And, of course, all of the social features from Halo 3 will return as well, including saved games and screenshots, the Forge level editor, stat tracking, and the campaign scoring meta-game. Though we haven't heard direct confirmation as to whether all of your Halo 3 stats and rankings will simply carry over, it seems likely at this point. We also haven't heard any word on if the previously mentioned tweaked SMG will find its way into any of the new maps or Forge options. Cross your fingers.
For the hardcore, the major new addition for the online multiplayer game is that Halo 3: ODST will finally offer everyone the opportunity to earn their own set of the coveted Recon Armor. Currently only available to Bungie employees and the few they decide to dole it out to, the Recon Armor has become something of a unicorn. To get your own set, you'll have to start unlocking all of the Vidmaster achievements that have been added to Halo 3 through recent updates. Once you complete all of them -- including the ones added with the newly released Mythic Map Pack and the ones unlocked when Halo 3: ODST hits store shelves -- you will gain access to the Recon armor.
The Future
But is this the end of Halo 3? In a recent interview with IGN, Bungie's Brian Jarrard said that the group is, "viewing the ODST campaign and the included multiplayer maps as the final exclamation point in our ongoing efforts to extend the Halo 3 experience." The new multiplayer maps, it seems, will end here.
The Mythic Map Pack is out...and one of the last.
Though some comments by Bungie producer Allen Murray at the Game Developers Conference seemed to imply that the studio would be working on more, that misinterpretation has since been cleared up. There are currently no plans for more Halo 3 maps or campaign expansions after Halo 3: ODST releases this fall, though the team will continue to support the community by managing playlists, banning cheaters, and fixing any new exploits that may be discovered.
If the thought of new content drying up for Halo 3 has you all teary-eyed, we recommend keeping your chin up. You can always create your own new maps using the Forge. And Microsoft is most definitely not done with the Halo universe just yet. The recent success of Halo Wars proves that fans brought in by Master Chief aren't afraid to tackle different genres or play games made by developers that aren't Bungie. There's always the long-awaited game in the Halo universe that Peter Jackson of Lord of the Rings fame is supposedly working on. That one was announced back in 2006 with little more than rumors coming since. And there's always the potential that a non-Bungie developer will make Halo 4. Microsoft, after all, has been hiring an internal Halo team that will reportedly work on new games in the franchise.
Though that might be getting a bit ahead of ourselves. There's still Halo 3: ODST and you can bet we'll be hearing a lot more about it once a little show called E3 kicks off in early June.
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