If you do a Google search for “Curtis Creamer Warthog”, you’ll come across a 52-second YouTube clip of some men yahooing around a car park in a Warthog, the iconic vehicle from the Halo series.
Sitting in the driver’s seat is Curtis Creamer, a senior producer with Bungie, the makers of the Halo series and the soon-to-be released Halo: ODST. The location is Wellington, New Zealand. The Warthog was built by Peter Jackson’s Weta Workshops.
Gunning the Warhog’s Diesel engine, Creamer steers the machine alongside a row of warehouse-like buildings, glancing too close to a small wooden-framed, plastic-topped lean-to attached to one of the buildings. There is an audible scraping sound as the Warthog hits the side of the lean-to. A few metres later, the Warthog screams to a halt. Laughter is heard.
Microsoft have announced that Halo 3: ODST will deliver a completely new campaign, a new cooperative multiplayer experience called Firefight, the complete Halo 3 multiplayer experience on a standalone disc, and new competitive multiplayer maps for Halo 3.
Microsoft and Bungie today also revealed the remaining three multiplayer maps for ODST; Heretic, Citadel and Longshore:
Bungie has released some new screenshots of a co-operative multiplayer mode called "Firefight" to be included in the Halo 3: ODST expansion pack, coming to Xbox 360 in September.
"Firefight will put you to the test as you and your friends assume the role of an ODST squad and fight together to take on increasingly challenging waves of enemies. It’s where new Halo heroes will be born, and an opportunity to step into the boots of a legend."
Also announced is a retail incentive whereby players will get a code to unlock Sgt. Johnson as a playable character in Firefight mode if they preorder the game. There's no word however on whether this will be available in New Zealand.
I’m not the world’s greatest Halo fan, but even my eyes were impressed with what I saw at Microsoft’s closed door presentation of the game at E3 today. Halo 3: ODST is a new tweak on a familiar world.
At the closed door session, a dude from Bungie said when the game launched it would come as a two-disc set: one with the campaign and Firefight multiplayer mode and the second a Halo 3 competitive multiplayer disc, which will have three new maps, including a remake of the classic Midship map, and all 21 original maps.
Bungie says ODST is a brand new campaign. They showed the opening movie for the game, which showed some officer types dressed in battle armour discussing the plan of attack on the planet below. They’re standing at a huge holo-map. An ODST (Orbital Drop Shock Trooper) soldier called Buck (I think) is talking to a female soldier called Veronica (I think), who he insults. She walks off. Next we see three troopers trying to decide which weapons to take on the mission. one of them sees a weapon good in close combat situations the ideal thing to do the job. A fellow soldier thusts a shotgun into his hand, telling him this will do the job.
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Includes access to the Halo Reach Beta!
Developed exclusively for Xbox 360 by acclaimed developer Bungie, "Halo 3: ODST" is a new game in the "Halo" saga that lets people experience events leading up to the epic story told in "Halo 3" through the eyes of an ODST (Orbital Drop Shock Trooper), as they search for clues leading to the whereabouts of their scattered squad and the motivations behind the Covenant's invasion of New Mombasa. The release adds a new dimension to an all-encompassing universe that gamers around the world have known and loved for close to eight years.
"Halo 3: ODST" also introduces Firefight, a new cooperative multiplayer* mode where up to four players can assume the role of an ODST squad and fight together to take on increasingly challenging waves of enemies. Also included are three new "Halo 3" multiplayer maps on a 2nd standalone disc, which includes all original "Halo 3" maps, as well as the "Legendary," "Heroic," and "Mythic" Map packs for a total of 24 maps.
Features:
- All-new campaign content. The "Halo 3: ODST" campaign explores mysterious events leading up to the Master Chief's return to New Mombasa in "Halo 3." Experience the fate of Earth from the brand-new perspective of a special forces ODST (Orbital Drop Shock Trooper), adding a unique outlook and new gameplay elements to the events that unfold in the trilogy's finale. This new chapter captures the same great feel of previous "Halo" experiences while offering fans new tactics, tools and weapons to defeat the Covenant.
- A new hero: Prepare to drop. ODSTs or "Orbital Drop Shock Troopers" are highly-trained special forces operators. Known for their courage, valor and willingness to tackle missions no sane soldier would, ODSTs pride themselves on being the first unit deployed into hostile situations, often in one-man drop-pods that burn through planetary atmospheres at break-neck speed.
- Expanded multiplayer experience. No "Halo" game would be complete without groundbreaking multiplayer content. "Halo 3: ODST" introduces an entirely new way to play "Halo" with Firefight, a cooperative multiplayer mode included on the campaign disc that lets up to four people jump immediately into combat. As an ODST squad, you will face increasingly challenging waves of enemies together, striving to earn the highest scores possible, while various "Halo 3" "Skulls" are progressively activated. The experience is intense and ever-evolving. "Halo 3: ODST" also includes a separate, standalone multiplayer disc which includes three new "Halo 3" multiplayer maps, all original "Halo 3" maps, as well as the "Legendary," "Heroic," and "Mythic" Map packs for a total of 24 maps.
- Ever-growing community options. Players will continue to enjoy all the great "Halo 3" technological innovations, including Saved Films, screenshots, Campaign Scoring and four-player co-op over Xbox LIVE. All of the new "Halo 3" multiplayer maps fully support the Forge editor, offering near endless gameplay customization possibilities for fans.
- Key to "Halo: Reach." As a special bonus for fans, all copies of "Halo 3: ODST" will provide access to the "Halo: Reach" multiplayer beta when the beta goes live. More information about the "Halo: Reach" multiplayer beta will be shared at a later date.
