I’ve logged in alot of play time with Halo 2, so I figure it’s about time to write up my thoughts of the game.
Pre-Xbox feelings
As most of you know, I’m an avid Apple fan, and as such, a certain level of irrational contempt for Microsoft has always existed somewhere in my psyche. I can’t tell you how blown away I was when I saw the original Halo demoed for the first time on a PowerMac G4 at MacWorld San Fransisco 2000. I was so happy to be a Mac user, and incredulous that such a fantastic game would be a Mac exclusive. I also can’t tell you the torrent of emotions I experienced when I heard the news that Microsoft bought Bungie. My first thought: “I’ll never be able to play Halo now.”
Fast forward a few years to the release of Xbox and Halo. I wasn’t sure how committed Microsoft would be to the ‘box, and if it would even have enough third party support to give the system a decent library. I already knew that Halo was awesome/amazing/breathtaking, because I’d been anticipating it for so long. However, Halo did not manage to sway my prejudices enough to warrant the purchasing of an Xbox. Interesting side note: Halo was the best selling game on the system every week up until Halo 2 was released, yeah, it’s just that good.
Okay, so Halo 2 is released, Mark gets it along with an Xbox, and I’m hooked. Prejudices are pushed aside; Halo 2 is worth the purchase of an Xbox, said game, and headset communicator. Total pricetag on all new equipment: $229.99. Amount I paid out of pocket after selling many old games a few new ones, and all of my Dreamcast stuff: $7.13.
Impressions of Halo 2
For about two hours after first popped Halo 2 into my ‘box, I didn’t blink. I’ve seen very few games with such polish and beauty. In the past, I’ve never put huge importance on the graphics making a great game. I’ve always touted gameplay over graphics in my choices for favorite games. There is much to be said, however, for a game that is so meticulously detailed (through graphics, sound, story etc.), that you actually feel a part of it’s world while you are playing. Sometimes, I find myself wandering around some of Halo’s huge landscapes just looking at things…random things. For example, the larger multi-player levels usually have some form of crates or boxes lying around. This in and of itself is nothing special, but upon closer inspection, you’ll find that each box has a unique label that is written in a military font, which describes the contents of said crate. Bungie must’ve created hundreds of crate labels for this game. Does it affect gameplay you ask? Not in the least. But, it does bring you more fully into the world of Halo, and makes the game even more believable. On another level, there is a beach. Right next to the water, there is a sign posted warning people not to swim (as if that’s why Master Chief is there in the first place). That’s the only place I’ve seen that sign in the entire game. Someone at Bungie took a few minutes/hours to create that sign, and place it in the beach level. Kudos to Bungie for that level of detail.
Okay, so the graphics are gorgeous, but as stated earlier, gorgeous graphics do not a great game make. Gameplay is paramount. There’s a slight learning curve if you’re unused to: FPS’s on consoles, the Xbox controller (versus GC or PS2 controller), or driving all of the different vehicles (each one has a slightly different control setup). Once into the game, however, you’ll (have to) quickly be able to identify a weapon lying on the ground, pick it up, do a 180 jump, and stick the guy chasing you with a plasma grenade. The single player game is fantastically paced and well balanced. Level design is thoughtful (to put it mildly) and lets the player decided the best way to get through each level. Multiplayer, on the other hand is a mixed bag. Co-op mode rocks my face off. More games should have full blown co-op modes. There’s a System Link mode, aka. LAN, but I can’t imagine toting my Xbox, TV, Receiver, Speakers, and Hub anywhere with much success. Split screen has never been the best way to play versus multiplayer games due to smaller screen sizes, and the ability to view every one else while you are playing. In college we overcame this by fashioning a divider that only allowed you to see either the left or right of the screen, so teaming up was manditory. That solution was neither aesthetically pleasing, nor practical. Microsoft’s solution to this problem: Xbox Live. Halo 2’s single player is an epic adventure with an intense story, but it is in Xbox Live that this game truly shows it’s merit. You get the entire screen to yourself, surround sound, the ability to talk to your friends Via headset/mic, and an online ranking system/web support that must be experienced to be believed. Everything just works the way it should. One of my favorite things is communication during gameplay. You can hear anyone speak if they are within a certain radius of you, and their voice is piped through your speakers (this effect is ultra-cool, if you’ve got 5.1 surround sound). You can also push a button to activate team chat. This will pipe your voice into the headsets of your teamates, no matter the distance. Sure, this leads to the occasional 12 year old shouting obscenties at anyone within earshot, but the trade-offs are well worth it.
Summary
“…it’s so choice, I highly reccomend picking one up, if you have the means.” — Ferris Bueller
Update
I’ve joined a clan made up of a bunch of guys from Freescale Semiconductors. Playing along with a clan is much more enjoyable than just playing with random people. This also helps reduce the number of twelve-year olds on your team, as there are some kind of child labor laws or something in Austin.
