Set as a prequel to Halo 3, ODST opens powerfully in the series' expected cinematic fashion. As "The Rookie", you're enclosed in a one-man pod that's blasted from its intended course and lands on Covenant-occupied New Mombasa on Earth. After being in a state of unconsciousness for several hours, you exit your drop ship and enter a beautiful, yet haunting setting that immediately hints at a graphical upgrade over Halo 3; it's nighttime, the streets are empty-save for the symbols of a city ravaged by war-and the evening sky is filled with black smoke and lit by fire. It's a stunning sight, and no doubt a mere tease of what's to come in this artistically ambitious new entry.
