Halo2

[Smitty]

Halo 2 is a great game, it was just never ever going to live up to the crazy hype. I don't understand why you actually care what these people think about it. Just play the damned thing already.

Dude, it's called ''worrying'', that's all.

Marcus, I don't know why people expected the second coming. I never did, and i'm a huge fan of Halo. I've been playing that puppy for 2-3 years, and have never got bored. With Halo 2, I was like ''wow, Halo 2!''. That simple, really.

Soi, i'd have to disagree. I've been reading sites reviews from all over the place, and personal reviews as well. There are plenty of people who haven't played the MP which say Halo 2 rocks the casbah, a few saying it rocks harder than the first. I think your divide is a little too simple to be honest.

From my own breakdown, most of overall reviews and comments have been positive. This is well apart from the across the board (virtually) positive reviews from magazines and the like.

[Eight Rooks]

I'm no Bungie fanboy either, by the way. Never "got" the Marathon games, and the Myth games were simply not that great either, lovely aesthetics and amusing gore effects aside. And I do agree with a lot of the points people are raising and I think a lot of the design decisions Bungie took are... peculiar, or even downright mishandled, however fun they are. Popup = shocking, dual viewpoints = clumsy, level design = still too long, drawn out and confusing... but yeah, I stick with the genius comment, no matter how many times certain people throw dictionary definitions at me. No other FPS has implemented dual wielding as well as Halo 2. No other FPS I've ever played in singleplayer has such a sublime selection of weapons that are all a valid choice and never become obsolete. No other FPS implements combat that feels...like you're playing laser squad against real people, basically, that puts you in the zone from the word go, no matter how many stupid things the AI admittedly does. No other singleplayer FPS has such scale and such immersion... for every stupid, bland, misplaced corridor that goes on for just a bit too long, there's a bit - even on the boring levels - that makes your jaw drop.

And yes, I've partly continued to type "you" and "your" in order to bait the doubters. 'Cause I'm stupid like that, I guess.

It does lack the revolutionary impact of the original (which effortlessly blew away every single one of the tide of **** singleplayer PC FPS' at the time), it hasn't fixed many of the criticisms of the original and though I haven't finished it yet a cliffhanger ending is something of a kick in the teeth, so I'm not looking forward to that yet. But I see all the problems and ultimately I simply don't care - the city level, where you're down in the courtyard holding off successive waves of Covenant - yes, fair play, it is just a giant arena where you have to clear out enemies group by group, then move on to the next bit. So? The enemies are smarter than anything else out there, the weapons are meatier and more satisfying than anything else I've played for years, the combat is more brutal and visceral, the game looks and sounds better... it just feels right. Read reports on the fighting in Falluja - if real soldiers comment on how war is like a videogame to them, I can find Halo 2 reasonably... plausible? without much effort.

I could go on, but hey, fair enough, you don't like it, you don't like it. It doesn't bother me that much. Still don't really understand how any of the nay-saying is anything more than a trivial annoyance though, and I mean that quite sincerely.

[Yoshimoto]

Any if you guys picked up the Official Halo 2 guide that Game are selling for ?13?

If not then i heartily recommend it. Got one myself to try and pick up some multiplayer tips (and believe me i need them) and it really is a lovely quality book full of gorgeous artwork etc.

I was told by the manager in Game that once the stock is gone they won't be able to get any more. Don't know if thats true or not, but just in case i'd get one sooner rather than later.

[Eight Rooks]

Any if you guys picked up the Official Halo 2 guide that Game are selling for ?13?

If not then i heartily recommend it. Got one myself to try and pick up some multiplayer tips (and believe me i need them) and it really is a lovely quality book full of gorgeous artwork etc.

I was told by the manager in Game that once the stock is gone they won't be able to get any more. Don't know if thats true or not, but just in case i'd get one sooner rather than later.

I would actually quite like an Art Of Halo book, I do admit. Wonder if Bungie are planning one?

[Canton Province]

[ I thought "great, I get to play from the other side and kill some marines!" But no, that'd be to controversial. Dicks.

edit by charlesr: spoiler hidden. I didn't know that yet [

Im not trying to defend this game, but they aint being dicks at all. Fighting against marines would have killed any submersion you get within the single player campaign.
Spoiler edit by charlesr

[Smitty]

Yeah, peeps should watch the spoilers.

[Super Stu]

(which effortlessly blew away every single one of the tide of **** singleplayer PC FPS' at the time)

uh huh.

[Tom Salter]

I was gonna post the exact same thing Stu.

[anephric]

but yeah, I stick with the genius comment, no matter how many times certain people throw dictionary definitions at me.

http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=halophile

;p

[Plow King]

Completely agree with the statement Halo blew away all other PC FPS games. No PC FPS game did I play constantly for years. No chance of doing that with this ****ty sequel though and Half Life 2 will reclaim the FPS crown in all fairness.

[Prine]

you guys are all nuts

[JibberX]

finally some recognition.

[007]

Went to school an hour early. **** that I thought, so I cam home and played Halo 2 for an hour. Went to a lesson, came home, played for a few more hours. Was meant to go to Tech at 2 and just completely forgot.

Halo 2 online, is amazing. Check out my stats, getting up on every level now.

[007]

http://www.bungie.net/Stats/PlayerStats.aspx?player=SniperMonkey%20UK

There's the bad boys.

[Ginger Tosser]

Just brought Halo2, never played the first one. So i should get battered on live.