A Peek at Halo 2's Story

By Earl P. Thayton

Recently this reporter joined the rarified company of those who have played the final build of Halo 2—from beginning to end. This was no restricted multiplayer build; no, this was the whole enchilada. The experience can be summarized in just three letters:

OMG.

Warning: Minor SPOILERS ahead!

This is actually just outside the Bungie offices.

As in the original game, the story is advanced through the use of cutscenes rendered by the game's graphics engine. The sound and graphics are absolutely top shelf; graphics especially have been improved in the cutscenes, making for a very polished presentation. This is definitely the best looking Xbox game to date. We'll take a look at the specific advances in graphics and sound in future articles, but for now I will say that it supports 480p widescreen, and the Dolby Digital 5.1 surround mix is heavenly.

While we cannot divulge much about the single-player campaign, we can spill the beans about the first couple of levels. The game begins with a pair of homecomings. The Master Chief, who was marooned in space at the end of the first game, manages to hitch a ride home. You'll finally see him sweat—during a hero's welcome at Cairo Station in Earth orbit! You'll also get a look into the Covenant's take on events at the shattered Halo, as the fleet's Supreme Commander is disciplined for his failures against the human foes.

There's little respite for the Master Chief, though, for a new Covenant fleet arrives at Earth almost immediately. Good thing he got an armor upgrade—he'll need those new quick-recharging shields when Covenant boarding parties begin taking out the orbital defense platforms. With the help of a few good Marines, you'll need to repel boarders from Cairo Station, and you'll even pay a brief (but oh so sweet) visit to a nearby Covenant warship. Thereafter, you'll find yourself dirt-side, but to learn what comes next … you'll just have to play!

Don't just stand there looking tough—get busy!

The order of battle is fairly straightforward in these early levels, but there's something strange about the Covenant invasion—the fleet is far smaller than Earth ever expected to see. Even stranger, Cortana—who is still your constant companion—tells you that the Covenant seem surprised to have found any defenders at all. What were the aliens expecting? Where will the tides of battle sweep the Master Chief and Cortana away to?

A better question might be: "How will I get a couple of days off of work to find out?"

Grenades are not toys. Well, sometimes they are.

Lastly, if you haven't finished the original Halo: Combat Evolved—you've got to do it! First of all, it's just a blast, but, more importantly, the story in Halo 2 will be much more meaningful and enjoyable if you have played through the first game. So get cracking! You've still got plenty of time to score the perfect November 9.

Oh, by the way—be sure to watch the credits once you have finished the Halo 2 single-player campaign—you wouldn't want to miss anything, would you?