The Golden Hour
Experience demonstrated that whatever the Helljumpers managed to accomplish during the first so-called golden hour would have a disproportionate effect on the success or failure of the entire mission.
– Halo: The Flood
At 2008’s Tokyo Game Show, Bungie released the second part of the teaser for their new project, along with a slew of interviews; and the Halo community’s theories were proven correct, as the lone drop pod that fell from the sky landed, and an Orbital Drop Shock Trooper emerged from it.
A great deal of the questions regarding the plot of the game have been answered along with this reveal – the game is confirmed to take place during Halo 2, while the Chief and the main cast of characters are on Delta Halo; it has also been officially stated to be a first-person shooter – and not a tactical, squad-based game. Lastly, it is planned for release in Fall of 2009, alongside Halo 3 multiplayer maps (no worries, though, since it has been confirmed that the next map pack will be released in early 2009).
While much information has been revealed, Bungie’s latest teaser trailer still demands a closer look – so read on for our analysis of the announcement trailer for Halo 3: Recon.
I have a theory that the ODST is ONI Recon 111, which is heard in Halo 3, Tsavo Highway, reporting: “There’s something in the crater ma’am, something beneath the storm.”
My only evidence is the name of the game and the ODST’s obvious association with ONI.
Comment by EldritchWarlord — October 10, 2008 @ 6:09 pm
Cool Article.
I don’t think the ODST’s SMG has a telescopic (scope)sight attached. I’m pretty sure it’s a reflex (red dot)sight of some kind that’s very commonly found on SMGs.
Here’s a pic that shows the comparison:
http://i37.tinypic.com/214v8tk.jpg
It looks to me like a pimped out M7 caseless (or maybe a later version) with the buttstock extended, a beefy silencer added and a reflex sight mounted on top. What is that thing under the silencer? That’s not a laser sight is it?
I also think it’s pretty safe to assume he’s a dude. Look at the size of his fingers! He could break a man in half with those hands.
Loved the teaser. I really liked Marty’s new theme and hope he sticks with it and it becomes this hero’s theme.
Comment by Valor — October 10, 2008 @ 6:12 pm
He he, one of the pictures shows an arrow, pointing at the HEV and says “Parking Violation”. Also, maybe the main character’s name is Maddie and the Superintendent was wonder where she was?
Comment by JRCB — October 10, 2008 @ 6:16 pm
We know the rank of the occupant. If you look closely you can see the single chevron and crossed rifles of a Lance Corporal on the left side of the chestplate.
Comment by Chris — October 10, 2008 @ 6:18 pm
btw… Bungie have stated that this is not a “full game”.
They’ve said it will only come in a box and it will contain DLC.
Seems like a very elaborate and expensive way to promote something that’s not really a “full game” to me. I wonder if they’ll blame that on MS too?
Remember kids: good news comes from Bungie, bad news comes from the publisher.
Comment by Charles — October 10, 2008 @ 7:06 pm
With all the notions of “stealh and tactical” gameplay, I have to wonder if this wont wind up playing like S.W.A.T. matches. No Shields, increased health, keep out of harms way.
Comment by henry — October 10, 2008 @ 7:08 pm
I think there’s another explanation for the “TIME ANOMALY DETECT-” caption instead of evoking (*shudder*) time travel; the EMP knocked SI’s internal clock askew, and SI didn’t notice that until after reestablishing contact with the communications net.
Remember that SI isn’t perfectly aware of his surroundings; he couldn’t ID the HEV, for example, and mistakenly interpreted it to be a car crash. So we can’t rule out that SI’s recovery from Regret’s EMP trail confused him on what time it was, and therefor the anomaly could be that mistaken time hack.
— Steve
Comment by Anton P. Nym — October 10, 2008 @ 7:18 pm
Hey man,
Just wanted to say, great article. I spent all day yesterday looking forward to watching this trailer in HD, and I spent all day hoping that your website would post another in-depth analysis.
This is excellent, fascinating material. Well done.
Comment by J.R. — October 10, 2008 @ 7:51 pm
@EldritchWarlord
While I won’t go on record saying that I think Recon 111 is the same as this character, I think there’s definitely a connection between the two. It makes the most sense, given our current information, that this team is being sent to find out what Regret was here for. Having played through Halo 3, we already know: the gateway artifact.
The real question I’d like an answer to is how and why Regret went to Installation 05 afterward. I doubt that’ll be talked about in H3R, but I’d like to get an answer one day.
Comment by Vociferous — October 10, 2008 @ 8:17 pm
I think that you really dug deep into this whole trailer. Truth be told, I found some of the same stuff you did. But the parking violation thing made me laugh. Just for kicks, did you notice that SEVEN brutes pass by our new ODST buddy?
Comment by Chris000 — October 10, 2008 @ 11:04 pm
Something that should also be mentioned in the Article is that, just before the Covenant Phantom shows up and the Superintendent shuts off the billboard signs, on them, it urges anyone who reads them to turn to the left — Prior to making the screens and lights dissappear.
The Superintendent may be quirky and a “dumb” AI… but probably, indeed knows a lot about the situation, and wants to keep the sole human survivor alive. By the expressions and management of the city it did, I believe he does know about the Covenant, and so, urged any survivor (In this case de ODST) to run and hide.
…
And I also laughed at the “Parking Violation” thing. ^__^
Comment by David Delgado — October 11, 2008 @ 1:14 am
Wow Marty really outdid himself on this one. Score is epic.
Comment by Liam — October 11, 2008 @ 2:23 pm
Not sure, but in the event that this ODST is indeed recon 111, then I would assume he is male, because the voice of recon 111 is distinctively male. Also, other evidence is that, in Halo 2 and 3, there are no female voices for the ODSTs (to the best of my knowledge), however in the novels there are female ODSTs. This is merely speculation. I’m not trying to be sexist, (though it might appear so, please don’t go off on me for this comment) merely stating my opinion. It doesn’t matter to me either way.
Comment by Anonymous — October 11, 2008 @ 7:28 pm
Being as this game takes place immediately following the slipspace event, I am wondering if the elites are going to factor in as enemies in the game. While the elites are great to have as allies in Halo 3, I honestly really enjoyed fighting them in the first two Halos far more than I did fighting the brutes in Halo 3. If they will appear as enemies, being as they are more cunning than the brutes, I think they will prove a formidable adversary for our hero, whether he is stealthy or not. I mean he’s only human after all.
Comment by Tyler — October 11, 2008 @ 11:39 pm
Thank you. I can’t wait to see more on this new release.
Comment by Beroya052 — October 12, 2008 @ 1:16 pm
Fresh article. I assumed at the end that when the the billboard said KEEP RIGHT and PROCEED WITH CAUTION that the Superintendent would be the new Cortana, but instead of being in your head cracking jokes and stuff, he’d just send you text messages.
I also could have sworn that at one point when the screen goes black, you see the door from the HEV shoot open and hit the camera
Comment by MC Warhammer — October 12, 2008 @ 1:23 pm
I’m not generally one to respond to posts but there are some interesting knowns about the gun that can lead to a lot of other speculation.
First, I agree with the second poster. That is definitely a reflex sight. At the very least it might be a small ACOG. The regular SMG just has general iron sights. For gameplay reasons this means we can probably expect 1.5x or 2x magnification with this new version, if at all.
With this presumed it leads us to another conundrum. This new SMG has an extended stock, and this is a “stealthy” game. If it plays anything like SWAT, the goal will be to take down baddies quickly, silently, and efficiently. Logically then, this new SMG will not be the “pray and spray” gun we remember from Halo 2 and 3. Instead it will probably be an extremely accurate weapon, and powerful. It will probably make the player rely on quick headshots to get the job done, much like playing Rainbow Six. After all, if you don’t kill a Brute instantly and you are already lacking in shields… well you probably won’t live very long.
What we get at the end is a modified SMG with little to no zoom, but highly accurate and very powerful. For practical purposes I guess we can think of it as a beefed up, silenced M6D.
Comment by donc — October 13, 2008 @ 12:18 am
I love your reviews, and this one was just fantastic! You really did a good job collecting information that probably all of us passed by as worthless.
Thank you very much for giving us info that just might help us wait patiently for this games release!
Comment by xxSpartan 99xx — October 14, 2008 @ 10:38 am
Wow! Impressive article…
The score is definitely a winner. About the gun, could it be more rifle-like in the sense that it would fire one round or three or full auto depending on the setting the player controls. This would really add variety to the tactics the player could employ. On first sight of the weapon i though of a MP5.
Thanks for the article and keep them coming.
Comment by Casus Belli — October 15, 2008 @ 6:26 pm
Very nice article, good job. I liked the incredible detail and insight. The M7S is such a sweet weapon.
The track is available for download at bungie.net. It’s called Prepare to Drop and it’s exactly 1 minute 17 seconds long, haha.
Comment by MC Spartan 401 — October 19, 2008 @ 2:29 pm
I don’t think there’s anything to be said that hasn’t already been stated, great job, the same quality with all your articles.
Comment by Connor — October 21, 2008 @ 9:44 pm
your wrong about the whole shutting off the lights thing to protect the ai, the ai is shutting off any source of light to conceal the human. evidently it doesnt care wether or not itself is found out just as long as the human is safe.
Comment by gg — November 10, 2008 @ 9:27 pm
Did you guys see the second picture on the second page? Look at his hands. You can see dark skin. Is it possible the character could be black?
Comment by xxW4R EAGL3xx — November 15, 2008 @ 10:25 pm
Boo Yeah for Hell Jumpers even more importantly the 105th
Comment by SNAKE — April 8, 2009 @ 2:01 am
will odst have vechiles?
Comment by xxbobh123xx — June 9, 2009 @ 3:23 pm
Yes.
Comment by Cocopjojo — June 9, 2009 @ 5:38 pm