Worth Playing

Thanks to a combination of well-designed levels, a solid story line, addicting multiplayer and top-notch voice acting, Halo 3: ODST presents a package that is even more compelling than its namesake. The game is not only better than Halo 3; it is the best Halo title to date. And, planned or not, Bungie has also managed to create a compelling character in Gunnery Sergeant Buck. He is just as much the hero as Master Chief ever was.

Team Xbox

A fantastic game that reminds us of why Halo was so great in the first place.

Planet Xbox 360

One of the more impressive aspects of Halo 3: ODST is the soundtrack, a symphony of fantastic and epic music that will inspire players to fight their hearts out every minute of the campaign mode. More than once while playing the subtle music ran a chill down our back, reminiscent of something available in only the most intense of films. Overall the title is exactly what we expected it to be, a different look at one of the most beloved franchises on the Xbox 360 console.

Multiplayer.it

Quotation forthcoming.

1UP

ODST does suffer for the lack of genuinely new elements it adds to the Halo universe, and the campaign mode is a bit brief. Yet between the enormous scope of New Mombasa, the unique atmosphere, and the brilliance of Firefight mode, I can easily see myself pouring more time into ODST than any other Halo to date.

Computer and Video Games

. This is a meaty, loud and epic new Halo with a superb new campaign and an awesome co-op multiplayer mode with all the Halo 3 multiplayer shenanigans thrown in for good measure. It may be a little short and it's not a far cry from what Halo fans have seen already. But it's more of the same industry-defining quality you expect from Bungie.

Eurogamer Portugal

Bungie decided to create a different experience from what you find in other games, both in form and development of the narrative and in terms of gameplay. With a good campaign mode, the main problem with Halo 3: ODST is that its duration is somewhat reduced. However, it is still a great game that will please fans and lovers of FPS. The addition of a second disc with one of the best online modes available can be a decoy for those who have not joined the fight.

IGN

There are places where Halo 3: ODST could be improved, but when it comes right down to it, every Halo fan should buy this game. Even if you've lost interest in the franchise over the years or haven't ever given a Halo game a look, you'd do well to grab ODST and a few friends for some of the best multiplayer gaming around, especially with as wonderful an addition as Firefight.

GamePro

In my opinion, Halo 3: ODST is the best Halo game yet. The campaign is shorter than in previous games, but the quality makes for a punchier, action-packed thrill ride from start to finish.

Official Xbox Magazine UK

Those who've already purchased the DLC might look at that £40 price tag with concern, but - make sure you're seated - we reckon its quality, not quantity that matters most here. And ODST has bundles of in both it's superb single-player and sublime online modes.

VideoGamer

With ODST, it often feels as if Bungie desperately wanted to create something different, but, for whatever reason, wasn't able to go as far as it wanted. There are obvious influences from other games, most clearly 2K Games' BioShock, and distinct tweaks in the tried and trusted Halo formula, but ODST is still very much a Halo game that fans will instantly find familiar.

MEGamers

People might enjoy this game more if they stop overhyping it. ODST is a great game that is NOT meant to be a sequel but at the end of the day will still be judged as one.

IGN UK

When it delivers, it does so with an excellence unmatched within the genre. Ultimately though, it fails to build upon the framework of Halo 3 in a way meaningful enough to put it on par with Bungie’s previous efforts, resulting in a game that’s merely great.

Meristation

Quotation forthcoming.

Play.tm

Despite initial concerns about the price tag, Halo 3: ODST offers up a surprising glut of content for your money. Bungie aren't making a concentrated effort to reinvent the formula they've so successfully championed, and for that reason they're likely to come across their fair share of detractors. Halo 3: ODST is never going to be considered game of the year, but Firefight in particular will likely be played for a long time to come.

3DJuegos

Quotation forthcoming.

GameSpy

The story is more interesting and coherent than Halo's narrative has ever been, and the environments make the game feel slightly different at times, in an exciting, challenging way. That said, I wish Bungie had taken it even further; playing as the titular ODST (Orbital Drop Shock Trooper, essentially the Halo universe's version of a special forces unit) made me feel like they missed some opportunities.

Giant Bomb

Halo 3: ODST fills in a few interesting spots in the Halo timeline, even if the characters themselves aren't strong enough to carry the narrative. But it strikes a healthy balance between new twists and more content done in Bungie's trademark style. The more important thing is that if you've enjoyed playing Bungie's Halo games in the past, chances are you'll continue to enjoy that style in ODST.

IGN AU

Even with its superb gameplay and the addictive new Firefight co-op mode, a five-hour campaign is a paltry amount of content for a full-priced game. If you’re flush with cash or a mad-keen Halo devotee then ODST’s definitely worth picking up, but others might want to save their money for something else.

Destructoid

Overall, Firefight is a blast and one of the most refreshing experiences with a Halo game in a long time. Firefight is almost worth the purchase of Halo 3: ODST on its own. It encourages teamwork and it’s a feature that games need more of in this day and age.

Eurogamer

It's the shadow cast by Halo 3 itself, and its contemporaries then and since, that proves slightly too long and broad for Bungie's valiant efforts of the past 18 months to escape, because no matter the quality of what's on offer, they can't reasonably make the same demand of your wallet, and yet they still do.

GameDaily

ODST covers a lot of familiar territory. Only two new weapons appear, and a majority of the missions feel similar to ones from previous Halos. Because of this, the game doesn't feel nearly as epic, but it still provides several hours of Covenant stomping fun.

Level7.nu

Quotation forthcoming.

Games Radar (in-house)

In many ways, Halo 3: ODST marks a bold departure from the franchise formula, with story, characters, atmosphere and multiplayer that are refreshingly, surprisingly different. Due to a short campaign and overly familiar gameplay, however, it fails to escape the “expansion pack” label.

Eurogamer Italy

Thinking about ODST as the must buy for the player who plays alone is totally wrong. And even if the scenario changes playing with your friends, thinking about GTA: Lost and Damned as a full game released at 1800 MP should let everyone think about buying it at full price.