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| Title |
Halo 2 |
9 |
| Publisher |
Microsoft |
| Developer |
Bungie |
| Genre |
First Person Shooter |
| Players |
1-32 |
| Version |
UK PAL |
Don't argue. Buy!
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Halo. The mere mention of the name sends Xbox owners into a fit of hysteria. Xbox launch title and considered by many to be one of the greatest games of our generation. For over two years now the first teaser to be released for the upcoming sequel has salivated us more than anyone can imagine. The wait is over ? Halo 2 is here.
The questions everyone will undoubtedly be asking is: is it better than the first? The answer, I am pleased to announce, is a resounding yes. However, be warned, Halo 2 may not be what everyone is expecting. A sequel of this magnitude often falls victim to expectations that it cannot possibly live up to and thus the developers spend their time on visuals rather than substance. However, while the engine that powers Halo has received a major graphical overhaul, there are only minor, though significant changes, to the gameplay.
The beauty of the original Halo comes down to one thing: balance. The game was all about tactical combat through the use of balanced weaponry and items. Not much has changed here although the system has been refined to absolute perfection. A new feature everyone is talking about it the ability to hold dual weapons. This isn?t so much a case that you can hold both weapons in your inventory at once, rather, if your weapon is a single handed weapon, such as the plasma rifle, you are able to pick up another single handed weapon at the same time. The firing of the second gun is commanded by the left analog trigger allowing for complete freedom in firing actions. However, you are unable to change weapons without dropping your second gun thus taking away the tactical value of your second armament. I often found it that I would be very wary about taking a second weapon in my hands as, not only does it reduce visibility, but it often hinders just as much as it helps. This isn?t so much a design flaw as my own personal preference however, which is why its inclusion is so clever.
As with any such sequel though, we see the usual weapon upgrades and vehicle inclusions. Gone is the AR rifle that seemed the staple diet for the marines in Halo 1, replaced by two different automatic and semi-automatic rifles. The Covenant have seen the biggest improvement in weaponry however with all the old favourites along with sniper weaponry and the ever so lovable Energy Sword. Vehicles have seen a massive improvement also, with each vehicles being full destructible ? meaning no more invincible warthogs. Master Chief has also learnt a new trick; you can now jump onto the front of a vehicle and pound on the driver or hatch until it opens allowing you to either kill the occupant of simply throw a grenade into the mix making short work of any four wheeled (or otherwise) vehicle. Beware though as the Covenant have supposedly seen the same training video and are able to do the same to you.
Not everything in the game is simply an addition though. Further refined is the health system. Gone are health packs and armour, and indeed gone are health bars in general. Now all that is left is a single bar of health but fear not as this will recharge much faster than in the previous version. I found this to be a very refreshing change and it seems so logical that it?s a wonder why it wasn?t done this way in the first Halo.
Another noticeable change to the way Halo plays is the increased artificial intelligence. Not only are enemies far more realistic (and cunning) in their actions when confronting you, there are numerous occasions during the campaign in which it plays to your advantage to sit back and watch enemies fight between themselves. It is here that the great AI becomes so evident ? every enemy you see fights in such a realistic way you could swear they were human controlled. And such fights are not pre-scripted either. During numerous deaths you will often come into the same situation time and again and each time a different outcome will occur. AI of this calibre really is a treat to fight against, and indeed with, as friendly AI is just as clever as enemy counterparts.
One gripe I do have with the flow of the game though is that the prefabricated indoor areas that were reused time and again in the original rear their ugly head once more here, despite a promise they would be removed. Often they are more grandiose than before, but the repeating rooms can get rather tiresome and there really is no need for them.
Gameplay alterations and additions aside though, the real gem of Halo 2, and the fact that made me feel all warm and gooey inside, was the spellbinding story. Halo?s story was a great piece of writing, no doubt, but in comparison to Halo 2 it really lacked depth, and that is saying something when talking about the original. It is hard to explain the excellence of the story of Halo 2 without revealing potential spoilers, but I will aim to avoid them at all costs. Halo 2?s story is so rich and vibrant and deep that it really is a work of art. While one may look at it and see just a simple tale with crossovers and twists, it really is deeper than that with themes echoing many of our own current issues. Thankfully Bungie haven?t done what is expected of them and actually challenge the player to question their feelings towards certain areas. Perhaps I am reading more into it than the developers intended, but the experience was improved tenfold because of it.
Of course, one cannot go so far into a review of a game like this without coming eventually to the graphical engine, and quite an achievement it is as that. The most obvious difference here is the inclusion of normal mapping and dynamic lighting. Characters, especially noticeable during cut scenes, are created with the utmost of care and are gorgeous in all their normal mapped glory. The Prophets are perhaps the best example of this new technology. One issue that tends to arise quite often though is the switching between the LODs (level of details) of models. While it can be forgiven in game as usually it isn?t noticeable, on quite a few occasions during cut scenes when the camera is doing a simple pan or follow, the character?s face will constantly move between mapped and non-mapped faces with the engine seemingly getting confused as to what to render. This isn?t a common problem however and doesn?t detract from the loveliness of the game.
Environment are also expertly created once more, often epic in scale and design and lush in beauty and content. No new first person shooter would be content without the obligatory real-world physics and ragdoll movements and all are available here. It would be nice if objects in the world could be used to your advantage some more though ? something many developers apart from Valve, seem reluctant to utilise.
Sound and music have had just as much care and attention paid to them as other areas of the game. The voice acting is once again superb, especially some of the Covenant characters. The chit-chat between marines is also very well done and often quite amusing too, with characters interacting with each other in some nice ways. What is most striking about Halo 2 though, as with the original, is the impressive score. The haunting and thunderous pieces from the original return remixed at times with heavy rock electric guitar for extra fill your pants spectacles. There was one occasion though where the music just simply did not fit with the action that was occurring and while this would not usually be of any worthy note, it stuck out so much that I feel the need to mention it. Especially confusing when every other part of the game has music mixed into it so meticulously.
One area I have yet to touch on is the improved multiplayer portion of the game. It is now possible to play the game via system link in co-operative mode which is nice, but as most people are probably aware Xbox Live is now incorporated into the game. Another nice feature though is the customisability of your character. There are three different colour parts to your body now as well as a crest that is put together (well, partly) by yourself and placed on your body meaning everyone has the ability to create something a bit more personal to them.
The campaign mode in Halo will probably only see a little more life than it did in the previous version. The game is indeed harder and certainly longer, but easily beatable in a weekend on normal setting. If the previous version is anything to go by though Halo 2 will likely be the only game in your Xbox for many months to come with the multi-player section taking over your life, whether with a bunch of friends or online on Xbox Live.
I had my doubts about Halo 2 I shall admit. It really only amounted to a precursor to Half-Life 2 for me but I can see now that I was a fool to think so. I was left under whelmed by Halo, due in large part to the massive amounts of hype it received, so I steered clear of any such hype for the sequel and allowed myself the guilty pleasures that lay within. For this game, in nearly every sense, is a perfection of balanced gameplay. It has a story that will amaze you (and leave you wanting more), characters that you come to care about and situations that will have you on the edge of your seat. If Halo was combat evolved, Halo 2 is the revolution we haven?t see since the fateful day Master Chief was first born on the big green box. Roll on Halo 3.
Seth Powell |
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