Halo 2

Just beat the game an hour ago, if there is such a thing when playing this game. I'm going to do something different and speak on the issues I had with this game, then I'll speak on the pros.

First, the Cons: 1. The BIGGEST problem, and I shouldn't say problem as much as irritation, was the fact that every time you change weapons/go to single-wield mode, you DROP your off-hand weapon. Personally, I don't believe the OH weapon should be discarded; it should be put back into your inventory just like your second weapon in the primary hand.

2. AI. Now, I know A lot of people out there will disagree with me, but my beef with the AI is simple; the Humans seemed to be more.. I don't know.. dumber than the Covenant AI. That's the best way I can put it; the Covenant seemed to play with more tactics than their Human counterparts. There were even times I had to go track them down from areas I just left just so they would continue the advance with me. I never seemed to have this problem with Covenant.

3. This is another irritation, but less of a hemorrhoid than the weapon-switching. I noticed that certain weapons and vehicles were reduced in their damage, damage radius, or effectiveness. Let's start with the frag grenade; the blast radius seemed to be reduced. Same with the Rocket Launcher (the lock-on mechanism more than made up for it). Scorpions; their damage and damage radius definitely been noticeably reduced (although the frequency in firing compensates very nicely).

Now for the Pros: 1. Everything.

Side notes: -- I haven't played the game online, although I doubt much of the mechanics of game play will change. The online environment will remove 1/3 of my gripes, so I'm sure it'll be a pleasurable gaming experience.

-- I'm a little disappointed at how short the game was. I read somewhere that game originally had 90mins of dialogue, but they reduced it to 50mins for brevity's sake. I'm sure we all would have enjoyed seeing this missing footage in the game.

-- I was surprised as hell when the game put me in the eyes of the Covenant.

That was a refreshing change. In fact, I don't know about the rest of you H2'ers, but I actually PREFER playing as the Arbiter than as MC (I know, that's blasphemy). I see more of an advantage in the stealth that the Arbiter brings than I do the light that MC can emit (even though it lasts for like 10 seconds).

-- Favorite weapons: Shotgun, Plasma Blade, Dual Plasma Rifles (BLUE!!!), Beam Rifle, Rocket Launcher, Needler. Notice that I list very little Human weapons; mainly because they need no reloading. There are those that argue that the reload factor means that you will always have a weapon that is capable of firing. All you need is ammunition; plasma weapons run out of ammunition at some point, which makes them useless. My counter argument is that I found very little ammunition throughout the game, but multitudes of discarded Covenant weapons; more so than Human. Also, if you've played the game, you'll know what I mean when I tell you that there are battles that require every second of your attention. Reloading takes away from that. I chose the Beam Rifle explicitly because it needs no reloading. In melee combat, nothing comes close to the Plasma Blade; next would be the Shotgun. Careful regulation of trigger pulling will keep you from overheating your Plasma Rifles. The Rocket Launcher.. well, that needs no explanation. And the Needler has been improved since the first game; it seems to be stronger.

I also like the fact that it sticks to your opponents, then blows them up.

-- Word of advice. Should you ever come across Brutes, Honor Guards, or their equivalent as Flood, and you find that conventional weapons fire isn't doing the trick.... a well placed Plasma Grenade does the trick. Saved my @ss more than once; just make sure you have room to flee.

-- I can't wait for Halo 3... and when you beat the game, you'll agree with me too (hint, hint).

Protocol, the amateur critic. L8.

I was a big halo 1 fan, I loved the game loved the story and thought it was amazing. Halo 1 was defiantly the golden-eye of next gen. But is halo 2.

GAMEPLAY 8/10 - Gameplay was fun a big improvement from the last game in every way. But nothing really new was added to the game play making it pretty much the same thing just more crafted. But it was still fun and I enjoyed it. Even though it was very repetitive just like the first game. and there really wasn't much to the game play besides killing mindless aliens.

GRAPHICS 9/10 - Graphics where well done, a big improvement from the first game considering the fact that both where made for the same system. All the models and textures where well done. Defiantly well done.

STORY 4/10 - Stroy, here is where the game loses its points. The story was rushed. The first game was simple and full of surprize's. Halo 2 added all these new creatures and all these new halo rings and characters that didn't really fit. The game didn't really have a ending and if it did it sucked. Also because the story lacked the levels lacked and you didn't really know what you where playing for. Also the game is WAY TO EASY. The first time through can take an average person under 10 hours no problem.

Muilty player 10/10 - Muilty player was defiantly an improvement from the last one. IT fixed up all the problems with the last one and made it 10 times better. This is the only reason people will play this game after they beat it.

OVERALL 7/10 - I know I gave a lot of it good reviews but I still feel like there was something missing in this sequel. Something that the first game had and this game doesn't. People always think that if it has good graphics it makes it a good game, there wrong its game play and the game play was to much of the same. The first game was repetitive and this game was pretty much the same as the first but better graphics.

and story is an important part because it motivates you to beat the level and helps you know what your playing for. But the only reason people beat this game was hoping the story would get good, or just to tell there friends they beat HALO 2.

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!!!

Halo 2 is Not flawless/Perfect! Don't get me wrong it is a great game but it is what the first halo should of been. I am going to point out what I mean, 1.In Halo marines couldn't drive so you couldn't be in the gun turret, 2. You couldn't blow up the warthog and scorpion, 3. you could only hold 1 weapon, 4. The graphics weren't that good, 5. there are not many weapons and 6. the game was short having only ten levels.

Lucky there is halo 2 that solved all these problems expected for being short. Some good points are: 1. You can be an elite, 2. New aliens, 3. New Vehicles and 4. New weapons ( some old ones are replaced the assault rifle is now the battle rifle with a scope, the pistol is now the magnum with no scope).

I will stop going on about how good or bad it is and get down to it. Story: The story is great so much happening at once The Covenant is invading Earth so it's up to master chief to stop them and then he finds out that there are trying to activate another halo (there are seven halo's in total). It kinda feels like the first halo was a waste since you destroyed one halo when there is seven. 9/10

Graphics: The graphics are the best I've seen on a xbox to date. They are really detailed and look like they have had a lot of time put into them. 10/10

Audio: The Audio is the best I've heard on an xbox to date. 8/10

Controls: The Controls is the same as the first which is good but with some new buttons (Locking on enemy vehicles, holding two weapons etc.). The controls are easy to learn which is good too. 8/10

Conclusion: Halo 2 is excellent and is worth buying, it maybe short but you would want to play again, with co-operative it is good, it is great on xbox live too but you shouldn't buy this game until you have the first or have finished the first. Overall: 9/10

Okay, points must be made. HALO 2 has disappointed many videogamers. It was "the" highly anticipated game - more so than GTA San Andreas, which has had its predecessors close behind (2001, 2002, 2004).

HALO 2 is the first bit of HALO we've had since 2001. The previews looked extraordinary. The new graphics engine was supposedly "kick-a$$," and nothing we had ever seen before.

Well, okay, it's not the masterpiece we expected. Or is it? Okay, here's a few things to consider:

1. The high expectations are what cause people to dislike this more so than the game itself. If HALO 2 had been released first, people would be saying HALO "sucked" because they changed the weapons, etc. I agree that the weapons aren't as good in HALO 2 but that's probably got to do with the fact that I enjoyed HALO so much. If I had played this first, would I feel the same?

2. The graphics ARE extraordinary. The best I've ever seen on any console. The movies are great - I don't like the new/remapped characters such as the Covenant creatures in the opening sequence...but they look amazing and character details (faces in particular, and body movements) are more realistic than anything we've ever seen before. The opening montage shows a space ship gliding through space and it's much more realistic than the original HALO in which many battleships seemed to just be still images being screened in front of a back projection.

3. The game is not as freeroam as the original (as others have pointed out). This is a plus, and a minus. The gameplay of HALO 2 reminded me of that N64 game with the female protagonist (wasn't it DARK something? I can't remember. I used to own it and play it all the time, but it's been years since I've laid eyes on it!). It's got a very dark story going on and the gameplay (including weapons, etc.) reminds me very much of the old N64 game. It's NOT very much like the original HALO when it comes to actual gameplay. It's very different.

It's the ALIENS of the ALIEN series - it's meaner, faster, and different than its predecessor - for better or worse. I'm glad Bungie went somewhere new with this. If it had been identical to the original, we'd all be complaining. I don't mind having linear gameplay, because it's still a lot of fun.

Oh, and here's one more thing: The whole FPS snobbery thing is getting old. I've played tons of FPS games over the years - Doom, Unreal Tournament, AvP, Unreal, Goldeneye, etc. being my favorite. (I guess Max Payne is a 3rd-person. Bummer.) Admitting to loving HALO does not mean I have "not played" any other FPS'es. Frankly, I loved the endless abilities HALO provided - the intense gameplay, the freeroam, etc. I thought it had a solid lead character, good graphics, fairly good villains, and overall excellent gameplay. It was a unique experience and blew everyone away - myself included.

If you thought HALO was overrated, please don't blame your disappointment on those of us who enjoyed the game - it does not mean we don't know anything about FPS games. It simply means we have different taste.

Overall there are different things about this game I consider pros and cons, and to put them into words would take too long. Suffice to say it's both disappointing and extraordinary in various measures.

Gameplay: 8/10 Graphics: 10/10 Plot: 8/10 (it has much more actual story than many other games, even if it's a bit silly at times) Weapons: 7/10 (I'll admit it, I miss the other weapons but maybe these will grow on me) Vehicles: N/A (I haven't played enough with them yet - I am disappointed, however, that many of what Bungie promised is not here)

Overall: 9/10

I know this may seem a bit odd. I sound a bit disappointed in this game. Not really. Maybe a bit underwhelmed at times. But overall it's just very DIFFERENT from its predecessor, and this is the reason it's causing so much distress - it's very multiplayer-oriented so the first-player campaign won't take long to complete, but it's still a lot of fun and very different from the original HALO which is more than can be said for many games. (Unreal Tournament 2003 was an enormous disappoint - the characters were awful, the gameplay was boring.)

HALO 2 might disappoint some die-hard HALO fans, but they need to recognize that sometimes being different is better than just copying - we can accuse Bungie of many things but we can never say that they were content to merely rip off the original!

A very fun game that I'm sure will grow on me more with time.