Audio log (Halo 3: ODST)

For the audio logs in Halo 4, see Halo 4 audio logs. "What if the phones...rang?"

- Joe Staten

Audio logs are sound files found at various types of data terminals in Halo 3: ODST. They tell Sadie's Story, a narrative about a Kenyan girl named Sadie Endesha during the invasion of Earth in October 20, 2552. Each log is accompanied by a slideshow of still images.

Unlocking Audio Logs will also unlock supply caches scattered throughout the level Mombasa Streets. There are 30 logs in total. 29 of them can be found in Mombasa Streets while number 30 can only be found after acquiring the other 29. Number 30 can be found by following the police officer in Data Hive. When all 30 logs are found, the achievement Audiophile is unlocked.

Within Mombasa Streets, the player will receive hints when they approach an audio log; these can include signage, flashing lights, ringing phones, honking horns, and sirens, among others.

Trivia
The audio logs have many references to Dante's Inferno.
 * There are nine Circles of audio logs, correlating with the nine circles of hell in the poem.
 * Circle 1: Limbo
 * This is the start of the story. Everyone around Sadie feels safe on Earth until the Covenant come, then they realize they are in hell (which Sadie states).
 * Circle 2: Lust
 * Kinsler is overcome with lust, even though the world is about to be destroyed around him.
 * Circle 3: Gluttony
 * This circle contains Jonas, who is a very large butcher handing out food.
 * Circle 4: Avarice (theft)
 * This circle is centered around the casino district, where many people are looting the casinos.
 * Circle 5: Wrath and Sloth
 * Sadie and Mike attempt to cross the bridge back towards the ONI building, only to be stopped by Kinsler (fallen angel guarding the gates.) An Olifant sent by Vergil (heaven sent an angel) lets them pass safely.
 * Circle 6: Heresy
 * This circle is centered around Vergil the Huragok, who goes against the Covenant's faith and helps the humans. This is also where Tom the salesman reveals Sadie's position.
 * Circle 7: Violence
 * This circle is centered around a deranged officer who kills people inside a police station. He is eventually killed by a SWAT team.
 * Circle 8: Fraud
 * There are numerous fraud allusions, including Sadie faking she has a gun to have Vergil turned back on, and the Public Service Announcer who lies to give hope.
 * Circle 9: Treason
 * Kinsler returns for the third time, tricking Sadie in joining him by threatening her father. Even though she agrees to go with him, Kinsler kills her father. This also shows the killing of civilians by the police, who swore to protect them.
 * The thirtieth audio log is found in Dr. Endesha's office on the 9th sub-level of Data Hive. The frozen area where you find the 30th audio log may be a reference to Cocytus, the 9th level of hell. The office also contains Dr. Endesha's dead body.
 * Vergil correlates to Virgil, who led Dante through the Nine Levels of Hell, just as Vergil leads Sadie, and then the Rookie, through New Mombasa.
 * Around New Mombasa, when there are civilian or police cars with their alarms/sirens blaring, street signs telling you to go somewhere, street blockers lifting or going down, phone booths that either rings or constantly spit out coins, this signals that there is an Audio Log nearby. Once the Audio Log is found, the alarm/siren, signs, and street blockers will stop and go back to normal.
 * The thirtieth Audio Log can be collected an infinite number of times, because the police officer will always continue into that room, even if you've already collected all of the audio logs before, on the same profile, with the same saved data. Note: This will not apply if you have not collected all 29 Audio Logs in Mombasa Streets.
 * The task of collecting these audio logs marks the similarity to locating the Terminals from Halo 3, Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary, Halo 4 and Halo 2: Anniversary as well as the Data pads from Halo: Reach, which also tell a unique meta story.
 * The Audio Logs are only accessible once. Once accessed they are stored in the VISR and are no longer accessible from Mombasa streets. This means that once accessed there will no longer be honking horns or coins being spit from machines, giving the city as a whole a more dead feeling.
 * While Sadie doesn't appear in-game besides the audio logs, she does appear in Halo: New Blood and Halo: Bad Blood. It is shown that after the war, her connection to Quick to Adjust due to his absorbing Vergil led to Sadie becoming his handler. Mike Branley does not appear, however, and no mention is ever made of what became of him.

List of appearances

 * Halo 3: ODST