Review by Brian King
 

I will admit that I was one of the many who was so caught up in the hype for this game, I had to get the Halo 2 collectors edition (quite nice actually ). I walked into a store at midnight just to have a glance at the box to be like wow its really here, how suprising is it tho that a game like Halo 2 is still on the store shelves of walmart at 12:05 am. Half of this state is still chill'n old school with Super NES. Anyways back to the game and as far away from New Hampshire as I can get, we find ourselves coming into one of the best FPS franchise since Goldeneye for the N64.

You need to take a step back and remember how big Halo: Combat Evolved was to begin with, The graphics and gameplay and of course the features were breathtaking compared to the other FPS shooters of the time. I think we can all remember Halo multiplayer, wasting a few hours beating the hell out of friends on a 4 player split screen or a 16 player lan. That was just the begining.

Storywise Halo 2 is not quite the beast that its predacesor was, but none the less it is still very good compared to most of the FPS storys you have probably encountered. Making up for this lack of depth is maybe the best, ok who am I kidding. THE BEST xbox live game, with more bells and whistles than a one man band, this game has captured the lives, the souls, and the rest of this years casual gaming in one fale swoop.

Live the life of a mutha f***'n PIMP :
Starting of the game you play as Master Cheif of course, this takes place just after the destruction of the first halo. OMG THERES A SECOND HALO!?! Dont all sequals come with a warning label: Lack of originality. Well I woulnt go that far to say its a lack of imagination, or creativity, but something more could have been done with this story. Dont get me wrong its good, but it disapointed alot of little kiddies out there (Im one still one of them).

Off the bad note and on to the good ones! The gameplay is solid, just like you would expect from Bungie, the thrill, the chaos, the plasma grenade slapped to some poor souls chest. Yah that seems like the kind of Halo I like. Youll find some extra features strapped to your weaponry, like the ever-so-popular heat seaking rockets.

I know I talked about how I hated the story before, but they pull it off quite well. You will play as Master Chief, and as a Covenant Elite who is outcasted due to the destruction of the first Halo. The elite takes on the Title of the Arbiter and wears an ancient armor as he takes the direction of elders who.... well I dont want to ruin the story for you. Its a pretty decent story, even if the story sucked more than a pair of knee high socks for Xmas, it would still be fun as hell to play.

Listen Up Soldier :
Im a man who enjoys a good detailed soundscape, elivations in music, and realistic sound bits. Playing this game in Dolby Digital 5.1 was outstanding, drive a scorpian with the sound cranked and you will know what I mean.

Halo has always had a stong musical glow to its soundtrack, the music pacing as you cut your way throught covenant troops, and slowing to a dull melody when your slip into a cutscene, and of course the heroic Master Chief Halo main theme that always pops up after his oneliners.

The sound will fill any room this game is played in, from wall to wall you will hear shots being fired, grenades exploding, taunts from other troops.

If an earwig from Star Track the wrath of Kahn, was made of the same delightful audio that Halo 2 delivers, I would stick 5 of them in my ear and enjoy those last few moments.

Eye on the Prize:
Gorgeous and well polished Halo 2 puts some of xbox's best looking games to shame. The detail definetly shows that there was a labor of love involved here. Everything right down to the skin on peoples faces are just glowing with detail.

Graphical glitches plagued this game though some people even returned it thinking something was wrong with it. Nothing is wrong with it, its just the draw distance for the textures. As time goes on you begin to get used to it, I mean it is one of the most best looking games on Xbox. You didnt think it would go without a hitch.

Online play :
Just an FYI you might want to trade in your past XBOX live games to get Halo2....

The multiplayer piece of Halo 2 is so well done, I found myself confused with all of it at first. As time goes on though, there's nothing better than grabbing 2-3 friends and hitting the online team skirmish.

You hop online create a party invite 2-15 friends, you either start up a custom game, or you use match maker to find a clan match (big or small) or team skirmish no clan needed, guest can play too.

Clans are a snap to set up, it would take you longer to walk to the fridge for a soda. Once you have them set up you can set up clan matches, message all your members, set up clan status (peon, member, staff, overlord). Be warned though you kick too much ass online you'll get some threats from other clans to face off.

Best thing about all this is, its like having a LAN party at home! Up to 4 people can play on a TV with XBOX Live, coop, or system link. A big bonus is they can all use their own headsets.

Last of all custom games, customize the s**t out of any multiplayer game you want, and play it online with all your friends cause trust me they have halo 2. Everyone does.

Gameplay: 10.0

Its back and unbelievably its better than before, grab 2 smgs lay down a spray of bullets till you need to reload then slap the back of an elites head, grab his gun and keep goin. Really it works just like that.

Graphics: 9.0

Gorgeous, damn damn DAMN fine graphics. Only downside is the draw distance is a little glitchy, textures disapear and reapear on distant objects.

Sound: 10.0

This game could be the definition of surround sound gaming, its so emersive if you put on one of those Master Cheif costumes, you might actually believe it.

Depth: 10

This is what everyone went crazy about with Halo: combat evolved, Halo 2 does it better with more features and more customizing, oh and did I mention its on XBOX LIVE.

Overall: 9.8