First 10 minutes Xbox 360

We are obviously running a little late but here are the first ten minutes of Halo 3 ODST on Xbox 360. Unfortunately, the version of the game we used does not include the English voices so the videos are in French with English subtitles. If you want to see the introduction of the game and the very first chapter in heroic mode, just come inside!

The Halo 3 engine is getting a bit old and it shows, especially when you see how poor the character faces look. Nevertheless, Halo 3 ODST is still a lot of fun to play, whether offline or online. The 30 fps framerate is always rock solid and the game's controls are still very good. One could probably regret the absence of a dash button as in the likes of Call of Duty and the others but other than that, it plays perfectly well.

Halo 3 ODST may not be a Must Buy but it totally fits in the Halo universe, which should please all the fans out there. The soundtrack and the music score are again excellent and even though the campaign mode will not take you long to complete, there is still a lot to do with the multiplayer modes.

As we are still struggling with our capture equipment here, you may notice some minor macroblocks issues with the image at times. Please note that the game is not to blame. We really want to give you the best possible videos and we are currently working on the problem so it will not happen in the future. Enjoy the video!

jmd749
jmd749
Commented on 2009-10-05 19:26:04
unbelieveable, i'm not trying to start anything, but honestly, if i didn't know better, i would have thought that i was looking at an xbox game. after playing halo1 and 2 on pc, i still to this day don't get what people see in the franchise, but hey, it has lots of fans, and makes lots of money for MS, maybe i'm missing something. ;)
In reply to
jamesbond123
jamesbond123
Commented on 2009-10-05 19:35:38
@jmd749: i think you are ;)
In reply to
TheFuriousOne
TheFuriousOne
Commented on 2009-10-05 19:35:52
jmd749 - The game runs off a tweaked version of the Halo 3 engine so what did you expect, that engine is old only decent thing is the HDR lighting effects. Gameplay is top notch, firefight is alot of fun, only HUGE problem I have is that its not part of matchmaking meaning you have to invite people to play then switch to the multiplayer disc if you want to play Halo3 =/
In reply to
GriftGFX - He can also<br>ban your ass!
GriftGFX
Commented on 2009-10-05 19:39:55 In reply to jmd749
Posted by jmd749
maybe i'm missing something. ;)
Yup.
In reply to
OpiZA
OpiZA
Commented on 2009-10-05 19:45:00
Fun game indeed. Unfortunatly, i think the game shows all it's cards in the first 10 min, and kinda dips thereafter. Still tons of fun when u get into epic fire fights
In reply to
Nietzsche
Nietzsche
Commented on 2009-10-05 19:45:51
This game is a mixed bag for sure. If you are mainly into the SP part of the game, rent it, it's not worth the full price IMO. However, I love the firefight mode and have had lots of fun with that, a great mode for friends to have fun with. the price tag is too much imo, so those who aren't big fans might want to wait for a price drop.

I really hope they keep this firefight mode in future Halo games as it's by far the best addition to the series in a long time.

As for the graphics, I still don't see why MS didn't push Bungie for a more graphically sophisticated game. Especially when you consider it's MS number one flagship franchise that put them on the map in the console world.

Don't like the new maps much at all either.
In reply to
TheFuriousOne
TheFuriousOne
Commented on 2009-10-05 20:03:37 In reply to Nietzsche
Posted by Nietzsche
As for the graphics, I still don't see why MS didn't push Bungie for a more graphically sophisticated game. Especially when you consider it's MS number one flagship franchise that put them on the map in the console world.

Don't like the new maps much at all either.
I think thats people's number one annoyance with Bungie, hopefully they (and MS) have been listening and will really improve the visuals for Halo Reach, otherwise there is no way they will be able to compete against the new modern warfare, bad company and operation flash point, unless they somehow pull out something really innovative with the gameplay (but they have already said that the Natal will arrive too late for them to fully implement it into the game).
In reply to
Kethmach
Kethmach
Commented on 2009-10-05 20:07:25
this is one of those very rare games that starts off strong, but then gets better with each passing chapter. So many games go out with a thud, but I was so impressed with the ending and the chapters right before- I felt really satisfied by the end. The graphics engine really isn't that amazing, but the art style plays off it really well. And there are very few games that really can touch Halo on it's lighting engine. The really best moments of this are the last two chapters. I won't speak on people's opinions- but from my point of view, this is the best game out this year. Well worth it's $60 and the most replayable yet. I'm sure I'll be floored by MW2, but the wait for it is made much, much easier by ODST.
In reply to
nostradamus
nostradamus
Commented on 2009-10-05 20:23:58 In reply to jmd749
Posted by jmd749
unbelieveable, i'm not trying to start anything, but
like anyone is gonna fall for that... posting history and all that.
In reply to
Kethmach
Kethmach
Commented on 2009-10-05 20:39:16 In reply to OpiZA
Posted by OpiZA
Fun game indeed. Unfortunatly, i think the game shows all it's cards in the first 10 min, and kinda dips thereafter. Still tons of fun when u get into epic fire fights
Absolutely not. In the first 10 minutes, you're barely even in the game. At that point you get to your first flashback... and that's almost nothing more than a great change of lighting. Later in the game you have Warthog fights, Banshee battles- Tanks... it just gets better and better. It's hard to believe you even played the game if you'd imply that in 10 minutes you've seen it all. JMD is starting bullshit and it's pretty hard to swallow what you're saying either... in 10 minutes you've hardly even scratched the surface.
In reply to
KORNdog
KORNdog
Commented on 2009-10-05 20:41:37 In reply to Kethmach
Posted by Kethmach
Absolutely not. In the first 10 minutes, you're barely even in the game. At that point you get to your first flashback... and that's almost nothing more than a great change of lighting. Later in the game you have Warthog fights, Banshee battles- Tanks... it just gets better and better. It's hard to believe you even played the game if you'd imply that in 10 minutes you've seen it all. JMD is starting bullshit and it's pretty hard to swallow what you're saying either... in 10 minutes you've hardly even scratched the surface.
unless he's talking about the HUB city, in which case you've pretty much seen it all in the opening 2 minutes. i genuinely fail to see the reason for the HUB, all it seems to be is a monotonus way to get from one mission to the other.
In reply to
OpiZA
OpiZA
Commented on 2009-10-05 21:01:07
Getting dropped down was so awesome my heart was pounding! it felt like fresh in the halo experience, from then on it's just more of the same. Not to say it's not fun, cause i really think it is. I just wish they had more jaw dropping scenarios like that. But that's me, not right or wrong, just what i've taken away from it
In reply to
ASURAshadow
ASURAshadow
Commented on 2009-10-05 21:25:39
Really fun game. Only one bad mission and that was the Hive towards the end. Great lighting, art direction, and music. Perfect for a rental.

The faces/hair on the two commanding officers is beyond horrible. I wouldn't even blame the old Halo 2 engine on it. That's just some bad work on the graphic designers part. Other than that it's just the jaggies that really stand out as the main graphic fault.
In reply to
squarejawhero
squarejawhero
Commented on 2009-10-05 22:27:42
Some people do seem to get "art" and "engine" confused on occasion. Most usually with the Unreal based games.

I really liked it. I'd suggest playing through solo the first time on heroic/legendary to get a real feel for the hub world as any other way wouldn't do it justice. It's about crawling about, searching for ammo and trying to get past angry mobs. Getting caught by a hunter is seriously scarifying. Coupled with a very complimentary soundtrack it's very atmospheric, I thought. I could see how some might find it "boring", as in essence there's a lot of roaming about, but being directed by the Superintendent to the next Sadie story is quite effective and eventually you find yourself sucked into trying to get past the trickier areas alive.

Graphically it doesn't seem to do anything more sophisticated than H3. The engine's faster to load, for one. But the game itself... It's let down by the character models mostly. Who could make Tricia Helfer ugly? It's beyond redemption! :P Animation-wise it's the same cartoon style which mayhaps, whilst well done, doesn't compliment the setting. It does allow for some nice emotions though. Every cutscene is very well done and directed.

Yes, it's jaggy. But the lighting really offers a lot of solidity. I can see why they made the tradeoff. It'll be interesting to see if they can build on the smoothness with Reach yet get rid of the jaggies. If they can, considering everything else under the hood and lack of v-synch tearing and rock-solid framerate, that'll be an immense achievement for hardware knocking on five years old.

Granted, the graphics are occasionally ropey but solid, however some scenes are absolutely epic, particularly towards the end. Halo is about large groups of very sophisticated AI enemies and vehicles working co-dependently of eachother. The graphics considering this are actually very good - there's a hell of a lot going on particularly in the bigger scenes. There's still nothing, imo, that rivals the Scarabs in a shooter for the complexity of having AI bots roaming around the bridge whilst a building-sized AI mechanism roams about tagging you and your buddies. Let alone whilst being surrounded by snipers and aircraft!

Gameplay wise it's a bit more difficult than H3, but still rewarding for a game structure that's going on ten years old. It's just a smooth experience. It doesn't need fancy methods for ducking behind scenery, you just can. One absolutely idiotic decision though is to keep the archaic save system. IT'S BOLLOCKS.

I actually rate Halo 3:ODST well over Halo 3. The story is more intimate and not quite so banal, repetitious and sweeping. It took Bungie away from their comfort zone within the same framework and allowed them to create something a little different. I've certainly paid more for less, and far far worse. There's a level of quality here, which is why Bungie are successful - and really, I think those claiming it's an expensive expansion without having played it through first are fooling themselves. The amount of new art, the new areas, the story and some of the more epic scenes and confrontations means that whilst tighter (it's certainly not overly short in comparison with a lot of recent games for the SP - MW, looking at you) it offers a lot. I certainly don't regret spending my money on it, that's for sure.

I don't think it'll change anyones mind who hated Halo from the off though, but I think anyone willing to give it a try on rental will be more than a little suprised.
In reply to
ASURAshadow
ASURAshadow
Commented on 2009-10-05 22:40:14 In reply to squarejawhero
Posted by squarejawhero
Some people do seem to get "art" and "engine" confused on occasion. Most usually with the Unreal based games.
Who in here did you think had the two confused?
In reply to
ACEfromRussia
ACEfromRussia
Commented on 2009-10-05 22:57:48
Guys, I seen this video mln times here, there and everywhere, but anyway thx)))
Finished game, btw, superb, cant wait reach
In reply to
squarejawhero
squarejawhero
Commented on 2009-10-05 23:08:51 In reply to ASURAshadow
Posted by ASURAshadow
Who in here did you think had the two confused?
ITS A TRAP! Seriously, some people do.
In reply to
dcdelgado
dcdelgado
Commented on 2009-10-05 23:24:18
The game rocks!!
In reply to
tuwdc
tuwdc
Commented on 2009-10-05 23:43:59
they improved the halo 3 graphics a lot, still not what you expect from a flagship title. but the game plays good an firefight rocks!
In reply to
Xerx3s
Xerx3s
Commented on 2009-10-06 00:35:30
"The Halo 3 engine is getting a bit old and it shows, especially when you see how poor the character faces look."

Really? Funny, I think it is artistically one of the best looking shooters in the past 2 years. Only started playing this weekend but fuck me, it's good. Underdog winner by a country mile.
In reply to
Xerx3s
Xerx3s
Commented on 2009-10-06 00:42:06 In reply to ASURAshadow
Posted by ASURAshadow
Who in here did you think had the two confused?
Tbf, I think engine and art are intertwined. An engine should be developed around the art needs and art should account for what the engine can do. This is why most custom build engines look better than the UE3.
In reply to
PlumbDrumb - Still drinking
PlumbDrumb
Commented on 2009-10-06 02:16:24 In reply to jmd749
Posted by jmd749
unbelieveable, i'm not trying to start anything, but honestly, if i didn't know better, i would have thought that i was looking at an xbox game. after playing halo1 and 2 on pc, i still to this day don't get what people see in the franchise, but hey, it has lots of fans, and makes lots of money for MS, maybe i'm missing something. ;)
Was Halo2 ever released for PCs?
In reply to
GriftGFX - He can also<br>ban your ass!
GriftGFX
Commented on 2009-10-06 02:26:07 In reply to PlumbDrumb
Posted by PlumbDrumb
Was Halo2 ever released for PCs?
Yea.. Vista only. It was Microsoft's failed attempt at getting gamers to switch, prior to Microsoft giving up on the PC all together.
In reply to
PlumbDrumb - Still drinking
PlumbDrumb
Commented on 2009-10-06 03:00:02
oh yeah, the whole DX10 fiasco.
In reply to
GriftGFX - He can also<br>ban your ass!
GriftGFX
Commented on 2009-10-06 03:06:34
More of a Windows Live fiasco, really. Since then, Microsoft has made the Windows Live online service compatible with XP. I guess DX10 was used as a cover as well, but who doesn't believe that game could be fully rendered in DX9?

Oh and Windows Live still sucks.
In reply to
About the game
Platform
X360
Published by
Xbox Game Studios
Developed by
Bungie
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