Active Reviews

Written by Edward Hankins

With all of the hype, many times bordering on the obsessive, surrounding Halo. The developers at Bungie knew they had to create something special in their sequel Halo 2. They needed a winner, but also something that would blow your socks off. They needed a game that would keep players glued to their TV’s for hours/days at a time and keep players drooling ‘till their next installment. Halo 2 is that game! Without a doubt Halo 2 is the game of the year. The sequel is superb; in fact it is so good it should be a commercial for the X-Box.

Halo was successful because it delivered what gamers wanted. Cohesive story lines, realism, and the non-stop action, all delivered that players desired. We became immersed in the game, we cheered for the Master Chief. He was the protagonist we could all identify with, whether waiters, stockbrokers, bus drivers, or lawyers, we could all see ourselves, plasma grenade in hand ready to duke it out with the minions of the Covenant.

So when Halo 2 came out we couldn’t wait. Some pessimists made their opinions known, usually to jeers and tosses of soda bottles. The lines as the software store were impressive, which makes sense once the sales numbers were known. Sales from the first weekend of Halo2 surpassed all box office receipts for that week, and since the first two weeks Halo 2 sold more than 5 million copies. That brings that total sales for the Halo series to well over 11 million dollars. Halo 2 not only meets all expectations but leaves them in the dust.

The story is similar to the prequel. The Earth is in a life and death struggle with alien invaders called The Covenant. The war has been going on for 30 years and the Earth is now outnumbered, outgunned and on the brink of destruction. The military sent an advanced warfare systems (codename: Spartan-II) which was all but wiped out by the Covenant forces. Only one soldier survived Spartan 117, aka Master Chief, and with the Covenant, our only chance at survival relies on him.

The gameplay in Halo 2 is second to none. It is rare that a FPS converts well to a console system, and the used gaming stores are full of failed console FPS marked down to $2.99. But Halo 2 setups an efficient control system with many setup options. Objects are easy to track and control is a breeze.

The basic concept in Halo 2 is kick alien ass, and you are given your basic supply of human military weapons. You can choose from: M7 Rifles, shotguns, BR55 Rifles, sniper rifles, and the handy rocket launcher. In addition to human weapons you can use a plethora of alien weapons: the needler, the plasma pistol, and the plasma cannon. One of the new additions to Halo 2 is ability to hold two hand-held weapons at the same time (you can not hold two rifles at the same time.) This double fire power can quickly eliminate opponents, and allows some of the weaker weapons the ability to inflict damage. Not all of the weapons are effective against all of the enemies, so it is a good idea to alternate weapons, especially between military issue and alien.

Another great feature in Halo 2 is the ability to hi-jack cars. This is one of the most daring and rewarding moves you can attempt in the game. To execute the move wait until an enemy craft is rapid approaching, then spin around and hit X and throw him from the pilot seat and take his place. Now the mayhem may commence, I hate to spoil all the fun you can have, but it is truly exhilarating.

The audio and visual in Halo2 is simply stunning. Bungie is known for its creative style seen in Halo, but Halo 2 really takes the take. With impressive attention to detail, Bungie has set the standard for FPS games in the future. Rippling water, moving clouds, reflections of surfaces, and realistic physics, all are examples of Bungie’s commitment to immersing the player in the game. The cut-scenes are simply amazing and worthy of a major Hollywood movie. The graphics in the game are just as beautiful, the character animation is as perfect as technology allows, and it flows seamlessly but much more refined. The game textures show a marked improvement from the original. From the simplest background objects to the most massive spacecraft, intricate detail can been seen in every nook and crevice. Perhaps the most impressive details in the game are the time spent in character rendering. You can actually tell the emotions of players in the game, when they are hit by a bullet they will grimace in pain. Bungie did a better job of matching lip-sync than any Ashlee Simpson concert. As players talk to you, you can clearly read the words coming off their lips.

In the Audio department there is not usually much to say, but Marty O’Donnell and his sound crew deserve props for their effort on Halo2. The main genre of the music is a macabre gothic trance, if there is such a genre. The music’s pounding drums aid a “Running Man” feel, where your heart is beating and around every corner awaits instant death. Steve Vai highlights later in the game with perfectly synched riffs that meld with the game effortlessly. If you have a good sound system be sure to hook it up to max so you can feel every pulse pounding beat, every ricochet of bullet, and every rocket explosion.

The game basically has two modes: campaign mode and multiplayer mode. Campaign mode is your typical single player mode. It was much improved from Halo but still is the least entertaining part of the game. The multiplayer mode, which is where the beef is, is basically all out mayhem, death, and, carnage. Put a group of mountain-dew tweaked up clan junkies in a room and watch the madness unfold.

In campaign mode you will be assigned a variety of tasks needed to bring the Covenant down. You will be fighting both individually and with a contingent of Space Marines. These Marines are your allies so don’t kill them, unless in some dire circumstance you need ammo for your gun. Halo2 is a definite improvement from the campaign mode of the original. Most of the battles are on a grand scale with mobile support, giving the gamer a real sense of being in a futuristic war zone. Also since there are more than two enemy combatants you can find yourself walking into a mealy between opposing forces; do you watch the relish in the mayhem, or do you get your team ready for an all out assault ambush? The AI or artificial intelligence, is adept and at many times cunning, and is willing to give even a decent gamer a run for his money.

Perhaps the most appealing aspect of Halo 2 is the online gaming. I have spent many a nights playing Halo2 for so long that when I go to bed I am still seeing the game flash before my eyes. Beating a computer opponent is satisfying, but when you drop a rocket launcher down the tail pipe of your opponent at 200 yards that is just plain exhilarating. Halo 2 has already attracted almost one million on-line users, who spend an average of 90 minutes online per session. With so many users, from newbie to grizzled veterans, everyone will be able to find an equal opponent. Once connected to Bungie’s online zone. It is easy to find a game in any skill group and plenty of people willing to pass on advice and tips, and rarely do you encounter “flamers” or other internet hoodlums.

Great games come along once every few years, games that truly define a generation. Games that you hear two adolescents discussing in a game store “Yeah it may be good but is it Halo 2 good?” Halo 2 is one of those games, with amazing graphics, an immersive story line, and incredible online action; it sets the bar for years to come. It is one of those games that will cause you to break-up with your girlfriend, lock yourself in your room for an all night frag sessions, and turn that 3.5 GPA into a 2.0. Halo 2 is the best game of the season and perhaps the best game on the X-Box.

Go back to the HALO 2 page.

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