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Halo 3: ODST

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Template:Future video game

Halo 3: Recon
File:H3recon-cover.png
Developer(s)Bungie
Publisher(s)Microsoft Game Studios
Platform(s)Xbox 360[1]
ReleaseQ3 2009[1]
Genre(s)First-person shooter[1]
Mode(s)Single player, co-op, online co-op, multiplayer, online multiplayer, Forge, and Meta-game[1][2]

Halo 3: Recon[1] is a standalone expansion for Halo 3, based in the fictional Halo universe.[3] In the game, the players will take on the role of a UNSC Orbital Drop Shock Trooper (ODST) during the events leading up to Halo 3.[1]

Gameplay

Although the gameplay of Halo 3: Recon bears a strong resemblance to previous Halo games,[4] the player will not assume the role of Master Chief as in the main Halo trilogy, but rather a lone UNSC Orbital Drop Shock Trooper in the city of New Mombasa.[2] Since the ODST does not possess Master Chief's abilities and armor, he is more vulnerable to weapons fire, thus forcing the player to act more cautiously. While the game is not focused on stealth gameplay, some elements of stealth will be incorporated throughout the campaign.[2]

Plot

Setting

Recon takes place in the Halo universe in the year 2552, during the events of Halo 2. While the characters of Halo 2 are on the alien ringworld known as Delta Halo, Recon follows what happens at the city of New Mombasa on Earth, in the midst of an invasion by the hostile Covenant.[5]

Characters

The main character of the game is an unnamed member of the United Nations Space Command Orbital Drop Shock Troopers (also known as helljumpers), who often deploy in small, one-man Human Entry Vehicles (HEVs), launched from spaceships in the upper atmosphere.[4]

Development

Preproduction and trailer

Recon began development in March 2008.[6] Bungie community director Brian Jarrard stated in an interview that Recon "was a labor of love to [Bungie's] fans" who wanted more Halo-related content. Because Bungie did not want to do "more of the same", the main character as an ODST was chosen. "The ODSTs have always been fan favorites and the events that unfolded on Earth is something fans still clamor for after being "short changed" in Halo 2", Jarrard said,[7] in reference to complaints that Halo 2 ended too abruptly.[8] In an interview on MTV on July 16, 2008, Microsoft’s head of Xbox business, Don Mattrick, stated that Bungie was working on a new Halo game for Microsoft, independent of the franchise spinoffs Halo Wars and Halo Chronicles.[3]

An announcement of the new Halo project was expected at the Electronic Entertainment Expo 2008 game exposition, with Bungie unveiling a teaser on their web site, but the announcement was shelved by Microsoft.[9] Microsoft stated that it wanted the game to have its own event. On September 25, 2008, a year after the release of Halo 3, Bungie debuted a teaser for the new project on their web site.[10] A full trailer was released during the Tokyo Game Show on October 9, 2008, officially unveiling the game's name and a release date of Fall 2009. In an unusual approach for Bungie, the trailer was comprised of prerendered graphics, instead of being created using the game engine or existing assets; story director Joseph Staten explained that it was too early in the game's development to spend a large amount of time on the trailer, and it would not have allowed Bungie to add touches for fans to discuss.[6]

In post-trailer interviews, Bungie staff members told gaming press that Recon is to be the last installment in the Halo trilogy.[11] Though Bungie does not consider the Recon a full game[12] (staff member Luke Smith compared it to The Frozen Throne, an expansion to Warcraft III), the game will ship with Halo 3 map packs[5], and Recon will not require Halo 3 to play.[13]

Multiplayer

Bungie is including a multiplayer component with Halo 3:Recon, however the Halo 3:Recon will not be including any new game play features and it will be the same as the original Halo 3 multiplayer gameplay. Halo 3:Recon will ship with the "Mythic Map Pack", that will also be sold on Xbox Live Marketplace. The player will be able to use any other Halo 3 Downloaded Content (DLC), with Halo 3:Recon; Inclusive of the Heroic and Legendary Map Pack.

Audio

Bungie's audio director Martin O'Donnell once again contributed new music to Recon. Because of the shift to a new character, O'Donnell wanted to create new music that was evocative of Halo but branched in a different direction.[6]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g Staff (2008-10-09). "TGS 2008: Halo 3: Recon Facts". IGN. Retrieved 2008-10-09.
  2. ^ a b c Geddes, Ryan (2008-10-10). "Halo 3: Recon Preview". IGN. Retrieved 2008-10-10.
  3. ^ a b Totilo, Stephen (2008-07-16). "Microsoft: Bungie Is Developing A Halo Game". MTV. Retrieved 2008-07-23.
  4. ^ a b "A New Look at the Halo Universe" (HTML). Xbox.com. Microsoft. 2008-10-08. Retrieved 2008-10-10. {{cite web}}: Text "Microsoft#Entertainment_and_Devices_Division" ignored (help)
  5. ^ a b Geddes, Ryan (2008-10-09). "TGS 2008: Halo 3 Recon First Details". IGN. Retrieved 2008-10-10.
  6. ^ a b c Jarrard, Brian; Luke Smith, Chad Armstrong. The Bungie Podcast 10/31/08: With Joseph Staten, Martin O'Donnell, and Jim McQuillan (.MP3 (zipped)) (Podcast). Washington: Bungie. Retrieved 2008-11-02. {{cite AV media}}: Unknown parameter |date2= ignored (help)
  7. ^ Burg, Dustin (2008-10-15). "Bungie's Jarrard talks Halo 3: Recon, new weapons, details". Joystiq. Retrieved 2008-10-17.
  8. ^ Staff (2007-01-01). "Inside Bungie - Edge Online". Edge. Archived from the original on 2008-07-12. Retrieved 2007-02-09. {{cite web}}: |archive-date= / |archive-url= timestamp mismatch; 2007-01-22 suggested (help)
  9. ^ Smith, Luke (2008-07-07). "E3 Announcement Shelved, For Now". Bungie.net. Retrieved 2008-07-23.
  10. ^ Geddes, Ryan (2008-09-25). "Bungie Video Teases New Game". IGN. Retrieved 2008-09-25.
  11. ^ Elliott, Phil (2008-10-10). "Bungie: Recon is our last Halo trilogy project". GamesIndustry.biz. Retrieved 2008-10-11.
  12. ^ McWhertor, Michael (2008-10-10). "What Is Halo 3: Recon? Here's What It's *Not*". Kotaku. Retrieved 2008-10-10.
  13. ^ Totilo, Stephen. "'Halo 3 Recon' will have several bonuses for 'Halo 3' players". MTV. Retrieved 2008-10-10. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |pdate= ignored (help)