkened skyscrapers looming against a burning skyline invoke the nightmarish vistas of the Hieronymus Bosch paintings Hell and The Garden of Earthly Delights. Given that this is just a prelude to a full scale Covenant invasion, a Hellscape seems fitting.
While it was on the short side, Halo: ODST was plenty fun. Having that classic Halo gameplay coupled with an interesting visual style and, of course, a moody soundtrack made for a fun experience.
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