Summary
- A fan animation showcases potential ODST sequel with stealth takedowns for Covenant enemies.
- The nimations highlight ODST's reliance on unconventional tactics due to lack of Spartan strength.
- Positive fan reaction indicates potential demand for new Halo spin-offs despite official sequel absence.
A dedicated Halo fan has created an animation showing off what stealth takedown animations might look like in a theoretical sequel to Halo 3: ODST. Originally released in 2009 for the Xbox 360, Halo 3: ODST was a unique entry for the Halo franchise but has no officially announced sequel.
Stretching over multiple hardware generations and nearly 25 years, the Halo franchise contains numerous games for a variety of tastes. For example, spin-offs like Halo Wars and Halo Spartan Assault cater to fans of real-time strategy and top-down shooting, respectively. Even non-gamer audiences enjoy various forms of Halo media, like licensed novelizations and the recent live-action TV series. But even where Halo: Combat Evolved and the core entries in the series have always been first-person shooters, there's a fair amount of variety in tone and style, such as when Halo 3: ODST explored the potential of soldiers outside the rarefied world of the Spartan super-soldiers.
The Life, Death, and Legacy of Halo 3: ODST’s Rookie
One of Halo 3: ODST's most enigmatic characters, the silent but tough Rookie, has a rich, complicated history and legacy beyond the 2009 title.
One fan that goes by MotoGinji on Reddit continued to see the untapped potential of the Halo ODST line and created a concept animation detailing what stealth takedowns might look like in a theoretical ODST sequel. The animations build on the fact that Halo 3: ODST starred the Orbital Drop Shock Troopers (ODSTs), human soldiers who weren't as tough or well-equipped as Spartans like the Master Chief. Even as elite human soldiers, the ODSTs couldn't go toe-to-toe with many Covenant enemies and were thus forced to rely on unconventional tactics like stealth and guerrilla warfare.
Halo ODST Fan Animations Show Off Stealth Executions
MotoGinji's animations played from first-person and used a character model wearing the classic ODST armor, which isn't as advanced as the MJOLNIR power armor suits worn by Spartans. Wielding the classic Halo magnum pistol in one hand and a knife in the other, the animations show off how an ODST might take down Covenant enemies like Grunts, Jackals, Elites, and even Brutes.
Fans reacted quite positively to MotoGinji's concept piece, praising the fact that MotoGinji seemed to have thought through the different gameplay effects of the various stealth takedowns. While executing Grunts and Jackals is a relatively quick job for an ODST, killing an Elite is a tall order, one that takes a long time and alerts nearby foes. Meanwhile, Brutes are treated almost like mini-bosses, who can only be damaged and not killed outright by the stealth takedown. Fans also enjoyed the fact that the takedowns were animated in first-person, rather than third-person like the classic Halo multiplayer assassinations.
Though Microsoft and 343 Industries have yet to make any announcements regarding a potential sequel to Halo 3: ODST, fan efforts like MotoGinji's demonstrate that there's demand out there for new spin-offs for the venerable series. With time or new shifts in the console market, Microsoft could be considering diversifying the Halo experience further for a new generation of players.
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- Genre(s)
- First-Person Shooter
