Xbox Addict

New competitive multiplayer maps for “Halo 3: ODST

Lock and load! When “Halo 3: ODST” drops this Sept. 22, it will deliver a completely new campaign, a new cooperative multiplayer experience called Firefight, the complete “Halo 3” multiplayer experience on a standalone disc, and new competitive multiplayer maps for “Halo 3” you won’t find anywhere else. Microsoft and Bungie today revealed the remaining three multiplayer maps which are sure to get fans around the world excited.

 The three new “Halo 3: ODST” maps are Heretic, Citadel and Longshore:

• Heretic returns players to familiar ground as the “Halo 2” arena Midship makes its long-rumored debut in “Halo 3.” The stark interior of the Pious Inquisitor might appear austere on first glance, but Heretic’s symmetrical spaces require players to execute complex strategies in order to outplay their opponents.

• Citadel may be a long abandoned Forerunner stronghold, but its small, symmetrical confines are far from secure. Two opposing bases offer little safety for players looking for solace. Instead, Citadel forces small squads to stay in constant communication, keep their heads on a swivel, and be prepared to adjust combat tactics in close quarters.

• Longshore lacks the commercial ships that once made it a lucrative port for Old Mombasa, but it still bustles with activity. Designed for large scale combat and well suited for smaller affairs, Longshore’s multitude of industrial buildings, elevated walks, and open inlets conspire to create a complex battleground tailored for multiple combat scenarios.

Developed exclusively for Xbox 360 by acclaimed developer Bungie, “Halo 3: ODST” is a new game in the “Halo” saga that lets people experience events leading up to the epic story told in “Halo 3” through the eyes of an ODST (Orbital Drop Shock Trooper), as they search for clues leading to the whereabouts of their scattered squad and the motivations behind the Covenant’s invasion of New Mombasa.

In addition to a brand new campaign, “Halo 3: ODST” introduces a new cooperative multiplayer mode called Firefight which allows “Halo” fans to experience co-operative gaming in a whole new way: they will be fighting as members of an ODST squad against waves of increasingly challenging enemies across a variety of battlefields. This experience is made even more intense with the integration of “Halo 3’s” “skulls,” which progressively activate as time goes on to alter the gameplay and up the challenge. Players will battle through wave after wave in search of high scores, Achievements and bragging rights.  

“Halo 3: ODST” also includes a second standalone disc with three new “Halo 3” multiplayer maps, all original “Halo 3” maps, as well as the “Legendary,” “Heroic,” and “Mythic” Map packs for a total of 24 maps.

Purchasing “Halo 3: ODST” will ensure “Halo” fans get access to the “Halo: Reach” multiplayer beta when the beta goes live in the future. Announced at E3 2009, “Halo: Reach” is the prequel to the blockbuster “Halo” trilogy and is scheduled for release in fall of 2010.

“Halo 3: ODST” is available for pre-order in both a standard package and a “Halo 3: ODST Collector’s Pack” which includes the game and an exclusive, laser etched Wireless Controller. If you pre-order “Halo 3: ODST” at participating retailers, you will receive a token to unlock grizzled UNSC hero Sgt. Johnson as a playable character in Firefight. The “Halo 3: ODST Collector’s Pack” is available for pre-order in the US exclusively at GameStop, and is available worldwide at other participating retailers. “Halo 3: ODST” will have a suggested retail price of $59.99 USD and the Collector’s Pack will have a suggested retail price of $99.99 USD. “Halo 3: ODST” is rated “M” for Mature by the ESRB and PEGI 16+.