by
Ted Kritsonis
Faze Video Game Editor

When I first loaded Halo 2 on my Xbox, I knew I was going to get a different experience than the one I got when I visited Bungie Studios outside Seattle back in July. At that time, Bungie was keeping the details of Halo 2’s story under wraps, so I only got to experience what the multiplayer would be like online. This time, I could see if the hype was truly justified with a finished product.

Like the original Halo that launched with the Xbox, Halo 2 will be the console’s flagship game until the next Xbox console hits the market, which will likely be released alongside a third installment of Halo. The effect that the franchise has had in gaming circles is undeniable, and it would hardly be surprising if Master Chief becomes a major icon in the world of video games for many years to come.

As far as the actual game is concerned, the Covenant’s desire to destroy the human race leads to a new battle by picking up right where the first Halo left off. I won’t go into any real detail about the story here because there’s a lot of fun in discovering how it unfolds on your own. I will say, however, that the cliffhanger ending is probably not what many hardcore Halo fans expected.

The gameplay additions in Halo 2 are significant but not enough to change the face of the game, which is a nice balance achieved by Bungie. The easiest one to notice is the ability to dual-wield two weapons at the same time. The demand for this was huge after the original Halo and the way it works here is awesome. Keeping in mind that this feature is limited to pistols and submachine guns, combining the various weapons at your disposal can lead to some interesting results. For instance, using a submachine gun in one hand against the Brutes, while using the Needler to attack a Kig-yar holding a shield was an effective way to deal with two different enemies. I underestimated the effect this feature had on strategizing throughout the game. Firing like a madman won’t get you good results.

The biggest makeover here probably lies in the weapons. There’s a new Covenant sniper rifle and assault rifle that both fire high-powered plasma bursts, and Brute weapons like the plasma rifle and grenade launcher have also been added. Then you’ve got the ultimate weapons addition in the Energy Sword, a deadly close-quarters combat weapon that takes down almost every enemy in one swipe.

Although vehicles played a small role in the original Halo, their effect is felt considerably this time around. Bungie set things up in some missions so that you would have to use a vehicle to progress through the mission. The best part is that not one of the vehicles available is difficult to get a hang on, and on top of that, you can even try to hijack a vehicle right from the clutches of a Covenant foe. Pressing X while an enemy swoops by riding a Ghost can have you punching the guy right out of his seat, and leaving you in control of the Ghost.

The single player campaign is highly engaging, largely because of the story and superb gameplay, but the multiplayer totally steals the show. The obvious major difference this time around is that people don’t need to have LAN parties to play big multiplayer deathmatches like they did with the first Halo. Through Xbox Live, Bungie has offered an online experience that is second to none thanks to the ability to form clans and challenge other groups among the many other options available, all while you and your friends sit comfortably in your own homes. A key one that I liked when I first saw it in Seattle was the Party mode. This feature allows you and a friend, or even several friends, to move from match to match and challenge others together as a group. What makes this great in a lot of ways is that your connectivity is never affected by what happens with your group members. So, for example, if one person decides they’ve played enough and want to leave, they can do so at anytime and not affect your connection at all. You’ll never notice they left.

It’s also a real sight to see that you can be part of a game with 15 other gamers and not see any slowdown in the action. No matter how intense things get, the screen never slows down at all. This goes for the single player as well. It reminded me of how Pete Parsons, Halo 2’s executive producer, told me in Seattle that Bungie was “spanking the Xbox” by driving the hardware of the console to its very limit. What he said shows in many aspects of Halo 2.

When all is said and done, the $125 million (U.S.) Halo 2 drew in within 24 hours of release was no accident. Hype is one thing, but when that hype is justified by how good the content inside is, a recipe for success is almost a foregone conclusion. The key thing that sets Halo 2 apart is that it may possibly be one of the best all-around video games ever released up to this point. And now that Master Chief is becoming a bit of an iconic figure, the legend of Halo may only be beginning.

Publisher:
Microsoft
Developer:
Bungie Studios

Platform:
Xbox

Rating: 10/10