It is full price in the US but not in Europe.

This game uses the Halo 3 engine, but to be fair, how many FPSs that people buy use their own engine? To say you're only getting a $30 game is to say anygame using the unreal engine is only giving you half a game. You're getting a full game, it's just using the same engine and universe of a game you've (most likely) bought already. If anything, the inclusion of the Halo 3 multiplayer allows those late to jumping-in an added value... That's how it should be viewed. I've bought a lot of video games in my time, and a relatively small number of them have absorbed 90% of my total playing time due to massive replayability and multiplayer. Those games are truely worth more than their pricetag. Some games feel like a real waste as $60, whereas games like those in the Halo series have been worth their pricetag many times over. In short, you get what you pay for, and having an "un-brainwashed" opinion allows me to see that something can be worth the money, even if I'd prefer it costs less.

I don't think it was a bungle; I think it was just a genuine change of strategy, but one that nonetheless has had a slightly damaging effect.

@Phrancheyez

well, you are getting 30$ worth of map packs with the title and all the free maps, a new online mode firefight that will probably be even more addictive then standard halo multiplayer, and a campaign using all new character who aren't invincible spartans.

Worth 60$ to me

OT: Yeah, bungie and Microsoft screwed themselves over. If they hadn't talked about it being an expansion, People would be jumping up and down and rioting in the streets to get their new halo game.

They have 1 million and a half pre orders in the states, they didn't screw up anything.

^ He meant review-wise, buddy.

personally i wouldn't be suprised if some of those bad reviews were made by sony - after all thier dirty tricks it wouldn't be that suprising. either way the fact that ODST is standalone expansion was clearly confirmed by Bungie guys in pretty much every interview.

i would say that:

- for Halo 3 owners it's 8/10 game,

- for new 360 owners or people who didn't bought Halo 3 yet it's 10/10 game - seriously, you're getting full Halo 3 multiplayer with all dlc packs, new maps and new multiplayer mode, quite satisfying singleplayer campaign and Halo Reach beta for 40$. it's not the pretier but definitely better game than MW2 for new 360 owners and it have tremendous replay value.

He's putting way too much stock into stuff from months ago. Most people buying the game are not going to be able to tell you much about what happened months ago at how this was pitched. They'll just remember that a Halo game is coming out and going to buy it. Sounds like someone has ants in their pants because this game will equal Fallout 3 sales in about a week. Why is it so hard for some people to just shut up?

EDIT: And sense when is Bethesda one to talk about ripping people off? Horse armor anyone?

No it's a great deal, you get a new campaign, all multi player map packs, and firefight mode. People forget gaming is also a buisness. And a buisness is supposed to make money.

Halo 3 still gets so much play on my Xbox, that it's hard to feel ripped off.