Despite time concerns, it appears as though Halo 3 Recon will have a bit more meat to it than what we thought. According to the latest Game Informer spread on the game, Recon will feature an open environment where players can traverse the game’s focal point, New Mombasa, and take missions at will.

The new details stemming from the article (via CVG) are numerous. First of all, players will be experiencing Recon through the eyes of a soldier called The Rookie. Just like Master Chief, he’ll remain behind his helmet. Apparently, he won’t be talking either. He’ll lack shields, but not the ability to regenerate health. Basically he’s a step down from the Chief, which should lend credence to the slower paced, strategic gameplay.

The story of the game revolves around the disappearance of four squad members. Each member’s location is provided as a pinpoint on the game’s map system, which can be checked via a PDA. After getting the map hammered, players will visit the scene of a disappearance and put together clues to solve what happened. At this point, the game will put players in the shoes of the missing soldier to act out what happened in the scenario.
 
More details are included in a nifty list after the break.

• Events take place during Halo 2
• PDA is used to set up waypoints
• The Rookie possesses something called “Visual Mode,” which makes items and enemies glow for linear fun.
• New Mombasa is regarded as something that can be explored and the mission structure is flexible in terms of picking which one to do next.
• Bungie creative director Joseph Staten actually compares crime scenes and the navigation of to Law and Order
• Four squad mates seem to fit the stereotypical mode. Dutch is called “a big guy,” Romeo is a sniper who is “kind of a dick.”
• No motion tracking or dual-wielding.