Mike Bantick
Monday, 28 September 2009 13:02
Entertainment
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These night missions with the Rookie boil down to quick fire-fights and a great deal of battle avoidance as you make your way to a new beacon location. Each beacon is a clue to piecing together the past six hours, an insight into other members of the Rookie’s ODST squad and their fate.
New Mombassa is a pretty horrible modern city: Bland and uninspiring architecture, with its battle ravaged streets full of debris, disabled vehicles, emergency lighting and patrolling Covenent.
Despite the promises of Bungie referring to New Mombassa as an open sand-box city, the Rookie is directed to sections using the age-old locked door approach, in effect direction the action to each new sector of the city.
Rookie has a special visor view that enhances light, and outlines enemies and friendlies alike. Having the visor on in a fight is important, but having it turned off to aid in those stealth moments is equally important.
The Rookie can download a second back story via the transport system terminals, and the mystery angle of the story is maintained by some nice mellow, tinkly piano and synth background music. The style is reminiscent of the Gary Jules version of Mad World for the Gears of War commercial. It continues its soothing lilt, even when a pack of Brutes discover the Rookie cowering behind a fountain.
When the Rookie reaches a beacon location, he will pick up an object and via cut-scene the action moves to one of the other ODST squad members, telling their individual tale from a few hours earlier.
Taking the role of Romeo, Dutch or Squad Leader Buck, voiced and imaged by sci-fi darling Nathan Fillion, the pace will change. These daylight missions feature ramped up battles, vehicle sections, hoards of enemies and, thankfully, indestructible buddies to fight alongside.
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