Speaking to
GamePro, Joseph Staten, writer and creative director of Halo 3: ODST, has revealed new details regarding the story and gameplay mechanics of the game. Here are some of the more interesting highlights:
You won't ever meet the Chief. Basically, Halo 3: ODST happens while the Chief is away from Earth -- after he leaves for the "Delta Halo" in Halo 2 and before he crashes into the jungle at the start of Halo 3. ODST doesn't cover all the Chief's absence. But it does fill a very interesting part of that gap.
A lot more tactical, which is to say you need to think before you engage -- decide how you want to take apart an encounter before diving in or you'll get into trouble pretty quick, especially on higher difficulty levels. Unlike a Spartan, an ODST doesn't have shields. You're a little slower too, so if you get hit you can't just run sprint to safety. The golden rule of ODST combat is "look before you leap."
The silenced SMG is just one of the tweaks to the Halo 3 sandbox that make ODST a stealthier experience -- one that, at least in the open environment of nighttime New Mombasa, rewards a more measured approach to combat. As a non-Spartan, you'll need to be careful about the fights you pick, especially when you're on your own. Luckily the silenced SMG excels at dropping unwary, unshielded enemies.
Click here to read the whole interview.
