I finally found the 29th audio log, unlocking the 30th. Personally, I thought Sadie's story had more drama and more emotional impact than the ODST story arc. I liked it so much that I wanted to be an active participant in that than with my team. I don't see why they couldn't somehow combine the two.

Sadie and Vergil could have been the common threads tying all the flashbacks together. The flashbacks in their current form are nothing more than tech demos for the game's different mechanics. However, I will hand it to Bungie for taking a huge risk with excluding the Master Chief altogether. There wasn't even a mention or cameo appearance. The risks illustrate the richness of the Haloverse even without John 117 and Bungie's willingness to use a narrative structure atypical of what the Halo shooters fans have been used to since 2001.

On top of that, ODST helps showcase Bungie's mastery of their 30-seconds-of-fun formula. Despite the questionable cohesiveness of the story, the action held the whole package together.

Overall, a great addition to the Halo franchise.