Halo 2
Hallowed be thy name...
Has there ever been a month as big as this in gaming? Maybe it's just me getting caught up in the present, being carried away by the deluge of hype and forum banter that both preceded and now surrounds the release of the "big 3" in recent weeks. The three I'm speaking of are, of course, Grand Theft Auto San Andreas, Half Life 2 and Halo 2. Three absolutely huge releases, and luckily it seems, three very good games. It's nice at least to have the two go hand in hand; it's not exactly uncommon for the most hyped and commercially successful of games to be in reality distinctly average titles.
The truth is that an absolute disaster would have had to have occurred for Halo 2 to end up being described as "average". Hype can often be a very dangerous thing. It has severely damaged other titles in the past, but much like San Andreas recently, Halo 2 has not only survived the treacherous waters of it's highly anticipated launch but thankfully emerged with it's head held proud and high. The very first night I went online it was quite striking the excitement present in the other player's voices, sharing with me as they were their first game. "Awesome!" one American bellowed, "I can't believe this is actually happening!" admitted another (along with various other non-repeatable excitable expletives). Despite this, there's no escaping the fact that the single player has proved disappointing to many, and rightly so. However, ask any of the thousands of players on Xbox Live that have been enjoying Bungie's latest what they think of the single player and few of them will probably care either way. Halo 2 is now the latest in along line of titles that really necessitate the need to get your Xbox online. If you're not, then you're missing out - plain and simple.
The Xbox Live service is getting more exciting by the week. Titles like Burnout 3, Star Wars Battlefront and Flat Out, to name but three, have all been released in recent weeks and have all thrived when taken online. Halo 2 looks set to surpass any of these games, not least because unlike many of it's rivals it demonstrates that the Xbox Live network has the capacity to run wonderfully when everything is done right. Burnout 3's technical problems have been well documented. Star Wars Battlefront, despite being lots of fun, has never been a great example of Live running at its best. The framerate is really quite poor once online and finding a lag free game is often a quite daunting task. Halo 2, however, offers an even smoother online experience than Project Gotham Racing 2.
Before I even consider the game itself, I must mention the success with which Bungie has constructed a smooth, if slightly time consuming, lobby set-up. Granted, it's quite baffling at first, can be slow and it would be nice to select from a larger list of specific play types when searching for a game (though Bungie has assured us that both of these latter issues are being addressed as we speak). It's still a wondrously smooth system, however. Things become even easier still if you have a healthy friends list. If you do, then hooking up with a mate and forming a party is the ideal way to surf from game to game together. Better still, why not form a clan (which can be up to 100 people in size) and take on rival clans? It's all there and it all works. I've yet to be kicked out of a game unnecessarily (hello Burnout), I've not once been kicked out of the blue (Flatout anyone?) and in all honesty I think I've only twice seen even a hint of a drop in framerate (step forward, Battlefront).
And thank god it works too because it makes it all the easier to enjoy possibly the best online console game yet made. The customisation possibilities are really quite huge. Not only are there loads of different game types but also you're free to team up in any way you wish. Fancy an 8-on-8 Slayer fest? No problem. How about four teams of three competing in a fierce capture the flag marathon? Sorted. It's because there's so many different possibilities that it's going to be a long time before anyone tires of Halo 2 online. And even once you have tried everything that's on offer, it's hard to imagine ever tiring of it. Whether you're duel-wielding a pair of sub-machine guns, scooting about on a Ghost, rifle-butting a hapless Elite over a cliff or back flipping a Banshee over a crest, it's all just such a laugh. The environments are diverse, often absolutely huge and always extremely well put together.
Still though, no matter how much I evangelise about the Live experience there are still folk out there who either don't want to or cannot get on Live, and thus the single player is still a very important element. In all honesty, there's no denying that I have been left a little disappointed by it. Saying that, I personally found some later sections of the original Halo a little lacklustre and I know many of you would chastise me for that. Perhaps what's most dissatisfying is that the few problems that were evident in the first title are still evident now, and of what's left some has been improved whilst other aspects have suffered. Level design, for instance, is still very hit and miss. One moment you can be fighting your way though a delightfully huge and manic set-piece, the next you're trudging through a succession of identikit corridors killing a succession of identikit enemies. When Halo 2 is good it's extremely good, and when it's not it never gets worse than "still quite enjoyable".
There are some very cool new weapons on offer and the new duel-wielding ability offers up some interesting possibilities. An SMG or Plasma Rifle individually might lack punch, but when used together they're lethal; take down the shields with the rifle and finish them off with twenty machine gun rounds to the chest - job done. The Fuel Rod is also quite cool. Behaving a little like a cross between a Flamethrower and cutting laser, it's great for taking down the Flood amongst other things. The Covenant Energy Sword is a fearsome weapon in close quarters allowing skilled players to clear tight rooms quickly and effectively. There are times, I admit, when deep into the latest corridor-fest I've had to survive for what feels like too long on Plasma Pistols and other Covenant cast-offs, but that's a minor criticism in reality.
As often happens in sequels (especially if they're setting up for more parts in the future) the plot itself is a little convoluted and even confusing at times. It also doesn't help that the opening level is really quite poor in comparison to some sections of the game. Personally I would have liked to have more in the way of new enemies featured - though there is more variation than the original Halo, it does sometimes feel like you're shooting the same grunt or drone over and over again. At times though it's the little things that serve to detract the most. The standard Assault rifle in this version is, put simply, poorer than the gun featured in the first. The small infection Flood's also 'pop' in a far less satisfying manner. In many ways the single player almost feels like it's been made by a different company, desperate to recreate the success of the first but never fully grasping what was so great about it in the first place. That is an overly harsh assessment, of course (I'm just trying to illustrate a point) and I'm not for one moment suggesting that the single player is bad. It's not - it's still a great game.
There are some exciting twists, such as the chance to play as a second character for much of the game, the ability to hijack enemy vehicles and even some low-gravity space battles. The use of music feels different to the first but is still incredibly effective. Whilst it may appear initially that graphically things have not really progressed that much, after a few hours you'll start noticing the things like the improved textures (though on occasion they can pop up a bit late), the rock solid framerate or the truly amazing draw distance. When a title's this slick it's hard not to enjoy it.
It's true that the brilliance of the online play has somewhat quietened the voices that have already expressed doubt about the single player, but in all fairness this is rightly so. If you will be playing offline only then be aware that whilst Halo 2 is a really great game that you'll enjoy a lot, the extreme hype surrounding it might serve to disappoint you a little. All the more reason, some might say (or should that be, "I would say"?), for you to get online as soon as possible because Halo 2 is now the reason to get your console online (until Pro Evolution 4 comes out on Xbox, of course [isn't impartiality a great thing? - Ed]). It's technically accomplished, wonderfully diverse and ridiculously fun. It's the sort of game that you want to quit work or dump the girlfriend to play (I say that in jest, dearest, of course!). It's the sort of game you're still thinking about when you go to bed and instantly springs to mind when you wake up. It's all you could have wanted online and it deserves the success it is enjoying. Bravo!
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Comments
can't wait for it to come out, saw a preveiw advert for it this morning for the first time
Halo 2 Is the greatest game to date!, Blows GTA out of the water
Please please PLEASE... don't let this descend into a mindless "Oh, Halo 2 is soooooooooo much better than San Andreas!" thread. :-(
The two games are completely different. They're non-comparable. One is not better than the other - they are both superb games.
Please people - no more.
halo 2 is a load of old wee so is san andraes an halflife2 is toatl poo#
NFSU" si the bestest game evamade EA rulez!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Cheers for that Sam.
NICE XBOX 2
HALO 2 ROCKS as for gta it doesn't really compare to it because halo is so much more fun to play all you do in gta is just go around a city steal cars and say curse words but halo2 you get to blast the cr*p out of aliens drive a warthog and blow stuff up!
i hate halo it stinks it is probably the worse game i have ever played i don't get why everyone says it is so awsome i think it s*cks i would rather play a harvest moon game
I want to die.....
GTA RULEZ 4EVA!! HALO 2 SUX!! METROID PRIME IS DOWN THE DRAIN!!
...and so on and so forth. These mindless and incoherent posts are enough to drive one up te wall (at least it does drive this poster up one). PLEASE!! No more. Esp. gta and the halo franchises. they're both different. dont you people see?
Thank you Nexus :-)
And I also applaud the fact that you gave both GTA San Andreas and Halo 2 the same score. It gives very little scope for fanboys to argue....
but they will anyway.
Ah, you spotted that! Yes, it was a deliberate decision.
must have halo2...
i love HALO 2 but dissapointed in the new split screen
Sorry to burst your bubble, but yes, in fact, Halo 2 and GTA: SA are entirely comparable.
Just as Comparable as the systems they each exclusively call home.
and let's face it, GTA is better.
It's like comparing Titanic to Pulp Fiction
One made the most money but was made for Hollywood
The other was a work of honest quality, made by the artists and not catering to the interests of only the consumer.
Besides, dual-wielding is a cheap innovation that detracts from the gameplay experience, get over it.
halo 2 is good but not as good as the first. gta is fun but its odd that they can drive and use guns but cant swim. plus i can kill any one in halo
hey, yep im him to halo killer and it rocks!!!!!!!!!!!
1 sentence halo 2 and 1 = best gta = boringggggg
if u have xbox live then play me my name is the kenmen so play me so i can whoop your ass son
there will never b a game as good as halo 2 get use to it people
halo 2 is cool!
i hate halo 2 so much it was a disapointment
people, people of halo 2, lets not get to hasty we know its a wicked game but there just some games that it cant beat because of different catergorys so chill out!!! :)
there is more than just one best game in da world.
****Pro Evolution Soccer 4 is mint
****Halo 2 is mint
****NFSU2 is mint
****Half life 2 just looks mint
****san andreas is also just mint
but these games are not comparable with each other and who does think differently are completely fools!!!
ATTENTION :All Halo Haters! I think a little of you S*ck.Halo 2 is sick! YEAHHHHHHHHHHHHH!
i really want halo 2
screw that all them halo 2 haters yall need to now that halo 2 was and is the best game to come out so far so yall need to stop bein haters and join the band wagon. p.s. halo and halo 2 KKKKKKIIIIIICCCCCCKKKKKKSSSSSS AAAAAASSSSSS
dont get me wrong i do like gta and things like metroid prime its just that it takes so long to get gtas real story line and metroids isnt really that good so thus brings halo 2 story line to be the best in this area of releases and the thing that sets it off is that online multiplayer is help towards the loving of the game.
How can you possibly say that the battle rifle is worse than the assault rifle? the assault rifle's accuracy was so poor in halo that it always pissed me off! the battle rifle is much more accurate, and packs more punch per shot. If you want to spit out lots of lead very inaccurately, use the SMG!
First of all, sorry Ben P, too late.
Second, even though you can't compare them, the GTA series still sucks a**. All you do is run around and kill, steal, and repeat. I find it entertaining for about... 15 minutes. At least in Halo 2 and Half Life 2 there are great plots behind them. As for Halo 2 vs. Half Life 2, both are great games, so I won't take sides, but I will say that while Halo 2's multiplayer is better, Half Life 2's story is better. Still are two of the greatest games of all time, though.
im sorry, but Halo 2 is way overrated, halo 1 was by far better, the single player was more driving, and what the crap did they do to the sniper? it was already overbalanced slightly in halo1, in 2 it is just way too good, and grenades that hardly blow up? halo 1 is better by far...
It's GOOD for being the ONLY game that MAKES XBOX worth playing....(and you know it)..the ONLY game.
TRUE GAMER 2/12/2005 9:03:11 PM EST
It's GOOD for being the ONLY game that MAKES XBOX worth playing....(and you know it)..the ONLY game.
Hahahahaha!!!!! Sometimes stupidity gets the best of some people. No, I take that back, you're just horribly misguided. I take that back too. I think your just a plain dumbass.
i think Halo 2 is the best game ever
?!?!?!?!?!!??!?!?!?!?!?!?!!?!?!?!?!!?!?!?!!?!?!?!?!?!!?!?!?!?!?!!?!?!?!?!!?HALO 2 IS COOL
Test :P
With the Flood coming slowly back and learning more, will the humans and covenant ever forge an alliance.
I do have much love for the game and I send my thanks to the creators of Halo 1 and Halo 2. The only thing I would be glad to see is the covenant and humans putting their hate aside and stopping all flood.
I hope for an alliance against the flood but I will just wait.
yeah add me my xbox live name is d0obie...
My friend and I beat Halo 2 on legendary on the last board. But we didn't get anything and It took us 2 days. If you beat all levels in easy,
medium,herioc,and legendary you will get new maps.Maps are new boards for Muiltplayer
if yall ever wanna play me in xbox live add me then.......................natedawg09
Halo 2...wow....Do I even have to say anything? It's a AWESOME game.
1 HEADLESS 2 HEADLESS 3 HAPPY STUFFY BEARS, 4 HEADLESS 5 HEADLESS 6 HEADLESS STUFFY BEARS, 6 HEADLESS 7 HEADLESS 8 HAPPY STUFFY BEARS...AND I STILL HAVE A MILLION TO GO! I HAVEN'T HAD THIS MUCH FUN SINCE DE FRENCH REVOLUTION! -GRIM REAPER
Natedawg? Do I know you?? If I do know you, then we should both know who anissa is. If you don't know who Anissa is, the I don't know you.
i love this game who will talk to me
hahahahahahahahahahaha i will kill u all in halo 2
i wanth halo 3:P and xbox 360
Halo2 rocks! Ive beaten the game and well the last deffuclty was hard but a halo freak can not lose to those damn brutes.
dogs
hey i need help finding mods. add me at kent361 thaks:-)
hey i need help finding mods. add me at kent361 thaks:-)
hi
Do you ever have a speaker that translates your voice to a grunt voice?
halo ruuuuuuuules!