The king of console shooters gets better.
Graphics: This game seems to be pushing the system close to its limits. Its a really good looking game, with nice player models and environments. The game looks a tad bit better if you play it on an 360, but even still, its one of the best looking games of its generation. It is definitely an improvement over the first Halo, and that is always a good thing.
Sound: Sound is used to great effect here in this game. Voice acting is great, and just sound of the Halo Theme music alone is enough bring out your inner geek. Top it off with nice sounds of guns shooting and things exploding, and you got yourself a nice little package.
Control: If you've played the first Halo, then you know what to expect here. Controls are a tad bit different now due to dual wielding certain weapons, but for the most part everyting else went unchanged. You've pretty much got the same control set up here that other games in this genre use to some extent. So, console FPS players will be right at home here. Also, there are option to change things such as look inversion and stick sensitivity so that you can play the game in a way that suits you best.
Gameplay: The campaign is short. It can be a fun ride while it lasts, but by the time its over, you will wish there was more. The so-called ending pretty much leaves you hanging, which has upset a lot of people. Thankfully, Halo 2 multiplayer has made up for that and more. Of course you have your standard multiplayer with split screen and system link, but the real fun lies on XBox Live. With a Live account, you can compete in numerous gametypes with other players from across the world. You can have hours and hours pass by while playing online, and it never gets old. Plus, with the previously released new maps, there are now quite a few locations to go blasting in. In all honesty, this is What Halo is all about. However, if your net connection isn't very good, expect some really bad lag during online play. Sometimes its not too bad, but other times it can be downright unbareable.
Final Words: If there was ever a need for XBox Live, then this is it. You can't fully experience the joy of this game without it. However, if you're just looking for a good stand alone FPS game to play, then you can easily get your fix here. However, once the dust is clear from beating the campaign mode, you'll probably be looking for a bunch of friends to come play some multiplayer. Overall, I highly recommend this game.