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The graphics are fine when you see it played on a nice TV screen. The Halo 3 Engine still looks good for an old engine.
EDIT: A nice review from a friend of mine who's nicely put this up for none spoilers to rank the game.
EDIT: A nice review from a friend of mine who's nicely put this up for none spoilers to rank the game.
WOW! After an all night marathon, I just finished the game. It took me 8 hours on Heroic. Solo. I got 9/30 Audio Recordings, which were pretty much all that were blatantly in my way. So about 2/3rd of the recordings need to be sought out.
Do you guys remember the video "Another Day at the Beach" that came with the Halo 2 Multiplayer Map Pack? This one: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dzB5BEodHI4?
Well, this game makes me feels like the way I felt when I watched that video. Its a nice cool cutscene that shows the battle from a different perspective, whereas this is an entire game.
When it comes to the gameplay, it is pretty easily summed up as the Halo 3 engine using Halo 1's design philosophy. Health Packs, Fall Damage, and Single Wielding using the Halo 3 sandbox. What this does is that it makes pretty much every single weapon more viable. The new SMG & Pistol are awesome. With headshots, the pistol is a BEAST. And for those that love their BRs, the Carbine will be their new best friend.
The game also has another thing in common with Halo 1; its compact, focused, and stands on its own. Whereas as Halo 2 & Halo 3 are (or try to be) epic soap operas that needed to be viewed in the trilogy to be properly appreciated, Halo 1 stood on its own.
Similarly, ODST stand on its own, and you're not saving the galaxy from the scourage of the universe. You're just trying to stay alive and find out what's going on with your squad. The amusing aspect is that gameplay-wise, there is no cutback what so ever. This game has all the epic setpieces you could ask for. In fact, this game is EVERY SINGLE THING that gamers love about the Halo franchise, with absolutely none of the baggage (flood). Now, I personally like the flood and enjoy the change of pace they bring to the franchise, but I also know that a lot of people don't like the flood levels or the flood as an enemy in general.
Did you like the first few levels of Halo 2? Did you like the first two-thirds of Halo 3? Well, this is Bungie's love letter to you folks. This game is everything that is epic about Halo and uses the entire sanbox really really well.
On the other hand, the Halo series is so big that people also give it A LOT of shit for not living up to its grandiose persona. People resent Master Chief now. People laugh at Halo's story. I actually really believe that its the story/narrative that gets so much flak rather than the stellar gameplay. In that regard, ODST is humble. It doesn't try to set itself in a galactic scale. If anything, it really wants you to see these characters as regular people. (As regular as ODSTs can be.) So, I think that ODST will avoid the snideness that haters usually tend to shower Halo with.
The characters constantly talk to each other (comparatively in Halo 3 Cortana is no longer there and Master Chief doesn't utter a word). In this game you're always going to hear a steady stream of dialogue from the main characters (not the rookie ofcourse, he stays silent). And frankly, there is nothing to dislike at all about the story of this game. But EVERYONE needs to understand something. The story is not trying to be a masterpiece. Do NOT expect any great secrets about the Halo universe. No revelations. No crazy twists. Like I said at the start of my post, I liken this game to the "Another Day at the Beach" cutscene. It's different, its cool, it puts a smile on your face. But thats it. Do NOT expect Halo lore to play a big part in this game.
The last thing I want to say is that the atmosphere in this game is just amazing. Absolutely the moodiest Halo game. Comparatively, I believe "343 Guilty Spark" was the most atmospheric level in the trilogy. This game easily takes the cake in that department. The music, the visor, the emptiness of New Mombasa are really what set this game apart from the rest of the franchise. When you're playing those sections as the rookie, that is when you'll recognize something new about this game. Otherwise, its strictly Halo. The best of Halo...but still distinctly Halo.
Do you guys remember the video "Another Day at the Beach" that came with the Halo 2 Multiplayer Map Pack? This one: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dzB5BEodHI4?
Well, this game makes me feels like the way I felt when I watched that video. Its a nice cool cutscene that shows the battle from a different perspective, whereas this is an entire game.
When it comes to the gameplay, it is pretty easily summed up as the Halo 3 engine using Halo 1's design philosophy. Health Packs, Fall Damage, and Single Wielding using the Halo 3 sandbox. What this does is that it makes pretty much every single weapon more viable. The new SMG & Pistol are awesome. With headshots, the pistol is a BEAST. And for those that love their BRs, the Carbine will be their new best friend.
The game also has another thing in common with Halo 1; its compact, focused, and stands on its own. Whereas as Halo 2 & Halo 3 are (or try to be) epic soap operas that needed to be viewed in the trilogy to be properly appreciated, Halo 1 stood on its own.
Similarly, ODST stand on its own, and you're not saving the galaxy from the scourage of the universe. You're just trying to stay alive and find out what's going on with your squad. The amusing aspect is that gameplay-wise, there is no cutback what so ever. This game has all the epic setpieces you could ask for. In fact, this game is EVERY SINGLE THING that gamers love about the Halo franchise, with absolutely none of the baggage (flood). Now, I personally like the flood and enjoy the change of pace they bring to the franchise, but I also know that a lot of people don't like the flood levels or the flood as an enemy in general.
Did you like the first few levels of Halo 2? Did you like the first two-thirds of Halo 3? Well, this is Bungie's love letter to you folks. This game is everything that is epic about Halo and uses the entire sanbox really really well.
On the other hand, the Halo series is so big that people also give it A LOT of shit for not living up to its grandiose persona. People resent Master Chief now. People laugh at Halo's story. I actually really believe that its the story/narrative that gets so much flak rather than the stellar gameplay. In that regard, ODST is humble. It doesn't try to set itself in a galactic scale. If anything, it really wants you to see these characters as regular people. (As regular as ODSTs can be.) So, I think that ODST will avoid the snideness that haters usually tend to shower Halo with.
The characters constantly talk to each other (comparatively in Halo 3 Cortana is no longer there and Master Chief doesn't utter a word). In this game you're always going to hear a steady stream of dialogue from the main characters (not the rookie ofcourse, he stays silent). And frankly, there is nothing to dislike at all about the story of this game. But EVERYONE needs to understand something. The story is not trying to be a masterpiece. Do NOT expect any great secrets about the Halo universe. No revelations. No crazy twists. Like I said at the start of my post, I liken this game to the "Another Day at the Beach" cutscene. It's different, its cool, it puts a smile on your face. But thats it. Do NOT expect Halo lore to play a big part in this game.
The last thing I want to say is that the atmosphere in this game is just amazing. Absolutely the moodiest Halo game. Comparatively, I believe "343 Guilty Spark" was the most atmospheric level in the trilogy. This game easily takes the cake in that department. The music, the visor, the emptiness of New Mombasa are really what set this game apart from the rest of the franchise. When you're playing those sections as the rookie, that is when you'll recognize something new about this game. Otherwise, its strictly Halo. The best of Halo...but still distinctly Halo.
i didnt know that people Bashed Halos story, i Thought it was a great story to be honest.
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