Halo 3: ODST on PC review: Above and beyond expectations

Halo 3 ODST Image Source: Xbox Game Studios / 343 Industries

Post-obit the stellar launch of Halo three on PC, many were nervous about how polished Halo 3: ODST would be upon its ain release. While information technology's truthful that Halo 3'southward PC launch was corking, past releases on the platform such as Halo two: Anniversary were plagued with some serious issues right out of the gate. Therefore, fans were concerned that ODST might not follow in the footsteps of Halo 3 and launch in a rough country.

Now the game is officially out on PC, and later on completing a run of the campaign and playing a few hours of Firefight, I accept good news. Halo 3: ODST on PC doesn't just match the quality of Halo three's port —information technology exceeds information technology. Without a doubt, ODST's arrival on PC is the best whatever Main Primary Drove (MCC) game has had thus far.

Set up to driblet

Halo 3: ODST

Halo 3: ODST on PC

$five

Bottom line: The Halo three: ODST port on PC is essentially perfect, and so far, information technology's 343 Industries' best work with the Main Chief Collection.

Pros

Looks awesome on PC
Stellar audio
Runs perfectly
Firefight works excellently
Firefight matchmaking and customization

Cons

Graphics options are limited

Halo 3: ODST PC Campaign

Halo 3: ODST Source: Windows Primal

Halo 3: ODST looks and sounds incredible on PC.

The Halo 3: ODST campaign feel on PC is basically perfection. Visually, everything in the port looks merely similar it did in the original game, and cheers to the MCC's "Enhanced" graphics choice, textures, and lighting look even ameliorate than they did in the vanilla experience (you tin heighten this further by turning on 16x Anisotropic Filtering). Like Halo iii before it, Halo 3: ODST hasn't exactly aged well when it comes to visuals. That beingness said, it looks the best information technology ever has on PC, making this the definitive manner to experience Bungie's moody spinoff. Some more detailed graphics options for things similar shadows and textures would have been overnice, simply it's inappreciably something to complain about.

The sound in Halo 3: ODST'due south campaign is flawless every bit well, which was really important for 343 Industries to handle correctly since the game's soundtrack, sound effects, and dialogue are all huge contributors to the game's temper. Unlike previous MCC ports that had lots of problems with gun sounds and scripted music, ODST's audio is perfect.

Finally, the campaign likewise runs without any issues at all. Throughout my playthrough, I never dipped under my capped 60 FPS framerate, and I never encountered whatsoever instances of screen tearing, stutters, or texture pop-in.

Halo 3: ODST PC Firefight

Like the campaign, Halo 3: ODST's co-op horde mode, Firefight, looks, sounds, and plays phenomenally on PC. That alone is awesome, just 343 Industries took things a footstep further by adding matchmaking for ODST's Firefight, which previously was only a luxury that Halo: Achieve'southward Firefight had (fifty-fifty the original ODST lacked this feature). Y'all can play with up to three other players in traditional Heroic Firefight or Arcade Firefight, where players are given an abundance of ability weapons. If y'all want, you and your friends can as well play Custom Firefight also, which allows you lot to tweak gameplay settings to your liking. In Custom Firefight, players can wield the Boxing Rifle and Hornet vehicle, which were previously not featured in ODST. These features have also been brought to the Xbox One version of the MCC, so Xbox fans aren't missing out.

Nobody was expecting 343 Industries to add matchmaking to ODST'south Firefight, so the fact that they did is stellar. Information technology's not e'er like shooting fish in a barrel to round upwards friends to play with, so having the power to matchmake with other players for Firefight is amazing.

Halo three: ODST PC Customization

Halo 3: ODST Source: Windows Central

Lastly, the developers have washed a corking job bringing Halo iii: ODST'south customization system into the MCC on both PC and Xbox One. This system allows players to change which of the ODSTs from the entrada they play as during Firefight, and they can too change their armor advent. In the vanilla game, you had to get certain achievements to unlock all the options. In the MCC version of ODST, you have to level upwards your Season 3 flavor pass (access is gratuitous). This can exist achieved by playing matches and completing challenges in any of the Halo games on the MCC.

Something else worth noting is that two new skins were added to the game that weren't in the original ODST: "Injured Romeo" and "Problems-Splattered Cadet," both of which are models that are seen during the campaign only were non originally usable by the actor for Firefight. More options are always welcome, so these are slap-up to see.

Should you buy Halo iii: ODST PC?

The port of Halo three: ODST is just astonishing, and information technology can't be overstated how much value is in this package. For a measly $5, yous get the ODST entrada, a very replayable Firefight mode that can be enjoyed with friends or with random players through matchmaking, and an updated customization system that comes with some brand new unlocks. You should absolutely pick Halo three: ODST upwards on PC.

Alternatively, if y'all don't own any of the MCC titles on PC yet and want to run across what Halo is all nearly, I highly recommend getting the full MCC packet. This gives you all of the games on the MCC for $twoscore, which costs less than if you were to buy each game individually. Considering you lot get the entirety of the original Halo trilogy every bit well as Halo: Reach, Halo three: ODST, and Halo iv (which is beginning exam flighting shortly), there'due south no doubt that the MCC is 1 of the best PC games bachelor.

Prepare to drop

Halo 3: ODST

Halo three: ODST on PC

Feet first into hell!

The Halo 3: ODST port on PC is substantially perfect, and then far, information technology's 343 Industries' all-time work with the Chief Main Collection.

Terminate the Fight

The Master Chief Collection.

Halo: The Master Chief Drove

Feel the entirety of Halo history

The Master Chief Drove is a collection of every Halo shooter from the pre-Xbox One era, offer incredible value at an incredible cost.

We may earn a commission for purchases using our links. Learn more.

Updated Samsung Galaxy Book2 Pro laptops with Intel 12th Gen ship April 1

Super light and thin

Updated Samsung Galaxy Book2 Pro laptops with Intel 12th Gen send April 1

Samsung is going deep into Windows 11 PCs with four new laptops announced today at Mobile Earth Congress. The laptops all transport with Intel twelfth Gen processors, sparse designs, and support for Samsung Due south Pen, along with a bevy of new features and improvements. They begin shipping in Apr.

Tech warfare

Intel, AMD reportedly stopped exports of CPUs to Russia due to invasion

A new report from RBC claims Intel and AMD are set to comply with new sanctions imposed by the The states on sales and exports of specific technologies to Russia in response to its invasion. TSMC, who as well makes some of Russia's ain chips, is also said to be complying. The news, if accurate, could severely injure Russia's economy equally companies would not be able to add, replace, or...