Halo 3: ODST takes place primarily during the events of Halo 2 and at the start of Halo 3. It tells the story of the Covenant’s invasion of Earth in 2552 through the eyes of the Orbital Drop Shock Troopers. The player assumes the role of several members of the ODST team in the war-torn city of New Mombasa, most notably The Rookie, the game’s protagonist.
Halo 3: ODST is a change from previous Halo games in that it is more open-ended and contains more exploration. The new VISR visor device can amplify light and is used to distinguish between friends and opponents. The visor also provides map and navigation data and communication with the AIs operating the city. The players are no longer cybernetic super-soldiers this time; player endurance and health are more important than before, and speed and jump height has been reduced.
The game includes a Firefight mode, a four-player cooperative game mode centered on the campaign. ODST has overtones of film noir and jazz-like themes to compliment the soundtrack rather than the extreme sci-fi of prior editions.
Halo 3: ODST also features Halo 3: Mythic, a stripped-down, multiplayer-only version of Halo 3 that includes all Halo 3 downloadable maps, including Heroic, Legendary, and Mythic map packs, as well as three previously unreleased maps.
