What Halo 3 does: The works. A robust collection of straight-up multiplayer maps – some totally new and some loving tributes to battlefields in the series’ past. Addictive co-op through the entire campaign, with kill scores and hidden skulls providing plenty of reason to return with friends. A customization mode that enables you to create your own unique, often bizarre, matches. A theater mode that makes every online moment look worthy of hanging on the real-world wall. Yes, Halo 3 has some of the best multiplayer options in gaming history.
What ODST does: All of the above, with one very welcome addition: Firefight. For those sick of competition, leaderboards, filthy trash talk and gloating teenage boys, this new mode will transform your Halo multiplayer experience. In other words, you’ll actually be willing to try it again. Four people jump in a lobby and, rather than kill each other for hours on end, they join forces to destroy as many waves of Covenant attackers as possible. Firefight is similar to other recent survival modes – like Horde in Gears 2 and Zombies in World at War – but the bigger maps, crazier weapons and inclusion of vehicles make a huge difference.
STRATEGY
What Halo 3 does: Enemy in front of you? Shoot it. If that doesn’t work, toss a grenade. Still not dead? Try leaping straight up into the air, landing behind the enemy and slaughtering it instantly with one blow to the back of the head. Or just jump in a nearby vehicle – they’re always around – and run the damn thing over. If your health gets low during any of this, conjure a magical protective bubble. Don’t have one? Then simply wait. You’ll feel all better in a matter of seconds.
What ODST does: Complicates matters… especially on the higher difficulty levels. While the ODST soldiers don’t play as differently from Master Chief as we’d originally hoped (see our review), they are a tad trickier to keep alive. They’re shorter. They’re slower. They’re weaker. They can’t use equipment, dual wield weapons or hijack certain vehicles. They can lose health permanently if they don’t escape danger as soon as possible. Sometimes, they even need health packs. Choose ODST’s Heroic setting – or better, Legendary – and you’ll find yourself doing things you never thought necessary in a Halo game, like running away, hiding behind cover, conserving ammo, scavenging for guns and carefully planning the best approach to every combat situation.
Halo: Reach, are you paying attention? Please take notes – your test is right around the corner.
Sep 28, 2009
Prepared to drop? First, prepare your expectations
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