Halo 3 ODST: Alone in the Dark | A Story Essay

[@calvinfishermedia]

Thanks for watching! One detail I forgot to mention: Sadie's Story references Dante's Inferno and takes great inspiration from it. The name Vergil has significance, as he is Dante's guide. Likewise, Vergil guides Sadie. Edit: I also refer to the game as Halo ODST in my script, instead of the full title Halo 3 ODST. It was a bit easier for me to say and resulted in less stumbling in my script. So that is why, if you were wondering!

[@tmi1234567]

The whole game regularly references Dante's Inferno. ODSTs are "helljumpers" and the whole story of ODST revolves around exploring the idea of "hell on earth" with numerous references and parallels to Dante's Inferno. The channel Instalation00 did a very good video covering this and goes in depth into ODST's connections to Dante's Inferno.

[@calvinfishermedia]

@@tmi1234567 That sounds really interesting, I'll check out the video! Appreciate the recommendation.

[@LegoAngel-yk6pe]

Ash Williams (Army of darkness) or Josh McGrath / Max Steel or Action Man (1993) or Guts / Gatsu (berserk) be like John 117 or Noble 6 or Zavala or Lord Saladin (Destiny), Elizaberth Betsy Braddock / Psylocke or Setsuna Meiou / sailor pluto or Kaine or A2 (Nier) or Lina Inverse (slayers 1989) be like Cortana, Duke Nukem rises from the ashes, theory or clue Halo is the future from the real life, theories and clue Aliens from rea life not all are fake

[@Kyora473]

Broooo if you didn't collect all the logs in-game you don't get the end of the story, which happens in the last mi9ssion only if you got all the logs

[@AmalfiPaws]

I have a personal theory about the Rookies real name. His initials are J.D and Buck has been known to refer to the Rookie as James. My theory is that his last name is actually Dante because Virgil guides the Rookie through the ‘levels’ and the Audio Logs are divided by ‘Circles’ with each one having one of the seven deadly sins as themes. So its only fitting that the Rookies last name is actually Dante

[@tomfoolery5844]

As I’ve grown older, the ODST story has become my favorite Halo campaign.

[@calvinfishermedia]

ODST has grown on my list significantly. Years ago, it was low on my list of Halos. Now it is one of my favorites

[@thexskating]

I love it so damned much

[@okayrookie]

Agreed 💯

[@CookieMonster-UK]

I always loved the ODST campaign, one scene that always stuck with me was when they worked together to take down that brute. I liked how despite being so vulnerable compared to Spartan 2's they still had that warrior mentality and work together to overcome the odds. Always wished they'd done a full ODST game.

[@dvdivine1962]

​@@CookieMonster-UK Same odst was my first introduction to halo as a kid so it stuck with more than the other halos.

[@thea-ronator57]

This was great. Another detail I love about this campaign is that, in addition to the secret encounter with the corrupt cop, if you solve the mystery by finding all of the logs, you also get an alternate cutscene when the Rookie and Dare meet Virgil. The Rookie whistles in order to bring Virgil out of hiding and once he realizes the Rookie is there he immediately floats over to him, indicating that they have formed somewhat of a bond over the course of the game. It was the engineer all along that was guiding the Rookie to where he needed to go, even showing him where to find the audio logs using traffic signages that say “Keep Right,” “Please Walk,””No Access” and so on. Virgil is sentient and wants the player to know his story. If you take the time to learn it through the audio logs, the game reflects that with their bond in the alternate cutscene.

[@calvinfishermedia]

Wow, I had no clue about this additional detail! Thanks for sharing, I appreciate it.

[@MichaelKLee-jf7qs]

I’m gonna play through it again for the 10th time just to complete the logs lol

[@thea-ronator57]

@@MichaelKLee-jf7qs it’s worth it imo

[@empirepolice8313]

what’s also cool is that the whistle is the some tune that plays on the all the Technology that Virgl communicates with

[@Labbazz]

there is even more alternating things like if you do not kill a single engineer the Buck and Dare banter bout the engineers are altered.

[@icarusgaming6269]

The Superintendent will guide you step-by-step to every audio log if you know how to listen to him. Arrows, text signs, and color coding will tell you whether you're going through right way, where to find resources, and even warn you about upcoming patrols. Watch for the roads and billboards changing when you get close, listen for beeps or the movement of automated machinery. This puts you in conversation with the world rather than just traversing it in a way I haven't seen any other game do

[@calvinfishermedia]

This is a really cool detail! Thanks for pointing it out.

[@schnoz2372]

Ok i thought i was crazy but im glad someone else noticed those things

[@MrJakeros]

"Not from a stray round or a grenade." Halo 2 Legendary jackals: Are you sure about that?

[@calvinfishermedia]

Lol that is definitely a fair point!

[@FREBRD]

14:38 just a note for people who don’t know, the vehicle Dutch jumps in changes depending on what your driving when you trigger the cut scene. But will always be a warthog on Rookie’s side

[@calvinfishermedia]

Dang I didn’t know that, thanks for sharing! During that part I was like “I swear it was a warthog last time” lol so I am glad I’m not crazy

[@FREBRD]

@calvinfishermedia no probs next time if your not sure on something do a second or third playthrought to make sure

[@Jacksonmoonstar1714]

The amount of times where at night I randomly watch some videos on ODST or Reach, then get the strongest urge to just play the game, is insane. There really isn’t anything quite like playing a somber halo game very late at night, around after midnight. It shoves you directly into the actual narrative and your emotions emulate the gameplay. I absolutely love those two games.

[@calvinfishermedia]

I definitely get that! They have a unique vibe and atmosphere that no other games really march.

[@BobPantsSpongeSquare97]

It's crazy because as a kid I didn't care for ODST's story because of the flashback moments and the rookie running around by himself but after not playing the game for many years and returning to it as an adult, I love it. For the many reasons you described and just the overall atmosphereic vibes

[@calvinfishermedia]

Thanks for sharing! I feel like it’s a story that you appreciate more the second time around. That is what happened for me at least

[@Dat_Ruski]

Even as a kid in elementary school, ODST was always one of my favorite games. I used to write fan-fictions in school narrating experiences I had in the game while playing as The Rookie, like when I ripped a plasma turret off it's base and charged a hunter head-on. Something about the game spoke to me as a kid, but I could never really articulate why, and I'm still learning new things about the game and finding new reasons to love it. Even after 14 years since first playing it, even after finally going back and playing the first two games thanks to the Master Chief Collection, even after playing through all the games again and again, Halo 3: ODST still ranks as one of my favorite games of all time and holds a special place in my heart.

[@calvinfishermedia]

That’s awesome that the game left such an impression on you! It’s pretty special when a game can speak to you that way. Thanks for watching

[@rienstien1]

This game came out after Halo 3 and before Reach, and I always felt you can see Bungie making this as a sort of stepping stone to practice for Reach. Having multiple squad characters who converse and have histories; the Master Chief trilogy before this does have characters but they don't interact in ways beyond basic story. This game's also especially fun to play co-op, just a recommendation. Great video!

[@calvinfishermedia]

Thanks for watching and sharing your opinion! I agree, you can definitely see Bungie starting to toy with the ideas that eventually matured in Halo Reach. I haven't played much of Halo in co op, but it sounds like a lot of fun!

[@roamingpan4694]

I always felt that the power trip of the mission you play as Mickey followed by the ONI building mission was meant to convey that even though you look like you're winning ultimately you're being backed into a corner and have with no way out and forced to confront the hopelessness of the situation from a power fantasy high.

[@calvinfishermedia]

I really like this interpretation. That makes a lot of sense. Thanks for sharing!

[@arbiterally101]

It’s very fitting with the desperation of the setting. A marine squad might hold out and even overpower a small Covenant assault, but they’ll never be able to overpower the Covenant itself. There’s always more Phantoms coming in. Always more carriers overhead, and even with a Scorpion, you know that ultimately you’ll have to abandon that vehicle, and your allies are slowly dwindling.

[@hailstorm9735]

How i feel with rookie and what can make him seem like he isn't a true rookie is that he new he is still one of the unsc elite. In lore the odsts are not slouches and have experience using enemie weapons. They have to be able to fight a guerilla warfare so being trained on how covenant weapons work completely makes sense.

[@calvinfishermedia]

Those are definitely fair points! Rookie using only UNSC weapons may not work lore wise, so that is another fair reason why it may not have been a good implementation. Thanks for watching!

[@macgriggs9350]

​@@calvinfishermediaif you read Halo: New Blood, a book about Buck's life, you will learn that the rookie wasn't actually a rookie. Yes he was the new guy and was younger than anyone else on the team, but he was actually a battle hardened veteren that had seen a lot of combat. Just not as much as the rest of the team. In true ball busting military form he was dubbed "the Rookie." He just went along with it due to his reserved and humble nature and not wanting to get off on the wrong foot with his new team.

[@calvinfishermedia]

@@macgriggs9350 Thanks for sharing! That makes a lot of sense about the Rookie. I'll have to check the book out.

[@Giddog40]

@@macgriggs9350wasn’t he actually older than Mickey?

[@yorecf9641]

@@Giddog40 he outranked Mickey at least. He was just the newest member of Alpha-Nine, hence his nickname.

[@Volcarion]

one of the best parts of the game is while walking around, the area feels more than deserted, but like the whole place ought to be teeming with people, or that they were all there moments ago and you just misssed them. It's a feeling that I feel is missing from a number of other games that take place in deserted cities, and it feels so menacing

[@calvinfishermedia]

I agree! They definitely captured the feeling of there being a profound void in the city. Thanks for watching.

[@frigons107]

I love the fact about the Chief destroying all the Covenant army in 3 game.... but a full squad of ODST need one game for saving some data....

[@calvinfishermedia]

This definitely puts it into perspective. Thanks for watching!

[@GEOV35]

ODST always felt like the most grounded Halo game to me

[@calvinfishermedia]

Definitely with you there! The small-scale and intimate nature of the story really works for me. The ODSTs aren't going to save the world themselves, but they are doing the best job they can. Thanks for watching!

[@tv_tim]

This and Reach are my favorite Halo games, and it mainly comes down to the squad members giving more life/character to what's going on. You get a lot of context and chatter from Cortana and your fellow soldiers, but the squad members give you something more than the stoic soldier and the nameless marines he runs into can. The squad members of both games bring a personality that is missing from Master Chief. The ODST squad does actually get a continuance of their story in some books and they talk about what happens to the rookie, leads into how Buck was a spartan by the time of Halo 5, and even touches on the surviving Noble Team member from Reach. And finally: congratulations on winning the New England Book Festival award.

[@calvinfishermedia]

Thank you!! I agree, I think the squad dynamics of ODST and Reach make me more invested in the characters and overall story than the original trilogy. I have heard about the subsequent books, but I haven’t read them. Would you recommend checking them out?

[@tv_tim]

@@calvinfishermedia If you enjoyed the ODST squad then I would say yes. Halo: New Blood is the first book and takes place after the human-covenant war. Halo: Bad Blood is the second book and takes place after Halo 5 and is basically an epilogue/proper ending to that game plus a good amount more.

[@cristianbazurto7028]

I'm replaying this game right now. I remember playing it years ago when I was younger and just feeling a sense of fear and dread. Something just felt very uneasy, as if my character didn't belong where he was. Such a fantastic game.

[@calvinfishermedia]

The atmosphere is incredible! There is definitely an alien feeling, of being somewhere you feel like you shouldn’t be. Thanks for watching

[@lonewolf0712]

15:52 not to mention you can actually carry 3 of each grenade instead of just 2. The backpack could explain that tho.

[@calvinfishermedia]

That is a good point to note! Thanks for watching

[@lonewolf0712]

@@calvinfishermedia keep up the good vids 👍

[@lotekchapra]

This game was huge for me when it came out. The storyline with virgil and the teen girl were originally part of the ilovebees ARG where you find out her and her friends are spartan 1.5's cause thier parents are all spartan 1's, so her journey turns into helping her friends steal a pelican so they can do an op on a covenant home world. Was some cool shit to see bungie didnt forget that.

[@calvinfishermedia]

That is a cool detail! Thanks for sharing.

[@lotekchapra]

@@calvinfishermediaIm being heavily reductionist too. It's worth checking the original story out cause it ties into the newer games, i havent played them, but i saw a trailer with a young girl who had a bee pendant necklace who turns into a spartan 4. I believe they are tied to eachother as character concepts.

[@THEalfalfa1]

i only just now played and completed odst for the first time a couple weeks back, and wow. the parallels it has with halo reach are for me indicative of the game reach was to become, and i love that about it. great essay. the melancholy, confusion, helplessness etc of war and its consequences are spelled out well in this game and in reach

[@calvinfishermedia]

Thanks for watching! I know what you mean about parallels between ODST and Reach! They both set their moods fantastically

[@hades217]

I remember that at the time the game came out, Night Vision made it so the enemy could see you. Reflection of the green light on your face. I don’t know if that was ever changed.

[@calvinfishermedia]

Interesting! I haven’t heard that detail before. Thanks for sharing

[@KeithBoehler]

Worth noting the audio logs are a mirror of Dante's Inferno. Appropriate for a city descending into ruin.

[@calvinfishermedia]

True! This is a good point I forgot to bring up but included my pinned comment. Thanks for watching and sharing!

[@pantrohuerta2664]

One of my favorite games, also I think The Rookie and UNSC mowing down Covenant troops is still pretty acurate since most of the time in the lore is always said that humanity at ground level is better than the covenant, but the win most of the war in the space because ground troops are helpless against glassing from orbit. Thats why the go to tactic of the covenant most of the time is to use their superior space ships

[@calvinfishermedia]

That is a good point lore wise! I just read Fall of Reach a couple months back, and that book did a good job of illustrating the Covenant’s power in the air. Thanks for watching.

[@ChrisSmith-mi2zo]

Most significantly, we see the UNSC consistently outsmarting the Covenant. The aliens aren't stupid, but they are rigid and inflexible, while human commanders, or even civilian militia, are more independent and can be more creative in their strategy and tactics, making better use of their more limited resources. Even simple maneuvers like the Keyes Loop are successful against superior Covenant forces. On the ground, especially with infantry forces, having good strategy and tactics at all levels is key to success, and technological or numerical disavdantages can be overcome to a greater degree. This is a pillar of all asymmetrical warfare. We mostly only see the UNSC defeated on the ground either by overwhelming fire (glassing), overwhelming numbers, or rarely overwhelming force in the form of high-ranking Elite or Brute forces. As the theater expands into armor, aircraft, or spacecraft, technology plays a greater role and is harder to overcome with cleverness. Even logistical factors like Covenant ships having consistent and coordinated slipspace jumps while UNSC drives are unpredictable creates a significant disadvantage for human ships. This continues into gameplay as well, AI enemies cannot think creatively like a human player, and even if Chief is stronger than most enemies he faces, the player is still outsmarting more numerous enemies. Ingenuity and unconventional tactics are also a staple of every game, as the main characters quickly adapt to new situations and find unexpected solutions to solve problems or fight against the Covenant and/or Flood.

[@MatthewJamesKalasky]

15:00 I like how they made it so that whatever vehicle you drove off the ramp is the one used in the cutscene.

[@calvinfishermedia]

Yeah, that is a neat detail for sure!! Thanks for checking out the video

[@colewyatt9839]

A very nice analysis for sure, especially the counterplay between ODST vulnerability vs Spartan power fantasies. It would have been neat to see you talk more about the superintendent and how it helps the Rookie more throughout the game (signs with directions appearing and weapon caches opening up) but aside from that and some minor mistakes like referring to the phantom as a wraith at the end, it was much appreciated. I always look forward to hearing someone talk about ODST. Cheers and job well done!

[@calvinfishermedia]

Thanks for watching and providing constructive feedback! Glad you enjoyed the video.

[@LAHFaust]

I liked the constant green hue of the NOD when playing as the Rookie, it made you feel... separated from the world. Like you're traversing the spirit world in Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver. You're a revanent traversing a graveyard.

[@calvinfishermedia]

That makes sense! There is definitely a surreal, otherworldly feeling when using the NODS. Thanks for watching

[@Yuukat25]

Ah! I loved this breakdown! I really love this soundtrack to this game as well. So thank you for including it in the video as you could

[@calvinfishermedia]

Thanks for watching! I am glad you enjoyed the video. The soundtrack is amazing

[@CW11721]

Definitely my favorite halo game! I love wandering the silent streets of new Mombasa, listening to Marty O’Donnell; the atmosphere is quiet and beautiful. Nice seeing it get covered, great video.

[@calvinfishermedia]

Thanks for watching! The atmosphere of ODST is simply amazing. Glad you enjoyed the video.

[@jayblack7495]

I was completely alone when this title released, and I immediately fell in love with its campaign. All these years later, and I am not so alone...

[@calvinfishermedia]

Glad to hear you’re no longer alone! The game definitely hits differently when you’re in that place though. Thanks for watching

[@BK-cu7ce]

Amazing video. Some details I especially love about this game are the fact the second time you hear the song rain in the game is after Kikowani station in the soundtrack it’s on the larger compilation track “The Light at the end” which is a fitting name since it plays right after Rookie receives the call from Veronica over the radio, he’s found the light at the end of the tunnel and a way out of the dark lonely city. Another neat detail is if you don’t shoot any of the engineers and have listened to all the audio logs the cutscene where Rookie and Veronica meet Virgil changes and instead of pointing his gun at the engineer he does the whistle from the superintendent, since the engineer controlling the superintendent has been guiding Rookie through the city. Which is shown in the gameplay sections as rookie with the signs changing to give you directions, or cameras mounted on walls turning on and watching you. It helps tie the audio logs in too, those sirens and wonky panels in the street around the city are Virgil telling you an audio log is nearby and once you’ve found it they turn off. Also the way that Bungie uses allusions to Dante’s Inferno throughout the game to communicate the apocalyptic state of the city in both the audio logs, with each chapter representing a different ring of hell and its corresponding sin, and the Mombasa streets sections with Rookie being guided by Virgil and the legendary ending cutscene being the covenant prophet of truth in the caves under New Mombasa as an allusion to Satan when Dante reaches the bottom ring of hell. It’s just so well put together.

[@calvinfishermedia]

Thanks for sharing these additional details! They definitely appreciate my appreciation for the game

[@edwardhill7297]

I often say CE and 3 are some of my favourite campaigns but man, at the end of the day, ODST is always at the top. Great video!

[@calvinfishermedia]

CE and 3 are excellent too, it’s so hard to rank them! Thanks for watching!

[@antoni1113]

The fact you reply to all comments mate is awesome, you’re doing a great job and I wish you the best, keep up the good work. Halo fans are loyal to those who do it justice.

[@calvinfishermedia]

Thanks I really appreciate the encouragement! I enjoy responding to the comments, and want to show my appreciation for everyone who took the time to watch and share their thoughts :)

[@dillydraws]

Btw Buck taking on a Scarab isn't really a power fantasy to Quote Johnson "We've all ran the simulations, they're tough but ain't invincible, stick with the Master Chief he'll know what to do" So it means all unsc troops have ran how to take down Scarabs and it wouldn't be far fetch that the best soldiers that are not spartans would know how to easily take them down.

[@calvinfishermedia]

That’s a fair enough point! I still can’t help but contrast the Scarab appearance in ODST versus the metropolis in Halo 2. The scarab feels a whole lot more threatening imo. Thanks for watching

[@megawaffle612]

To add a little to this ODST are only a step down from Spartans (well I don’t recall the specific for all spartan programs) and are still highly trained and exceptional in their field. It’s not unbelievable they could learn and accomplish such a feat.

[@scouttrooper2871]

14:21 It also symbolises that there’s no way out of the city and the last means of escape was destroyed

[@calvinfishermedia]

True, good point! Thank you for watching!

[@Grimpy970]

I know it doesnt really matter, but i think youd be interested in knowing that you can actually see the In Amber Clad chase Regret's ship into the slipspace portal. Its only there for a couple of seconds, but i think its a VERY cool detail! Edit: 5:58 is when the scene plays. Look in the bottom-right corner of the drop pod window, near the space elevator. You can see a little brick flying through the air, then it develops an orange tail, accelerates, and gets 'sucked' and distorted in the same exact way Regret's ship leaves the frame.

[@calvinfishermedia]

Ah, that is really cool! Thanks for sharing!

[@Joeru510]

This was my first halo campaign when I bought my 360 bundle that came with the game and forza 3. I still get the same feeling when replaying halo 3 odst and it’s just a timeless classic. Coming home from Best Buy in 09 and opening that Xbox on a rainy day and loading this up is a day I’ll never forget. Still have that 360 elite to this day!

[@calvinfishermedia]

That’s awesome, I’m glad you have such a great personal memory of the game! Thanks for sharing

[@Altonraen]

thank you for making this video i’ve been excitedly waiting for this video

[@calvinfishermedia]

Thanks so much for watching, I really do appreciate it! I hope you enjoy!

[@comrade_napoleon7358]

Great video man! While I was watching it I assumed that you’d have a really high viewership due to how professional and high quality you are and when I finished it i was shocked that you didn’t. Your content is great and I’ll definitely check out the rest of it, you deserve way more subs so keep it up

[@calvinfishermedia]

Hey thank you man, this comment is really encouraging to me! I am glad you enjoyed the video.

[@1232-b2m]

I understand not being a fan of how powerful the ODST’s are but these aren’t regulars all members of the squad are inducted into the Spartan iv program for heroic events during this game

[@calvinfishermedia]

That’s a fair point! Definitely can see where you’re coming from. Thanks for checking out the video.

[@13rnvences]

What a wonderful and masterful critique piece of the game. Beautiful review of the story and so much so that I learned a thing or two in regards to story telling, thank you.

[@calvinfishermedia]

That means a lot, thank you! I am glad you enjoyed the video.

[@RadagonTheAlcoholic_]

This is probably my favorite Halo campaign. Yes, I had fun with Reach and I'll always find a reason to replay it. Yes, Halo Infinite is new and finally refreshing to have a good Halo game again. Yet, they aren't this. Halo ODST really connected with me because I was able to put down my controller and really think to myself that: "This could be me." A human, lost, confused, and only really surviving even if barely. While playing this game, I felt like Rookie. I was tired after every engagement, I was reinvigorated after wiping out a squad of Brutes and Grunts. I cheered because I survived and that's really the most I could do. Survive. I love the power fantasy of being able to power through hordes of enemies twice my size with weapons no ordinary man could handle. With ODST and the Rookie, every single enemy defeated felt meaningful. This comment is longer than expected. Anyways, I'm just trying to say that I truly love this game and wish more like this existed.

[@calvinfishermedia]

I think you stated the appeal of ODST perfectly! I wish there was another Halo game made in the same vein. Thanks for watching!

[@Mayflower-Yev]

Especially with foreign skull on legendary difficulty, the fucking bug hive with no ammo is definitely an experience.

[@Captain_Andor]

The super human action or shooting gallery segments could just be a way to allure players from Halo 3 or just a limitation to the game engine they used I mean this was a DLC so it was probably easier to just reuse Shooting galleries from Halo 3 then create an entire new scripts of code to make this game feel unique and as someone who got Halo 3 and this game bundled with it in 2010 or 2011 with my Grey Xbox 360 slim playing Halo 3 and ODST back to back I don't really see an issue with the action segments because that's probably how it was intended to be played also the Destiny posters in the game was crazy to think that Bungie would stop making Halo games back then because I thought the posters were just decorations in the game and in 2012 they had that Destiny trailer come out which blew my mind but whats crazy it that ODST in the MCC removed the posters I think from the game just showing how 343 tried to scrub away everything Bungie related from the series

[@calvinfishermedia]

That’s fair! You’re right, I bet a lot of Halo ODST’s gameplay choices are from its use of Halo 3 as the base. I didn’t know that about the posters, super interesting! Thanks for watching!

[@DSP-gh5ei]

I get tired of video essays typically but I feel like you did something different here, good breakdown on the story and really setting the theme.

[@calvinfishermedia]

Hey thank you I really appreciate that! I'm glad you enjoyed the video.

[@pwnership3292]

Such a great breakdown. Enjoyed the hell out of this vid, keep up the good work mate

[@calvinfishermedia]

Hey thanks I really appreciate it! Glad you enjoyed the video.

[@TenthSgtSnipes]

I remember in the ViDocs they showed Rookie turning on his VISR, killing the grunts in a hunting pack, then turning it off as he backed away. From the outside it showed his visor glowing blueish when VISR was on, then fading to black when turned off. This with a working stealth system would’ve been perfect for hiding in the shadows gameplay and incentivising turning the VISR off

[@calvinfishermedia]

That makes a lot of sense! That would have been really cool to see honestly. Kind of reminds me of Splinter Cell’s light-based mechanics

[@BanditsGotCore]

Great video. I think ive seen every video essay on ODST on youtube, but this one got me to realize something. Rogue One is the odst of star wars, and thats why its also one of my favoriates in that franchise. The grounded nature makes everything hit with more weight. Thanks.

[@calvinfishermedia]

Thanks for watching, I really appreciate it! I think that comparison is very apt.

[@askalad8584]

Finished watching your video and I have to say you have a lot of potential. Keep it up, great video

[@calvinfishermedia]

Thanks I really appreciate it!

[@AAbatteries2928]

16:17 play the game on heroic for the best experience

[@calvinfishermedia]

Thanks for the suggestion! My typical difficulty for halo campaigns is heroic, so I have played ODST on heroic in the past. I record on normal difficulty so I can focus more on storytelling details than just trying to survive lol

[@rickydolbier1338]

I think this game is great. Never finished it when I was younger, but I remember it being my favorite Halo game. I wish they continued the ODST games beyond Three and Reach. The setting, atmosphere, and story too me emphesizes that you don't need a game with the size of an ocean. Rather to the contrary, sometimes having a game be the width of a small lake but the depth of an ocean is a very refreshing and great! I love how instead of being this one-man army war hero that you are as Master Chief, and even in other franchises such as CoD; your just one guy doing his best to survive in a war zone and MAYBE, if your lucky... Accomplish your mission. I just wish the gameplay captured this a little better.

[@calvinfishermedia]

Well said! Sometimes the intimacy that small games provide really is better. Thanks for sharing.

[@ikpjosh4848]

At 7:05 you are definitely confused when playing halo 1

[@calvinfishermedia]

Gameplay wise, I agree. The Library for instance is pretty easy to get turned around in. However, story-wise you still know what you’re doing: you’re following guilty spark to reach the index. Throughout Halo 1 you always have a goal, even if you get lost in the levels. That is more of what I meant, and I could have made it more clear. Thanks for watching and sharing your opinion!

[@Mayflower-Yev]

Going through this game on legendary with some select skulls on is very fun. Four things/moments stood out to me, the first being that usually you barely have any ammo (If you only play with UNSC weapons via foreign skull.) and while in the beginning this really bugged me because I thought it was unfair, towards the end of the run moments when I had to improvise simply out of necessity and despair really made the game fun. Like trying to splatter the enemies right before the bug hives with a mongoose simply because there are barely any weapons around that you can pick up, choosing targets carefully to make sure that whatever is left behind once you run dry of ammo can’t make use of long range advantage or powerful weapons, and stuff like that. I entered the hives with basically nothing, maybe half a mag of AR ammo? Don’t remember but the second I got the option of getting a shotgun I swapped to it. Everything was mostly smooth sailing at this point, until I got to that Brute Chieftain with a plasma cannon and whole platoon of brutes that came to reinforce a grunt squad. The problem is that usually you won’t get checkpoints in the middle of combat, so if you clear out the first grunt and brute squad the reinforcements from the other brutes will reset you and that sucks. I got lucky one of the times and somehow got a checkpoint after defeating that group, but now I had to kill the 6 remaining brutes, it would be much easier if one of them weren’t a carbine wielding brute who was also behind a trigger that would force the chieftain to agro on me. I was close multiple times but that duo is just too powerful. So instead I tried to run past them and somehow got through. Now, this was the training grounds for my next trick: killing the major buggar and his crew with melee only. The hard part here is to dodge so much plasma fire that isn’t on the same height as you. I also had to run back for med-kits because I was scared of losing all the progress I already achieved. And at last the only hard part left was getting Virgil into the Oliphant and that was basically it. At that point you only have to pick correct targets to kill via tank or gauss hog and time things right. Another tough one was the banshee stealing mission where I had to dismount and open those giant gates for the phantom. Same story, had no ammo so I did as much as I could before deciding to just book it. Made it to the other side where the enemies left me all alone, apart from the gravity hammer Brute Chieftain who I ninja’d so he wouldn’t kill me while I attempted to make it to the control room. This kind of turned into a walkthrough guide sometime in the middle, but I really want to share this because of how much fun I had playing this.

[@calvinfishermedia]

Thanks for sharing! I’m glad you had such an awesome time with the game. It’s cool how difficulty and skull modifiers transformed the experience into a thrilling and dynamic engagement

[@R3FRESCA]

Hey dude I love this series I just wanted to say you’ve done an excellent job !!!

[@calvinfishermedia]

Hey thanks so much I really appreciate the kind words! I am glad you enjoyed the video!

[@RansydMango]

I actually played through ODST using the Foreign skull and it was pretty fun. Data Hive was the only real mission where I had trouble with ammo, and I had to run past the drones and hope that Virgil didn't get killed by the brutes

[@calvinfishermedia]

Nice! Yeah that sounds like a fun challenge. I could see how Data Hive could cause trouble ammo wise haha

[@Chaotic_H3LL]

17:30 If i recall correctly. Stealth was meant to play a much larger role gameplay wise (which is why you get a Silenced SMG and Pistol) however, Bungie was unable to get the balancing right (As for Stealth to work, you need to not have all enemies be alerted) as it was either way too easy due to enemies not being triggered at all from the silenced weapons. Or, as they do in game, they wake up / notice just as much as if you used a rocket launcher. Otherwise, Part of the problem might just be you playing on a much easier difficulty. Heroic is the standard "This is how it should be played" (Even though if you go off lore from the books, its more accurate to play some sort of hodge podge inbetween Heroic and Legendary but alas). ODSTs are trained to use Covenant weapons so preventing that, while you can do it self imposed isn't inherently a lore accurate solution. But basically, you have to modify the game / play at higher difficulties if you want the "True" ODST gameplay (That, Admittedly, differs very little from Spartan gameplay at that same difficulty in reality. But lore wise Normal is about how Spartans perceive the battlefield so its mostly fair) Using skulls to increase enemy aggressiveness and other enemy behaviors to sort of get that balance where you'd be playing a lot closer to how an ODST would be in that situation. Avoiding fighting, using Stealth as much as possible etc

[@calvinfishermedia]

Thanks for watching! I’ve actually played all of the Bungie halo games on heroic. That is the difficulty I play on for fun. I just record on normal since it’s easier to focus on the story and gameplay recordings look better. My main point wasn’t about the raw difficulty, rather just how similar it feels to the other Halo games.

[@MZFKDL]

Thank you for video! And a Happy New Year to you!

[@calvinfishermedia]

Thank you so much for watching! Happy New Year to you as well!

[@TheZamaron]

The thing I like about the Engineers is even though we easily tell they’re being forced to serve the Covenant, you get no choice about killing them or not, they’ll explode eventually anyway.

[@calvinfishermedia]

Definitely. You don't have a choice, but it's not something you feel good about doing either. Thanks for watching!

[@TheZamaron]

@@calvinfishermedia Look at them, they are so stinkin cute, you feel even worse for them when you learn they're basically ovlivious to to their ensavement, they basically just help wherever they can, they are so sweet, it now makes sense why they get explosives strapped to them, they'd be easy for any faction to manipulate and often they have valuable info. But being creations of the Forrunners they are very good with that tech.

[@sa-amirel-hayeed699]

I don't think so, I remember there being an achievement on the original X360 version for sparing them and one for killing them. If I remember correctly if you simply don't shoot them and you destroy the rest of the covenant squad the explosive doesn't get trigged but I might be wrong

[@the_zerokai7329]

playing as master chief made feel like a super hero , playing as the rookie made it feel real

[@calvinfishermedia]

That is a good way to put it! Thanks for watching

[@RayShadow278]

How to get the ODST Experience™: Play on Legendary, enable most modifiers that make the enemies tougher like Mythic, Tilt, Tough Luck, etc. For Calvin's added flaver also enable Foreign (can't use Covie weapons) and Famine (lower ammo drops) lol

[@calvinfishermedia]

Lol that sounds pretty daunting!

[@randomvids152]

Definitely my favorite halo too. Great in depth video man.

[@calvinfishermedia]

Thanks for watching and leaving kind feedback! Glad you enjoyed the video

[@djspectrebolt8450]

As much as I do like the idea of human guns only just to make the game feel a little grittier, I also dunno how to feel about it for lore stuff because ODSTs are usually deployed on missions where it'd make sense for them to get used to using covenant guns, if they aren't trained with them I do think one small thing they could have done is made the player smaller though, like the average brute is a good foot or two taller than Chief even with his armor, or also like the height of a grunt is only like 4-5 inches off the average height of a human but they still look tiny in ODST cuz the player model is scaled the same as the other Halo games

[@calvinfishermedia]

That’s a fair point! I think other people have even pointed out that marines do use covenant weapons in other games, so probably wouldn’t make sense to restrict ODSTs to not have them.

[@krathsar1349]

I find that the power fantasy problem quickly goes away on higher difficulty levels, playing it on the MCC it was the campaign where I died most. Because I tried to play like a Spartan at first

[@calvinfishermedia]

Thanks for the suggestion! I have played on Heroic previously, and I personally didn’t notice a huge difference between it and the other games. Perhaps that is different on Legendary though

[@errorcode1815]

The "Went through hell for that!?" Quote I always took as a comment on the state of the city. After everything they did, what they went through and how hard they worked that the end result was still a completely decimated city overrun by Covernant. I suppose it works with Dare and Bucks relationship, but calling her a 'that' seems pretty harsh.

[@calvinfishermedia]

That interpretation makes a lot of sense too! I came to my conclusion because it seems that he is pointing at Dare when he says it, but I agree calling her “that” seems excessively harsh lol. Thanks for sharing!

[@scottnoseworthy975]

I think they meant the engineer

[@gocows2china]

Neon Night is such an awesome song. The whole soundtrack for this game is amazing; just like the composers Martin O'Donnell and Michael Salvatori.

[@calvinfishermedia]

The entire soundtrack is incredible! Definitely one of my favorites in gaming

[@highcat2046]

It's all pretty good with one caveat that comes to mind for me. Yes, the Rook's character did toe the line of power fantasy when the ego stroking questions came in, but what you need to consider is his title. His name is the rookie, but he is a rookie within the ranks of a highly secretive, well regimented and oriented, trained to lethality, and supplied more effectively than mainline marines or army. It's literally a case of newest player on the best team. He may be new, but that doesn't say much to his background or experiences. Everyone made the distinction present with Noble 6. Just because Noble 6 filled some shoes, they were still a Spartan. Rookie may be the aforementioned replacement, but he's still special forces, and he's still an ODST.

[@calvinfishermedia]

This is a good point. I agree that the name “Rookie” doesn’t necessarily mean he is a novice with no experience, or otherwise less fit to be an ODST. Thanks for watching!

[@seterseter9352]

as people pointed out there was more to the audio logs then meets the eye. unlocks hidden areas or gear caches throughout the streets levels

[@calvinfishermedia]

You are right, this is a good point I neglected to mention!

[@Rezifying_]

Such excellent and high quality video essays, I hope you grow this year

[@calvinfishermedia]

Thank you so much! This is really encouraging. I hope you have a great year!

[@lesbianmorgoth652]

Shooters always seem to struggle with keeping the story and gameplay properly in line. Lowering stakes too much risks making the game too boring, but they clearly kept too much of the power fantasy in at points. Great video!

[@calvinfishermedia]

You stated it so perfectly! It is definitely a tough line to walk. Thanks for watching.

[@vFly]

Dare having recon makes me remember the vid master challenge hype, I miss those times

[@calvinfishermedia]

I've never heard of vid master challenges, but I just looked them up and they sound interesting! Thanks for sharing.

[@vFly]

@@calvinfishermedia my pleasure 😄

[@kingster14444]

Only thing I have to add is that the ODST not being able to use covenant weapons wouldn't actually work well narratively, as we see marines use covenant weapons in all 3 Halo games, let alone Keys actively using a weapon and even ship in CE.

[@calvinfishermedia]

Definitely a good point! You are right, I forgot about that when making the vid. Thanks for checking the video out!

[@averagemug]

The opening text in ODST for me, was supposed to feel like War Documentaries.

[@calvinfishermedia]

That makes sense! Thanks for watching

[@liquidsnake4943]

Reach will always be my favorite, but this game feels very close to it thematically

[@calvinfishermedia]

I agree! Both Reach and ODST have a melancholy tone that is very poignant, and it definitely resonates with me. Thanks for watching

[@joshuadelgado1286]

I wish rookie lived

[@calvinfishermedia]

It would be interesting to see the part he would have played in 343’s series. Thanks for watching!

[@joshuaherron2190]

17:00 i think this is one of those little areas where the lore isnt super consistent for the sake of gameplay. i remember reading somewhere that spartans were smart enough to pick up just ab any weapon & be efficient, but in halo ce, some marines you free from prison cells pick up covenant weapons straight away. & they weren’t even odst’s

[@calvinfishermedia]

That is definitely fair! I see where you’re coming from.

[@Matthias_Prudholm]

14:38 this depends as there is 2 cutscenes tied to this event ending on this mission based off if your in a ghost or warthog playing scenario A or B or even C as the third option is a brutes chopper which I forgot about til this part of my comment. which ever vehicle your in by the time you end mission is the one shown during the cutscene so warthog is still correct 1/3 of the time on paper :D oh and fun fact about the germane arc I compared it to the normal marines and the lander shares their grenade arcs which also affects the coven nade arcs, you you are in every sense marine only difference is you can still hijack vehicles and mount tanks to get are plant or bash em to destruction. Also around 17:00 in ylwtniom no use of coven weapons which I will tell you is somewhat wrong some marines have some training or at least muscle memory knowledge/intuition of weaponry and can use em, to max efficiency I doubt it, after all in Halo 2 you rescue marines who use coven weapons for the rest of the mission so something tells me most marines and last are given baseline training to use them, further reinforced by Sargent Johnson using a rarer weapon to practice with being the beam rifle or a so call it the coven sniper, Sid won’t ego that trivia if you want a challenge their is a skill for the mcc version of ODST that disables the bath to pickup and use covenant weapons even the ones that are kinda brain dead uses like the angry sword or gravity hammer although they are melee weapons. Final note on difficulty is normal is for casuals while Heroic is the intended difficulty for ok halo games with legendary being a challenge for those who are familiar with halo.

[@calvinfishermedia]

Good point on the different vehicles in the cutscene, that is a good detail! Same with Halo 2, you’re right in that humans do use covenant weapons so maybe not the best example suggestion on my part. Thanks for watching.

[@jh9794]

Probably my favorite game of the original trio. Their all good but this one just hits all the boxes of small but very well put together. All the little details and ambiance just fit so well. Side but ODST are training is hell, while I agree that a regular soldier shouldn't be facing down scarabs and hoards. ODST aren't regular soldiers. Their trained and equipped to not only survive but also ensure their mission will be a success. Marines are also known to use covenant weapons when their the only ones avaliable (the mission for keys and the prison break at the end of 2).

[@calvinfishermedia]

Thanks for watching! That is a good point on the ODSTs. You're right, I forgot that even normal marines do use covenant weapons throughout the series. Chief can swap weapons with them after all.

[@caramelldansen2204]

Despite being around at the time, I still have no idea how this game's release was controversial. Perhaps we didn't know how good we had it and were spoiled from Bungie's game-changing output (pardon the pun), and from being in the golden age of gaming when it had just became profitable so budgets were high and technology advancing - but not so profitable that it hadn't yet become the mafia-style shakedown and the vector for child gambling like it is today. Halo 3 ODST is a masterclass in music, in atmosphere, and in telling a story with limited resources. The love and care that went into this, and the games before it, are unmatched before and since.

[@calvinfishermedia]

You said it perfectly! I think that mid-late 2000s era was the perfect mix of innovation and creativity, where the budgetary risk wasn’t too high where developers have to play it safe. When paired with Bungie’s unique talent, it resulted in some pretty standout games. Even their “bad” halo games are incredible looking back

[@azzaizabean]

Great video!! 2 things I will say: I loved your idea that if humans were only able to use UNSC weapons. Also Did you know the night vision does have a purpose other than being able to see when moving around the map. If turned on, you can see the outline of an invisible brute!

[@calvinfishermedia]

I didn’t know that, but it makes a lot of sense! Cool detail, thanks for sharing!

[@KonoDioDono]

I'm sure others have mentioned about the alternate scene with Vergil but I've seen no comments regarding three other things about this video, 1. you kinda called Mickey as "Mikey" for majority of the video and called the phantom a "wraith" at 36:08 2. The game's way of keeping the cutscenes a part of the game by leaving one round left in Romeo's sniper in the NMPD mission 25:04 he fires three shots and when you take control of him, the ammo counter shows one bullet left in the chamber 3. Last but not least, there was also the legendary cutscene after the Johnson talk with Vergil. It features the prophet of truth in it as I recall.

[@calvinfishermedia]

Thanks for watching! You’re right, I got the name wrong. One of those things that slips by when recording and you pick up on only afterwards! Those other two details are good to note as well.

[@castropanopanopalis]

ODST on Legendary was exactly The Way. Small, frail, resource starved and hesitant about any combat encounter in which you couldn't stack the deck in your favor... Also, it's always been my impression that pound for pound humanity always had the better ground game. It's why the Covies leaned so heavily on glassing us. In most cases, it seams the only time UNSC struggles on the ground it's because they are out gunned, out numbered, and the Navy can't hold Air/Space Superiority for s--t.

[@calvinfishermedia]

That makes sense! That falls in with what I remember reading in Fall of Reach, where especially in that book the air superiority feels overwhelming. Thanks for watching!

[@geordiejones5618]

Bungie's Halo core truly is one of the greatest series ever. Five games that all have their strengths and feel different enough to one another, but still tell one unifying story of mass desperation.

[@calvinfishermedia]

They are 5 amazing games! Pretty crazy that they are all so solid yet they excel in different ways.

[@geordiejones5618]

@@calvinfishermedia when I was a kid I didn't think Halo would hold up, I actually thought Mass Effect would, but Halo's story even nos is just as compelling as any great scifi I've read or watched. ONI is mysterious and terrifying, the SPARTANs are tragic but amazing, and the Covenant are a well layered foe. Even the forerunner and precursor lore is just really well developed.

[@goddessaifeclips8799]

One thing i think helps balance the gameplay with the story, surprisingly is the LASO difficulty. More than any other halo game the emense difficulty suits the game so well especially in the scenes that otherwise feel like power fantasy. It inposes a frightening diffrence in power between yourself and the covenant. It is odd to say but it feels like LASO was made for ODST even though it is just a challenge mode for hardcore players. This is most noticable on the Solo Rookie missions. In the other levels you have some form of help and can rely on it fairly well. But there alone in the city without guidance aside from vergil and setbacks from the Iron Skull you are alone and afraid. Every patrol of covenant you fight has to be carefully planned if you want to make it through and avoidance is your best chance. It is a unique feeling.

[@calvinfishermedia]

That makes a lot of sense! I could see how that would add to the immersion. Thanks for sharing!

[@GuilePatrick]

Love this ... My only comment the use of Covenant weapons in the gameplay...Wish the gameplay used the ODST weapons constantly...

[@calvinfishermedia]

Thanks for watching and sharing your feedback!

[@jeffersontaylor6093]

Although i can see the point of the night vision comment, personally i love how its done roaming the streets for 2 main reasons. 1. Its honestly the most realistic thing to do in that situation, you're newer to the group, no idea about the area, its dark and rainy with enemies around every corner potentially, im confident ANYONE would spam night vision in that scenerio, regardless of the scenery 😂 besides hes also on a time crunch "lore wise" 2. Time to instantly contradict my last point lore wise lol, but since there isnt a timer or any one set place you HAVE to go, you're able to explore, take your time, find secrets and enjoy the view. Plus, if you want to make legendary harder, boom turn of night vision, a new level of difficulty! Imo it really just gives everyone the choice of doing what they want! All said great video, gonna try and find time to watch the other ones in this series Edit: one last lil detail about the tank ep, you're totally right about it feeling a bit power fantasy-adjacent, but its actually not that inacurate from what we've seen before. In other games marines or npc odsts can use tanks and cause a hell of a lot of damage. At the end of the day, wether its a demon or a teen driving a tank, all ya gotta do is aim and shoot, kinda like aim assist on consoles 😂

[@calvinfishermedia]

Thanks man, I appreciate hearing your opinion! Definitely see where you’re coming from. It is an optional feature, so it’s up to the player to use or not.

[@basicmudkip5985]

Minor detail, the dead elites in the game didn't die during the great schism, but before it; they were cut off from their kind by being so far out and they couldn't warn anyone about the brutes

[@calvinfishermedia]

Good point! Thanks for sharing

[@basicmudkip5985]

@@calvinfishermedia yeah, it's just one of those little details about ODST that you don't think about when you play it, the entire game is caused by truth being so treacherous that he didn't tell anyone else where earth was and he knew, because he controlled the virus in the ilovebees ARG

[@reedjack6564]

Will we ever see a honest remake or sister episode that does this masterpiece justice? Man, i would love some indie to do that.

[@calvinfishermedia]

I’m with you there! Would be cool to see a remake or spiritual successor.

[@siaosiblevins361]

If you were to finish all the audio logs and in the mission where you're rescuing Dare, if you keep that police officer alive he will go to find Sadie's father's dead corpse and open a secret room. When he finds the body he will turn on you saying "there can't be any witnesses". It's a small detail related to the audio logs that can cause an in game effect. I'd highly suggest going back and doing this in the game.

[@calvinfishermedia]

Thanks for the tip, that is good to know. I appreciate it!

[@Someone-lg6di]

Legendary ending shows prophet of truth aproaching the portal to the ark in the game this is the same city in 3 that u fight through

[@calvinfishermedia]

Ah, interesting, thanks for sharing the legendary ending!

[@craft7598]

The rookie was a marine before and took part in the battle of New Jerusalem and the marine force sent there was nearly wiped out. After that Buck hand picked him to join Alpha Nine. This is from his wiki page.

[@calvinfishermedia]

Thanks for sharing the added context!

[@Belltower_Basement]

As far as the tank section goes, it's worth noting that the UNSC are astablished to be the superior ground force. The reason why the convenent were winning the war was because of the superior numbers and spacecrafts, which they often use to glass planets, negating the need to engage in a ground assault.

[@calvinfishermedia]

This is definitely a fair point. That is a point emphasized in the Fall of Reach if I remember correctly. Thanks for sharing!

[@calebmatta689]

Although your points about the power fantasies are valid you have to remember that although an emphasis was put on the story this is still a video game. A video game from a series that is known for being the pinnacle of power fantasies. It was a hard transition and one that couldn’t be sent full speed if they wanted the game to be successful.

[@calvinfishermedia]

That is a fair point. I personally do think that there was still some room to diverge while still keeping a gamey feel (definitely wouldn’t want it to be like a survival game for instance), but I definitely get where you’re coming from! Thanks for sharing

[@PaulyRules]

I’m just starting the vid so you make have mentioned it but similarly how Chief is called demon they call odst’s imps or lesser demons. You can hear them call you it but it’s fairly rare.

[@calvinfishermedia]

Huh, I didn’t know that! Cool detail. Thanks for sharing

[@masterchiefofhalo4525]

You forgot to mention how much of a monster Dare is. She’s an ONI Agent.

[@calvinfishermedia]

True! That is a good point. Thanks for watching.

[@okayrookie]

Man when I played on the 360 as a kid *Halo 3 ODST* was the most impactful game in my life. _We are all the Rookie._ 😔 It may sound edgy but it is true if you've played the game first hand. 😅 Personally I always respect the *ODST Armour* and always equip it in most halo games. 😎 *Oh and the Soundtrack is S TIER.* Glad this video popped up on my feed! 😁

[@calvinfishermedia]

Thanks for watching! Halo ODST does such an amazing job of putting the player in the Rookie's shoes. I also love equipping ODST armor in the other games lol, the helmet is just awesome.

[@abeelvago]

22:20 in this part of the ONI site mission, did you just go inside as the mission suggests like a normal person? Or did you stay outside and battle everyone down to the last Wraith?

[@calvinfishermedia]

To be honest I don’t remember!

[@abeelvago]

@@calvinfishermedia that means you stayed outside and fought every moving thing. Thanks for your honesty

[@vilmaksp3054]

I dont know if someones pointed this out or not, but another thing I feel like ODST missed is size, weapons, enemies, they are big, even to the chief, they should dwarf the ODSTs to the point of some weapons being straight up impossible to wield, that mightve been an interesting way to limit things, you can only use weapons the right size.

[@calvinfishermedia]

This makes sense to me - I think it would at the very least make sense that the ODSTs couldn't rip stationary turrets off of their mounts like Spartans. That always felt a little too superhuman to me. Thanks for watching!

[@JohnWilliams-wl9px]

Look at how small the needler is when you wield in ODST. Chief wields like a regular gun, and he’s a big guy, well in ODST because they didn’t scale properly it looks like a toy

[@BayAreaMike99]

When this game released man, I was so freaked out playing this as a little kid at 9 walking around in the dark freaked out is no place for a child😭🤣💀

[@calvinfishermedia]

I can see that happening haha! There is definitely a tenseness to the game

[@HazopGaze]

Pretty much a solid agree on all points, save for the tank level. I personally don't consider it out of place since the rest of the gameplay is very easy to turn power fantasy. That's probably my harshest criticism I can throw at H3: ODST. It doesn't feel right. That said, had they gone with a more sincere route, the tank level could have been the power fantasy section of the game - provided they actually made the tank FEEL like a tank and not a big gun on a flimsy rolling platform. This has been a problem since Halo 2. Lore wise, I think that even to the Covenant, facing one or more Scorpions as an infantry squad is one of the most terrifying things they can expect to encounter, short of a Spartan. Johnson said it best, also while dropping off a Scorpion tank to the Chief and a squad of Marines. "They're tough, but they ain't invincible." It also would have shown that even normal humans - not just these elite special forces that ODSTs are - when rallied around a power position like a column of tanks, have their ways of turning the tables on the Covenant. Of course that alternate universe would have the level involve more Scorpions and Marines to really give it that sense of "We'll give them a black eye at least!" only to have ONI Alpha Site follow that mission up and... Well, the Covenant didn't like that and now are going to mince your forces with theirs. ...Yeah, I'd have built ODST very differently in terms of gameplay. Ultimately I don't rate ODST as highly as some do, mostly because of how it's gameplay doesn't align with what it's portraying, unless you personally handicap yourself. Granted, that's something I do enjoy doing. Playing a game closer to it's portrayal is an interesting experience, when done well.

[@calvinfishermedia]

This is a really great analysis! I definitely understand what you mean about the Scorpion. Thanks for watching.

[@razzledazzle7474]

Last time i played, i noticed a very small thing where the ODSTs seem to do less melee damage than Chief does, at least in actual Halo 3, but it's been a while so i might be wrong

[@calvinfishermedia]

I think you’re right! I think that and the grenade trajectory are 2 gameplay differences between Rookie and Chief

[@razzledazzle7474]

@@calvinfishermedia plus ODSTs can carry 3 grenades Instead of 2

[@taylormartin4346]

I already commented but here again. Not sure how widespread this knowledge is but the audio logs are essentially Dante's Inferno. The characters Sadie interacts with are manifestations of each sin. That's why the logs are called Circles. Loved the video!

[@calvinfishermedia]

This is a great detail! I mentioned it in my pinned comment but I neglected to bring it up in the actual video. Thanks for sharing!

[@soldaatjhu]

17:00 while a decent idea, part of the fun of Halo is the sandbox of different weapons, so it would limit half the fun. Also, it wouldn't make sense lorewise. We can trade Covenant weapons with Marines and ODST's in all other Halo games, and they can use them no problem. While I do agree it's not hard enough since you're just a regualr Joe, just play on Legendary. If it's still too easy, pop some skulls on. Master Chief dies all the time as well but we as players continue playing no matter what you throw at us/how hard you make it, and since you have inifnite tries you'll always come out on top. It just takes time. Even games like Dark Souls are really really easy for people that just keep playing. I mean some people complete all Souls Games in a row without getting hit once. Idk my point but yeah, gather from this what you want lol.

[@calvinfishermedia]

Thanks for sharing! My point wasn’t quite that the game was too easy, rather on how similar it feels to the other games despite you not playing as a spartan. I agree, there are a lot of ways you can increase difficulty if you want. Good point on the Covenant weapons!