by:	November 08, 2004

Halo was the game that put Xbox on the map and let's face it, every game in between Halo and the inevitable release of Halo 2 was filler. Not that any of these titles you played were bad - it is just that Halo was so damn good it was in its own class. Master Chief returns in Halo 2, and comes packing plenty of new features, weapons, baddies, and an outstanding presentation that no other game will be able to challenge. The minute you put the game in the Xbox, you see the Microsoft Game Studios logo going into a Halo guitar riff, and the riff plays over Bungie’s traditional theme, and if your not tearing up by this time then you will be soon. Halo 2 starts off roughly were Halo ended; you get to peer deep into the inner workings of the Elites, Brutes, and their leaders the Prophets. The story begins with Master Chief protecting mankind once again, and this time the battle is taken to Earth. I am sure you already knew that though, but what you don’t know will boggle your mind even more. Did you really think the story would be that cut and dried? If you thought the “Flood” plot twist in Halo was a surprise, you’re in for about ten times the surprise every other moment in Halo 2. The story is told beautifully with fully rendered cut scenes, and is much deeper and longer than Halo’s. You learn about many aspects of the universe Master Chief is in that you might have never thought about and you begin to better understand the war between the humans and the Covenant. Without giving too much more away, the Campaign Mode’s story is invigorating, and leaves plenty of room for Halo 3.

Gameplay
In many ways, Halo 2’s Campaign Mode is similar to Halo’s. In fact. the beginning level is nearly identical in execution of Halo’s first level. There are many other situations and themes in Halo 2 that are similar to Halo, but it doesn’t really take away from the gameplay because they are staples in the series that people have come to associate with the title. You will be familiar with the gameplay right off the bat, since the mechanics are still basically the same. There have been many shifts in balance though. Two of the biggest changes make gameplay far more fun: the fact that Master Chief’s new suit now allows him to jump as high as he wants and not get hurt, and his ability to dual wield guns. I know a lot of you people are saying “Red Faction 2 did that, and so did this other game” but they didn’t do it in the amazing way Halo 2 does it. You can dual wield and shoot off either gun at will. If you are in trouble, you can drop one and throw a grenade in a second, or if you're close to an enemy, you can let go of a gun and melee attack him at the same time. The way you use grenades is also slightly different; you will discover early on that their blast area is slightly more contained, but they go off more quickly and can even be shot at to make them go off. The other big change in the game is the addition of destructible environments. Instead of going over the top with it and making everything destructible, only things that will actually matter destruct. Let's say there are a bunch of Elites and Grunts shooting at you down a corridor, but they keep ducking behind some fuel cells. Throw a grenade down the hall and watch as the fuel cells, along with some of our little Covenant buddies, go flying in the air. The superb AI can do the same, though, and shoot at explosive objects in your vicinity, launching Master Chief into the air.

"If you thought the “Flood” plot twist in Halo was a surprise, you’re in for about ten times the surprise every other moment in Halo 2."