why i love holDiNg The liNe iN halo 3: oDsT

why I love... holdIng the lIne In odSt

Covenant at the gates, and not a super soldier in sight.Welcome to the space-age Alamo Samuel Riley

PubliSheR Microsoft GaMe studios / DeveloPeR BunGie / foRmat XBoX 360, XBoX one / ReleaSe Date out now

right Your ODSt team, separated in the streets of New Mombasa, takes on a whole Covenant army.

As the old saying goes – ‘to err is human, but to crush endless waves of alien interlopers is divine’. Or something like that… the point being that as far as the humans of the Halo universe seem to know, Spartan IIs may as well be green-clad gods among us.

With Halo 3: ODST, Bungie attempted to remind us of that fact, and of the fleshy helplessness of the rank-andfile foot soldier. Oh sure, Buck and his fellow shock troops may be the best of the best, but to an enemy intent on squishing them under a size-9,000 boot, the well-trained snail fares little better than the rest. Simply put, ODST is a game that makes deliberate and thoroughly linear space you feel vulnerable. – at least by franchise standards -

As the Chief, we’ve boogie-boarded Alpha Site cleverly sidesteps the issue space bombs and grappled with the of bland, stationary action by virtue of Gravemind. Here however, the battle its mobile ‘rolling defence’. lines have been redrawn, and what the seven-foot superman can achieve Foyer fight in mere moments tends to take a Playing as Dutch, you’ll kick things more human trooper the better part off by fleeing over a bridge – harried of an afternoon. on all sides by Banshees, Brutes and

And nowhere is this newfound frailty assorted plasma blasters. The beauty better expressed than when going on of this scene, and indeed much of the the defensive. Consider the game’s remaining mission, is the way in which sixth mission, ONI Alpha Site – a brief it forces you back organically – more yet beautifully paced encounter that as a consequence of the mounting represents the premier example of odds against you than as part of ‘defence done right’. some flimsy plot contrivance. The static defence mission is as played out fiReD uP Indeed, no objective is ever truly enforced here. today as the fixed gun ODST was the game that Instead, players are given emplacements upon which they typically brought wave defence mode Firefight to the Halo franchise. Levels a welcome degree of freedom to fight and flee depend. “Stand here, like Alpha Site were as they choose. man this and shoot that,” proof positive of its Would you rather fend they seem to shriek, “and defensive potential. off enemies than set the don’t you dare stop until explosives? No problem –we’ve run out of fodder”. In Mickey will rig the bridge. Or less capable hands, being on the perhaps you’d rather clamber onto back foot may as well translate to a turret, or snipe from atop a tower? ticking off a checklist. Knock down Fine, do whatever you choose – Halo these ladders, fix this barricade, has your back. Sure, it’s no sandbox, drop that bloody great stone thing but as meta-games go, holding out onto someone’s skull. It’s less a case alone, or with a friend, makes for one of saving the realm, and more making hell of a struggle. a mess at the hardware store. With the crossing now kaput,

Yet for all these issues, ODSThas Dutch soon finds himself running an answer, and it’s usually a damn into the rear of the Covenant good one at that. Confined to a tight, vanguard, creating a miniature

“It’s a simple, immediate and compelling system of risk and reward” ABOVE Lack of ammo makes for some desperate weapon swaps. You’ll be needing every last bullet.

pincer movement of sorts, even as the aliens’ own mandibles tighten around you. From there, Alpha Site’s hilly plaza quickly devolves into a landing site/enemy beachhead, as defence becomes attack becomes defence. One moment you may be reeling from a six-Brute staredown, and the next ripping off a mounted gun to desperately turn the tide. It’s breathless, chaotic stuff – and more discombobulating than watching a children’s TV builder trapped in an atomic test. You know, like the movie Watchmen, except with Bob The Builder? Forget it...

With the outer plaza surrendered, the action soon moves inside, and to a lobby scene that recalls some of cinema’s best efforts. Look left and you’re in The Matrix, to the right it’s Terminator 2, or Die Hard, or just about any other battle that gives pride of place to a reception desk.

If that last scrap was akin to Saving Private Ryan, then this one is surely the Alamo. With nowhere left to turn it’s time to make your stand, and what a last stand it is. Grenades go flying, ammo evaporates and Grunts make suicide charges aplenty. It’s terse, tense and terrifically exciting – the inadequacy of your defences only amplified by the lack of any Spartans on hand to save you. You’re the best of the best, but still only human. Every dead Brute is a bonus in a battle you were never supposed to win.

The only real let-down is the ending. The ensuing lift scene isn’t up to much, and the rooftop escape lacks the punch you’d expect, but these are minor gripes about what is a thoroughly enthralling level. Do yourself a favour and man those barricades. n