I know you're all busy playing Firefight right now, but it's that time of week to sit down and take a minute to listen to the pearls of wisdom spit by The Sess. Adam sits down to discuss Halo 3: ODST and its strangely muted presence in this year's list of big game releases. Does ODST not need a bit marketing push because it's a part of the Halo franchise that always sells well? Or is there another reason? Find out what Sessler thinks, and tell us your thoughts in the comments section.
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Raurik
Halo's not a bad game and it has, like you said, pulled a lot of people into gaming. What kills me are the people that play it online. It's not just Halo though. It's all online games. I was playing Skate 2 online and this kid wouldn't stop screaming. I ended up having to log off and find another room. The other one I hate is when you're playing something like Left 4 Dead when you're online and everyone else goes and does their own thing. The one game where there needs to be a lot of chatting going on, nothing. You have the guy that is trying to make a world record on how fast he can get to the safehouse, the guy that takes all the healths whether he needs them or not, and the guy that doesn't know what he's doing (and melees boomers). And no matter how hard you try to make contact with them none of them communicate. I eventually gave up on the gaming community, played through the game with the AI, and then traded it back in.
So basically what I've been trying to say the entire time is, "Halo isn't why I don't play Halo, Gamers are."
Same reason I haven't bought CoD:MW. I want to. I love the gameplay, but there's no co-op and the online community will leave me desiring to get rid of my PSN account. And it doesn't cost me anything.
AngelsandDemons
boy...that was a waste of time....Suggestion: Challenge the potential trend of sequels in video games as a result of the potential success of ODST. Or, what about bringing HALO to the PS3 in the same right that MGS and FF13 are coming to the 360. "Hao effect" for ODST? Maybe?...or HALO fans just like Halo games, particulary of the first person variety as opposed to Halo Warz,as their name would indicate.....must be awfully comfortable at the top Sessler....you've got a hard job, don't you?
Shodog
I think ODST has to be played first by yourself on Solo mode, to get the real feeling of the game. I played the first hour and a half, and found the game to be awesome. It has real sense of loneliness, that you don't get if you are playing with a friend talking over live. My suggestion would be play the game on solo on heroic, then with a friend on legendary. Then make your comments. I really like the game, it is alot of fun. The graphics show that they are a little dated, but it has a fresh feeling that I was worried it wouldn't have. But if you didn't like Halo 3, then you won't like ODST.... Shout out for L4D2.
Bigparr
personally i think that the halo/cod/gears of war comparisons are groundless at best.they are all different types of shooters and just as marble blast ultra can't be compared to hexic HD, they are different forms of one genre.COD is and was meant to be a realistic,tactical shooter and halo was meant to be a more sci-fi run and gun shooter.the comparisons are unjust due to personal play style.I own ODST and i think that its a great improvement for the series in both gameplay and story and definitely a step in the right direction.Im not only a halo fan,i love the tactics of COD but it really makes me mad when people bash me for playing a very good game that i really enjoy.
thefreed
I bet half of you never even played the game. Please do not bash xx it when you haven't had a hands on time because people do not like to hear your ignorance as much as you think otherwise.
If you do not like it, do not play it.
ButtCake_Fruit
Well Mr Sessler I think you're absolutely right. I think skepticism toward a high profile game is probably a combination of genuine worry and the natural law of the internet. Much like any sequel, movie, book, or videogame there's a concern of meeting expectations; will this entry be as good as the previous one? If not, it's immediately labeled a failure. And in an age of internet pessimism a high profile anything can never meet everyone's expectations.
If we're talking about a game's review score being influenced by its high profile, I think that's due partially to the gaming culture we live in today. We are influenced by "word of mouth," or synergy from the internet. The only people who are saying "Halo is a huge event" is us. One could look at the reviews for Killzone 2, a game which has a very good multiplayer component, but an average single player campaign. I felt most reviews overlooked that because the game was herald as the de facto event for the PS3 that year, and because of that it was granted a little extra boost in score. Similarly Halo is a perfect candidate to fall into this trend of influence simply because of its name, and the hype that comes with it. I often wonder how a non-gamer, someone just looking to have fun would review games, which makes my ear bleed.
I think our culture is forgetting where it came from. Is the game fun? That's the only thing that should matter.
JimDanD
I love Killzone 2, its an awesome game and so much fun to play, but all you haters bashing ODST because it outsold KZ2 need to stop whining. ODST is a great game, the campaign, thought somewhat shorter than previous Halo's, has one of the best stories and characters than any other. Firefight mode is great, and the multiplayer disk is a nice addition. If you dont play online at all, probably shouldnt get this game.
guillermo316
finsih it in 4 hours!
bsukenyan
in an unrelated note, not that adam will probably see this or even respond- but i did not realize the sess was a chili peppers fan. definitely my favorite band out there, mothers milk was a great album, but one of my favorites is freaky styley.
Adiorocks949
Adam Sessler can grow a beard?
velazkid
Nailed it on the head Sessler. Summary: Hating something just because its popular doesn't make you smart. Loving something just because lots of people love it isn't a good idea either. IMO it's about time someone with credibility is saying this. I have been for years now.
Tyri3l
While it was very shrewd on Microsofts part the way they handled ODST, I feel like it was to the games detriment. Obviously ODST is the only major exclusive game coming this holiday and it feels like there was a a bit of panic on Microsofts part a year ago. Let me explain. Clearly with Natal and System updates and implementing lastfm,skye, twitter, facebook Microsoft Xbox Division has been occupied. I almost get this sense that they were like "Oh crap, we don't have a game slated for holiday 2009 that we can cash in on."
The result was ODST went from a simple expansion that could have easily been DLC for Halo 3 to a $60 product. They're making a big deal out of including the Halo 3 multiplayer with a couple new maps and a remake. The thing is the sold millions of copies of Halo 3 and its still one of the most played games week in and week out so clearly people held on to it. If you already own Halo 3 how then do you justify paying $60 for ODST? The sense of value from that second disc seems to be fabricated so they could trick everyone including themselves that ODST was worth $60. Based on how Rockstar did an 8-10 hour episode with Lost and Damned in roughly the same amount of time for $20 and things like Shivering Isles for Oblivion or the various DLC's for Fallout 3 and the fact that they called it "Halo 3: ODST" solidifying that it uses the Halo 3 engine it just seems to me that ODST should and could have been a $20-$30 DLC for Halo 3.
If you're comfortable spending $60 and you feel like you get your monies worth out of ODST once you play it, more power to ya I'm glad you aren't suffering from buyers remorse. However the value just isn't there for me to justify spending $60 on it and I would just assume send that message to Microsoft so they don't think they can get away with this and so they release it as DLC for Halo 3 like they should have. I know it's almost guaranteed that ODST will sell millions of copies and I don't really expect MS to release ODST as DLC for Halo 3, but it's what I want and I don't intend to let them bend me over and I'm prepared to just skip ODST. I don't claim to be entitled to get ODST as DLC. They have every right to handle their products how they see fit and I'm entitled to spend my money when I want to and I just don't want to spend it on ODST in its current form.
Frankotaco
Halo is a mixed bag really. I think Adam pointed that out well. Halo is like Star Wars of the Game world. It got games known world over. And as he said everyone has played it pretty much. But it is a double edged sword in that it got people playing who don't play games, and only like it because its popular and "Cool."
As popular as Star Wars and Jaws are, and as revolutionary as they where to the average person. It wasn't really anything that hadn't been done before in the film world. And some who have watched and loved movies for decades, found them unworthy of there praise.
Many I know who love games and have for a long long time, feel the same for Halo. It didn't do anything new, it just did it right. Which does deserve some praise, but I still think the Halo series is the most over-rated piece of medium in history. They may be good, fun, games. But they are not revolutionary, other then breaking games into the collective contentiousness.
BKNY4evr
I'm really surprised that no one has called out Bungie (and thus giving them a pass) for releasing an initial expansion of Halo 3. The same "fanboys" that are gushing over ODST are probably the same who are criticizing Valve for releasing Left 4 Dead 2 (originally an expansion) so soon after L4D1.
With that being said, I think is was genius for Bungie to release ODST with little fanfare just for the fact that it WAS originally an expansion. Can you imagine the fire and brimstone-reactions on the messageboards if they marketed ODST and its 8hr campaign as they did Halo 2 and 3?! So for that reason alone Bungie saved money and grief.
groggy
sooooo should i NOT get odst? or is this just a big gay 360 vs ps party
SiK
LOL didnt the Play$laves buy the GT Prologe that was $60?
BoredTlingit
I think they need to improve the online gameplay first...all the maps in the world didn't save Halo 3 and the issues with the cheating...waiting to get out of the game lobby to actual gameplay and all the whole online experience for Halo 3 is one big disappointment...great idea for the party play...the rest just plain sucks...
l33t360
isn't cod just an annual rehash of the same engine with new missions, maps, etc, all at the cost of a lovely $60?
just sayin'..
leakime
Why do people like CoD so much? It pales in comparison to Halo and KZ2.
_MikeZ
I think ODST is good in spite of the fact it was a one year game. Its strongest suit is its firefight mode. It forces you to use teamwork and unique tatics instead of completely relying on that BR (which was taken out, too useful of a weapon for its own good) Though granted you need some freinds with the game too to truely appreciate it. In my opinion Firefight is the best mode to play compared to GOW2's Horde mode or COD:WAW's Nazi Zombies. The campaign has screwed me over though. Once because of a glitch where it made me redo a mission, but then i couldn't redo it because the intel or evidence I had to find on the ground was not there and therefore i couldn't move on and i am not willing to start over again. A five out of five in my opinion is too high. 4 out of 5 would do ODST justice.
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