Halo 3: ODST: Difference between revisions

Taking place in the [[Kenya]]n port city of [[New Mombasa]], ''ODST'' follows [[Dare's Shock Trooper Squad|a squad]] of elite [[UNSC Marine Corps|Marine]] [[Orbital Drop Shock Troopers]] during the [[Battle of Earth|Covenant invasion of Earth]] on [[2552#October|October 20th, 2552]]. Knocked off course due to the [[Battle of Mombasa|Mombasa Slipspace Incident]], these five Marines lead by an ONI officer fight through the waste-filled, destroyed streets in order to link up with each other, evade the Covenant, and execute a top secret mission.

The game occurs directly after the events of the ''[[Halo 2]]'' level, [[Metropolis]], when the [[Prophet of Regret]] performs a [[slipspace jump]] in New Mombasa.

''ODST'' has the main protagonist, The Rookie, searching for beacons across the city of New Mombasa.<ref name = "Game Informer December '08 page 3">''Game Informer: December 2008'', page 3</ref> It is up to the player on how to get to any specific location,  giving a very open-world feeling to the game; something for which the main trilogy has been criticized for, due to its linear gameplay style. The "beacons" are various objects, each linked to a particular squad mate in some way. Finding one of these objects sends the player back in the game to find out what happened to one of his five squadmates ([[Edward Buck|Buck]], [[Veronica|Dare]], [[Taylor H. Miles|Dutch]], [[Kojo Agu|Romeo]], and [[Michael Crespo|Mickey]]).<ref name = "Game Informer December '08 page 3"/> Once you go back in time for a short period, you will take control of the player for a single mission, and play the situations that the particular character went through. Unlike the overall game, these flashback scenes go along the path of the linear gameplay that has been common throughout the original trilogy of ''Halo''.

Due to the fact that you are playing as an [[Orbital Drop Shock Trooper]], you do not use the motion tracker or the shielding featured in the [[MJOLNIR]] Battle Armor suit, instead using the more traditional health bar/medkit system. The Rookie and his squadmates are not able to dual-wield weapons, such as the [[SMG|M7/Caseless Submachine Gun]] and the [[Type-25 Directed Energy Rifle]]. They also cannot use [[equipment]].

On the other hand, the player receives a helmet-integrated data management system known as the [[Visual Intelligence System, Reconnaissance]] (or VISR), which includes a low-light vision mode which identifies allies and enemies through the HUD on his helmet's visor by illuminating and classifying objects; green outline for allies, red outline for enemies, blue for scavengable weapons, vehicles, ammo and grenades, and a thick yellow outline for important objects. Outlines of scenery and objects that will block weapons-fire have a thinner yellow outline. The VISR can also be used to manage waypoints, mission objectives, and information which will help the player. The squad has two new weapons, the [[M7S|M7S Submachine Gun]] and the [[M6C/SOCOM]], which the protagonist and most of his comrades land with in Mombasa during the initial drop. Also, the grenade limit has been increased to 3 per grenade type.

Shown after the [[Bungie Studios|Bungie]] and [[Wikipedia:Microsoft Game Studios|Microsoft Game Studios]] logos, and before the main menu, is an opening scroll.

{{quote|The Navy put up a good fight.|[[Mickey|Private First Class Michael Crespo]].}}

{{quote|'Course they did. It's Earth.|[[Dutch|Corporal Taylor Miles]].}}

{{quote|Better late than never.|[[Romeo|Lance Corporal Kojo Agu]].}}

The game begins at around 4:00pm, [[2552#October|October 20th, 2552]]. The majority of an [[ODST]] [[Dare's Shock Trooper Squad|squad]] are preparing for the mission on board the {{UNSCship|Say My Name}} orbiting high above [[New Mombasa]], [[Kenya]]. They are grouped around a holo-table, which shows the [[Covenant Empire|Covenant]] [[Prophet of Regret]]'s [[Assault Carrier]] hovering near the city's [[New Mombasa Orbital Elevator|Orbital Elevator]]. [[Taylor Miles|Corporal Taylor "Dutch" Miles]], [[Kojo Agu|Lance Corporal Kojo "Romeo" Agu]], and [[Private First Class]] [[Michael Crespo|Michael "Mickey" Crespo]] are gathered around the holo-table. [[The Rookie|Lance Corporal "Rookie"]] is asleep in the back of the room.

Romeo jokingly remarks how the [[UNSC Navy]] managed to put up a fight during the [[Battle of Earth|Invasion of Earth]], but still allowed a Covenant carrier to slip by the [[Orbital Defense Platform]]s surrounding the planet. Dutch criticizes Romeo, stating that the navy left the lone ship for the [[UNSC Marine Corps|Marines]] to infiltrate. The ODSTs are soon put on alert when their team leader, [[Gunnery Sergeant]] [[Edward Buck]], enters the room with an attractive [[Office of Naval Intelligence|ONI]] operative named [[Veronica Dare]]. Romeo utters "Hello, beautiful" in response to Dare's appearance, catching Buck's attention and prompting him to order the ODSTs to their [[Single Occupant Exoatmospheric Insertion Vehicle|SOEIV "drop pods"]].

Marine forces are informed by Dare that the [[Covenant Army]] is massing beneath the Assault Carrier for an organized retreat. Dozens of ODSTs are launched into Earth's atmosphere in a coordinated drop to infiltrate and capture the Prophet of Regret aboard the Assault Carrier. They pass by a few destroyed [[UNSC Frigates|Frigates]] in orbit around the elevator, and begin to enter cloud cover above the city. The Captain then orders the squad to adjust their trajectory and drop locations; sending the ODST's way off of their intended course.

Before the ODST's are able to deploy their internal parachutes, however, Dutch picks up a radiation alert in his pod, and the Assault Carrier proceeds to enter [[Slipspace]], closely followed by the UNSC frigate [[UNSC In Amber Clad|In Amber Clad]]. An EMP emitted by the Slipspace rupture disables the drop pods before they are able to deploy their parachutes; the ODSTs are scattered across New Mombasa. Dare's commandeered squad, farthest away from the Slipspace rupture, manages to survive the fall, but the remaining ODST's aiming for the Carrier are killed in action. During the fall, the Rookie's pod collides with Mickey's pod, sending it out of control. The impact knocks the Rookie unconscious.

Six hours after the drop (10:02pm), the Rookie awakens to the sound of two [[Phantom]]s flying nearby. He soon regains his situational awareness, discovering that his drop pod is lodged in a building at least twenty feet off the ground. With no choice, he jumps out of the pod, and falls to the street, slightly injuring himself when he hits the ground. After combing the area for medical supplies, he heads in to the city to find his squad.

Almost immediately after starting out, the Rookie encounters a few Covenant patrols covering a small area. The Rookie uses his silenced weaponry to eliminate the patrols, after which he is alerted to a ringing data terminal. Upon accessing the terminal, the Rookie is connected to the [[Superintendent (Construct)|Superintendent]], a second-generation "dumb" [[A.I.]] tasked with maintaining the city's infrastructure. The A.I. provides the Rookie with data that had been previously unlocked by Dare. The Superintendent begins to assist the Rookie, giving him maps, marking notable locations throughout the city, and providing warnings using road signs.

Meanwhile, Dutch landed in the Uplift Wildlife Reserve, where he led a [[M12 Force Application Vehicle|Warthog]] charge in an effort to breach Covenant defenses and secure the long-departed carrier's landing zone. Mickey had landed nearby, and stumbled upon retreating Marines from the [[405th]], along with a tank. Mickey used a [[Scorpion]] to bring the Marines to their rally point: the entrance to [[ONI Alpha Site]]. There, he and Dutch regrouped and found a desperate [[NMPD|police]] officer, who was searching for an explosives expert. Mickey, who had originally hoped to dig in at the rally point and wait for backup, was pressed into service, and he and Dutch headed to the ONI Alpha Site with the police officer in tow.

Upon arriving and attempting to land on a rooftop to pick up Buck and Romeo, Mickey, Dutch and their NMPD allies were attacked by [[Banshee]]s, and their Pelican is shot down. Buck and Romeo fight their way across the rooftops of the NMPD HQ to the downed Pelican and their squadmates. There, the four ODSTs used [[missile pod]]s, heavy machine guns, and [[rocket launcher]]s to defend the building from Banshees and Phantoms with landing parties. They were successful in repelling the Covenant assault, but in the process, Romeo was badly wounded by a [[Brute Chieftain]], and their Pelican was damaged and left inoperable.

Buck led the group to Kikowani Station, planning to use the tram system to escape the city, stabilizing Romeo with [[biofoam]] along the way. Upon arrival, however, the group discovered that the tram tunnels had been flooded. They proceeded to hijack a Phantom and escape the city, fighting their way past enemy Banshees and even a [[Scarab]] in the process. Along the way, they noticed several CCS-class Battlecruisers moving toward the crater left by the Assault Carrier's Slipspace jump. After escaping the city proper, Buck realized where Dare was, and ordered Mickey to turn back and set him down.

The two convince the Huragok to follow them just as the Covenant arrive; Buck arrives at the same time. They escape the data core and fight though hordes of Covenant troops before reaching an elevator, which takes them to the city's [[New Mombasa Waterfront Highway|coastal highway]]. Buck informs Dare and the Rookie that he has a stolen Phantom waiting in the shipyards down the highway. Vergil powers up an [[Oliphant]]; Dare drives, while the Rookie and Buck provide supporting fire from a [[M12 Force Application Vehicle|Warthog]], and later, a [[Scorpion]].

More Covenant ships enter the city, and the fleet begins to [[glass]] the area in an attempt to uncover the buried [[Forerunner]] [[The Artifact|Portal]] to the [[Ark]]. Buck, having witnessed glassing during the [[Battle of Reach]], is particularly disturbed by the sight. A Scarab manages to score a direct hit on the Oliphant, damaging it severely and forcing the ODSTs to abandon their vehicles and take cover inside the building entrance to Uplift Wildlife Reserve. Buck orders Mickey to provide extraction instead of waiting for them to arrive.

*[[Dare|Captain Veronica Dare]] - The Rookie's commanding officer and [[ONI|Naval Intelligence]] operative <ref name = "Game Informer December '08 page 1">''Game Informer'': December 2008, page 1</ref>. She is voiced by [[Tricia Helfer]].<ref>[http://www.spike.com/video/gttv-2009-vgas-e3/3175518 GameTrailer TV: E3 2009 Special]</ref> {{1st}}

*[[Edward Buck|Gunnery Sergeant Edward Buck]] - The former-leader now second-in-command of the [[Unnamed Shock Trooper Squad|squad]].<ref name = "Game Informer December '08 page 1"/>. Voiced by [[Nathan Fillion]]. {{1st}}

*[[Taylor Miles|Corporal Taylor "Dutch" Miles]] - The heavy weapons specialist.<ref name = "Game Informer December '08 page 1"/><ref name = "Game Informer December '08 page 5">''Game Informer'': December 2008, page 5</ref> Voiced by [[Adam Baldwin]]. {{1st}}

*[[Superintendent (Construct)|Superintendent]] - New Mombasa's urban infrastructure A.I. construct. Voiced by [[Joseph Staten]].<ref>''Halo 3: ODST'' Credits</ref> {{1st}}

*[[Avery Johnson|Sergeant Major Avery J. Johnson]] - An experienced staff non-commissioned Officer with nearly a half-century of combat experience. Voiced by [[David Scully]].

'''[[Covenant]]'''

*[[Prophet of Regret]] - One of the three Hierarchs of the Covenant, his only known role in the game is at the beginning where his [[Assault Carrier]] enters slipspace over New Mombasa. {{Mo}}

*[[Sangheili]]<ref>''[[Halo 3: ODST]]'', level ''[[Tayari Plaza (Level)|Tayari Plaza]]''</ref> {{C|Dead bodies only}}

**[[UNSC Marine|Marine Infantrymen]]

**[[Orbital Drop Shock Troopers]]

**[[Kikowani Station]] - One of [[New Mombasa Transit Authority|NMTA]]'s [[MagLev Train|train]] stations in the city. It was flooded with water during the battle. Buck and his team arrived here to try to escape the city and ended up stealing a Phantom. {{1st}}

**[[ONI Alpha Site]] - This [[Office of Naval Intelligence#Section Two|Section Two]] facility was the site of a fierce battle that pitted New Mombasa Police and the UNSC Marine Corps, against a Covenant assault from across the bridge. This building was destroyed shortly after the battle to prevent the Covenant from getting any important information. A Firefight map, known as [[Security Zone (Level)|Security Zone]], takes place in front of the entrance to the facility.<ref>[http://www.bungie.net/News/content.aspx?type=topnews&link=BWU061209 Bungie Weekly Update 6/12/09]</ref> {{1st}}

*[[Combat Knife]]

*[[M9 Fragmentation Grenade|M9 HE-DP Fragmentation Grenade]]

*[[M41 SSR MAV/AW Rocket Launcher]]

*[[M68 Gauss Cannon]]

*[[M7057/Defoliant Projector]] <ref>''[[Halo 3: ODST]]'', level ''[[Data Hive (Level)|Data Hive]]''</ref>

*[[Weapon/Anti-Vehicle Model 6 Grindell/Galileian Nonlinear Rifle|W/AV M6 Nonlinear Rifle]]

'''[[Covenant]]'''

*[[Type-25 Directed Energy Rifle/Jiralhanae Variant|Type-25 Directed Energy Rifle/Jiralhanae]]

*[[D77H-TCI Pelican Dropship|D77H-TCI "Pelican" Dropship]] (Police Variant)

*[[Gauss Warthog|M12G1 Light Anti-Armor Vehicle]]

*[[Mongoose|M274 "Mongoose" Ultra-Light All-Terrain Vehicle]]

*[[M312 Elephant HRV|Olifant Waste Recycling Vehicle]]

*[[F-99 Wombat|F-99 "Wombat" Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicle]] <ref>''[[Halo 3: ODST]]'', level ''[[Uplift Reserve (Level)|Uplift Reserve]]''</ref>

*[[UNSC Frigate]]

*[[Assault Carrier]]

*[[CCS-class Battlecruiser]]

*[[Type-25 Assault Gun Carriage|Type-25 "Wraith" Assault Gun Carriage]]

All map packs (''[[Heroic Map Pack|Heroic]]'', ''[[Legendary Map Pack|Legendary]]'', ''[[Mythic Map Pack|Mythic]] as well as [[Cold Storage (Level)|Cold Storage]]'') are available for those who haven't already purchased them over Xbox LIVE Marketplace <ref>[http://www.bungie.net/News/content.aspx?type=topnews&cid=17195 Bungie Weekly Update - 2/06/2009]</ref>. In addition to the other map packs, an additional map pack are featured in the ''ODST'' package. These maps are ''[[Citadel (Level)|Citadel]]'', ''[[Heretic (Level)|Heretic]]'', and ''[[Longshore (Level)|Longshore]]''.

On May 29th, 2008, a viral campaign for ''Halo 3: ODST'' started which focused around [[Superintendent (Construct)|the AI of the same name]], New Mombasa's janitorial second generation dumb-A.I. construct that aids The Rookie and his squad in surviving the Covenant occupation of New Mombasa.

First, different screens of areas of New and Old Mombasa come on screen, followed by HEV pods entering the atmosphere. Here you can see the Prophet of Regret's carrier on the right, then it moves behind buildings. The pods come into view as a large explosion (Caused by the Prophet of Regret's carrier entering Slipspace) appears, sending the pods off-course. Then, the Superintendent appears, and shows warning signs and then reboots. All the screens from earlier flash onto the screen, but heavily damaged from the blast. Then, a single [[HEV]] pod falls through the sky, when the ''Halo 3'' Logo appears. The pod then crashes into the camera and goes black, followed by the words 'Prepare to Drop'.

The second part to the trailer, released on the 8th of October, followed on from this - the Superintendent reinitialized itself, attempting to assess the catastrophic devastation and tries to identify the object that survived. Later, after a Covenant [[Phantom]] dropship has passed by, the object opens to reveal a lone surviving [[Unnamed Marine Shock Trooper|Marine Shock Trooper]] to clamber out, wielding a modified M7S Caseless Submachine Gun. The Marine narrowly avoids a [[Jiralhanae]] patrol, before encountering messages from the [[Superintendent (Construct)|Superintendent]], presumably leading him to safety.

Also shown are little clips of the flashback missions, namely, featuring Gunnery Sergeant Buck and Lance Corporal Agu on a landing platform at [[NMPD Headquarters]], where a police Pelican dropship was extracting the two Marines, before getting chased off by two [[Banshees]].

[[Avery Junior Johnson|Avery Johnson]] is the narrator of the ViDoc, making a stylish entrance in a [[Single Occupant Exoatmospheric Insertion Vehicle|Drop Pod]] over the ''[[Security Zone (Level)|Security Zone]]'' map. During the video, Johnson explains the details of this new gametype in ''ODST'', along with explaining how players can play as him by pre-ordering ''Halo 3: ODST'' at a number of participating retailers.

To promote the release of the game, Bungie and Microsoft started an "ODST Tour", showcasing the game's Firefight mode to fans all across the [[United States]] <ref>[http://gamerscoreblog.com/press/archive/2009/08/20/sc200.aspx Xbox Press.com - “Halo 3: ODST” Transport Vehicle embarks on a nationwide tour]</ref>. Beginning August 22nd in Redmond, Washington, this tour lasted for nearly a month, coinciding with the release of the game.

*This is the first of two games in the ''Halo'' series to not include the [[Flood]]. In addition to this, it is also the first game to not include [[Sentinels]] or a [[Forerunner]] [[Monitor]].

*A teaser trailer for ''Halo 3: ODST'' called ''[[Keep It Clean]]'', was released on September 25th, 2008, at 07:07:07 am PST, which coincided with the one year anniversary of the launch of ''Halo 3''. The trailer was viewed through the many security cameras around New Mombasa. The time at which this trailer was revealed is a reference to Bungie's long-time "obsession" with the number [[List of "seven" references in Halo|seven]].

*The "''Road to Recon''" challenge, as named by Bungie, gives players the chance to unlock the [[Mark VI MJOLNIR Powered Assault Armor/R variant|MJOLNIR Mk.VI "Recon"]] (simply referred to as "''Recon Armor''") for use in ''Halo 3'' multiplayer <ref>[http://www.bungie.net/projects/odst/features.aspx#recon Bungie.net : Road to Recon]</ref>. This challenge requires unlocking the current [[Vidmaster|Vidmaster Challenges]] from ''Halo 3'', and three more Vidmaster Challenges only available through purchasing ''ODST'' <ref>''Game Informer: December 2008'', page 4</ref>.

*On November 25th, 2008, Bungie LLC. renamed the in-development ''Halo 3: Recon'' to ''Halo 3: ODST''.<ref>[http://www.bungie.net/News/Blog.aspx?mode=news#cid16289 Bungie.net Blog - ''Halo 3: ODST'']</ref> The reasons to why the upcoming expansion was renamed is due to the player playing the character of an ODST in the game, and to focus attention off of the fact that players will be able to receive [[Mark VI MJOLNIR Powered Assault Armor/R variant|MJOLNIR Mark VI Reconnaissance Armor]].

*During an interview at Gencon 2008 in Brisbane, Australia; [[Alan Tudyk]] commented on a so called ''Halo 3 Supplemental'', in which himself and fellow [[Wikipedia:Firefly (TV series)|Firefly]] actors [[Nathan Fillion]] and [[Adam Baldwin]] would lend their voices to the game.<ref>[http://forums.bungie.org/halo/archive30.pl?read=886556 Alan Tudyk does voice work for Halo 3 supplemental]</ref> All three of the actors played the role of [[UNSC Marine Corps|Marines]] in ''[[Halo 3]]''.<ref>''[[Halo 3]]'', ''[[Halo (Halo 3 Level)|Credits]]''</ref> This supplemental is actually ''Halo 3: ODST'', Tudyk and Baldwin voice members of the [[Unnamed Shock Trooper Squad|squad]] in the game. The ''E3 2009 Gameplay Trailer'' confirmed Fillion, Baldwin, and Tudyk's roles as Buck, Dutch, and Mickey, respectively <ref name="[[Halo 3: ODST - E3 2009 Gameplay Trailer|''Halo 3: ODST'' - E3 2009 Gameplay Trailer]]"/>.

*Marketing for ''ODST'' encompassed a broad range of mediums, including print ads in magazines; with television spots taking center stage "with multiple ads prepared and sponsorship of key shows arranged" <ref>[http://www.mcvuk.com/news/35402/Halo-marketing-blitz-detailed#after_ad MCV.com Gaming Industry - Microsoft plans Halo 3: ODST marketing blitz]</ref>. Advertisements were shown up to Christmas 2009 and into early 2010. Such ads could already been seen in the American version of the ''Official Xbox Magazine'' as well as on [[Halopedia]]. GameStop had already began their advertisements, showing off both UNSC and Covenant in the Firefight mode dancing to SgtMaj Johnson, a bonus unlock item for those who pre-order the game <ref>[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y8iAeUicU9I YouTube.com : Gamestop Video - Halo 3: ODST]</ref>. [[Wikipedia:Spike TV|Spike TV]] has designated September as the "Halo Month", with five programs lined up over the course of sixteen days <ref>[http://www.reuters.com/article/pressRelease/idUS252724+03-Sep-2009+PRN20090903 Reuters.com - Prepare To Drop! Spike TV Gears Up For 'Halo Month']</ref>. One such show marked the debut of a live-action [[We Are ODST|ODST short]] and a preview of ''[[Halo Legends]]''<nowiki>'s</nowiki> ODST-centric film ''[[The Babysitter]]''.

*As a bonus feature for those who pre-ordered ''ODST'' at select retailers (including such stores as GameStop and Amazon.com), a token to play as [[Avery Johnson|Sergeant Major Avery Johnson]] in [[Firefight]] was included.<ref>[http://www.bungie.net/projects/odst/features.aspx#johnson '''Bungie.net''' - ''PRE-ORDER BONUS: Brings Sgt. Johnson into the Firefight'']</ref>

*If you've played on this game with your current LIVE account, you will unlock the ODST [[Nameplate|Nameplate]] in ''[[Halo: Reach]]''.<ref>[http://www.bungie.net/News/content.aspx?type=topnews&link=BWU_082010 '''Bungie.net''': ''Express Yourself'']</ref>

*Canada-based [[Mega Brands]] has released several ''Halo 3: ODST'' [[Mega Brands Halo Toys#Halo 3: ODST Sets|construction sets]].

*[[Orbital Drop Shock Troopers]]