Halo fans surprised with free anniversary download you can check out now

If you’re a fan of the somewhat underrated Halo 3: ODST, then you’ll want to check out this amazing fan project that you can play for free today.

As the name of the game might suggest, Halo 3: ODST is a spin-off to the critically acclaimed Xbox 360 game that was launched in 2007. Interesting fact, Halo 3: ODST was originally intended to be an expansion, but Bungie morphed it into a standalone game released in 2009.

Check out the Halo 3: ODST trailer below!

Halo 3: ODST told the story of the UNSC marines known as Orbital Drop Shock Troopers (ODST) and was set after the events of Halo 2, taking place in an oddly unnerving ruined city of New Mombasa now overrun by the covenant. It also had a mesmerising soundtrack composed by Martin O’Donnell and Michael Salvatori.

Other than having a fantastic story campaign and traditional multiplayer offering that fans of the Halo series love, Halo 3: ODST was the game that introduced the extremely fun ‘Firefight’ wave-based survival mode. I have so many fond memories of playing ‘Firefight’, writing this makes me want to play it all over again.

However, if you are looking to play Halo 3: ODST but with a fresh perspective, then look no further than Halo ODST Dropzone, an Unreal Engine 5 fanmade game created by Kaleb Nekumanesh available to download for free via gearshiftmedia.itch.io.

“Dropzone is a 15-30 minute narrative and exploration experience that allows you to explore a piece of New Mombasa never before seen,” reads the description of the game. “As an ODST, you can explore and find the narrative behind the environment, or just walk around and enjoy the atmosphere. It is your choice.”

As this is an Unreal Engine 5 project, you will need a capable PC to play Halo ODST Dropzone. If not, you can always enjoy the entire Halo series if you subscribe to Xbox Game Pass.

Halo 3: ODST is playable on PC and all modern Xbox consoles.