Halo 2 (2004) (VG)

User Rating:

8.8/10   

Writer:

Joseph Staten (writer)

Release Date:

9 November 2004 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Adventure | Mystery | Sci-Fi | Thriller

Tagline:

Earth Will Never Be The Same

Plot:

After the events on the Forerunner ringworld Halo, Master Chief SPARTAN-117 returns home to Earth with the AI construct Cortana...

Plot Keywords:

Earth | The Covenant | Commander | Heretic | Prophet

Awards:

3 wins & 1 nomination

Cast

Dee Bradley Baker	...	Gravemind (voice) (as Dee Baker)
Julie Benz	...	Miranda Keyes (voice)
Hamilton Camp	...	Prophet of Mercy (voice)
Tim Dadabo	...	343 Guilty Spark / Marine (voice)
Robert Davi	...	SpecOps Leader (voice)
Keith David	...	Arbiter (voice)
Robin Atkin Downes	...	Prophet of Regret (voice)
Steve Downes	...	Master Chief (voice)
Miguel Ferrer	...	Heretic Leader (voice)
John Michael Higgins	...	2401 Penitent Tangent (voice)
Ron Perlman	...	Lord Hood (voice)
Kevin Michael Richardson	...	Tartarus (voice)
David Scully	...	Sergeant Johnson / Elite (voice)
Jen Taylor	...	Cortana (voice)
Michael Wincott	...	Prophet of Truth (voice)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

South Korea:18 | Australia:MA | UK:15 | USA:M

Company:

Bungie Software

Trivia:

Contains 17,000 lines of combat dialog.

Goofs:

Continuity: 343 Guilty Spark's single bulb is supposed to brighten whenever he speaks, as he does in Halo and Halo 3. However, in Halo 2 due to a bug the developers were unable to fix prior to launch, his bulb dims as he speaks.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Arbiter: [standing before the heirarchs and the counsel] There was only one ship.
Prophet of Truth: One? Are you sure?
Arbiter: Yes. They called it the "Pillar of Autumn"
Prophet of Mercy: Why was it not destroyed with the rest of their fleet?
Arbiter: It fled as we set fire to their planet. I followed with all the ships in my command.
Prophet of Regret: When you first saw Halo, were you blinded by its magesty?
Arbiter: Blinded?
Prophet of Regret: Paralyzed? Dumbstruck?
Arbiter: No!
[...]

Movie Connections:

References Fight Club (1999)

Soundtrack:

Blow Me Away

ULTIMATE FPS ACTION GAME EVER! *HALO 3 SPECULATION*

Halo was a hugely original, unique game that offered an unprecedented method of playability to the gamer. Halo 2 expands in every way; graphics, narrative, character, accessories. This time it offers you the covenant perspective as you play another character, ARBITER; a disgraced covenant elite who must stop a rebellion in the galaxy; along with the consummate professional MASTER CHIEF as he vows to stop the destruction of Earth during the war. HALO 2 reeks of quality; nice fine touches of witty, purposeful additions to appeal to the hardcore, loyal players of the original; rock music used in the BUNGIE opener; Johnson and Chief at the awards ceremony; Captain Keyes daughter's introduction; the return of Blood Gulch in the multiplayer. Hell; this is so far the best sequel to a game ever. Ever!!!! Halo 2 is a sweeping; hugely epic adrenaline shot straight to the heart, with occasional cinematic breaks directed by the legendary Joseph Staten; of course the real battle begins when you clock the game on easy, normal and hard; and you find your way barely breathing through LEGENDARY mode. I can say that; as i have completed the game, it finishes comparably to the Matrix 2; you know there's going to be a third and it ends rather abruptly which is one of my main gripes; damn the excitement, this is not halo 2 but halo vanilla. A perfect consumer product that diversifies but never quite fulfills expectations as to the original. I would expect Halo 3 to ship in no more than 3 years time; rounding up the story with a thrilling climax; the end of a trilogy, the best FPS trilogy created by man...well, BUNGIE then (they're not quite human y'see) and if sales records are anything to go by it will probably be the best selling game ever. You owe your forty quid, your twenty hours time and infinite fun to BUNGIE; slaving away under fluorescent bulbs to perfect their craft! C'mon guys; the next step; TOTAL WORLD WIDE DOMINATION!!!