Halo 3: ODST Reviewed

KrAzY wrote:the game is fun.... but IMO the groups of coveneant I am meet9ing at very predictable locations are starting to get sameish.... and i've only done 3 of the flash backs so far

yeah, bungie tried to pretend like its non-linear and truly free roam but its not.

its EXTREMELY linear and has an exceptionally small amount of free-roam potential. once you have naughty naughty and all the audio files there is zero reason to ever go to mombasa streets. since there is almost nothing to explore

KristallNacht wrote:but the issue is, what if you don't give a crap about the maps?

you're forced to buy them anyway

This is a HUGE problem I have with Bungie and the way they handle DLC.

With Halo 2, Bungie did it like this:

First, they released the map packs for pretty reasonable prices. I believe 3 maps typically cost you around 6 dollars, and the last two maps they released only cost 4. After that, they created playlists for people with those maps, and, of course, allowed you to play them in custom games with other people who had those maps. It stayed like this for a month or two, at which point those maps were re-released completely free of charge, and they were fully integrated into all matchmaking modes.

With Halo 3... Bungie has violated their own code.

Right now, I don't have the legendary map pack. Because of this, I am not able to play just about any matchmaking, aside from social slayer. In this way, bungie has detracted from my original purchase. Despite the fact that I paid $60 for Halo 3, and am paying $50 a year for Xbox Live, because I have chosen not to give up another ten dollars (I think it might be $5 now), I'm having features that I already paid for taken away.

Bungie made the heroic map pack free after a while, but the legendary map pack, which came out in April of 2008, still costs money, and it has been integrated into regular matchmaking PRIOR to becoming free.

This is VERY VERY BAD. Game developers should NOT be allowed to detract from your original purchase, or limit you from accessing certain features that you already paid for. DLC should only be required to play regular matchmaking game-types AFTER it has become free.

Bungie used to preach this, but they seem to have forgotten. I'm sure Microsoft is highly to blame as well.

KristallNacht wrote:but the issue is, what if you don't give a crap about the maps?

you're forced to buy them anyway

Well, that's like saying, "What if you don't give a crap about campaign?" You're forced to buy it anyways. You can't just pick and choose what you want from a game, you buy it all.

I think it was nice to have the entire Halo 3 multiplayer system tagged on with this. I would have payed $60 for the game without the maps (firefight is awesome and while the campaign may not be as free as anticipated, it's much more open than any other Halo game before it).

Old Halo games had two primary features: Campaign and Multiplayer. ODST doesn't have a new multiplayer, but it has firefight and it gives you Halo 3's entire multiplayer system plus three all new maps and a new set of armor. That's pretty nice.

And Recon, you're right that it's wrong for them to charge you extra after the fact, but it's only $10... are you that cheap?

Civ wrote:And Recon, you're right that it's wrong for them to charge you extra after the fact, but it's only $10... are you that cheap?

Yeah, and to be honest, I don't really care about not being able to play matchmaking.

It's just the concept that pisses me off.