Halo 2 reviews.

[Rasix]

Yes, I know console shooters suck, but I thought I'd just get the discussion going for this one.

Gamespot 9.4

To say that there's a lot to like about Halo 2 would be an understatement. Despite a rather short campaign and a disappointing storyline, Halo 2 is an exceptional shooter that frequently delivers thrilling, memorable, and unique moments in its online, co-op, and single-player modes. Depending on what you most want from the game, you may find that Halo 2 leaves you desperate for another installment in the series--but even if it takes Bungie another several years to produce that game, there's enough first-rate action and lasting value here to keep you happily entertained till that time comes

Gamespy 5/5 Stars

Pros  
Fantastic, immersive storyline; gorgeous graphics, particularly the detailed textures; amazing audio; the best Xbox Live experience you'll ever have.

Cons
Some minor graphical glitches; co-op mode is limited to split screen.

Ign 9.8 Overall

The end-result is that it's not only addicting, it's not only the most fun you'll have in single-player or multiplayer game on Xbox, the story is deep and smart, and it keeps you interested. Perhaps best of all, the online portion will essentially blow everything else on Xbox Live out of the water. In a way, there are dozens of surprises about Halo 2, and yet there none. It is the best Xbox game this year, and it is the best Xbox game on the system, full stop.

I won't be participating in midnight madness, so the the first feedback I'll be able to give won't be until Wednesday.  I never played the first Halo, but this one has me interested.  These reviews are knob-slobbing high, but I'll try to go in with moderate expections.  Only concern points for me are a short single player mode (these games always take longer for me to finish though), but the XBL experience should more than make up for it.

[Mesozoic]

Even recognizing that review outlets can get caught up easily in hype just as players can - even when the reviews aren't bought outright - I've got this pre-ordered and I am considering a 20-minute drive in the dead of night to pick it up ASAP.

[sidereal]

Palliative:  http://www.gamerankings.com/itemrankings/singleitem.asp?itemid=469881&sort=1">Compare the scores of the Doom3 reviews that came out just after release vs the ones that came out after the first week and consumers had a chance to decide on their own that it sucked dick, thank you much.  It's an interesting study in how reviews are contorted by expectations.

Also probably the fact that the reviewers most in bed with the publishers publish their reviews first.  I'll wait a week.

[Rasix]

Yah, but Doom 3 just had suck written all over it even from just the screenshots. I'm suprised it got the reviews it did, you could smell the stench on that game after just a couple hours of play.

I won't be horribly suprised if this game ends up disappointing me.  I'm just encouraged. Let me have ungrounded optimism, damnit.

[Paelos]

I won't be horribly suprised if this game ends up disappointing me.  I'm just encouraged. Let me have ungrounded optimism, damnit.

That would go against the site's charter. When in doubt, default=shite until proven otherwise. That being said, I think the game will be a middling one to the normal gamer, and will be the coming of robot Jesus for HALO nuts. Considering I don't own an X-Box I could care less.

[ahoythematey]

The hardcore Halo people strike me as those who never played multiplayer FPS prior to Halo, hence their overzealous adulation.  Like any well-made deathmatch game, I'm certain it's quite a bit of fun, but that's a testament more to the power of playing games with other people.

[Johny Cee]

The hardcore Halo people strike me as those who never played multiplayer FPS prior to Halo, hence their overzealous adulation.  Like any well-made deathmatch game, I'm certain it's quite a bit of fun, but that's a testament more to the power of playing games with other people.

Wouldn't be so sure about that.  One of Bungie's first games (and where the hype machine really revved up) was Marathon,  Mac only,  but probably one of the best early FPS games.  The story line was nuts,  and really instilled the drive to find more pieces to the puzzle.  The multiplayer was unreal.  

Cut my teeth playing a leaked beta of the game in the fall of '94.  One map (still one of the best maps I've ever seen,  Mars Needs Women!) no single player,  8 players,  realistic physics.  Amazing.  We played the one map all fall,  abusing the campus network and conference calling.  Nothing like talking to your 3 teammates,  while schooling some punks across campus.

When Bungie announced Halo at the Mac Expo,  there was a standing ovation.  Of course,  when MS bought them a year later you could hear the wailing and gnashing of teeth across the country.....

Let's not forget about Myth, either.  

I think if there's one thing that Bungie understands,  it's multiplayer.

[WonderBrick]

I picked up my copy at midnight at Walmart(even Walmart is starting to recognize gamers more then just slapping games on the shelves).

First impressions have been great.  I hate adding to the hype of it all, because it tends to raise people's expectations.  But Halo2 is everything that Halo1 was, and tweaked for the better.  

Basically, every Marine weapon has a Covenant equivalent.  The Covenant seem alot more fleshed out, probably because(and I am speculating here), you will be playing as them in multiplayer(and maybe even singleplayer).  This was the original goal of Halo1, before Microsoft rushed Halo out the door.

Alot of small details are great.  The character  for multiplayer was nice, and makes for alot of unique tags/looks.  Great for teams.

Halo2(and to a smaller degree Halo1), does what I like alot in games like Half-Life.  The designers create alot of various types obstacles, some more creative then others, and they then plop them down all over maps in fun and varied patterns.  Never has it been more fun to use a variety of weapon-styles amid different terrain and obstacle-styles.  Halo2 does it as well, if not better then most.  Combine that with great physics, and you have alot of carefully crafted accidental interactions.  And that is what i look for the most in the games I play.

Best feature of all, of course, is the return of Co-op play.  That always puts a smile on my face, especially with a fun game like Halo.

When you do get the game, if you are patient enough, let the Welcome/Press Start screen play for 2-3min and then watch the demo loop that plays that shows off what you have store for you.

[Riggswolfe]

It'd alot of fun. Got it at midnight. Played it til 5am with a friend co-op. Lots of Holy shit moments. Much more challenging than the first one. Much more immersive. Good storyline. Fast and frantic gameplay.

[Mesozoic]

The hardcore Halo people strike me as those who never played multiplayer FPS prior to Halo, hence their overzealous adulation.  Like any well-made deathmatch game, I'm certain it's quite a bit of fun, but that's a testament more to the power of playing games with other people.

If you haven't played it...

[schild]

If you haven't played it...

...you just don't know how shitty a controller can be.

[trias_e]

Agreed.  FPS' and controllers do not mix and never will.  Metroid Prime I think is the only one I have played through the entire way, and the entire time I was thinking, "If they upped the difficulty and released this game on PC, it would be one of the best games I've ever played".

[stray]

*sigh* Not sure why I preordered. I'm not too excited about it either. What about HL2? Will it run well on this? If I have to upgrade more than one of these I'll probably skip out on that too.

Barton 2500+
512 RAM
GeForce FX 5200

[schild]

You preordered because it actually IS fun. I run Counterstrike: Source on a P4-2.8ghz, 1024 DDR333, and a 5200 Ultra. Your computer *should* be fine.

[Shannow]

Buy new video cards. 5200 are kinda low of the middle range right now...and the new geforces 6600s are coming out at 200 bucks on the low end right now. I found that with a better video card I was matching or outperforming PCs that had better cpus but lesser vid cards.

[schild]

Why? What? Who gives a shit? I can run everything I want to play. I stopped caring about my computer's penis a long time ago.

[Shannow]

Why? What? Who gives a shit? I can run everything I want to play. I stopped caring about my computer's penis a long time ago.

Nothing to do with your computers penis, I have a budget system and found that having a better than average vid card has made up for a slower cpu and only 512meg RAM.

If I was that annoying I wouldve laughed and told you that you must have a 1gig or ram and a x660 GF card with a AMD 64 CPU NOW YOU LOSER!

kthxbye!

Not enough caffiene this morning?

[Krakrok]

Halo 2 pwns 99% of movies ever made on the first day. Slated to do $100 million today. 1.5 million pre-orders which is $75 million right there. Estimated to sell 10 million units or ~$500 million (that puts it above every movie ever made except Titanic). Halo 1 sold 5 million units.


Knock knock. Hollywood? Yes, you are now officially back seat drivers to video games.


Edited to remove excessive uses of the word "which".

[stray]

Lol, was just watching the news and they're about to do a "Halo 2 Hands On Preview". WTF? It's MSNBC and all, but still..Pretty strange, especially after doing coverage on Fallujah and Arafat.

Anyways, I picked it up. I'll be on XBL tonight. I'll just get HL2 as well if it's worth it. Wasn't planning on buying 2 FPS's, but oh well. BTW, thx for the advice.

[Mesozoic]

I got a chance to play at lunch today and loved it.  Its nice to just make some minor control adjustments, customize the avator, and go.  Really beautiful game, with smooth framerates.

Re: controllers, I use the Madcat microcon (about 20% smaller than the S-type) and love it.  Maybe I'm in the minority, but I prefer the gamepad to kb/m.  Dual wield especially really works well with the two triggers. Aiming is - strictly speaking - less refined, but the reticle is wider so it works out.

[Morfiend]

If you haven't played it...

...you just don't know how shitty a controller can be.

Amen brother.

[Mesozoic]

The point of the comment was that people who apparently never played the game seem to have some strong opinions about it (and about those who play it).

[geldonyetich]

So,  I take it Bungee's happy.

Saw a Halo 2 presentation from an E3 or two back (downloaded from Fileplanet).  Definately looked very emmersive and good, albeit somewhat scripted on rails.   The crowd was "OMG"ing through the whole reel - sometimes presentation is key.  I bet the replay value isn't all that great, but there's always multiplayer for that.

[Riggswolfe]

About all the controller comments:

Trying to play an FPS on Gamecube or PS2 is a pain. Doing it on the XBox controller is fine. Those trigger buttons work really well. Using one stick to move and one to aim is also a breeze.

[Morfiend]

About all the controller comments:

Trying to play an FPS on Gamecube or PS2 is a pain. Doing it on the XBox controller is fine. Those trigger buttons work really well. Using one stick to move and one to aim is also a breeze.

I just cant do it. I hate it. The whole time I play, all I can think is, wow, I WISH I was using Mouse/Keyboard. It makes me feel like a retard at the wrong olympics.

[Fabricated]

Behold the power of marketing and retarded fratboys. The sequel to a mediocre game becoming the next coming of Jesus.

[Paelos]

Agreed, the dual stick thing drives me up a wall. I played HALO for about an hour before I almost threw the controller at the TV in disgust. My brain is about 40x ahead of my reactions using that thing. Console games are only useful for one thing now in my view, and that thing is sports.

[MrHat]

My brain is about 40x ahead of my reactions using that thing.

This is a very acurate description.

I see the thing I want to kill, then I have to spiral around it for a while, getting the cursor to not overshoot my target, then pull the trigger.  I find that it's almost easier to get the cursor at the right level, and then just strafe around till he's in my sights.  Can't seem to do both at once.

The game seems hard to me.  Maybe that's because I'm a pussy.  And maybe that's because I can't get those analog sticks to do what I want.

Someone mentioned a keyboard/mouse alternative to the xbox?  Any enterprising EE's wanna give it a go?


EDIT:  Lik-Sang already has one for 30 bucks.  The question now is do I want to invest an extra 20 bucks for another laser mouse and keyboard.  Maybe just a number pad so I don't have to haul my big ass keyboard everywhere.

I wonder if I even want to use this on XBL.  Would that be considered cheating?

[ahoythematey]

The point of the comment was that people who apparently never played the game seem to have some strong opinions about it (and about those who play it).

I have played Halo, and my comment was a personal observation rather than some kind of challenge to the validity of it's "fun multiplayer".  Pardon me if I don't find playing the four thousandth incarnation of pretty-graphics deathmatch the thrill that it used to be.  I stand behind my opinion that a lot of Halo 1's hardcore devotees seem to be people that haven't really followed a multiplayer FPS prior to it.  I've been shoulder deep in the shit since Duke3D, or Doom2 if we want to include LAN.

[geldonyetich]

I remember when they used to let us use lightguns, by krickey.

[Riggswolfe]

[
I have played Halo, and my comment was a personal observation rather than some kind of challenge to the validity of it's "fun multiplayer".  Pardon me if I don't find playing the four thousandth incarnation of pretty-graphics deathmatch the thrill that it used to be.  I stand behind my opinion that a lot of Halo 1's hardcore devotees seem to be people that haven't really followed a multiplayer FPS prior to it.  I've been shoulder deep in the shit since Duke3D, or Doom2 if we want to include LAN.

Wow. Way to be condescending to people who like a game you don't.

[WonderBrick]

FPSs on consoles, especially Halo, have one major thing going for them: letting friends get together and have fun smack-talking and beating each other up, with minimul setup time or system requirements.  

You can get alot of people playing that would otherwise not be joining you on a LAN.  And I find this a subtle way to get them interested in LAN gaming.  I personally love LAN gaming far more, but Halo/console-FPSs are the only way I can often get certain people playing a similiar experience.

[Shannow]

Microsoft Sees $100 Million First Day for 'Halo 2' Game
 
 
5:23pm ET (Reuters)
 

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - First-day sales of Microsoft Corp.'s new video game "Halo 2" will reach $100 million, a senior Microsoft games executive said on Tuesday.

"I'm calling a $100 million day on 'Halo' today," Peter Moore, a corporate vice president in Microsoft's games division, said at the Harris Nesbitt investment conference in New York.

The launch would be one of the largest in gaming history and would dwarf the first-day figures of even the biggest historical hits in the movie and music businesses.

"In the first 24 hours we'll have an opening that's (more) popular than any motion picture has ever had in history," Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates said at a shareholder's meeting on Tuesday.

The game, in which a super-soldier called "Master Chief" must save the earth from aliens, went on sale around the world on Tuesday, with thousands of stores opening their doors to eager customers just after midnight.

In addition to around 1.5 million pre-sold units, Moore said one retailer sold 8,500 units in the first 11 minutes of sales, while another sold 200,000 units by daybreak Tuesday.

Moore said in total, $78 million of the $100 million came from pre-sales. There are two versions of the game, the regular edition for $49.99 and a "Collector's Edition" in a custom case with a "making-of" DVD for $54.99.

Analysts expect "Halo 2" to sell a total of about 10 million units, with some projecting up to half of those sales coming in November. The original "Halo" sold 5 million units and remains the best seller on the Xbox to date.

In comparison I wonder how many units HalfLife 2 will sell on its first day?

[HaemishM]

In comparison I wonder how many units HalfLife 2 will sell on its first day?

# HL2 units sold > 0 & < Halo 2

Shocker.

[Rasix]

This game is not robot jesus, it is however, very well made and fun.  

The audio and visuals are top notch.  The story is great so far (OMG sympathy for the enemy).  And the variety in gameplay so far is superb.

I really suck at the controls, but I'm getting better.  I would buy that adapter thing, but I'm also buying WoW this month and I'm on a gaming budget (plus I'm not sure I'd want to unplug my mouse + keyboard everytime I wanted to play Halo2. I think I lost my usb converter too for the mouse.. ). Plus, I'm never any good at these types of games.

I've yet to play the multiplayer.  I hope to remedy that tonight if anyone's on.  

I'd say it's worth the purchase.