Unofficial Halo 2 Discussion thread.

[ChiChi]

This thread is for speculation on Halo 2 which is coming out on Xbox November 9.In Halo 2 your able to:hi-jack ghosts,in one of the last levels your able to ride in a wraith tank and you see the engineers and the prophets.

[no1wiccan]

you can also blow up vehicles.

[Abhishek]

Not too interested. I played the original Halo and thought it was a bit overrated. Not a bad game but nothing great either.

[Picko]

I'm waiting rather patiently for this game. It looks excellent :)

[Mafalda04]

I liked Halo Me and my boyfriend played it as a team.. its pretty cool.. though i cant drive the jeep thing worth C R A P! lol im a bad driver on those.. but I just hope Halo 2 is too dificult.. i dont like games that have TOO much of a chalange.. i like to get in there, get it done, and move on.. lol

[reddawn]

I love halo.. especially the Banshee vehicles.. ya, I can't drive the warthog jeep either.. whenever my brother and I play the campaign, I make him drive.. I get the gunner seat. I was so proud when we beat the clock at the end of the game on the first try.

I saw the interactive preview for Halo2... it looked really good... I liked that gun the Masterchief was using...

I'm gonna miss fighting the flood with my shotgun... I still don't get why out of all weapons, the shotgun is just like... great against them...

[ChiChi]

Also hopefully you can carry more than 2 guns.

[ChiChi]

Here are some facts about the game.

New Covenant
Prophets:The leaders
Brutes:The guards?
Engineers?:The name says it all.There also completely harmless according to the books.
Drones: Bug like flying insects that snipe you. Come in hordes. Weak armor. Marines call them buggers.
Scarab or Walker: In the new 60 sec. trailer are these things that shoot plasma out of there mouths. There obsously vehicle. The Walkers and Scarabs might be another huge thing but, we'll fing out.
New vehicales

The Hogs...


Rocket Hog:Same as the normal one except,instead of a chain gun,it shoots rockets. Might be out.
LAAG Hog: Same one as the original one. Now with an e-brake.
Gauss Hog: The one in the E3 demo.
*
The Shadow

The Covanent Shadow








Ahh.... the only Covenant vehicle to premiere yet. Lets begin. Two seats in the middle top. Dunno if they are both "pilot" seats, or if one doesn't operate controls. Another area to be places (can't say seated) is the back with a gun. Lookts like a turret gun, but with only 2 parts where the plasma comes out. Seems like a mock of the warthog, yet seems larger. We shall wait and see...*Still from the site Might no be in. Also might be a 2 seater instead of a thre-seater.
Phantom:A battle/dropship.

New Weapons

Battle Rifle:A better version of the aussalt rifle,with slower fire,more accuracy and a scope.
Magnum Pistol:A pistol that packs quite a punch.You can duel wield with it.The old stronger version is out.
Submachine Gun:You can duel wield it.It's good for going crazy with.
Plasma Sword:You can now pick it up and kill people in one hit or two depending if you lock on to them.
Beam Rifle:The Covenant version of the sniper rifle.
Covenant Carbine:The covenant version of the battle rifle.
Brute Shot: A sort of grenade launcher with a big *** blade on the underside.
New Planets

Earth:The Covenant have overrun Earth.
Moon:We go there for some reason or another. *Not Confirmed*
Covenant Home World:A supposudly icy place.*Not Confirmed*The is supposed to be a part where you have to sneak around the planet in a Wraith Tank.*Not confirmed but then again High Charity the capitol is a song on the soundtrack so*
Another Halo world: Duh Halo?
Graphics/AI

The graphics are supposed to be one of the greatest ever.The AI is amazing.The Covenant search for you in the dark and they run at you if you stick them with a plasma grenade.The marine give you ammo if there near death, and actually help you.

New stuff you can do


Duel Weild{you'll have to sacrifice the use of grenades though.} When you melle or switch to your other gun you drop your left gun.



See the E3 2003 demo,you'll see how good it is.But critics who have played the game says the trailers don't do the game justice.Also if everything goes according to plan, there won't be a Halo 3 for Xbox.That means either you kill the Covenant in the end or they'll make it for Xbox 2.There is a rumour 343 Guilty Spark a.k.a. The Monitor and the Flood will return.*Confirmed*

[ChiChi]

Here are some stuff I got from a site. The* are my add ons.

"
Sep. 14th, 2004


Covenant Characters

Currently in control of the Orion Arm of the Milky Way Galaxy, the technologically-advanced alien race collective known as the Covenant have spent more than 30 years trying to wipe out humankind. The little that is known about their origins, society or motivations indicate a caste-based society and religious underpinning to their genocidal campaign.

Because their efforts have been so successful and few Covenant troops have even been captured alive, little is known about them.

What follows are brief descriptions of the alien races known to belong to the Covenant collective, gathered mostly from encounters on the battlefield. There might even more races...

Prophets

The mysterious Prophets are the religious leaders of the Covenant and the driving force behind their never-ending quest to wipe out humanity.*They also have a hundred bad-*** Elites guarding them.*


Brutes

Little is known about the Brutes, a race that has been identified as a recent addition to the Covenant collective. From their muscular ape-like appearance, it is clear that the Brutes are warriors and should be regarded with extreme caution on the battlefield. The Brute weapons allow them to strike at targets from a distance yet also come equipped with a fearsome blade for up-close melee confrontations.*They also hate Elites*


Elites

Tough, fearless and relentless – the Elites are the iron heart of the Covenant military. Standing over 8' tall and far stronger than any normal human, a single Elite can decimate an entire squad of Marines. Elites are equipped with full-body energy shielding and are proficient with any weapon in the Covenant arsenal.


Jackals

With superior senses of sight, hearing and smell, Jackals serve as scouts and assassins for the Covenant forces. They are unpredictable in combat and utterly ferocious, though they lack the toughness of the Grunts and the daring and skill of Elites. Jackals often wield energy shields to compensate for their physical weakness; a well positioned Jackal can hold his own against several Marines.


Grunts

Dull-witted but thick-skinned creatures, the Grunts are essentially Covenant cannon fodder, bred to hurl themselves at an enemy in overwhelming numbers. Standing roughly 5' tall, they are relatively weak and tend to travel in packs sticking close to more powerful allies. Individually they are easy to defeat, but in groups they can overwhelm careless Marines. Their armor provides protection against attack as well as allowing them to live outside of their native environment and atmosphere.

*Hunters*: Know not only are they more vicious and use their cannon a lot more, one shot to the back won't kill them.*

Halo 2: Bios Blowout
By: TeamXbox Staff - "TeamXbox"
Sep. 14th, 2004


Humans

Having destroyed the vast and mysterious artifact known as Halo, Master Chief, a genetically altered, cybernetically enhanced Spartan supersoldier, must race back to Earth to halt the Covenant’s advance.

Master Chief faces the Covenant onslaught equipped with his Mark VI MJOLNIR battle armor, the help of his artificial intelligence (AI) companion Cortana, and support from the last surviving human combat troops, ODSTs (Orbital Drop Shock Troopers) or “Hell Jumpers” and the “First to Fight” Marines.





Master Chief

Known only by his rank, this genetically-altered super soldier was born for battle, bred for war, and is humanity's last hope for survival in the face of the deadly Covenant onslaught.

A product of the secret SPARTAN-II project, the Master Chief is the ultimate soldier, trained from an early age in weapons, tactics and command. He is augmented with a neural interface that connects him to his MJOLNIR MARK VI battle armor – giving him superhuman strength, stamina and the ability to interface directly with AI (artificial intelligence).

A master of all weapons, human and Covenant, and adept pilot of all vehicles, from Warthogs to Banshees. Master Chief single-handedly fought off the Covenant and destroyed the alien ring construct Halo, he now must race to his greatest battle—to save Earth.



Cortana

The brains to complement Master Chief's brawn, Cortana was downloaded into Master Chief's MJOLNIR battle armor during the space battle leading up to the events on the Halo ringworld. Designed in conjunction with the SPARTAN-II project and adept in tactical matters, decoding enemy transmissions, operation of machinery and computer equipment among other useful skills. Underneath a sardonic sense of humor, Cortana is fiercely protective of Master Chief and has proved to be an invaluable resource in his battles against the Covenant.



Sgt. Johnson

Sgt. A.J. Johnson combines the best qualities in a leader of combat troops: courage, resourcefulness, concern for his men … and a colorful gift for cursing in a dozen different languages. He leads from the front and has earned the unquestioned loyalty of his troops.

Sgt. Johnson has served in the Corps for most of his adult life and has seen action on dozens of worlds. He first fought the Covenant with the Master Chief before the fall of Reach and was instrumental in rallying the troops on Halo. During the battle on the alien ringworld, he accompanied Commander Keyes on his ill-fated mission to capture a Covenant arms cache, where the team was attacked by the Flood. Johnson managed to escape and has since rejoined the forces of Earth.



ODSTs

The toughest of the tough, the "Orbital Drop Shock Troopers" (ODST), also known as "Hell-Jumpers" are an all-volunteer outfit called upon for difficult incursions into hard to reach locations. They have a reputation for being a little unhinged, but then again, one would have to be somewhat crazy to strap into a HEV (human entry vehicle) and be shot into space from an orbiting starship, burning through the atmosphere to a hostile environment below.



UNSC Marines

Marines are the backbone of the UNSC's ground forces. Dropping into hostile territory, securing beachheads and taking the fight to the enemy, the Marines live up to their credo: "First to Fight." Unfortunately due to the tenacity and power of the Covenant forces, this also means "First to Die."

UNSC Marines are equipped for battle with helmet mounted tactical displays, lightweight armor and a cache of gear and supplies. Marines are expert with a number of different weapons and are skilled operators of the UNSC land based vehicles. The squads of Marines who fought alongside Master Chief during the battle on the Halo ring construct were instrumental in achieving victory and the troops tasked with defending the cities of Earth will have a chance to prove themselves once again.


Human Weapons

Your weapons arsenal is the only thing that makes you lethal on the battlefield against the Covenants. You're probably already familiar with them, but here are briefs on the weapons.

Since you carry only two weapons at a time besides grenades, you need to know the pros and cons of whether or not to swap one weapon for another in a given situation.












Battle Rifle

A UNSC weapon designed to provide soldiers with both stopping power and accuracy on the battlefield. Equipped with a 3x zoom scope, this weapon is great for picking off targets at a distance but also has a three-round burst-fire mode when the action gets up-close and personal.



SMG

The "Sub Machine Gun" is another new addition to the UNSC arsenal and is often described as a "bullet hose." As the nickname implies, the SMG is designed to throw out as many bullets as possible and is ideal for close range combat. The SMG is a small weapon that can be dual-wielded by skilled soldiers. When a single SMG is equipped, the stock is extended to provide additional control.



Shotgun

The shotgun is a pump-action magazine-fed weapon. It fires 8 gauge magnum (3.5") rounds. This weapon is very effective at close range and may be used to engage several targets simultaneously at medium and long range.



Sniper Rifle

The S2 AM sniper rifle is a gas-operated magazine-fed weapon. It is issued with a smart-linked scope with two levels of magnification – 4x and 8x zoom. It fires 14.5mm armor-piercing fin-stabilized discarding-sabot rounds that can easily penetrate even the toughest materials from a great distance.



Rocket Launcher

A critical piece of equipment for soldiers on the ground, the rocket launcher provides the primary means of combating enemy vehicles. Equipped with a 2x zoom that, when activated, allows the wielder to activate a target lock-on mechanism which tracks moving objects.



Frag Grenade

The trusty fragmentation grenade is a staple in any soldier's arsenal. Both a versatile and destructive weapon, a grenade can be thrown, rolled, bounced or ricocheted into places direct fire weapons can't reach.





Covenant Weapons

You should also be aware of the weapons the Covenant use since you can pick up and use any that you find by walking over them when you see them lying on the ground.

The Covenant seem more vulnerable to these weapons, so take advantage of this weakness whenever possible.

Energy Sword

The most powerful melee weapon in the Covenant arsenal, able to take down even the toughest foes with a single well-placed strike. When a target gets within range, the energy sword is capable of unleashing a quick strike attack.

New development : Originally a Covenant-only weapon, Master Chief has familiarized himself with its operation making it a great tactical option when the battle gets up close and personal.


Needler

Earning its nickname from the crystalline needle-like projectiles it fires at targets. These mysterious needles will home in on a target and once they have penetrated its outer surface, a secondary explosion will cause internal damage. The Needler can be dual-wielded in the hands of experienced soldiers.

New development: The once-impotent Needler no longer leaves a nasty skin rash – it has been upgraded to extremely dangerous.



Plasma Pistol

The plasma pistol is a semi-automatic directed energy weapon which operates from an unknown power core. When fired at high rates for an extended period of time, the plasma pistol has a tendency to overheat and will cease to fire until it cools down. A secondary charging-fire mode is also available - firing one large bolt that tracks a target and delivers a powerful blast. The plasma pistol can also be dual-wielded and is an excellent secondary weapon for taking down enemy shields.



Plasma Rifle

This directed energy weapon is capable of firing deadly bolts of plasma in either semi-automatic or fully-automatic firing modes. The plasma rifle shares the same unknown battery technology as the plasma pistol and is also prone to overheating if fired continuously for too long. Like the plasma pistol, the rifle can also be dual-wielded, presenting another effective means of quickly bringing down enemy shields.



Carbine

A new addition to the Covenant arsenal, the carbine is roughly the equivalent of the UNSC battle rifle. Featuring a quick rate of fire and the ability to utilize a scope to zoom in on distant opponents, the carbine is a very formidable weapon in the hands of a skilled soldier.







Plasma Grenade

The plasma grenade is similar to the UNSC frag grenade in that it is a thrown anti-infantry and anti-vehicle weapon. This grenade explodes into a burst of deadly plasma when its three-second fuse expires and it can also be "stuck" to an adversary with a well placed throw.

Covenant Sniper:a Covenant version of the sniper rifle.
Brute Shot:Like a grende launcher.With a sweet blade in the back which you can do a killer melee.

Human Vehicles

The worlds in Halo 2 are vast and you will need to cover a lot of ground quickly. Now that we are on Earth, humans have new vehicles and you may encounter the following standard vehicles:













Warthog

The standard mode of transportation for all UNSC armed forces, the Warthog is a fast, maneuverable and light reconnaissance vehicle that packs a punch via a mounted chain gun or rocket launcher. Transports up to three soldiers into battle or out of harm's way quickly.

New feature : an "e-brake" allowing driver to perform tight turns to avoid sticky situations.



M808B Scorpion MBT

The Scorpion Main Battle tank is primarily intended as an anti-vehicle platform, though its secondary 7.62mm gun makes it an efficient anti-personnel option. The primary 90mm cannon packs a serious punch and ceramic-titanium armor makes it almost invulnerable to small arms fire. The MBT has a single pilot cockpit, but in emergencies can transport four additional infantrymen on "jumpseat" platforms.



Pelican

The dropship used to transport troops and vehicles into and out of battle situations. A nose-mounted turret provides some protection against threats but the main purpose of the Pelican is to get in, unload, and get out.



AP Turret

The AP (anti-personnel) turret is a stationary gun emplacement usually placed near defensive positions surrounding bases and fortifications. Capable of spewing out an incredible number of rounds, the AP turret makes quick work of anything foolish enough to get in its path.



















Covenant Vehicles

In this highly anticipated sequel the Covenant armada has invaded Earth and they have brought new vehicles with them. Hijacking Covenant vehicles is useful and necessary so you better know them:














Ghost

The standard reconnaissance and rapid attack vehicle. Two mounted energy cannons fire bolts of superheated plasma that can devastate infantry and quickly take down enemy vehicles.

Recent upgrades: a "boost" feature that moves the vehicle at twice its normal speed; however renders it temporary unable to fire.


Banshee

Extremely maneuverable and fast, the Banshee is the Covenant's ground support aircraft. With two mounted plasma cannons and a high speed boost ability (similar to the Ghost), a squadron of Banshees can own the sky and quickly turn the tide in battle.



Wraith

The Wraith provides the heavy firepower for ground assaults. Its improved armor is impervious to small weapons fire and a devastating plasma based mortar is capable of lobbing destruction onto targets from great distances.



Phantom

Roughly the Covenant equivalent of the UNSC Pelican, heavily armored and packing substantial firepower, the Phantom excels in air-to-air combat as well as transporting infantry into and out of hot zones.



Shadow

Sometimes referred to as the Covenant "bus," a heavily armed land-based troop transport vehicle. The plasma turret atop the cargo bay provides ample cover fire as infantry disembark and fortify battlefield positions. *not confirmed*

Multiplayer

In addition to everything from Halo 1,Halo 2 can support Xbox Live with up to 16 players. also Blood Gulch is back with minor changes and it is called Coagilition.

There's a map called Zanzibar
www.bungie.net/images/Games/Halo2/Gallery/Concept/zanzibar_conceptplan.jpg


Also each Campain Level is supposed to be 4 time longer than Aussalt on the Control Room!


Send a owl to me if the pictures don't work.
I can't wait to hi-jack ghosts.
This game looks awsome. :tu:

[ChiChi]

On 11/9 a special Limited edition which includes a special dvd is released.It includes commemtary on the game,deleted cinematics etc.

[tantrix]

OVERRATED.. I'm a Unreal fan to the core.. with a little of gorey Worms Armaggedon.. Halo is only fun in multiplayer.. i don't think Halo 2 would be a huge leap.//

[trekkie450]

when i heard Halo 2 was coming out i was like. Ya okay 1 was good 2 will just be the same but with new weapons and different RPG game, no big deal. Then i saw the graphics, HOLY COW!!
-----WARNING gona Rant------
if you know anything about graphic modeling and texture mapping they had a special on the Discovery channel which later played on GSN on how the make games and they were talking about how they where trying to get it so your suit and weapons could get mud on them and they would affect what you look like. Then they were working on the diffuse and the refraction of all the things in the game to make them look well more real. HOLY COW!!! its gona be AWSOME

[Senai]

Ooh, a thead entirely devoted to Halo 2. Has anyone seen the new XBN scans? I tried not to look, because they have some minor story spoilers...but that didn't pan out. The scans had very nice pictures, though...and the graphics have actually IMPROVED, believe it or not :drool: I can't wait.

Another question...has anyone read the books? The first and third are actually really good, not like usual media-to-novel books. The second just takes place over the course of the game. There's a lot of backstory in the first book and the third one takes place right before Halo 2. I reccomend them :agree:

[Tim the Wiz]

Sorry to say this, but the graphics aren't that amazing compared to something like Resident Evil 4. But anyway, the Halo 2 will obviously become the greatest shooter on the current consoles. However the first game was majorly over-hyped and I'm sure the second one will be too. Although the multi-player is some of the finest in videogames ever.

Anyway, I'll be getting this game at launch since I've pre-ordered it. When I get my hands on Pro Evo Soccer 4 as well, then I'll invite the friends over for some multi-player goodness.

[TheGift]

Well i've been playing Halo for just over a year now and i have to say that it is definately my favorite game out there. For starters you have to think about which type of weapon is best to use on the particular enemy in question, and also that you can only carry so much with you, unlike other games where you are a walking arsenal (which is a little un-realistic). Which brings me on to it's A.I.

The A.I varies alot between that of the Humans and the Covenant. The marines move forward in a group, but use group tactics to make sure someone always covers them. The AI makes excellent use of any physical cover such as the Covenant shields or natural objects like rocks. At times, your soldiers will even lose it and shoot at dead Covenant corpses shouting "How do you like that then?!" Whilst the covenant A.I is also very differant, i.e you get the Grunts, (you've gotta love em) who move in pack formation at you and then will hide behind a bigger alli when engaged. The Elites will usually try to flank you, or duck out of the way of grenades and vehicals when in danger or just chase after you in the nearest vehical to try to kill you. The A.I also increases between easy mode and legendary mode. (This increase is very evident)


As for Halo2, i have seen pretty much most of the videos from E3 2004 regarding Halo2, including the multi-player demos and tour off maps, and physics. The graphics are much improved and there is a much more focused plot, and weapons which have been discussed and described in brilliant detail by ChiChi in previous posts in this thread. Nice one by the way! :tu:

Now i know that alot of this has already been covered by ChiChi already but it does cover some other important stuff as well.

I got this the other day from www.gamedailey.com written by John Gaudiosi (Senior editor at Video Business)

As good as the original looked, Halo 2 pushes the envelope of Xbox's processing power by adding lighting effects and new textures to the game. Reflections and shadows enhance the look of the game, especially with the amount of metal used in the game - from vehicles to armor. A new bump-mapping engine brings a truly 3D visual feel to the game universe - a universe that looked relatively flat in the first game. It's amazing what these new visual tricks can do for the Halo universe.


All of the multiplayer levels in Halo 2 are inspired by the single-player game levels and expand on the universe, rather than reusing the same geometry. The textures and feel of the multiplayer maps, which vary from close-knit combat areas to huge open battlefields, play off the single-player game. The five levels that I played at Bungie included Zanzibar, which was featured at E3, Lockout, a close-quarters arena with a snowy mountain backdrop, Mid-Ship, a Covenant cruiser, Ivory Tower, an indoor arena-style level set high atop a skyscraper, and Waterworks. Bungie has spent a lot of time on little details. When you shoot palm trees in Ivory Tower, coconuts will fall out with real physics -- of course these same physics are applied to deaths. And in some of the larger underground areas like Waterworks, stalactites can be fired upon to drop on unsuspecting enemies below, destroying even large tanks. From the waterfall that you can hide behind in Ivory Tower to the vertigo-inducing walkways of Lockout, there's quite a diverse variety of landscapes with which to interact.

The Waterworks level gave a taste of what full-scale warfare with two teams of eight players will feel like. With plenty of room to maneuver between the two bases, each of which has two stories, there are many options for fun. In addition to having a multitude of sniping areas throughout the dark cave, there's also enough space to have fun in the air with the Banshees. Banshees now feature a boost and can barrel-roll and perform loop-de-loops. Warthogs come in four varieties (although only the chaingun and Gauss cannon versions were available in the levels we played), including a camouflaged version with sandbags for extra protection, a snow version with treads instead of tires and a troop carrier. The new warthog has an e-brake for fast stops and crazy turns and a horn for signaling teammates to get in. You can now jump into a Covenant Wraith tank and take out humans, which is a first for Halo.

The brightly-lit Ivory Tower level, which shows off those lighting and shadow effects, features an atrium with an enticing energy sword. A waterfall is off to the side in the center of this atrium and there is a second story level where snipers can perch. Walking through this area is a death wish, especially with the large number of weapons spread throughout the level, including the SMG, particle beam rifle and Covenant sniper rifle.

Mid-Ship is set inside a Covenenat command cruiser and features arena-style gameplay. This level is essentially two floors with energy lifts to bring you up and down. This level is good for small group play and features a grenade-launcher called the Covenant Brute Shot.

With so many options, each gameplay experience is unique, which is one of the beauties of Halo 2. Even after you've played through the single-player game a few times, multiplayer ensures this game will never grow old. The fact that Bungie will support downloadable content for multiplayer is also a huge bonus, especially if it goes beyond new weapons and offers additional multiplayer levels. Bungie was tight-lipped on how many multiplayer levels will ship for the game, only to say it'll be more than five.

One of the coolest additions to the gameplay for Halo2 is the ability to wield two weapons simultaneously. Pick up a pair of submachine guns and all of a sudden that moderate-level weapon becomes top tier. You can even fire each weapon separately with the left and right trigger buttons. This adds an element of strategy to the game that goes beyond the cool John Woo-style of dual firing. You can arm yourself with one human (like an SMG) and one Covenant (like a Needler) weapon to make sure all enemies go down quickly -- some weapons work better on certain enemies than others. The Needler, which is much more powerful this time around, basically serves as a tracer gun to allow you to aim and kill your targets. The only drawback to the twin guns is that you'll have to drop one to throw a grenade and you cannot perform melee moves. It's relatively easy, though, to drop a gun and toss a grenade, and then pick up the gun again. While aiming is a bit less accurate with two guns, firing in short bursts remedies the situation.

Suffice it to say, Halo 2 is one hell of a game. After playing through a day of multiplayer, I almost didn't feel bad about not getting a taste of the single-player game. But the more I thought about it, the more I would have felt bad having had only a taste of the single-player game and then having to wait months to be able to pick up the adventure. Halo 2 multiplayer makes this already must-have game one of the best videogame experiences ever. Kudos to Bungie for thinking of all the gamers out there, while also catering to the hardcore. There's a reason Halo is the best-selling game on Xbox. And this sequel should top those sales, easily.

I hope you guy's really enjoy the game as much as i know i will.

P.s Have any of you seen any of the Red vs Blue episodes yet? Very funny and a must for any self-respecting Halo fan! :rotfl:

www.redvsblue.com You can download them for free from this site, but watch them in sequence as there are 2 series and a story line. (But bear in mind that younger people may take offence to some of the language in the series)

[Senai]

Wow. Thanks for posting that article, TheGift--haven't seen that one before (and your signature gives me nightmares :O).

On another note...HALO 2 HAS GONE GOLD. Whooyeah.

[Tim the Wiz]

:rolleyes:

definately my favorite game out there

What has Microsoft done to a generation of gamers?

Moving on ... anyone else have the Limited Edition of Halo 2 pre-ordered, plenty of good stuff will be offered inside there, be sure to make a purchase of it people. Anyway, here is a post that will light the hearts of all you fan-boys/girls ...

Taken from the GA Forums (http://ga-forum.com/showthread.php?t=17582) ...

Cover
http://www.bonzy.net/images/oxm.jpg

Article Summary

Screenshots *Note scans of the screens are not allowed at this time

-4 or 5 new screens(most small). There is a making of Halo1 article(which is 7 pages long), and a pretty funny new Halo2 ad (nursery)
-A screen of a grunt jumping OVER a Wraith tank
-Big one of chief shooting at an Elite, while a grunt jumps over a Wraith tank. Level is indoors, with light shadows on the wall. 4 small ones: 3 with the badass drones. A couple of those show off the daytime lighting, very cool. Another bigger one shows Chief shooting a couple Covenent with a battle rifle.
-The pictures have the elites in a couple different single player color schemes. They have a silver, blue, and red version in a couple different pics. Of course none of the pics are from the first person. They are all taken away from the action. There is no mention of the new HUD design either.
-The graphics of the environments look a lot better than the '03 E3 demo. Back then all the buildings looked nondescript... no features to them. One pic shows a new enemy hovering in the sky attacking Master Chief and the background has a tall sky scraper... but opposite the tall building is what looks like a run down apartment complex. It's brownish in color and it has great shadows... The windows have awnings above them and the achitecture is more realistic in appearance... looks like a city in present day New Mexico
-The structures look more organic and weathered.Yhey have what looks like water damage where the roof meets the wall. The first building is in the light where as the rest of the complex looks like it is in the shadow of the sky scraper...
-About the shadowing. It looks excellent.
-There are also two pics of what looks like new mutliplayer levels. The first is from the level that the new sniper pic was taken from. It shows a Red masterchief piloting a banshee and he is being jacked by a green spartan. They are falling into what looks like a circular cropping of stones. The next is taken from what looks like the level that was the very first shown. The dirt is red in color and there is an old structure coming out of the ground. It's hard to see what is going on because the Covenant tank is firing right at the camera and the explosion takes up most of the screen. It also has a green Elite manning the turret on a Warthog while a red spartan drives...
-What the images show are outdoors, in more of a 'weathered" part of the city. It looks excellent, with powerlines, realistic shadows, etc
-The First pic in the mag looks like it's from a cutscene. It has Master next to two helljumpers and they are firing at something off camera. There are two pelicans flying overhead. You can tell the characters are in game models but the background action is blurred somewhat and has a more movie like feel to it.

Enemies

New Covenant Drones:

-It is pretty much believed that this action figure is a drone.
-Accompanied by the disctinctive buzz of insect wings is a swarm of new Covenent creatures that come fluttering over the rooftops of outlying buildings. "These guys are called drones. They fly, they can snipe, and they're total jerks." O'Connor quips.
-They say drones fly in packs and they fly erratically so it is hard to draw a beed on them. The hunters have an upgraded fuel rod gun mounted on there arms and it will take more then 1 shot to the back to kill them this time around.
-They are greenish, almost teal. They very much look like flying insects. Their wings are opaque, with blues and purples. Their bodies have a lot of "sharpness" to them.
They do have backwards feet.
-After fighting the covenant they describe the introduction of the drones. They fly in over the buildings and use the environment to shield themselves and zig zag between areas while they snipe you from afar. They say it's like playing hide and seek with the enemy. The drone prefers to snipe and use speed and attack in numbers. They have limited armor so they can be taken down quickly if you can get them in your scope.
-The drones wings can be shot off making them a severe ground threat when equipped with a carbine. Word of advice make sure your first sniper round is a bio-hazard shot because it may be your only free shot at a clean straight kill with these things. Don't let them get on the ground!

Various Enemies:

-"What's imemdiately noticeable in our first skirmish with Halo 2 is just how much livelier its compatants-both friendly and hostile-have become. "When you hear the buzzwords like how there are 20,000 lines in the game, that's not just throwing a bunch of dialogue onto the bonfire," Parsons says, "The AI in this game is fundamentally different than it was in Halo."
-Hunters have their fuel-rod gun still attached to their arm. The one jumping has his arm in front of his face like he is swinging it.
-Unlike hunters from the first halo, these doggies exhibit much more aggression, taking care to let loose with their hand cannons whenever possible, while going to greater lengths (such as pushing aside the wreckage of an overturned truck) to bury you and your comrades.
-Hunters can't be killed with one shot to the orange part.
-To our surprise, the covenant are actually sniping back, with pockets of drones and jackals taking potshots at us using Covenant carbines and beam rifles.

Various SP Campaign Details

Storyline:

-Here's the opener...
We arrive at Bungie on a quiet Sunday afternoon. After introductions, the ground rules: No one may write about anything they are expressly told not to write about, such as the big, cool thing at the beginning of the second level. Or the ridiculously enormous ship that levitates ominously over New Mombasa. Or the thing that happens at the end of what may be the third level after crossing the really impressive Golden-Gate sized bridge in the newly remodeled scorpian tank. It must also be accepeted that cimematics are incomplete, graphics are unfinished here and there, and this build of Halo 2 is still preoptimized, things could get a little choppy in the framerate department, especially when master chief is attacked by that huge - oops!
-Really not much is given on the story line that we don't already know about. I was hoping for more impressions of the gameplay versus the first one, but it delves more on the history of the lack of Halo 2 info and what happens in the books between the closing credits of Halo and the beginning of this game. I find it interesting that the journalists started on the 2nd level and not the first. I'm assuming that it holds some cool surprises that would have revealed too much story. They describe the 2nd level as being close to the movie Blackhawk Down. Except the enemy soldiers have been replaced by jackals and elites. Wave upon wave of enemies attack you as you try to make your way through the city streets.
-You start off in a Pelican, but a large creature (they don't describe it) attacks the squad and knocks the Pelican out of the air. You then are on foot and have to fight your way to a clearing so other troops may land.
After fighting the covenant they describe the introduction of the drones. They fly in over the buildings and use the environment to shield themselves and zig zag between areas while they snipe you from afar. They say it's like playing hide and seek with the enemy. The drone prefers to snipe and use speed and attack in numbers. They have limited armor so they can be taken down quickly if you can get them in your scope.
Then you face off against two hunters.
Next you're in a "cool shade of a crowded alley" . At the end of the alley you make your way through a pitch black motel interior. You have to use your lights to see while you are being attacked. You can see the enemies glowing green eyes in the murky interior. Once outside you are on a beach where the vehicles are waiting for you. At this point Frank took them directly to the next level so it's up in the air how much more there was to this level. This is kind of a streamlined version as they decribe more interactions within these events

Switching Guns with Marines:

-"I'm not having much luck with this gun here" O'Connor says, "while Sargeant Johnson over tehre has a sniper rifle--and I want it--so I'm going to chase him up here. Sergeant, I need that." By walking up to Johnson and pressing X, Master Chief can swap weapons at will with fellow UNSC infantry.
After the exchange, whereby forcefully barter our crappy submachine gun for a sniper rifle, Sarge *****es indignantly, "That hurts, Chief. That hurts real bad."

On the hole...I mean whole:

-"On the whole, single-player Halo2 is a tender balance of missions where you're propelled onward by way of level design while being bombarded by enemies and areas where the pacing is more diliberate, giving you plenty of time to explore your surroundings."
<blue>SP vs.MP:</blue>
-About the single versus multi player games: "Halo 2's single-player game is by far the most important part to us," Pete Parsons says. It is what we spend most of our resources on. To illustrate this point, Parsons points out the huge disparity in size between the two teams. Multiplayer is designed by a handful (read: four) of network gaming devotees occupying a strip of Bungies low walled open cubicle office studio. While single player developers dominate the rest of the floor.

Misc.

Graphics:

-'connor compares graphics with Doom3/Riddick...stating that Halo2 is much grander as far as scale.
XBN says "In light of recent graphically astounding games like Riddick/Doom3, the bridge level in Halo 2 quashes any cynicism regarding the sequal's ability to wow gamers visually."

Clans:

-"Anyone can create a clan at any time. Once it's chirstened, the originator of the clan becomes its overlord. As the owner of the clan, the overlord has all admin privileges, including the ability to promote, invite, and expel all players, "When you're in a clan, there are 4 different leves," Max Hoberman, Halo 2's multiplayer lead, says "Everyone starts as a member; everyone is allowed to spam anybody. He's only allowed to play in Clan games. I can also promote him to staff. Once he's staff, he can recruit/boot other players.

Online Coop:

-They mention online coop in their "A-Z" under "Questions"
We still have questions about Halo2: Will there be an online co-op? Another Halo ring world? Is the Flood back? .....

[ChiChi]

Well Halo 2 has officially gone Gold,and the French version of the site has been leaked on the Internet.News


NewsHalo 2 Piracy
Posted by SketchFactor at 10/14/2004 10:57 AM
Halo 2 has been illegally released onto the internet and we need your help...




Last night a pirated copy of Halo 2 was released onto the internet. Needless to say we think this really sucks. Aside from years of hard work being stolen from us, we've gone to great lengths to ensure that the details of the Halo 2 campaign remain a mystery for players to experience for themselves on November 9th. Microsoft is currently engaged in a full scale investigation and to those foolish enough to partake in this piracy, you will soon witness the firepower of this fully operational battle station.

Members of the Bungie community - we need your help. The Underground Army is being called into action; this is not a drill. Anyone who has information regarding the leak of the game or individuals or websites promoting the download of these illegal files is asked to please contact us by sending email to piracy@microsoft.com or calling 1-800-RULEGIT. We also ask that you help us minimize the spoilers for those opting to wait for the retail release by refraining from posting screens, talking about the story and deleting any such posts you encounter. Many of you have already been actively tracking down and forwarding links to us and we thank you for your help.

Thats how Bungie told it on their site.

[HJP]

i dont have an x-box but i got halo for the computer last week. when will halo 2 come out for the pc? i really like the game and i even got the books, but i dont think i want to buy the x-box just for one game. will the pc game come out at the same time or will it come out later? i have looked on the website for the date but i wasnt sure if nov. 9 was for pc to.

[Senai]

i dont have an x-box but i got halo for the computer last week. when will halo 2 come out for the pc? i really like the game and i even got the books, but i dont think i want to buy the x-box just for one game. will the pc game come out at the same time or will it come out later? i have looked on the website for the date but i wasnt sure if nov. 9 was for pc to.

It's not coming out for PC--not right now, anyway. Sorry. I'm personally betting it WILL eventually, just because there are so many fans on PC, but there aren't any plans right now.

On another note...WOW. The whole French PAL leak. This...really sucks. What breed of jerk manufacturer let it loose on the net!?? I feel so sorry for Bungie, they've worked so hard to keep the story a secret just to have it leaked a month before the release.

[SwordofHope]

I think Halo 2 iws going to be awesome. I must say they like to torture gamers though. It took 3 years to make and finish it? Most magizines are hailing the future greatest game of all time. Metroid for gamecube is sweet, but it isn't Halo

[Tim the Wiz]

Metroid for gamecube is sweet, but it isn't Halo

IMO Metroid Prime outclasses Halo (Halo had flaws yet MP was perfect and probably the best game of this generation), and I'm betting MP2 will also be better than Halo 2.

Anyway, saying that a Metroid game compares in anyway to Halo is really stupid, no offense but it is. Metroid has been around since the 80's and is one of those gaming series that have near perfect games all throughout its run. Super Metroid was one of the greatest games ever, if not the greatest and comparing Metroid Prime to some shooter is frankly stupid, however great that shooter is. Because Metroid Prime and its sequel are first-person adventures and not shooter's, anyone who tells you otherwise doesn't know what they're talking about.

:D Sorry to get all elitist on you but I speak the truth ...

Anyway, Halo 2 is around the corner so I'll stop reading about it. Doing that always makes the game come around faster ...

[ChiChi]

Has anyone read the books? Because in the new french trailer which you can get over at halo.bungie.org you see a moray mine which is a big spikey thing. Also at the new halo2.com it shows new stuff plus a picture of the seraph.

[TheGreatest]

got leaked onto the internet, microsoft is coming after anyone who downloads the game with a 100 g fine.

[SwordofHope]

IMO Metroid Prime outclasses Halo (Halo had flaws yet MP was perfect and probably the best game of this generation), and I'm betting MP2 will also be better than Halo 2.

Anyway, saying that a Metroid game compares in anyway to Halo is really stupid, no offense but it is. Metroid has been around since the 80's and is one of those gaming series that have near perfect games all throughout its run. Super Metroid was one of the greatest games ever, if not the greatest and comparing Metroid Prime to some shooter is frankly stupid, however great that shooter is. Because Metroid Prime and its sequel are first-person adventures and not shooter's, anyone who tells you otherwise doesn't know what they're talking about.

:D Sorry to get all elitist on you but I speak the truth ...

Anyway, Halo 2 is around the corner so I'll stop reading about it. Doing that always makes the game come around faster ...

Ok then... I just thought that seeing all the maginzines and review scores Halo got that were better than Metriod Prime meant that it was better than it. I love Metroid Prime, but it really is no where near as fun (no multiplayer). I

I own Prime and I love it, but that whole first person adventure stuff is just said so they can call there game the best in it's Genre. I mean if Halo isn't a adventure then I am surprised. If the first person genre exists than games like Morrowind would be considered a first person adventure. I think Nintendo is just trying to be the best at some genre. So they decided to make one up.

got leaked onto the internet, microsoft is coming after anyone who downloads the game with a 100 g fine.

One Halo 2=$50. If stolen on the interenet and caught $100,000. Now that is a profit! I due hope they catch those thieves. I mean 3 years!

[Tim the Wiz]

Ok then... I just thought that seeing all the maginzines and review scores Halo got that were better than Metriod Prime meant that it was better than it. I love Metroid Prime, but it really is no where near as fun (no multiplayer). I

I own Prime and I love it, but that whole first person adventure stuff is just said so they can call there game the best in it's Genre. I mean if Halo isn't a adventure then I am surprised. If the first person genre exists than games like Morrowind would be considered a first person adventure. I think Nintendo is just trying to be the best at some genre. So they decided to make one up.

Umm, you're very uninformed, and your opinion of Prime and Halo is not shared by most out there. But I guess its because only the real hardcore gamers who know what Metroid games are could truly appreciate Metroid Prime.

Metroid Prime got the worldwide average score of 95.9% (http://www.gamerankings.com/itemrankings/447244), while Halo got the worldwide average score of 95.7% (http://www.gamerankings.com/itemrankings/472132).

And your point on multi-player can be taken both ways, while a Metroid game without multiplayer is to be expected the highly anticipated sequel this year will feature multiplayer, so thats a mixed point.

And let me help you with genres. Morrowind is an Role-Playing Game. Halo is a First-Person Shooter. Metroid Prime is a First Person Adventure.

You've really got to understand that Metroid games have been around since the late 1980's and they have always been Adventure games, therefore when they made it in first-person, they added the two together into the micro-genre of First-Person Adventure.

Again, sorry for sounding elitist but I am right. :D

14 days to go 'till Halo 2, by the way. And 40 days 'till Metroid Prime 2. ;)

[ChiChi]

In OXM Halo 2 got a 9.7 the highest magazine score in video game history.

[SwordofHope]

Umm, you're very uninformed, and your opinion of Prime and Halo is not shared by most out there. But I guess its because only the real hardcore gamers who know what Metroid games are could truly appreciate Metroid Prime.

Metroid Prime got the worldwide average score of 95.9% (http://www.gamerankings.com/itemrankings/447244), while Halo got the worldwide average score of 95.7% (http://www.gamerankings.com/itemrankings/472132).

And your point on multi-player can be taken both ways, while a Metroid game without multiplayer is to be expected the highly anticipated sequel this year will feature multiplayer, so thats a mixed point.

And let me help you with genres. Morrowind is an Role-Playing Game. Halo is a First-Person Shooter. Metroid Prime is a First Person Adventure.

You've really got to understand that Metroid games have been around since the late 1980's and they have always been Adventure games, therefore when they made it in first-person, they added the two together into the micro-genre of First-Person Adventure.

Again, sorry for sounding elitist but I am right. :D

14 days to go 'till Halo 2, by the way. And 40 days 'till Metroid Prime 2. ;)

I know Morrowind is considered an RPG (why would it not be considered a first person adventure? It is in first person and is an adventure,), but what in the world is a "first person adventure"? Of course Metriod would win as the best in that category seeing...
It is the only one in the category!

Halo has been in the top ten ( or 20 at least)best selling list since it came out. It still has not dropped. Interesting statistic seeing it has been out for 3 years

Halo 2 is way more anticipated then Prime 2. (EGM magazine has shown this consistently). Prime 2 could be better, but I would not bet on it.
In the end it is just an opinion on which one is better, so really neither one of us is right. So I can not say I am right.

[Kashek]

Halo 2 is very good game. Considering it leeked out on the net about 3 weeks ago I cant wait to get my hand on it. Some people I know say the game is great and the way parts can fall off and paint chip away is nice. I think that the originial metroid is still one of the best game out ther IMO.

[SwordofHope]

In OXM Halo 2 got a 9.7 the highest magazine score in video game history.

I thought Xbox magazine gave Halo a 9.5 and gave Splinter cell a 9.6. My friend gets the magazine and talks about how that does not make any sense.

[Tim the Wiz]

In OXM Halo 2 got a 9.7 the highest magazine score in video game history.

You mean the highest score in OXM history.

I know Morrowind is considered an RPG (why would it not be considered a first person adventure? It is in first person and is an adventure,), but what in the world is a "first person adventure"? Of course Metriod would win as the best in that category seeing...
It is the only one in the category!

Halo has been in the top ten ( or 20 at least)best selling list since it came out. It still has not dropped. Interesting statistic seeing it has been out for 3 years

Halo 2 is way more anticipated then Prime 2. (EGM magazine has shown this consistently). Prime 2 could be better, but I would not bet on it.
In the end it is just an opinion on which one is better, so really neither one of us is right. So I can not say I am right.

All I can say that in my experience of videogames, which is alot, Prime 2 will be the better game. And just because a game is more highly anticipated, it doesn't mean its better. Look at DRIV3R, the game was is in the Top 5 of EGM, and you know how that pile of trash turned out.

Even if Prime is the best under the genre of FPA, it really is a FPA. I mean thats the perfect way to say it. On sales, all Metroid games are cult classics, not many people buy them as much as other big blockbuster games you'll find out there.

And Morrowind is not a FPA, it really is a RPG, as you role-play a certain character ... geez, I don't have to explain the basics of the Role-Playing Game genre, do I?

I'm not saying Halo 2 will be bad but the true fact is that no FPS game will ever touch a Metroid game ... ever. Metroid = Perfection.

But if you don't want to agree, lets agree to disagree. :D

[ChiChi]

Has anybody here heard of the I Love Bees fiasco? Well if you have go to www.ilovetease.com, especially you Tim.It's funny. Also you do know there is Metroid thread so why don't you continue arguing there?

[SwordofHope]

All I can say that in my experience of videogames, which is alot, Prime 2 will be the better game. And just because a game is more highly anticipated, it doesn't mean its better. Look at DRIV3R, the game was is in the Top 5 of EGM, and you know how that pile of trash turned out.

Even if Prime is the best under the genre of FPA, it really is a FPA. I mean thats the perfect way to say it. On sales, all Metroid games are cult classics, not many people buy them as much as other big blockbuster games you'll find out there.

And Morrowind is not a FPA, it really is a RPG, as you role-play a certain character ... geez, I don't have to explain the basics of the Role-Playing Game genre, do I?

I'm not saying Halo 2 will be bad but the true fact is that no FPS game will ever touch a Metroid game ... ever. Metroid = Perfection.

But if you don't want to agree, lets agree to disagree. :D

Of course agreeing to disagree is very easy.

I just see alot of magazines already claiming Halo 2 as the best game ever. Not Prime 2. I would assume that was because the first Halo was better than the first Prime. That is usely how it works is it not?

Now I must say one of the reason I think Halo is better is because of Mission co-op. I mean that is just an awesome mode. It is much better when you have someone else fighting with you. Prime is just one person alone in a depressing level with the strangest charactors I have seen (though some are really cool)

What exactly the big difference between a FPA and a FPS? I mean how is a shooter not an adventure? Prime really did was not more adventurous. I mean Halo has a whole war going on with a somewhat twisting plot and Prime's is barely seen.

No FPS will touch a FPA? Well seeing Prime is the only one in that category I guess that is rather convienent.
Nintendo made up a genre! Just because they were ticked at Halo. They do not want to be compared to Halo because it makes them look bad.
I guess you are a hardcore nintendo fan. That would explain the whole Prime is perfect. Of course EGM disagrees with you on this. seeing it was Halo to get the 10.

I recall Halo getting game of the year and Metroid did not recieve this award. In EGM and GameInformers mags they do not even have Prime on the best game/ game series list. While Halo is on it. Behind I think two different games, but still on the list, unlike Prime.

[ChiChi]

Please go to a Metroid thread.

[SwordofHope]

Please go to a Metroid thread.

Sorry! I was just speculating that Halo 2 would be better than Prime 2. No matter which thread I go Metriod or Halo I am only half on subject am I not?

Anyway back on subject. It seems like if I were to go to any store that sells video games that a pre-ordered copy of Halo 2 would take hours to get seeing that there are so many people who pre-ordered it. I myself have not pre-ordered it so I might end up waiting for a month before a copy is avalible:lol:

[Senai]

I myself have not pre-ordered it so I might end up waiting for a month before a copy is avalible:lol:

Heck, I've pre-ordered and I still have to wait a WEEK :upset:


Has anyone heard about the "Halo for Charity" drive? The basic idea's just that when you go to pick up your copy you donate a dollar to ESA. Some stores have got involved and are offering to collect when you pay. It's kind of cool--if you want details, check out the link: http://halo.bungie.org/oldnews.html?item=11055

[SwordofHope]

Has anyone heard about the "Halo for Charity" drive? The basic idea's just that when you go to pick up your copy you donate a dollar to ESA. Some stores have got involved and are offering to collect when you pay. It's kind of cool--if you want details, check out the link: http://halo.bungie.org/oldnews.html?item=11055

That would be cool. One dollor from everyone getting Halo 2 would be a whole lot of money. I would do it.

[dementorskiss]

My brother's friend got a pirated, French copy of it that he's borrowing... not sure if that's true or he's pulling my chain, but he did say that it's not as good as Halo 1, and he can't speak French so Campain makes no sense at all. Don't take my word on it though, I don't live with my brother so he might just be teasing me.

[Tim the Wiz]

Of course agreeing to disagree is very easy.

I just see alot of magazines already claiming Halo 2 as the best game ever. Not Prime 2. I would assume that was because the first Halo was better than the first Prime. That is usely how it works is it not?

Now I must say one of the reason I think Halo is better is because of Mission co-op. I mean that is just an awesome mode. It is much better when you have someone else fighting with you. Prime is just one person alone in a depressing level with the strangest charactors I have seen (though some are really cool)

What exactly the big difference between a FPA and a FPS? I mean how is a shooter not an adventure? Prime really did was not more adventurous. I mean Halo has a whole war going on with a somewhat twisting plot and Prime's is barely seen.

No FPS will touch a FPA? Well seeing Prime is the only one in that category I guess that is rather convienent.
Nintendo made up a genre! Just because they were ticked at Halo. They do not want to be compared to Halo because it makes them look bad.
I guess you are a hardcore nintendo fan. That would explain the whole Prime is perfect. Of course EGM disagrees with you on this. seeing it was Halo to get the 10.

I recall Halo getting game of the year and Metroid did not recieve this award. In EGM and GameInformers mags they do not even have Prime on the best game/ game series list. While Halo is on it. Behind I think two different games, but still on the list, unlike Prime.

:D OK, looks like we'll be doing this the hard way.

What exactly the big difference between a FPA and a FPS? I mean how is a shooter not an adventure? Prime really did was not more adventurous. I mean Halo has a whole war going on with a somewhat twisting plot and Prime's is barely seen.

A shooter doesn't enjoy that much of a story and generally is all about shooting the enemy with weapons, as Halo is 90% of the time counting its exceptional storyline compared to other FPS's and its melee attack.

A FPA, is a game that takes place in First-Person, while being an Adventure game. You see Prime is generally an Adventure game as it mainly concerns puzzles and exploration with a mixture of platforming. It also does have the shooting of enimies but this isn't one of the main features of the game. You see basically Metroid Prime is the port of the 2D 3rd-Person Adventure game Super Metroid, in First-Person, hence the term First-Person Adventure.

Of course EGM disagrees with you on this.

Wrong. Look, Metroid Prime got GOTY Award for 2002 at GameSpy (http://archive.gamespy.com/goty2002/overall/) and GameSpot (http://www.gamespot.com/gamespot/features/all/bestof2002/general2.html) not mentioning plenty other sites/magazines, it also received the platinum award for straight 10's from EGM, as well as the GOTM Award.

No FPS will touch a FPA?

I never said that and you're not listening, what I am saying is the Metroid series is one of the best series to grace any console ever. Super Metroid is EGM's favourite game of all time, counting Halo, and it's mine to. The original Metroid was also highly rated up there by EGM and so was Prime, above Halo in fact.

I just see alot of magazines already claiming Halo 2 as the best game ever.

That's just the Microsoft propaganda machine in full effect. The thing is Nintendo just plain sucks when it comes to marketing, the Metroid games just seem destined to become sleeper hits.

I guess you are a hardcore nintendo fan.

Yes, as well as being a hardcore SEGA fan, and just a plain hardcore gaming fan in general. Two Halo games are currently known of, the first is flawed and is the top of the middle tier FPS games out there right now (Counting PC FPS's). However the second might be able to top GoldenEye and Perfect Dark as the best Console FPS's ever.

I think what you don't understand is how huge gaming is, some people would swear to you on a blood oath that Half-Life is perfection, that Super Mario Bros. is perfection, that Panzer Dragoon is perfection, and of course that all Metroid games are perfection, but one thing you should know is that all these games come from different genres and can not totally be compared. However I can give you my opinion based on the facts and hands-on experience beating Prime in 6 hours and Halo on Legendary in two days, and that opinion and critique says that Prime is better. However you can choose not to relate to my opinion of course, which I'm fine with.

My brother's friend got a pirated, French copy of it that he's borrowing... not sure if that's true or he's pulling my chain, but he did say that it's not as good as Halo 1, and he can't speak French so Campain makes no sense at all. Don't take my word on it though, I don't live with my brother so he might just be teasing me.

Yes, that sounds true as a the leaked pirated game is the French PAL version of Halo 2.

Otherwise I've pre-ordered it and I'm waiting to get my copy next Monday, Limited Edition and all, a bit earlier than most of you folks on here. :D

[ChiChi]

I've just noticed something... we've done absolutly know speculating. Wow were smart :p . Well no time like the present. Actually there is but anyway.

OXM's review {one of them} said there are 4-8 minute non-interactive reviews. Do you hope there is the ability to skip them?

What are your opinions on Prophets,Drones, Scarabs and Engineers { Engineers might not be in the game, though}.

What do you think is the meaning of an old Brute {presumably Tartarus from First Strike} hitting the unarmored Elite in the 60 sec. trailor? There are rumours that you play as a rebelling Elite[s].

If you could would you donate the 1$?

Do you think it will be hard to kill the pilot of the Scarab?

[Senai]

Guys up there--stop arguing, okay?

Annnnyway. Four eight-minute movies sound good; I loved Halo's storyline. You'll probably be able to skip them; it was possible in the first game.

The Prophets look awesome, I love their voices. Drones seem annoying, but i love how the Marines call them buggers. I love engineers as well, they're so cute :D Hope to see them in the game--I know there is a picture of one floating around somewhere.

[ChiChi]

One week left. God I am obsessed. Have you been to the new Halo2.com. You could see how Cortana looks and a Seraph and a better picture of Drones. I can't wait to swap weapons with Sarge. "That hurts Chief,that hurts real bad. Also anyone have complaints about the game?

[Tim the Wiz]

My one gripe so far without playing the game, is that the Pistol has been cut out of the game in favour of the under-powered Magnum, just to restore some 'balance' to the game. Nothing, and I mean nothing beats destroying a 'noob' player in a Slayer match with just a pistol in-hand.

[ChiChi]

Tim the pistol was a noob gun plain and simple. I mean come on, it's called a "sidearm" for a reason. And a scope on a pistol? Anyway now we got the battle rifle and did you know duel weilding a magnum is stronger than the M6D? Also the health bar is better. Also isn't killing three people in one shot with the sniper rifle better?

[Tim the Wiz]

Yes, killing people with the sniper rifle is great, but still if you master the pistol all other weapons become invalid in the game. The pistol, shotgun, and sniper rifle, are the best multi-player weapons in the game. And a word to the wise, the best dual-wielding option in Halo 2 is two needlers. (From the UK OXM Review)

[ChiChi]

More questions

Do you have Xbox Live?

What do you think of the leak?

Did you wish the Warthog variants were in?{The rocket hog may be out to.}

What do you like better:Old armor or New.?

You can zoom in on any weapon with your new armor but when you shoot you unzoom. This doesn't include Battle Rifle,Sniper Rifle, Beam Rifle etc. What do you think of this?

There's been rumours that there is an Elite Campain. Do you like this or not?{I know if this is a lie or not.}

[Senai]

WHOO! Okay, lots of news, guys. First of all, reviews:
Team Xbox: 9.9/10
IGN: 9.8/10
Gamespot: 9.4/10
Gamepro: 4.6/5
Gamespy: 5/5

Also, if you head up to bungie.net, the game manual is posted. If you're worried about spoilers, DO NOT read the last few pages with the credits and stuff :)

And, most importantly...ONE MORE DAY!!!

[Tim the Wiz]

I agree with GameSpot and GamePro's reviews. Anyway, just one more day, well actually I'm getting it 8AM tomorrow. Which would be 8PM EST for you guys in the US. w00t! :D

[Arunananth]

One more day. I can't wait. Go to gamespy.com, and check out all the new media they posted. They posted a 100 screenshots, around 20 videos, and a review. I would recommemend seeing the multiplayer videos. But I didn't see the single player ones because they may contain a spoiler.

[Tim the Wiz]

Got it!

Impressions so far, although no story spoilers are revealed (half-way through the game):

Weapon tactics definitely play an important part in the game. So deciding which gun to pick up or whether to duel wield is fairly important. The difficulty is a notch above Halo and so is the fun. Boarding a Ghost is incredible! The new Covenant weapons and enimies are also awesome. This time around you can also be the gunner while one of your fellow marines are driving. The HUD is improved and there is no health bar, so all you have is an exceptionally strong shield. Finally being able to use the Covenant Sword is awesome, with its one hit kill most of the time. Vehicles are awesome, the covenant ones are truly a blast to ride, so is going for a ride again in the familiar Scorpion. Defeating the Scarab and playing the ... well I've said too much. ;) So go buy the game now! :D 9.1/10 for me so far.

[TheGift]

Aarrgghh!!!! Have to wait till Thursday till it's released in UK. Ordered the Tin Box one from Play.com, so hoping to get it delivered on the day.

P.s Thanks for blocking out the spoiler.

[Krumpet]

I'm picking up my version in 2 hours! And I don't even own an X-Box. My best friend does though, and both she and I took the day off work to kick some Convent SSA! I glad to see every review of it has been positive, can't wait to try out the dual guns! After my class yeah it's going to be all about the Spartans.

[natemac]

Holy **** it was good! Tons of surprises, delights, etc. The improvisions made were superb.

It's very different. I have played it for 5 hours since 4:00, and its now 10:00...

[Tim the Wiz]

Just finished it, mildly dissapointed. It could have been so much more IMO. The end just didn't cut it for me. However that 30 seconds of fun was nailed throughout the game, so I'm not complaining too much. 93% is my score of the game. Full impressions later.

[Picko]

OK, I'm highly considering getting this game as the original is one of my favourite games on the Xbox. However, I don't have Xbox Live and I'm not hearing great things about the single player. So what do you think of just the single player campaign and the story? Disregard the multiplayer and please be spoiler free :)

Just finished it, mildly dissapointed. It could have been so much more IMO. The end just didn't cut it for me. However that 30 seconds of fun was nailed throughout the game, so I'm not complaining too much. 93% is my score of the game. Full impressions later.

You must have a seriously weird rating system if you consider 93% to be a mild disappointment.

[ChiChi]

I'm only at the third level and up till now it's great. Because I've read certain spoilers I can assure you while the Campain may be short it is fun. Beside a couple of graphical hiccups the only complaint I have is the ads advertised it as you spending most of your time on Earth. That is not the case. Btw great seeing Tartarus.

[Tim the Wiz]

Here's my mini-review:

Halo 2, the game we've all been waiting for. A game that has been hyped up for so long and so hard that some thought it the second coming. To be blunt, it was never going to achieve those expectations. Although Bungie never made any promises that high. Going into the story you know that Earth is on the brink of attack from the Covenant. You won't stay on Earth for the whole game, as you will visit two other major places. Anyway without revealing too much story here it goes ...

The gameplay of the game is exceptional, the best aspect of the game insofar as my opinion. Flawless stuff. Tactics are drummed into your head and decions on the fly, without really thinking is what its all about. From dual-wielding to using an energy sword to just your basic weapon and grenade standpoint, this is where the game stands out. Weapon choices truly influence how you fare, for killing Elites, the best method is dual-wielding either SMGs or Plasma Rifles, or the aforementioned Energy Sword or stickin' it to 'em with a plasma grenade and blastin' them to to high hell the ol' fashioned way.

Every situation needs a tactic, whether it be Brutes or Hunters or Drones, while the beauty of it is you hardly even think when doing so. And that's one of the best gameplay attributes to this game. Another stellar part of the gameplay would be the vehicles. They vary in a wide range and there's always a best option for each situation thrown at you with the choice of vehicles, although a few do seem pretty overpowered, which doesn't count as a bad thing. Although the boarding action where you jump on a vehicle and knock the driver out leaves you always suspectible to harm, especially on the higher difficulty settings.

The story is good compared to most games out there, but not the most compelling one to come out in recent years. The design of the game is pretty short and is one of the bad points to the game. You'll come out of it wanting more, as well as feeling as though you've been slapped in the face by the ending.

Voice acting is spot on and music is incredible, possibly some of the less noticed features of the game but still done superbly well. As to replay value, two playthroughs is all you're really get out of this. Once on Normal or Heroic and again on a higher setting. Legendary is really tough this time, and will be a true test of steel for the Halo elite.

On Splitscreen Multiplayer, Co-Op is as great as ever, while straight head-to-head combat leaves you a bit cold. The arenas aren't done as well as the original ones, and no doubt alot will be going back to the first Halo for perfect multiplayer action.

While X-box Live Multiplayer really is incredible, hoplessly so. The fact is most of us don't want/have it. Otherwise as any online multiplayer network in gaming, you to live it for yourself to decide on it.

The Good ...

+ It's fun.
+ Superb gameplay.
+ Great voice work and music.
+ Co-Op as great as ever.


The Bad ...

- Too short, and an ending that will leave quite a few dissapointed.
- Repetitive at times.
- Slight framerate dip at times.
- Only Live subscribers will get to access the best of multiplayer.
- Splitscreen multiplayer not as good as the first game.

Overall Score: 89%

If you loved Halo, buy this game. But don't expect more than 12 hours worth of game time out of it as it is short but sweet. Splitscreen multiplayer isn't as incredible as the first, but Live more than makes up for this, if you have it that is.

[ChiChi]

Tim what do you think of playing as the CENSORED.

[loopdeedoo123]

Halo 2 is awesome!!! We just got it, and it's soooooo cool. My brother and I played all the multiplayer levels, and they're really cool. Blood gulch (sp?) and battle creek are there still. Except Battle creek is now named Beaver creek.

[ChiChi]

Blood Gulch is now called Coagulation and is a tiny bit diferent.

[Tim the Wiz]

Tim what do you think of playing as the CENSORED.

At first I couldn't believe playing as the Arbiter. I had a brief flashback to playing MGS2 and hoping it wouldn't turn out that way. Which would mean playing the most of the game as the Arbiter. However I'm glad they gave you equal time to play Master Chief and the Arbiter. So I had quite some fun playing as the Arbiter, active camo and almost unlimited access to energy swords does that for you. :D

[Azimuth]

I'm not saying Halo 2 will be bad but the true fact is that no FPS game will ever touch a Metroid game ... ever. Metroid = Perfection.
Just thought I'd say...

Perfect Dark owns Super Metroid.

[Tim the Wiz]

Perfect Dark owns Super Metroid.

Perfect Dark is over-rated and Super Metroid definitely owns it and GoldenEye. So does Halo 2. :p

[ChiChi]

Woah woah Tim that's video game rule number one: Never ever insult Goldeneye or Perfect dark. Also Bungie said each level is extr3emely long when the first half has some of the most shortest levels I've ever played. Quality over Quantity. Also the two Earth levels rock. Even though two Elites stole my Warthog.

[Tim the Wiz]

GoldenEye IMO is the second best console FPS ever. Perfect Dark to me is in the top 5, but still a little over-rated. While Halo 2 is the best console FPS ever, for now ...

[Ares'Fury]

I am very disappointed with Halo 2. It was hyped to be so awesome. It sucks on Xbox live. You spend more time loading the game than playing it not to mention you can't stay with a group unless you're part of their party. My money would have been better used to fill up my gas tank a couple of times.

[ChiChi]

Ah well thats unfortunate.

[Senai]

Just finished beating the game for the second time--on legendary. It's a new experience entirely, as in, you seriously don't get the real gaming experience unless you play legendary. Just...wow. The best parts so far were a few hardcore marines who made it through an entire level with me and took down two hunters, new dialogue, and just being able to say "hey, i beat it on legendary!", lol. And to anyone who was disappointed with the game, i suggest going back and playing through a level or two of the first Halo, and THEN coming back to Halo 2. The gameplay's a lot more fluid.

As for the story, the covenant point of view really bothered me at first, but the second time through the story's so much clearer. Can't wait for a new book...or Halo 3 :)

[ChiChi]

Just finished beating the game for the second time--on legendary. It's a new experience entirely, as in, you seriously don't get the real gaming experience unless you play legendary. Just...wow. The best parts so far were a few hardcore marines who made it through an entire level with me and took down two hunters, new dialogue, and just being able to say "hey, i beat it on legendary!", lol. And to anyone who was disappointed with the game, i suggest going back and playing through a level or two of the first Halo, and THEN coming back to Halo 2. The gameplay's a lot more fluid.

As for the story, the covenant point of view really bothered me at first, but the second time through the story's so much clearer. Can't wait for a new book...or Halo 3 :)


You know an easy way to kill Tartaraus is to get the Banshee in the Control Room, also do you know about the Scarab Gun/Skull easter eggs? Scarab Gun is a plasma rifle that shoots scarb bullets and the skulls, when you pick them up alter something i.e. "Catch" skull makes allies and enemies throw grnades like crazy. And "Mythic" skull give enemies more health therefore making a "mythic" difficulty

[Battlecruiser]

I am very disappointed with Halo 2. It was hyped to be so awesome. It sucks on Xbox live. You spend more time loading the game than playing it not to mention you can't stay with a group unless you're part of their party. My money would have been better used to fill up my gas tank a couple of times.
That has been fixed a long time ago with a patch.

Anyone of you guys have a halo 2 gamertag? Mine is Battlecruiser.
Send me a friend invite if you can, and mention that your from mugglenet, and I will accept.

[TheGift]

Yeh, i on quite a bit. Gamertag is TheGift73

[natemac]

I am very disappointed with Halo 2. It was hyped to be so awesome. It sucks on Xbox live. You spend more time loading the game than playing it not to mention you can't stay with a group unless you're part of their party. My money would have been better used to fill up my gas tank a couple of times.

matchmaking's speed has tripled since it started. Besides, it is much quicker once you get into higher levels. And if there is a wait, it's worth it, because you get to play against people your level of skill.

Creating a party is a very smart thing to do. If you find people who are good, and work together, it's very difficult to lose.