Halo 2: New & Improved

Curse you, Bungie! I thought you were doing me a favor when you let me spend a little trigger time with your new brainchild, Halo 2, the game everyone's dying to play. But, I see through your fiendish plan. You're trying to drive me crazy! Having savored the taste of ultimate gamer joy oh-so-briefly, I must now sweat and tremble through the remaining week until the release date like a starving man awaiting a banquet he knows is only a few days away. Do you have any notion of what it's like to visit nirvana and then have it snatched cruelly away? I do. And, since I don’t see why anyone else should be having a good time while I'm suffering, I'm going to share with you some of what's new in Halo 2 weaponry, vehicles, and A.I.

You know you want one.

Human Weapons: Battle Rifle
Like its name suggests, the UNSC provides this heavy ballistic rifle to soldiers when they need accuracy over distance, combined with fearsome stopping power. The 2x scope lets you zero in on even the most minimally exposed enemy attempting to hide from you on the cluttered and chaotic battlefield. The ability to put round after high-powered round into a target at considerable distance enhances ranged warfare to a point where it becomes significantly more valuable to both offensive and defensive field tactics. You'll also appreciate the weapon's stopping power, which lets you put even the most determined enemies down for the count when things get too close for comfort.

Covenant Weapons: Energy Sword
One hit, one kill. That's the elegant simplicity of the Covenant's most powerful melee weapon. The coruscating dual-blade of deadly energy cuts through any foe unlucky or dumb enough to wander into its arc, making this the most prized and feared melee weapon in the game—and a must-have in multiplayer mode. Best of all, the Energy Sword isn't just for the Covenant any more. Master Chief is quick to grasp the utility of the weapon, becoming as adept at the blade’s swipe-and-lunge style of attacks as his sword-wielding Covenant foes.

Human Vehicles: Warthog
Everyone's favorite UNSC light recon vehicle is back! It ain't new, but it's definitely improved. You’ll see two versions of Master Chief's favorite ride in Halo 2. There’s a model familiar from the original Halo, outfitted with its trademark chain gun. Its cousin sports a punishing, longer-ranged Gauss cannon. Both versions are built for moving fast across variable terrain. The UNSC troops rely on all models of this fast, light, and maneuverable light-reconnaissance vehicle to explore and control disputed territory while transporting trios of troops (driver, gunner, and passenger). The Warthog is still prone to rollovers while hard cornering, but righting it is as easy as pressing the X button. Like all vehicles old and new in Halo 2, the Warthog suffers location-based damage when struck by weapons fire. Watch your tires!

Covenant Vehicles: Phantom
This is not what UNSC troops want to see maneuvering through the lower atmosphere. The Covenant has outfitted this sleek troop transport with three formidable plasma cannons on the lower portion of its hull, enabling it to clear a space in hot drop zones for unloading Covenant forces through its belly. One of these monsters can be devastating to defending troops. Two or more can make a drop zone into a living, plasma-slicked hell. Handy safety tip for ground forces protecting the landing zone. The Phantom doesn't need to come to a full stop before disgorging its lethal Covenant cargo.

Human Troops: Marine A.I.
Teamwork is the name of the UNSC game. The Marines are back, but their battlefield behaviors are new and significantly improved, thanks to Bungie's devoted work on their A.I. Master Chief's buddies now operate far more efficiently as a unit, interacting with your character, calling for backup when overwhelmed, flipping over debris to create defensive cover, and pointing out enemy sniper positions so that you can zero in on the bad guys more easily. They'll even pilot the Warthog and Scorpion, leaving you free to man the turret. And, if you find yourself weaponless in the field, talk to your chums, they'll hand you a firearm. Who could ask for better friends than these?

Improved Covenant A.I.

Covenant Troops: Covenant A.I.
The puny humans aren't the only ones who got smarter. Master Chief's foes also get an upgraded A.I. Thanks to Bungie's enhanced coding, Covenant troops assemble into frighteningly effective attack formations, make full use of the destructible environments, and blow away defensive cover sheltering UNSC forces. They also obey tactical orders, making the agile Elites and hulking Brutes far deadlier as they scale walls and leap over obstacles to reach their opponents' positions. Handy safety tip: Use darkness and shadows to your advantage when facing Covenant troops because their upgraded A.I. puts them at the same disadvantages as human forces in low-light conditions.

There … Are your hands stiffening into the shape of an Xbox Controller-S? Is your trigger-finger twitching uncontrollably? Are your eyes vibrating with the sheer tension of waiting to experience all these new goodies? Good. Now you know exactly how I feel!