Halo 2 is the follow up to the successful launch title, Halo, and while it seems to lack the "epic" feel of the original Halo, Halo 2 does pretty well in its own right. If you have played the original Halo, then the basic gameplay will not be very difficult for you to grasp. Even if you are among those who decline to play the original Halo, the controls are quite responsive and learning the nuances of it all will not take you very long at all. The main tweaks to the game control seem to be the dual wield functions and the vehicular confiscation that allow you to steal enemy Ai or players vehicles. These functions take a while to get use to but probably by the 4th stage, you should be doing both functions with relative ease. Bungie does seem to have taken the "ain't broke, don't fix it" approach and for the most part, that works. The levels are larger in size than the original Halo and there are more opportunities to use vehicles. The weapons are balanced well and when dual wielding; the right combination against the right enemy is the key to survival. However, some of the levels do feel a bit drawn out and a tad bit repetitive...particularly ones containing the Flood. While some stages are stunning, some look like you are going down the same hallway over and over again. Many of the textures are reused and this doesn't help when you are trying to find your way around. There were a few times where I was lost on where to go and the game doesn't really help you when that happens. However, one improvement I do like is the AI...it is some of the best AI I have seen in a console FPS and this game is quite a challenge. Marine AI is improved as well and it's a good thing because sometimes, you really need their help. I also like the fact that you can swap weapons with them as well as this can allow you to kind of customize what your Marines carry into battle. The sound in Halo 2 is very well done and none of the music feels out of place. The music can make the player tense with anticipation of attack or fuel him/her on into battle with melodies suited for combat. 5.1 users will definitely get a treat from Halo 2. Unlike the original, weapons no longer sound subdued. You can hear the boom of weaponry and the bullets/plasma flying past your head. The marines motivate you to push on and lead them and the Covenant beckon you to your demise...all this done with excellent voice acting, particularly the second character that you play with in Halo 2. The majority of characters are voiced by a top notch cast and I wish more games put as much care into their sound as Bungie did with Halo 2. Graphically, it's some of the best graphics I have seen on the Xbox. However, they are not perfect. Some of the cut scenes can look rough and the Marines don't seem to have as much detail put into them as the Covenant. But, for the most part, Halo 2 has a much prettier face than the original and many other console games. There are some stages where you have to sit back and just enjoy the view and these stages, in my opinion, outnumber the stages that feel repetitive. Xbox Live is nearly lag free and can be addictive. It is perhaps the main reason Halo 2 will do so well. It is simply a fun game online and with the matching of players with others close to their skill level... you should not have to worry about getting pummel too hard online. You can also travel from game to game as a party with your friends so you don't have to worry about being separated from them. Also, four people can play on one Xbox on Xbox live so you and your friends can take on other players online. There is no online co-op so if you were looking forward to that...sorry. There is really not much to say about the Multiplayer except that it can be addicting, usually lag free and is perhaps the best party game for Xbox. There is one more thing. I never really thought that the original Halo's story was terribly unique. While there were stages that had an epic feel to them, the story was still fairly basic to me. Now, in regards to Halo 2, while the ending was far from impressive, I feel that the story was actually much better than the original Halo. It had more character depth and just felt a lot deeper than the original. I am not saying that it is the best story ever...because it is not. However, It had much more emotion than Halo:CE and there are various aspects of the story that I am interested to see fleshed out more in the future. So, the story could have been better but it is still a decent story. Halo 2 is a great game and while it seems to lack some of the epic feeling of the original Halo, it will still stand tall over many games on the Xbox for quite some time.
By Madskillz999 | Review Date: Dec 23, 2005 | XBOX
I'm finally ready with the review of this awesome game! First off, this is obviously the sequel to the hugely popular initial Halo game. You are Master Chief, a space marine who is sent out to battle the enemies. You... Read Full Review
Halo 2 is a worthy sequel to Halo. While the story does lack in some parts, overall, the game is still excellent, one of the best games ever. To get the bad points out of the way, i didn't like the single player campaig... Read Full Review
