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Unless blind and playing by feel, it's impossible not to notice the vast visual improvement of Halo 2. Skilled use of bump and normal mapping have brought these characters to life, with the cut-scenes nearly able to pass as pre-rendered cinemas. The environments themselves don't receive the same level of treatment, however, and seem more of a mild upgrade in comparison. You also might notice these details popping on and off occasionally. This is from a design trick that substitutes lesser quality models at a distance to reduce processor strain. While the transition in most other games is smooth to the point it's unnoticed, in Halo 2 the abrupt change becomes a minor distraction.
While hardly new to the genre, the inclusion of dual weapons increases both your firepower and tactical options, no longer leaving you defenseless while reloading. More enemy vehicles can be piloted or even hijacked from their original owners, with an AI that's smart enough to jack you back if you're not careful. An assortment of new weapons have been added to the mix, from rapid fire SMGs to the hefty Brute Shot, while the energy sword from the original is finally playable. Fly-like airborne Drones and big-boned Brutes have been added to the enemy roster, while some Jackals have traded their portable shields for sniper rifles. The overall AI has also been improved for Heroic and Legendary difficulties, but oddly dumbed down on Normal, making it a dull experience for even a mediocre player.
In the end, Halo 2 comes up lacking for me because there were fewer moments that I really enjoyed. Riding the ghost before that got overused, shooting my way through Halo Delta before the number of enemies reached obscenity, taking a spin in a Spectre before hitting the end of that linear area...little snippets of joy amidst long stretches of tedium. Moments that would have been better spent replaying the original Halo for the forth time.
It's good to play together...
(Multiplayer Thoughts)
Although I am mostly in agreement with Aaron's thoughts, I must admit that Halo 2's single-player campaign is still a relatively enjoyable experience and every gamer who plays it will come away with a love/hate attitude.
Fortunately the "spiritual successor" delivers a lot more value than the original. It’s safe to say that Bungie endeavored to offer Halo loyalists and diehard FPS addicts everything they could ever hope for in the long-awaited multiplayer experience. Despite my relatively poor skills in the first-person realm, I’d be lying if I didn’t admit how compelled I was to get my ass kicked a few times on Xbox Live, if only to improve by trial-and-error. Was it fun? You bet, and for those of you whose fraggin’ skills practically speak for themselves (as evidenced on the Bungie leader boards), Halo 2 online multiplayer is the ultimate reason to own this game.
Never have I seen a game offer such an extensive range of multiplayer options which players can obsessively configure till their hearts content. The online action consists of seven different multiplayer games spanning across 12 different multiplayer maps including Capture the Flag, Oddball, Assault, Territories, and Slayer. Players will marvel at all the extensive number of options and variations that they can enjoy. Want to play without vehicles? Done. Want the entire posse to play with Plasma Swords? No problem. Want a challenge playing with sniper rifles? Check. Whatever you decide, the power rests with you. Chances are, whatever you can think up is possible to create. And best of all, you can customize the color scheme and avatar of your character (something which it took me about 2 days to discover on my own), play as an Elite or Spartan, and much, much more. It’s safe to say that even the most diligent player will be spending a few weeks discovering all the potential possibilities.
Aside from running players over with the Ghost or gunning them down with the Banshee, I’ve totally fallen in love the dual-wielding capabilities. However, on occasion, I feel more comfortable leaving my left arm free to toss grenades at unsuspecting enemies hiding throughout corridors, or who tend to be fixated on other competitors in the hopes of racking up a killing spree. My first free matches ultimately left me a victim of circumstance as I was attempting to familiarize myself to the new level designs. Some actually made me a bit intimidated since I got struck down at every corner; man, battling with a full room of players on a small map ultimately proves to be extremely chaotic. I’ve also discovered that it seems pointless to exclusively rely on the radar since it fails to track the elevation levels of a potential opponent that’s seconds away from sending you to your grave, (like Ammadeau succeeded in a few online sessions) Needless to say, you’re better off relying on natural instinct and a little bit of luck. Of course, no two battles will ever be the same, leaving a hint of hope that you’ll come out victorious.
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