Halo 3: ODST in-depth preview with Bungie

If you've been paying attention to this year's E3 show, you've definitely heard of Halo 3: ODST, the sequel to Halo 2 and prequel to Halo 3.  For once, Bungie isn't stealing all the limelight with their latest Halo news, but ODST remains one of the most anticipated games of 2009, as evidenced by the hordes of journalists and other attendees at Microsoft's booth; the Seattle-based manufacturer hasn't been liberal with their appointments, either.

While other upcoming Xbox 360 titles like Forza 3 and Alan Wake have piqued interests, Halo's long-standing popularity and massive following have created a greater buzz around Halo 3: ODST, and Microsoft was quite adamant about limiting how many people got in for an deeper look.

Once inside, Microsoft personnel were quick to tell us that the footage we saw behind closed doors would be off-limits.  Assets were limited to what they provided via the Xbox 360 press site and whatever we got from the Xbox 360 Media Briefing on June 1.  This probably means I can't vividly describe the opening cinematic either.

The Halo 3: ODST behind-the-scenes demo was led by design director Paul Bertone and Firefight lead designer Lars Bakken.  They kicked things off with the game's intro movie, a portion of which Microsoft did show during the press conference on Monday.  Remember seeing that trooper plummeting in his drop pod as a Covenant ship warped away?  That's part of the cinematic we saw.  One neat detail I feel kosher about mentioning is that the opening does allude to something deeper, when an ODST (Orbital Drop Shock Trooper) mentions seeing "mysterious armor" on another character.

So after that big ol' Covenant ship bails, sending ODST drop pods spiraling out of control and scattering them across the planet, the protagonist, whom his comrades referred to as the "strong, silent type," wakes up six hours after crash landing.  You're isolated from your allies in the burning city of New Mombasa, that giant crater in present-day Halo 3.  The city has been under attack for some time, and the streets are filled with wreckage and patrolling hostiles.

Shortly after exiting the pod, our hapless ODST find that help comes from unexpected places.  If you're familiar with series, then you might have already guessed this one -- an A.I. assistant.  Referred to as the "Superintendent," this A.I. monitors the city and keeps it running on a day-to-day basis, from collecting trash to guiding lost civilians.  Now the Super is your only friend, offering up a 3D, fully interactive city-wide map with various points of interest, contacting you through stations around New Mombasa whenever something important comes up, and just doing his best to be a good assistant.  Paul Bertone notes that the Super won't be keeping our ODST company in his helmet like Cortana did for John-117, but he still fulfills a valuable role in the game like manning the various information and health kiosks you'll probably be visiting quite frequently.

An ODST's standard arsenal consists of a sound-suppressed 12-round mag pistol and SMG, both with scopes for zooming in.  You no longer have a motion sensor in that helmet, and unlike Master Chief, our newest hero cannot dual wield nor use equipment.

The story is told in a non-linear fashion, dropping between current time and past events, during which you play as Dutch, a fellow ODST.  During these flashback sequences, the action is more fast-paced and reminiscent of Halo sandbox combat, complete with classic weapons and vehicles.  As the yet unnamed trooper, you'll be doing more exploring than anything else, taking in the melancholy scenery.  Seriously though, ODST is packing some beautiful vistas, which Bertone made sure to show off.  He also notes that the game's musical score has been completely redone to suit the new story.

Bertone also boasts that Halo 3: ODST contains the largest environment ever built in a Halo game, and every gameplay element is designed to fit into that open world.  Covenant wander the streets still, and you can choose to confront them directly, pick them off at a distance, or simply avoid them.  However, the enemy A.I. has become more aggressive and intuitive, Bertone warns, and a quick decision now may have repercussions later.  Some Convenant are patrols, constantly on the move, while others remain stationary, like sharp-eyed snipers watching for human life.  This is intentional, providing a mix of enemy encounters.

The campaign does, of course, support full 4-player co-op play.  I mean, what's Halo without multiplayer?

Speaking of, fans can expect the same engrossing multiplayer experience in Halo 3: ODST that the franchise is known for.  On top of the usual competitive modes, this game introduces Firefight, a cooperative multiplayer mode similar to but more expansive than Horde Mode in Gears of War 2.

In Firefight, players team up with three allies and face off against increasingly challenging waves of Covenant enemies.  There are five waves in each round, and three rounds per set.  Lars Bakken refers to the fifth wave as the "Chieftan Wave," in which Covenant Chieftans wielding random weapons appear; on top of that, the spawns are totally random, meaning your team might have to face multiple Hunters at a time or shoot down Banshee aircrafts, among other daunting opponents.  To ensure that players stick together, the ODST squad shares a limited number of lives (seven, to be exact) that are marked off each time a team member dies.

As if that wasn't enough, you'll be able to turn on Skull effects in Firefight as well, adding unique circumstances to each fight.  This new mode will also have some exclusive HUD features.

The other multiplayer content will be on a separate disc, along with all 21 original Halo 3 multiplayer maps and three new ones, including a remake of the Halo 2 "Heretic" map.  As always, players can show off their Halo exploits with Saved Films, screenshots, and Campaign Scoring.

Oh, yes, and you may have already heard, all copies of Halo 3: ODST will come with an access code for the Halo: Reach multiplayer beta, soon as it goes live.  Those who pre-oder ODST at participating retailers will receive a token to unlock Sgt. Johnson as a playable character in Firefight when the game comes out on September 22, 2009 for Xbox 360.