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For any fans of the Halo series of games then you will already know what is going on in the Halo universe and what to expect from the games. For anyone new to the series or new to gaming then allow me a brief explanation.

Halo ODST is a first person shooter video game developed by Bungie and is the latest release of the Halo franchise after; Halo, Halo 2 and Halo 3.

Halo ODST (standing for Orbital Drop Shock Troopers) takes place timeline wise BEFORE Halo 3, on the ground in New Mombasa where the Covenant (bad guys) are waging war on Earth.

Characters
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With no link to the previous games character wise, you play as the rookie in a squad of ODST's on the ground fighting for control of the city. As you progress through the game you will unlock the other members of the squad and all are then playable from then onward. The squad consists of Buck, Dutch, Romeo, Mickey, and Dare. The characters are voiced by some of my favourite actors including Nathan Fillion and Alex Baldwin (Mal and Jane from Firefly for anyone not familiar with them).

Campaign
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The campaign (the main story) for this game is rather short. ODST was never meant to be a full game, just something to fill the gap between the release of Halo 3 and Halo: Reach which is released next year.

The storyline is pretty simple and easy to follow and there are a good amount of flashbacks and cut scenes to keep you filled in on what's happening.

The setting for the campaign is wonderful. New Mombasa is a completely free roaming city, where you can go in any direction you want to and explore. The detail is amazing and as ever, the game has great graphics and looks amazing. It is a little on the dark side and quite dull coloured. Due to this, there is a new VIZA mode, which allows you to switch on your helmet viza allowing you to see clearer and also helps highlight enemies and points of interest.

Multiplayer
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The campaign mode is playable by up to 4 characters either on a local network (split screen) or over Xbox Live. Halo IS a multiplayer game, as much as it is enjoyable alone, nothing really beats playing with friends, when you can discuss strategy and laugh at the funny ways your team mates can and will die.

A new addition in ODST that was not available in Halo 3 is "firefight". Similar to "Horde" in "Gears of War" you and up to 3 others play on one of a number of maps and must hold off wave upon wave of enemies. With weapons, health and ammo becoming more and more difficult to find, as the waves and sets progress

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