Lens of Truth - Halo 3: ODST Review

lens of truth writes - "This week we take on Halo 3: O.D.S.T. for the Xbox 360. There have been many questions about Bungie's latest - How will the series hold up without Master Chief? Is this basically DLC? And most importantly, is it worth the "new game" price tag Microsoft has slapped on it? Drop in and get the truth in our Flash Review."

[wxer]

"Lens of Truth"

very ture

[MajorJackHoff]

A realistic review.

ODST is fun, but let's not get carried away. It's nothing special.

[ArthurLee]

I 100% agree with LoT here. ODST is pretty average for the price and deserves a 7 at best.

[Face Palm]

I already beat it twice (Once solo normal, once cop-op legendary) and I absolutely LOVED it! But, it shows you how short the game is when I was able beat it twice in 24 hours and one of those time was on the hardest difficulty. IMO ODST campaign is much better than Halo 3's average campaign so it's kind of quality > quantity.

Firefight is great but time will tell if it keeps up it's replay-ability. I loved Horde and Nazi Zombie for a while but then they got really boring.

I didn't buy any of the Halo 3 DLC so ODST was actually a pretty good value for ME but not the majority of buyers.

Overall I give it about an 8.5. The 9's and 10s it got are a little high IMO.

I can't wait for Uncharted 2, GT5 and MW2! Great year to be a multi-console owner :D

[HammockGames]

Seems like this has been the primary criticism of ODST.

Amazon may have hit the sweet spot here. When I looked there earlier they discounted the price to $50.99 (no tax, free shipping) with a bonus code for $10 good towards a future video game purchase.

So in effect, you can get ODST for about $40 if you look at it that way (which seems to be in the range where most people deem it acceptable or at least worth considering).

Here's the link for anyone interested:

http://www.amazon.com/Halo-...

Edit: Ignore the Amazon price at the top of this page - you'll get the updated lower price when you hit the link

[dreamcast]

Nice find.

Anyways, it's too bad Bungie had to change the price, or else it might've actually deserved those 9s it got from some reviewers.

[Ghostsmoker]

I've played it - it's awesome and so much fun!

[ShadowCK]

-"Over-priced" & Short Campaign. -

Let's compare these packages:

Fallout 3 GOTY:

Fallout 3
Operation Anchorage
The Pitt
Broken Steel
Point Lookout
Mothership Zeta

Halo 3: ODST/GOTY:

Halo 3: ODST
Halo 3: ODST Firefight
Halo 3: Multiplayer
Halo 3: Multiplayer Legendary Map Pack
Halo 3: Multiplayer Mythic Map Pack
Halo 3: Multiplayer Mythic 2 Map Pack

Halo 3: ODST's campaign lasts a good six hours, along with being able to explore the city, play it on legendary, and getting achievements with your friends. It's a more fun approach than the Halo 3 campaign and you also get firefight which is like Gears of War 2 Horde, but is very fun and way better than GoW 2 Horde.

Has it really not been discussed enough? If you were unhappy with the price, wouldn't you just not buy it instead of coming and complaining over and over again? From Halo 3: ODST's polished and plentiful CGI cut scenes to the endlessly playable four-player Firefight mode, there is more than enough content here to justify your 60 smackaroos. In terms of new and original content, it certainly trumps most of EA’s annual sports titles.

- Same Old Halo -

Why fix something that isn't broken? The fresh approach to Halo is a winner.

[thor]

Good points, but the main point is that Fallout GOTY edition is a re-release - i.e. it's designed to tempt in new people and MAYBE the diehards would pick it up as well. I've never bought a game and then its GOTY edition, that's just stupid.

Of course if you don't have Halo 3 then ODST is fantastic value, but then you have to consider it also as a re-release with an added expansion pack thrown into the bargain.

If we're rating ODST based on new content then it's not worth the price of admission, and certainly doesn't qualify as a new game.

If we're rating the individual elements such as how good is the campaign, and how good is firefight, then it may score well BUT would still be poor value for money, if you already own Halo 3, and especially if you already own all the map packs.

[iagainsti120]

I disagree with you mostly because you contradicted your self, and have you even played it yet?

"If we're rating ODST based on new content then it's not worth the price of admission, and certainly doesn't qualify as a new game.

If we're rating the individual elements such as how good is the campaign, and how good is firefight, then it may score well BUT would still be poor value for money, if you already own Halo 3, and especially if you already own all the map packs."

There is a'lot of new content, the only things that makes this game similar to Halo 3 are the controls, 3/4 of the weapons, and the fact that it takes place in the Halo universe. Otherwise it is a completely different game and experience. Fire Fight is awesome, iv already spent about 5 hours doing that and about 5 hours on campaign but still have 2 more artifacts to find. That's already about 10 hours of game play in 2 days and will more than likely occupy more than 20 hours of gameplay. Now at 20 hours thats about $3 per hour i think that's a heck of a deal, and thats not even including the new Halo 3 MP maps that come with it as well. i also like how i can free up some HDD space (even though i have the 120GB HDD with 40GB still free) by deleting my older map packs.

(i believe that including the Halo 3 Maps on a seperate disk was also smart move to allow people who only have an arcade the ability to go on matchmaking)

so IMO i would rate this game about a 8.5-9 its a very fun experience and it is a masterpiece for a game than as only in development for a year. I think it will be a Xbox contender for GOTY but not an over all GOTY title(including X360, PS3, Wii, PC).

[Jaces]

So ODST comes with what?

All the DLC that was for Halo 3, a short campaign and Firefight? I'm still a bit cloudy on what ODST is. I'll probably end up buying it but only after they drop the price.

EDIT: just read shadowCK's explanation. Yea, definatley waiting for price drop then.

[FiftyFourPointTwo]

Prepare to flop.
Average Score - 8.3
AAA? Not!

[El Botto]

And 7/10 on XBOX standards...lol thats like a 4/10 on PS3 standards.

Haha xbots OWNED. We have Uncharted 2, you dont. What do you have?

Answer: You have underwhelming DLC rip offs. Hahahaa!

[MajorJackHoff]

Calm down, spaz.

[stealyrface]

"I’m beginning to think that the O.D. in O.D.S.T. stands for overpriced DLC“ - Awesome

[FiftyFourPointTwo]

Awesome indeed. I'd give him a bubble if he's a member here.

[LostDjinn]

So to follow on from your way of thinking ODST could stand for "Overpriced DLC Sales Test". Nice!
Personally Lens of Truth has been questionable in the past so I'm not putting much stock in this review. They're entitled to their point of view, as all of you are to yours. Mine is that LoT is not a reputable site.

[Persistantthug]

I'm not gonna agree or disagree with you right now, but I was just hoping you could give me an example of your own regarding your personal contention of LoT's site/reviews.

Thanks.

[Shogun Master]

One of the most honest reviews I've seen for ODST. A 7.0 is really what this game deserves, not 8's and 9's.

[RudeSole Devil]

Finally an honest review. I got the game yesterday and there's no way this game deserves a 8 or 9.

[Baron79]

I agree Shogun. Great review from LoT. I can't understnad why Bungie just didn't make the Campagin DLC for those who don't need the maps (or don't care for the 3 new\old ones). Stupid & selfish move on their part.

[Dutch Boogie]

Lens of Truth lived up to their name. Every non delusional person knows ODST's graphics is meh at best. IGN giving it a 9 is an insult to gamers across the globe.

[thereapersson]

But then they went and gave the game a nine in the graphics category. I closed the page soon after reading that nonsense.

[peeps]

was playing through some more today and the graphics do the job but 9 is far to high. i'd say 7-8 for graphics. i mean IGN gave both halo 3 and odst 9/10

at the time for halo 3 9/10 was pushing it with the other games available.

but i mean 9 suggests the graphics are something special but playing through the warthog level earlier (although i ditched the awful ai and took a ghost lol) the tree's are just flat like tree's were done back in the ps2/xbox days and up close the textures are horrible

[evildeli]

Are you saying the graphics is better or worse then a 9?

[Ravage27]

very soon, all the games will be looking like odst :/

I'll probably sell my HDTV and HDMI cables if that happens...

[ArthurLee]

IGNorant - everyone knows this.

[evildeli]

That gets a bubble there!

[Kiroe]

Brilliant! You get a bubble sir!

[console_gaming_fan]

what? when they do a comparison of a multiplat you guys claim they are biased when they give it to 360....hmm seems only sites that give what you guys wanna see are trust worthy

[LTC]

Even a 7 is too good for this game.

[free3sixty]

Iam an xbot but TRUE.. the graphics are not improved after so many years, the single player will take 5 hours..

this really could be a DLC.

Its a poor step from MS to call this a new game. And a also a poor step for the halo franchise.

[droid and bot]

thanks for telling the truth
here have a bubble

i'll buy the game later and give my own impression on it
=)

UPDATE
after thinking about it
i think i'll rent the game

[jahcure]

I've had this thing paid for in full for about 2 months now and since the reviews started coming out i did not pick it up in fear of it being just as you described.

SHAME on Bungie and MS...I have now decided to simply transfer the preorder costs to uncharted and rent this instead. 5 hrs...that i can do in a day.....

If firefight is like zombie mode or horde mode then i don't need it because if i want to fight waves of enemies, i've got other games for that.

[Kleptic]

so if it really was Halo: ODLC this game could have been one of the highest rated of the year possibly...$20 for it or something and even I would get interested in Halo again...and thats saying something...

[GeoramA]

8.3 average.

ouch

[DAVID BRENT]

.

[saint_john_paul_ii]

best Ocarina of Time Item...EVER.

[ThaGeNeCySt]

lol @ an 8.3 being a bad average to some people. When did we as gamers come to expect 9+ or nothing for reviews?

[droid and bot]

no
8.3 is not bad for other games
its very good

but for a halo game ?
that's very very bad
because you know halo is very over hyped
so the name only gives you 3 points with no sweat at all

[shiner]

I disagree with the Pope. The blue tunic was way better.

[taliesin]

LoT appear to be a very well respected group who never seem to have an axe to grind with one system or another which i find refreshing.

They seem to be very impressed with UC2 which does beg the question what were IGN looking at when they decided the graphics on UC2 and Halo ODST were equal?

I am a firm believer in graphics not being the be all and end all of gaming but instances like this do puzzle me

[aaron5829]

Not only in their reviews... but even the comparisons.

Which is great to see, once in a while.

[S_Leonhart]

"IT ONLY FLOPS EVERYTHING"

[CurlUpAndDie]

playing co-op with my brother is tits. it's nothing crazily new but it still holds it's own. put it on legendary and it makes interesting.

[DigitalAnalog]

2 points above average. Not a bad score, for this game.

[taliesin]

@5.3

metacritic might have something to do with that, also allowing games to achieve perfect scores to often in the past (no game is perfect ever), the myth of the AAA title, and the belief that 9 or more is nothing more than average is born!

7.5 is a good score, we really need to get a grip on reality again and stop looking at scores and call me crazy but maybe...just maybe start enjoying games again for what they are and what they give us?

[Persistantthug]

Because if a game is 90+, you know you've got a great game on your hands because it's hard to get that kind of score there.

90 is FAR from average.

[divideby0]

just shows you why the higher reviews come from the sites that rely on advertisements....GS,GI, IGN all media ho's

[evildeli]

I played about an hour of Halo 2 and just didn't see what all the hype was about. I've just never gotten into this series and I don't see what the big deal is.

[Briefcase Joe]

I love reading the open zone comments. It makes me chuckle.

[iagainsti120]

I know how you feel LOL i love reading these baseless comments that have no point, well i guess that's why they have to comment here. Sigh.. I love the internet.

[testerg35]

LOL.. Maybe ODST deserves a 7, but you PS3 fans are too much sometimes. You love this review from Lens of Truth, but you always call them biased when they do comparisons. You do the same to every site out there.

[taliesin]

Please dont tar all the ps3 owners with the same brush, i agree there are far to many extreme rabid fanboys on both sides of the house who have lost focus on what really matters, which i find very sad.

But there are also plenty of people such as me who love gaming and dont have any axe to grind with anyone or any system

[NextGenHorny]

“…I’m beginning to think that the O.D. in O.D.S.T. stands for overpriced DLC… “

[TwistedMetal]

also becuase of the starship troopers look. the second one was liked becuase of online play. not many console people played online untill the x360 came out. since halo 2 was there first online multiplayer game they hyped it and liked it alot.

[clintagious650]

That doesnt bring anything new to the table. Heck im willing to bet that if "Guerilla Games" were to have made this same expansion for killzone 2 & sold it for $60 dollars, it would have flopped because it isnt NAMED HALO. To all the fanboys who love halo odst, sorry to tell u the truth but Killzone 2 still is a better game in every way then Halo ODST. Just the honest truth. Halo ODST is just a MILKAGE ADD ON that brings no innovation but the same rehashed gameplay to the table. Great score for a not so great expansion.

[etownone]

Its well to known to every gamer that the most trusted reviewers are:

IGN
Gamespot (even if they did have that one incident K&L)
Game Informer
1up
and probably Gamepro

And since all those sites gave ODST a 9 or higher, every other little site trying to get some hits can do that if they just.
I just got even more siked to get the game after reading the reviews from the sites I trust.

[Whoooop]

lol

That's rich

[Soul Train]

Only, you can trust the little guys. Great review by LoT. This game is a joke and total waste of money.

[zaherdab]

heyyyyyy where's the ps3 - 360 lens of the truth comparasion :P lol bet we'll see that on gametrailers with 360 footage for both versions heh

[evildeli]

Who cares about the ps3, it'll win on the PC ;)

[stealyrface]

Halo:3 ODLC

[PS3Freak]

The Lens of Truth is a very truthful site, no pun intended.

[Thoreau]

is a 7-7.5 game dlc.

i bought my 360 at launch for halo3. glad someone has got some heart to review the truth.

[patterson]

2 million bots regretting their purchase already. Suckers!

[dustgavin]

They will force themselves to play it because of all the other horrid 360 exclusives they have had to endure this year. At least until their stats disappear.

[patterson]

Not only that, I heard Gamestop is only buying back the game for $8.50 because of all the returns lol.

[iagainsti120]

can you give a credible source for where you "heard this" or are you just full of BS

[Shogun Master]

I Will be trusting LoT, Games Radar (in house) and Just push start for review scores. ODST is a 7 at best, I can't believe I saw someone give this game a 9.6 the other day.

A 9.6!!! Almost perfect, what a bunch of $hit!

And checking Metacritic is becoming a joke, 90% of the the ODST reviews are biased. Does it really matter what 50 "paid off" review scores equal? Didn't think so.