Halo 3: ODST

1. Alex Pratt October 8, 2009

   First off I would like 2 say this is a really fun game. the blood is very mild. however, if you are uncomfortable with dirty language as I am this game is not four you. I suggest you play it with music on so it mutes out the voices.
2. Alex O'Connor October 15, 2009

   Well I have to say that out of all of the Halo games this was the best. Only like Mr. Pratt said above it does have some language. A little more than the other four Halo games but not by much. The blood is mild and the story line is great.
3. Liam October 21, 2009

   gratutitous vilence is not a good thing over a long period of hours or time in general….take in mind halo was supposed to be rated T
4. blabsector8 October 21, 2009

   I have no problem with language in games as long as you don’t use it constantly
5. Trish October 29, 2009

   Are the previous Halo games inappropriate? I have a 9-year-old who wants to play/buy them. Thanks.
6. silverdragon October 29, 2009

   Please direct your questions to our forums http://forums.guide2games.org/ where any of our many members would gladly be able to answer your question.
7. Emma November 1, 2009

   How can any Christian even think of playing a game where murder and killing are the primary features. To make matters worse, the language in this game is not appropriate for those who strive to be holy. We as Christians have become part of this world to the point no one can tell a difference.
8. matt November 1, 2009

   well im a christian and i can play these games because i know not to cuss or go out and kill a "REAL" person, and a pixelated charcter is most definatley a real person.
9. Boba Fett November 2, 2009

   I don't mind violence in a game, so long as it isn't senseless. Keep in mind that there is a war going on in this game. The language could have been toned down, but as mentioned just turn up the music.
10. Crimian November 2, 2009

    If you would feel convicted by playing a game that includes cursing and killing, then it would most certainly be a sin for you to ignore that. Please, understand that not all Christians believe the same, and there are some good reasons why beliefs differ. This site provides reviews of the content in games so that parents and other individuals can make informed decisions about what content their households will be exposed to. I certainly don't believe that God considers it impermissible for us to try to provide this service to our brothers and sisters.

    If you wish to debate this issue, please visit our forums and do so there.
11. Cameron November 5, 2009

    Matt, I'm pretty sure scripture, does not say "thou shall not kill, unless the person is pixelized, then go for it!" I'm not trying to be facetious, I just want you to begin to see the other point of view. Scripture does say that we are not to even have what looks to be evil. The bible says thou shalt not kill. It's true the people in the game aren't real but the fact is you are still engaging in the activity of taking a life, whether it is real or not. I don't understand how that is justifiable as fun. Since when is computer programmed murder fun?
12. Nathan November 6, 2009

    well actually in ODST you arent meant to kill any people just martians that look like lizards and apes
13. Crimian November 7, 2009

    The Hebrew word used in that verse is more properly rendered, "murder." King David killed plenty of men, but suddenly deserved death when he brought Uriah to an end. What was the difference? The men he killed on the battlefield were soldiers, enemies that were set against Israel, whereas Uriah was an innocent man that was murdered. Rendering the commandment as, "thou shalt not kill," makes God a hypocrite in a number of ways that I will not go into right now. Suffice it to say that there is a significant difference between the words "kill" and "murder," and it is inappropriate to refer to a game that is about a war to save mankind as, "computer programmed murder."

    Regardless, if you believe it is a sin to play this or similar games, then it is for you. If you wish to discuss this issue further, please do so on this site's forums.
14. Tarantula guy November 7, 2009

    Crimian's right, murder is just killing someone. Killing is OK in wars because it is self defense. People who start wars, not at all.
15. andrew November 13, 2009

    You only kill aliens in self defense, and i would hardly call that murder.
16. Tom November 19, 2009

    Its just what alot of people find fun not sure why but it just is and your not killing people your killing aliens:|
17. Brandon November 26, 2009

    Beats me. The language doesn't bother me, but I go to a public high school. I'm desensitized. Plus, the world's that way. Concerning the killing, I have problems. Heck, these games actually make people aggressive. I've first-hand evidence, studies posted on the internet, and myself. Genius list of arguments, eh?
    P.S. I'm trying not to swear myself. Once one falls in, it's tough getting out.
18. Brandon November 26, 2009

    Yes. They have a nude woman, plenty of blood, gushes out everywhere, cussing, running aliens over, if you wish, etc. Get him something safer. (e.g. Well, it's getting pretty cliche, but: Star Wars Trilogy Apprentice of the Force, Star Wars Clone Wars Republic Heroes, Shining Soul 2, and http://springrts.com/wiki/Games. Just an idea.
19. Brandon December 4, 2009

    Hey, it's nice to hear somebody explain this properly. I myself am on your side. I haven't been able to respond properly to the "it's just a game" argument so often given by gamers who are too attatched to their games. Thank you. I may be giving a speech to a freshman highschool class about this issue. Genius. Gracias. Yo soy pleased.
20. Brandon December 4, 2009

    Hm, you're argument is interesting. However, killing in a videogame is unnecessary. It's simmulated. Furthermore (to actually get to my point), murder is something someone does that is unecessary. Killing in a war, yes, but murder, unnecessary killing, is not okay. Videogames are killing unnecessarily, they are murder. Also, I'm interested in how "thou shalt not kill" makes God a hypocrite. That's a very heavy statement, calling God a hypocrite.
21. Brandon December 4, 2009

    Your defense of people starting wars…oddly enough, you are starting the game, correct? Therefore, you are starting a war, right? If not, please explain. I will be interested.
22. Brandon December 4, 2009

    But it got an "M" rating for the egregious amounts of blood.
23. Crimian December 5, 2009

    Short explanation: God makes a command not to kill + God kills, directly and indirectly = God is a hypocrite. This is averted by the fact that the command was not to murder instead of not to kill, as I pointed out above.

    If you wish to discuss matters such as this, please make an account for the forums and discuss it there. These comment fields are not meant for debates.
24. Doug December 7, 2009

    Nice, actually the game features a clothed woman (she is), not very much blood. Cussing is easy to put music over. I know 9 year olds and younger that play this game. You must have not played it before
25. Sam December 10, 2009

    Most are pretty good, being light on blood & language considering they are "M" games. I play them with my family, but you should probably play the games yourself to get a good idea.
26. Rejo December 15, 2009

    I think that your right Cameron on most of your points. If playing games like these mess up your mind and you have conviction, don't play games this violent! And the language thing is hard to bear as well sometimes and we shoudn't be around things or poeple with excesive language. BUT, some things can be overlooked. Don't take this the wrong way though, you should always be on your gaurd against evil. But you are thinking to deep. These games are fun and challenging to those who can take violence. Killing something in a game is not the same as in real life. (EVEN PACMAN HAS KILLING)Some times moderation is key in what you do. I have struggled with this and i found limiting my time helps. If the game doesn't get in the way of your life, and doesn't contain anything that can be overlooked, then have fun with it. God wants us to enjoy life but also live a life for him.
27. tye December 16, 2009

    if by naked woman ur probaly refferring to cortana… SHES NOT NAKED and shes not a human either.
28. HaloStarbucks December 17, 2009

    I hate legalism with a passion. I grew up in a legalistic household: My parents wouldn't celebrate Haloween or Christmas, or even have a tv in the house until i was a teenager. That kind of upbringing left such a bitter taste in my mouth that when I went to college I went through a period of time where I rebelled and didnt want anything to do with religion at all. I'm just getting back into church now but its that kind of mentality that tries to impose the old testament law onto modern christians that really grates. The sixth of the ten commandments says "thou shoult not murder". Murder, as in ACTUALLY KILLING A LIVING PERSON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Not playing a silly video game where the only violence is against ficticious aliens. Not only that Cameron, Emma, and others, but even if the violence depicted in the Halo games WAS real it would still be COMPLETELY JUSTIFIED as a JUST WAR agianst the forces of evil. Whew… I feel better!
29. silverdragon December 23, 2009

    Regardless she has a very alluring human like form and skin tight clothing, I think that the reviewer was mearly stating that it could be a problem area for some players.
30. Red Five December 23, 2009

    I think too often people associate Christians becoming different from the world strictly with entertainment. I'm not saying discernment can just be tossed aside, but the way we're SUPPOSED to be different is in terms of how we love one another. Too often, Christians get up in other Christians' faces about the games they play or the movies they watch or the music they listen to, but just as often, that finger can come straight back. We all have different standards, because God never really laid out an awful lot of information we can use for this. Not to mention things like context or storytelling necessity come into play with any art form. There's no way to make an absolute standard.
    And at any rate, I really don't think this is what God cares about. I don't think people are going to die, go to Heaven, and have God tell them, "Well done, good and faithful servant- you didn't play Halo or read Harry Potter or watch Dexter and you think secular rap is evil."
    Honestly, I'll give you two people- one who does all of the above, but who spends nearly every waking minute in loving service of others, in kindness, in good faith; and someone who almost totally restrains himself to "Christian" entertainment, but pays little to no attention to his fellow man. I very firmly believe the first is far more likely to hear the words, "Well done, good and faithful servant."
    Again, I am not advocating a lack of discernment, but I am saying it's a personal thing. Two people can watch the same movie, and only one of them might sin- intentions, reactions, both factor into this, I believe. But as I said before, God does not want to be different from the world in such a way that all we do is burn Harry Potter books and boycott Bill Maher movies. In all honesty, this sort of aggressive behavior is probably the opposite of what is desired for us. Read the New Testament. God's command to us is clearly love, love that's so radical, so extreme, that it is what makes us different. Love will make us stand out against the world. Entertainment decisions won't.
    And that's my two cents.
31. ryan the lupi December 26, 2009

    emma,

    so if your saying its bad for christains to kill, or witness murder, or whatever, then why do we have christain troops? they are fighting for our freedom, not meaning to do any wrong but protect, but does that mean they are bad?

    as for this game, its AMAZING. the description above overdoes it, BIG time, the game has the least blood of some more major games, (i.e. modern warfare 2, gear of war, assassins creed, etc.), and the vulgarity isnt hardly noticable (bad grammar, i know). unless you have your volume all the way up, you shouldnt have a problem. plus, you never murder a person, you DEFEAT aliens who would most likely start the next holocaust (given the fact the game is preset so that wouldnt happen). i give the game 4/5, losing points only because i personally was expecting a new multiplayer from it, but an updated Halo 3 is fine
32. BobTheHun December 26, 2009

    The bible does't now say not to kill it says not to murder, the "eye for an eye" thing is talking about revenge. Fighting in a war is not revenge its to protect people.
33. Twisted December 28, 2009

    great point! Here's some scripture that will help out your point. It's too long of a passage to write down the whole thing. Matthew 15:10-20. Basicallly, Jesus is saying in these lines that it's not what goes into the body that matters, but what comes out that is important. From these lines, your buddy doing all this stuff is in better shape than the restrainer.

    Hey, question for people. It seems like people who restrain theirselves attack those who do not. I was reading the Guitar Hero II on this site, and saw someone called a demented person, and put words into his speech. I've definately seen other cases as well. Anyone else notice this?
34. Red Five December 28, 2009

    Frankly, I see a sad amount of aggression on both sides. You've got all the more conservative people telling everyone else that their decisions are inherently and provably (this part, at least, is untrue) wrong and that they're all horrible people who should get right with God, and the ones playing the game who simply retort by screaming over and over again how it's not real and it's unfair to judge and that a game being fun excuses everything.
    Honestly, it's half the reason why I harp on the love thing so often. I see these bloody, vicious battles over the arts, and meanwhile, there's so much we could be accomplishing if we'd just put that stuff aside. There is nothing Christ-like about the way we argue over these things sometimes.
35. Twisted December 29, 2009

    Hey, I agree with ya man. Paul said that it was OK to disagree on disputable manners. Here's what I think should really work. Those who say all entertainment is OK should consider the concerns of the other side, and those who stay away from all should consider some of the points of the other side. Here's a good article about disputible matters.

    http://www.apologeticsindex.org/mi-005.html

    Oh, and just for the record, I'm in the middle of the two groups. I don't think shooters are bad, but lots of gore isn't the best.
36. Micah January 2, 2010

    How scarce is the profanity?
37. Josh/Dark Knight January 3, 2010

    I played this game (split screen) at a friends house so I can't say anything about the bad words. The blood is kind of a problem (that was sarcastic. It is a problem) but this IS war. There is a difference between killing and murder. Murder, (in the dictionary) is described as being un-lawful. War killing is completely lawful. (In fact, sometimes in the bible God would tell people to go and attack!) Now getting addicted to the game is possible, so I recommend spending a reasonable time playing shooting games (It's for you ((or your parents)) to decide how much time that is exactly.). Sure, they're fun, but games are not hard to get addicted to.

    And yes, I do like using ( and )
38. don January 14, 2010

    reading some of these posts i cant help but wonder how some of you manage to leave the house. there is so much evil out in the real world but you all are actually so offended but swearing that you play loud music to mute it? im not trying to be offensive but can someone unbiasedly explain to me why the so over-the-top sensistivity? i mean im assuming we are christians here and arent we supposed to be bold in the face of evil and not cower? should these things really bother us to the point of isolation from a few cuss words?
39. silverdragon January 19, 2010

    I think there is a big difference between hearing it in the world and buying it and bringing it to your home.
40. Josh Carter January 19, 2010

    I totally agree with Silver Dragons comment. While it may be ok every once in while it might not be the best idea to hear it often. And I do agree with what Don said about Christians, we need to get out of our shells and spread the news!
41. george January 21, 2010

    have you even seen a picture of cortana, because if you had, you would not have said that, and also cortana isn't even in odst
42. george January 21, 2010

    it is not egregious you can barely see it and it is very mild.
43. mmm January 31, 2010

    Your not starting a war in the game, you wake up, a marine hands you a gun and says "these aliens are attacking the human race, protect us"…..so no, you yourself do not start a war
44. Ina February 8, 2010

    I liked this game quite a lot. It was short, but good. There's barely any blood, really. You barely even notice the blood since it's either blue or purple, haha. I never noticed much cursing, to be honest, but I don't pay attention to that stuff very much.
    It's definitely a great game to get your friends and family into. It's fun! I don't find much wrong with it at all! Sure, it's not for the youngest of kids, but 10 and up is a pretty good age.
45. Colton March 19, 2010

    I agree completely! I'm glad there are others who think like this. I'm also glad you're going back to church.
46. Colton July 1, 2010

    The war starts with the aliens shooting at the humans. This is pretty much what happend.

    Some human ships come out of Slipspace (Halo version of Hyperspace). As soon as they come out, the aliens blow up their ships. They never even met the aliens before that.

    If you want to learn more about what happend you could probably Google it, or read the book Halo: The Fall of Reach. Or, you could read the short graphic novel Halo Genesis.

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