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Halo 2
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Pub.: Microsoft
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Dev.:
Bungie
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Score: 9.8 |
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Halo 2 Review
by 007
We’ve been waiting patiently for three years and now the time has finally come to anxious gamers. If you’re an Xbox owner and somehow you aren’t following along with what’s going on, Halo 2 has finally been released. While the official release date has only been chiseled into the books for a little while now, Halo fans have been long awaiting this sequel the day they first played Halo. Whether you’re a casual or hardcore Xbox gamer, Halo has reached out to you in some way. Statistics showed years ago that most people who went out and purchased an Xbox console bought Halo as well. Many fans have been playing Halo for three years because it’s that good of a game, while others went through it and stored it on a shelf. At the end of the day, most Xbox owners will hold onto their copy of Halo because the game has simply turned the First Person Shooter genre around.
Halo 2 is a game that has received more hype and anticipation than any game ever and the pre-sale figures can easily attest to that. It’s simply amazing to have a game pre-ordered by over 1.5 million Xbox owners worldwide – and you can expect hundreds of thousands of more copies to be purchased in the next week. With all of this pressure put on Bungie to develop one of the greatest games of all time, how would the final product turn out? Remember, Xbox owners have been awaiting this sequel for three years and have been shadowing Bungie wanting and waiting for any information on the game. Well that wait is finally over, and it was certainly worth the wait.
Features –
-Xbox Exclusive
-Players 1-4 (System Link 2-16)
-Online Multiplayer
-Widescreen 16:9
-5.1 Dolby Digital
Gameplay:
The Story –
Microsoft and Bungie have been silent on Halo 2’s main campaign mode from day one. Even though screenshots, multiplayer modes, and Xbox Live details were thrown out even now and then, the main campaign mode was kept hidden. It was Halo’s storyline that made the game so special, and Halo 2’s will certainly surpass any expectations.
There are many situations and levels that are reminiscent of Halo’s story. Almost taking off from where the game ended, Master Chief has come back to earth to warn of the Covenant attack on the planet. The first mission will have you defending the Cairo Space Station as an onslaught of Covenant attack. Every mission will have a cutscene that set the mood for the upcoming level. The first couple of missions will be standard protocol – stop the enemy from advancing and put their attack to a halt. The story is very well balanced, but doesn’t do too much and go over the line and gets the job done extremely well. I’m not going to go any further into the campaign mode, but there are plenty of twists, turns, and surprises waiting.
Controls –
Left Thumbstick: Move (Click: Crouch)
Right Thumbstick: Look (Click: Scope/Binoculars)
Left Trigger: Throw Grenade/Shoot Weapon
Right Trigger: Shoot Weapon
A Button: Jump
B Button: Melee Attack
X Button: Reload/Change Weapon
Y Button: Select Weapon/Dual Wield
Black Button: Select Grenade
White Button: Flashlight
For the most part, the control scheme has remained the same with the exception of a few additions and slight changes. Dual wielding is the biggest addition and will be of great use throughout the campaign and multiplayer modes. You’re given the opportunity to pick up mostly all of the guns except for guns that require two hands (shotgun, sniper rifle, rocket launcher, sword). That’s not a problem, because you’ll be able to dual wield the majority of weapons in the game. The dual wielding option isn’t just to point and shoot at your enemy or target – ammo can be consumed very quickly. The object is to have two guns that are unique and using them to your advantage. Usually wielding a human and an alien weapon will pack the best punch, since alien weapons will stun an enemy more than they deliver damage, while human weapons will deliver more power and damage.
Again there hasn’t been much done with the control scheme this time around. There’s still the option of using the default or inverted layout along with some other control settings. One thing gamers aren’t really going to notice is that most gamers will be playing the game with the Controller S instead of the original larger controller that came with the console three years ago. Not that it will make that big of a difference, it does offer a completely different feel that some gamers might not enjoy.
Weapons & Vehicles –
The weaponry in Halo 2 has definitely been upgraded and worked on since Halo. What you can expect this time around is a more balanced line of human and alien weapons, along with some minor and major changes. The Assault Rifle, which didn’t get much praise in Halo, has been scrapped and replaced with the SMG – a sub machine gun that specializes in pumping out bullets and causing most damage while in close range. The Battle Rifle is another new addition to the USNC line of weapons that features a three round burst option and 3x zoom scope. As for the rest of the human arsenal, they’ve all remained intact but do have some minor changes. The Pistol has lost its scope and is far more deadly, while the Shotgun comes off heavier and takes longer to reload. The Rocket Launcher still packs the same punch and comes with a lock-on target locator which is key for enemies and opposing vehicles.
With the alien weaponry you can expect more of the same – upgrades, changes, and new additions. The biggest addition will be the energy sword, a weapon both Master Chief and the Covenants can use. The energy sword is best used for tactical close up combat with enemies and can usually eliminate an enemy in 1-2 attacks. The Needler has been upgraded to be much more powerful than it was in Halo, while the Plasma Pistol really hasn’t changed much. Another new addition to the alien weaponry is the Carbine which is equivalent to the human Battle Rifle. The Plasma Rifle is back and just as powerful as it was in Halo, and the Covenant Sniper Rifle will provide brute sniper strength and accuracy.
Moving onto the vehicles, Halo 2 will provide many useful upgrades along with some new vehicles. The Warthog has been given an emergency brake along with some shaper handling. The Scorpion also makes a return and is still as powerful and dangerous as ever. The vehicle is still controlled by a driver, but it can also carry passengers on the side of the tank. The Covenant vehicles have been upgraded, with the Ghost now given a speed burst which can come in handy when dodging, escaping, or attacking enemies. The Wraith is finally a controllable vehicle, and while it moves rather slow, its power equals that of the Scorpion.
As the vehicle combat can get quite intense during missions, all vehicles are prone to damage. Tires on a Warthog can be shot out, parts of the Ghost can fall off, Banshees can be fully destroyed. All vehicles are vulnerable to damage, whether it be from other vehicles or human and Covenant attack. Hijacking is also another feature that has been implemented into Halo 2. If you time it right, you can hop onto an enemy vehicle and knock them off it or melee attack them.
It’s the little things that make a difference –
Bungie has made some simple, yet effective additions to the game that really mean a lot even it you don’t notice them at first. Running out of ammo on a weapon? No, problem. If you’ve got an ally nearby you can swap weapons and get back on track. Think you’ve got an enemy on the horizon but aren’t sure? Just use the binoculars and you’ll get a better look ahead. Stuck somewhere on a mission? Most missions will usually update your status with checkpoints. If missions are just too difficult you’ll usually have a couple of ways to get around or complete them. Bungie has just offered the little things that go a long way in the game. Most of the time you won’t notice these things, but they can really come in handy in the long run.
Getting down to the core of the gameplay, the game has a total of 15 missions that are continuous. Every mission will start off with a cutscene that set the mood of the mission that is ahead of you. While 15 missions seem like a lot, the game isn’t terribly long. Completing the game on the Normal difficulty level should take around 10 or so hours. As you raise the level of difficulty, the game will become more challenging and you will find yourself replaying some sections many times.
Allies will play a key role in the game. It’s important that you don’t abuse the aid of your allies, because letting them do all the work isn’t going to get the job done. I’m willing to admit that there were times my allies saved my neck, you just can’t rely on them for everything. While they do a good job, there are times where they don’t get in on the action enough. There are times where the action is heavy and frantic and you move ahead to engage in the action thinking you’ve got your allies behind you getting your back. Think again. Sometimes they’ll just stand around waiting for the action to come to them. There’s also times where they just move quickly ahead of the pace and take care of things for you.
Enemies have grown and developed into much smarter opponents in Halo 2. They take cover, they fiercely attack with no mercy, they pull off surprise attacks, and they do whatever it takes to try and get the job done. If you’re engaging in close combat, enemies will resort to close melee attacks. Grunts, Elites, and other enemies will attack with force and usually in large amounts and rarely attack alone.
When all is said and done, the campaign mode will come and go by quite quickly. Completing the game on the legendary skill will definitely be the most challenging and ultimate goal, but the ending will definitely shock some gamers who were expecting something else. It’s something I’m not going to go into details with, but it will definitely surprise you.
Multiplayer –
Most definitely the bread and butter of Halo 2, the games multiplayer modes and options will garner the most attention from gamers. Halo 2 will support split screen multiplayer, system link, and extensive Xbox Live support. Both system link and Xbox Live will support 2-16 players.
Getting down to the details of the multiplayer support, the game will have modes such as Slayer, Team Slayer, Phantoms, Elimination, King of the Hill, and many others. Modes will have numerous options that can be set up or changed such as the numbers of rounds, time limit, respawn time, shield type, and many more. There are also vehicle, equipment, and team options that can all be changed or set up to your liking. There’s 11 multiplayer maps along with two returning maps from Halo (there is a hidden map that can be unlocked). While some might think that the selection of maps is few, the depth and range of these maps are simply unbelievable. If you want to keep things simple on a small map so you’re not spending most of your time looking around for opponents (especially if you’ve only got a couple people playing), maps like Lockout and Ivory Tower are perfect for you. If you’re ready for the big intense battles then levels like Zanzibar and Waterworks will definitely fit your style.
With Xbox Live you’ll be able to take your Halo 2 experience onto another level. You’ll have all the customizations that you’ll need to set things up and you’ll have numerous modes at your disposal. You’ll be able to setup clans that can contain up to 100 members along with different levels for members as well as rankings. Matchmade games will result in games that will affect your ranking and stats while Arranged games will not affect your stats at all. You’ll also be able to setup Parties (an extension of the Matchmade games) and Quick games.
Graphics:
Halo’s visual three years ago were revolutionary and to this day they still have an edge on many Xbox games. Halo 2 surpasses all visual expectations that were put on the game by a fair margin. Starting it off, the game is full of gorgeous cutscenes that smoothly flow the games storyline and are fantastically scripted. High definitions were made for games like these, so those who have the ability to enjoy Halo 2 in HDTV just can’t pass on playing the game like this. The game isn’t nagged by slowdown, the framerate is smooth and steady throughout the game.
Halo 2 has basically evolved on the visuals from Halo. The game has amazing textures, explosion effects, particle effects, and lighting effects. Bungie has put great depth into Halo 2’s visuals, the game really does catch your eye when you look at it. Environments are beautiful, whether it be indoor or outdoors it really doesn’t get much better than this. The character models have been vastly improved, with Master Chief looking sharper and finely tuned than he was in Halo.
Audio:
Halo’s audio excellence continues on in Halo 2. Everything has been done to perfection. Whether it be the sound effects, background music, or dialogue, it’s nothing short of fantastic. 5.1 Dolby Digital has been taken full use of, and if you don’t own one, it’s definitely a wise investment. The games background music is powered by intense symphonic music that liven the game up during intense moments and keep the game calm during steady situations. Most of the voice talent from Halo (Master Chief, Cortana) is back again in Halo 2. The voice acting is tremendous and wonderfully in sync with the rest of the game. Sound effects are done really well as explosions really pack a punch, weapons have the right note and the smaller details aren’t ignored.
Overall:
Games like these don’t come around very often. If you’re going to argue that up until now Halo was the greatest Xbox game, then Halo 2 definitely surpasses that. Just think about it, is it possible that we’ve waited three years to crown a game as the greatest Xbox title ever? While it might seem true, you just can’t ignore some of the great titles we’ve experienced over the past three years. Nevertheless, you cannot deny Halo 2’s greatness – this is simply a game that you cannot put down no matter what you do. The campaign mode and story is enthralling and the multiplayer support will keep you busy for endless hours. Halo 2 is a game that was pronounced great before it was even put out on the market, and it deserves that praise.
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| Rating |
| Gameplay: | 10 |
| Graphics: | 9 |
| Sound: | 10 |
| Value: | 10 |
| Tilt: | 10 |
| Overall: 9.8 |
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