15 Years Later, Halo 3: ODST Is Still a Well of Untapped Potential

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15 Years Later, Halo 3: ODST Is Still a Well of Untapped Potential

As a gamer who’s been around since the early days of Xbox, I can’t help but feel a pang of nostalgia when I look back at the glory days of Halo 3: ODST. It was like a breath of fresh air in a series that had become a bit stale with its formulaic approach. The way it took the familiar and gave it a twist, that’s something the franchise desperately needs right now.

For about 13 years now, Halo has been around, but despite the franchise holding its own, it’s clear that its prime period is long past. While its initial launch was highly successful, issues during the post-launch phase for Halo Infinite left fans yearning for a richer experience from the Sci-Fi series. The latest second season of Paramount’s Halo show has only intensified those sentiments. Gone are the days when popular spinoffs like Halo 3: ODST were produced.

2009 saw the launch of Halo 3: ODST, a game often hailed as a standout within the Halo series. Despite a slightly shorter playtime affecting some review scores, Halo 3: ODST garnered near-universal praise from both critics and enthusiasts alike, much like a fine vintage. The game’s most notable asset is its knack for breathing new life into a familiar formula, a skill that the Halo series could certainly benefit from at this moment.

Halo 3: ODST Set a Blueprint That’s Been Lying Dormant for 15 Years

Halo 3: ODST Was Exactly What a Halo Spinoff Needed To Be

Having successfully launched three major installments under the command of Master Chief, the Halo series recognized it was time for a change. In 2009, Bungie and their partners made this change manifest by releasing the dynamic duo of Halo Wars and Halo 3: ODST. Both games took the franchise on new journeys. While Halo Wars offered a unique spin on the Halo universe, Halo 3: ODST presented a recognizable but innovative take on the traditional first-person shooter experience in the Halo series. A significant portion of its novelty was derived from its primary characters.

Instead of commanding a super-powered soldier or an extraterrestrial combat specialist, in Halo 3: ODST, I found myself stepping into the combat boots of a squad known as Orbital Drop Shock Troopers. Throughout the game’s storyline, I assumed control of each of the team’s five members – Rookie, Dutch, Mickey, Buck, and Romeo – as we fought our way through the abandoned streets of New Mombasa.

This fresh approach doesn’t significantly alter the gameplay mechanics, but it introduces a more playful atmosphere to the series. The witty exchanges among teammates, particularly featuring Nathan Fillion, Alan Tudyk, and Adam Baldwin of the Firefly crew, are one of the standout aspects of ODST, making it distinctively different from the primary Halo trilogy in a subtle manner.

Despite some criticism for its shorter length at the time of its release, a 5-6 hour campaign in a game like Halo 3: ODST is ideal for a spinoff of this scale. It provides players ample time to immerse themselves in the game’s ambiance and distinctive squad dynamic without overstaying its welcome. The game also introduced the series’ first Firefight mode, a wave-based survival mode that was perfectly suited to its 2009 peers. Although its $60 price tag seemed high, Halo 3: ODST delivered the exact experience that the franchise and its fans craved.

Halo Sorely Needs a New ODST-Like Spinoff

The Halo series remains Xbox’s primary gaming franchise, and it seems it could be even more prominent. Over the years, 343 Industries has had numerous chances to create a Halo spinoff, such as a game following Agent Locke after Halo 5 or a title exploring Blue Team’s backstory. What Halo needs now is another concise, engaging campaign that offers a fresh take on something familiar. Utilizing the blueprint laid out in Halo 3: ODST could be an excellent starting point for this endeavor, though it’s important to remember that easier said than done.

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2024-09-22 21:23