The newest iteration of Microsoft's Halo doesn't leave you much time to catch your breath; Halo 3: ODST literally drops you right into the action. In terms of the Halo timeline this game sits right between Halo 2 and the events of Halo 3. In ODST, you are not yet the familiar super soldier "Master Chief," legendary United Nations Space Command (UNSC) marine; you are actually a rookie member of the ODST team. As the name suggests, ODST (Orbital Drop Shock Troops) soldiers are dropped directly into combat in tiny one-person pods. And the differences don't end there; the newest hero of the Halo series has a few tricks (and some new weapons) up his sleeve, along with plenty of revamped game play options.

The scene opens on you and your squadron as you are dropped into battle over the African city of New Mombasa. Naturally something goes wrong and all the pods don't land where they are supposed to. When you wake, your squad is scattered across the city.

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As you proceed through the environment looking for other members of your team, you quickly realize that your character is far from the familiar Master Chief. ODST armor has different characteristics and you have different weapons. The familiar assault rifle has been replaced, at least at first, with a M7S submachine gun and a M6S pistol. The armor is diff