Halo 3: ODST; the first non-linear Halo game

Many people have constantly complained about the Halo series as being a very linear experience. For Halo 1, 2, and 3, that is very true. There really has not been an "open world" in a Halo game, instead there are just environments that you push through fighting enemies until you get to the end of the level, sometimes backtracking as well.

Meet Halo 3: ODST

The game takes place at night in New Mombasa, the city that we fought at in Halo 2. As, "The Rookie", you are set in a huge open environment. You can roam the streets going to whichever beacon you want to, trying to piece together the mystery of your lost squadmates. Once you get to the beacons, the flashback sequences are mostly linear however.

-"There are actually more than four beacons, and once you find the first one you're pretty much free to roam the dark, Covenant-patrolled streets of New Mombasa however you like - free to find the remaining clue beacons in any order you choose."

-"The silenced SMG is just one of the tweaks to the Halo 3 sandbox that make ODST a stealthier experience -- one that, at least in the open environment of nighttime New Mombasa, rewards a more measured approach to combat."

As seen in one of the Gamespot videos of the game, one of the guys at Bungie said that the beacon that he was traveling to was "about a kilometer away".

So there you have it, the first open world Halo game: Halo 3: ODST

It's about time too, I always wanted to play an open world Halo game.

People have complained about Halo Combat Evolved being linear? I'd hate to see what those people think of Call of Duty.AAllxxjjnn

[QUOTE="AAllxxjjnn"]People have complained about Halo Combat Evolved being linear? I'd hate to see what those people think of Call of Duty.hockeyruler12

That's cool, but linear does not necessarily mean bad. I really enjoyed COD4's campaign, and that was about as linear as it gets. Sometimes the most exciting gameplay can come from when you are led down a path.

Havent bungie been saying this since Halo 2? Anyway if they make it as linear as Halo CE then thats fine.

[QUOTE="hockeyruler12"][QUOTE="AAllxxjjnn"]People have complained about Halo Combat Evolved being linear? I'd hate to see what those people think of Call of Duty.AAllxxjjnn

I cant wait for this game. I love how these horde like modes are starting to became standard on shooter (gears, left4dead and ODST) :D

that game is going to flop........7/10 if its lucky....Supa__Mario

Gamespot will most likelly not review this game but i think it will be AAA on metacritic and gr

[QUOTE="Supa__Mario"]that game is going to flop........7/10 if its lucky....PAL360

Gamespot will most likelly not review this game but i think it will be AAA on metacritic and gr

Its being released stand alone on a disk so they have to review it.

They will also probably review the GTA expansion packs later when they are released on disk.

[QUOTE="Supa__Mario"]that game is going to flop........7/10 if its lucky....PAL360

Gamespot will most likelly not review this game but i think it will be AAA on metacritic and gr

I hope you guys are right. The same goes to GTA4 expantion packs.

I hope you guys are right. The same goes to GTA4 expantion packs.

PAL360

How many Halo fans / Lems know Halo was - during its time in development (post strategy design) - set to be an open world, non linear, procedurally generated shooter - where you fought the covenant in a guerrilla war across the ring?

Honestly if Bungie managed to translate the design to the Xbox then it would have been one of the most groundbeaking shooters.

Hell, not even today has procedural generation in shooters been done properly, even dynamic open worlds are more of a recent phenominon in shooters.

Its a pity, I was hyped for it all that time back, and even though the final product is great, there is so much it could have, and well - should have been, based off the huge amount of information and hype at the time....

i prefer linear games

The game actually looks more fun than regular halo. I love the fact you aren't a super soldier. Just a regular guy put into a tight situation. I'd love if they made stealth a very important gameplay mechanic.

The game actually looks more fun than regular halo. I love the fact you aren't a super soldier. Just a regular guy put into a tight situation. I'd love if they made stealth a very important gameplay mechanic.

Espada12

The game actually looks more fun than regular halo. I love the fact you aren't a super soldier. Just a regular guy put into a tight situation. I'd love if they made stealth a very important gameplay mechanic.

Espada12

NON LINEAR in Halo means the option of exploring a tunnel being blocked by debris. Damn...DEBRIS!

OH NOES! DEAD END!

[QUOTE="Espada12"]

The game actually looks more fun than regular halo. I love the fact you aren't a super soldier. Just a regular guy put into a tight situation. I'd love if they made stealth a very important gameplay mechanic.

Vandalvideo

It looks that way but the game itself SHOULD have to change and I hope the silenced weapons/stealth play a big part in the new gameplay mechanics. These guys aren't exactly MC, they shouldn't be able to flip jeeps.. bust through tank hatches, drop kick people off bikes and air jack people... if they do well that would be epic fail, if they don't and new gameplay is introduced that's be awesome.

Personally I can't wait for this game like the sound of the less-linear structure. I tend to like games that have some linear and non-linear sections to them.

Is Halo Wars considered Linear? Maybe I'm confused over the meaning.

[QUOTE="Espada12"]

The game actually looks more fun than regular halo. I love the fact you aren't a super soldier. Just a regular guy put into a tight situation. I'd love if they made stealth a very important gameplay mechanic.

Vandalvideo

The game actually looks more fun than regular halo. I love the fact you aren't a super soldier. Just a regular guy put into a tight situation. I'd love if they made stealth a very important gameplay mechanic.

Espada12

Health packs are back, so you don't really regenerate health. Instead, you have a stamina gauge similar to Halo 1's shield.D00nut

that game is going to flop........7/10 if its lucky....Supa__Mario

that game is going to flop........7/10 if its lucky....Supa__Mario

[QUOTE="Supa__Mario"]that game is going to flop........7/10 if its lucky....enterawesome

Hooray, now we can have really chopppy story telling and lack of character involvement; Just what Halo always needed! Screw non-linear, open world games and their segmented stories.Vandalvideo

[QUOTE="Vandalvideo"]Hooray, now we can have really chopppy story telling and lack of character involvement; Just what Halo always needed! Screw non-linear, open world games and their segmented stories.lettuceman44

[QUOTE="lettuceman44"][QUOTE="Vandalvideo"]Hooray, now we can have really chopppy story telling and lack of character involvement; Just what Halo always needed! Screw non-linear, open world games and their segmented stories.Vandalvideo

That's cool, but linear does not necessarily mean bad. I really enjoyed COD4's campaign, and that was about as linear as it gets. Sometimes the most exciting gameplay can come from when you are led down a path.

DarthBilf

[QUOTE="Supa__Mario"]that game is going to flop........7/10 if its lucky....enterawesome

It ill flop when Bungie gets sick of Halo and want to streach their creative muscels that have gone dorment from remaking the same games with better graphics and fail bad

or they will run out of weapons to add i mean they added a hammer last time whats next? steel toed boots

lol jp

honestly i think ODST will be a 8-8.5

its gunna be halo

its gunna be a bit different

but I just don't know what will make it a 9+ in only a bit over a year

I think its just a lil bit of a money booster so they can afford the 2-3+ development of the return of master C on ... Wii with super pistol whip action

That sounds pretty cool. Can't wait for this.

[QUOTE="lettuceman44"] You can't use one game to backup a claim for an entire type of gameplay genre.Vandalvideo

Lol you just explained inFamous to the T i rented and beat it last week while it had awsome gameplayit was hard to get into the story because you would do genric mission between the main Quest much the way you would in GTA. the result was that i just wan't to play to get new power not to extend the story line. It kinda said it seemed like an ok plot i just didn't care.

[QUOTE="D00nut"]Health packs are back, so you don't really regenerate health. Instead, you have a stamina gauge similar to Halo 1's shield.Vandalvideo

[QUOTE="D00nut"]Health packs are back, so you don't really regenerate health. Instead, you have a stamina gauge similar to Halo 1's shield.Vandalvideo

Also, did you guys hear that it's now a full $60 release and not an expansion pack price? Bad move if you ask me.Ninja-Hippo

People have complained about Halo Combat Evolved being linear? I'd hate to see what those people think of Call of Duty.AAllxxjjnn