It's lost some of it's focus but is a well-aimed arrow for all the fans of the previous game
But Halo2 isn't any kind of bad game, even tho it leaves some wishes unfortfilled.
The game starts pretty much identical to the first one, you're on this MAC-Station Cario which is one of hundereds of defensive platforms surounding the earth. And on that station you'll get a new improved version of your armor which is Mark 6 (the older one was obviously Mark 5) and it has better performance in terms of movement and a really quick recharg for the energy shield, but that's pretty much it, and also the armor is a little redesigned and makes Master Chief look taller than the previous game.
And on this MAC station you'll recordnize one guy, and you know who! Sargent Johnsson, I don't know how Bungie was going to put it how he actually made it back to Earth. And another name you'll recordnize if Mirenda Keyes, which is Captain Keyes doughter. And you will see those faces through many phases of the game but you'll only fight on the side of Johsson a couple of times of the game but the sad part is that you can't kill him which was a pretty funny thing to do in Halo '1', Ok... Let's proceed.
And the story in Halo 2 is pretty much the same like in Halo becuase they find another ring world. And I know what you're thinking "damn this game is going to be identical to the previous... damn" No it's completely different, this time you're not alone on the ring looking for the truth about it and just blow it up, becuase now you're not playing as Master Chief through the whole game. Now you're also playing as an Covenant Elite who was one of the commanders of the fleet which destroyed Reach and made you end up as the last Spartan and made you get on this Ring World, Halo.
--
Ok, about the whole game itself. The first thing you'll see is that the textures in the cinematics usually have to load as you're watching which add a feeling of unprofesionalism but they did what they could with the Xbox 733mhz processors to make it with the best possible animations and textures, but when they're loading it looks really great.
Facial details, just as everything else has gotten a very improved touch with shading details and mouth animations and everything that seems to work excellent in the cinematics and in the actual game.
The graphics has gone better but also less colorful, the Jackals doesn't have those really nice colored shields anymore, they do have colored shields but it doesn't feel the same way becuase you're not armed with your lovely pistol with explosive rounds anymore nor your beloved Assult Rifle, you'll find youself with one (or two) SMGs in the same time and a Battle Rifle which is a burst-firing rifle with a scope and it's really neat with sound and design but it doesn't stand up to the Assult Rifle for those who really loved just running around shooting wildy just to get close to an enemy and melee attack them. The melee attack is ofcourse still there, with some improve animations, but if you're carrying dual wielding SMGs you'll have to throw one away before you can melee attack or throw grenades, this is something very strategical and it works terrific in the game.
And there's much small improvements in the game, but the new weapons and new voices of the Covenant Elites is something you'll think about the most, like the Elites now speak english so you just want to go on into a Elite and say: Wort Wort Wort anymore.
Halo is something I still play and it's still better than Halo2 in Single-Player but Halo2 has the most amazing Multiplayer you can find for any FPS out there. There's just so much to do and with new maps, game types, customizefull charathers (you can use Elites and Spartans and different Emblems and colors on your armor)
If you are going to LAN on some game it's gotta be Halo2 becuase there's nothing like it! Just stick one down with a energy sword or... Yeah, it's just terrific. Even tho the game have Xbox Live Online Play enabled but it's not that fun really becuase it's usually lagging pretty much and you'll just find yourself frustrated in situations where you just want to throw your Xbox out of the window and hopefully gonna hit your enemy with it. But the online play could be alright if you have alot of friends on Xbox live and get a headset and play as you speak with them it could be pretty good and stuff but the LAN is straight excellense.
All Xbox owners is gotta have this game, and everyone should as well, it's worth getting a Xbox and Xbox Live just for this game.