Halo 2: Minor Spoilers
By Scott McGough
Bungie only graced a handful of us writer-types with a pre-release peek at the full single-player campaign in Halo® 2 … but I was one of 'em! Before you envy me too much, check this out: I've been asked to describe my impressions, but to keep the spoilers to a minimum. So, while there are huge, galaxy-changing events that take place in Halo 2, I can't babble on about them to my heart's content.
But, don't pity me. There's enough sick new stuff in just the first two levels to goob out about, so pardon me while I get my fanboy on.
Master Chief will kill you and take your ride.
Halo 2 starts right after the first game ends, showing the aftermath on both the human and Covenant sides. On the alien throneworld, the Elite officer responsible for allowing the ring's destruction is served up some harsh Covenant justice (later during the game you'll get a lot more information about the Covenant and its goals).
Meanwhile, en route to Earth and after receiving an armor upgrade, Master Chief attends a medals ceremony that honors the brave soldiers who beat back the Covenant the last time out. The party doesn't last long, however, as a small but dangerous force of Covenant ships arrives to attack Earth. The enemies' first step is to take out the ring of ships defending our home planet, so Master Chief is ordered to grab a gun and defend the ship he's on from aliens attempting to board.
From this point on, the game rarely slows down. The pacing inHalo 2 is even smoother and faster than the original, with Master Chief battling the invaders from the depths of space all the way down to planetside, then on below the surface of a battle-torn Earth. The locations are distinctly different from one another every step of the way, but the transitions from space ship to shoreline city street are all smooth, quick, and organic.
As the Chief takes on new objectives and meets new challenges, everything works to propel you deeper into the story and the action. The music, the graphics, the level design, and the gameplay have all been improved and polished beyond belief, making this a wildly engaging and addictive gaming experience.
Combat training is best when it's hands-on.
Take the combat, for example, the heart of any first-person shooter (FPS). Halo 2 introduces powerful new tactics like boarding (literally kicking an enemy out of the driver's seat and taking the wheel) and dual wielding (fight with one small or medium-sized weapon per hand, which you can fire independently). Everyone saw these moves previewed at the last two E3 trade shows, but they're even more fun than they look, adding new levels of strategy to your game plan.
Boarding is almost always a good idea if you can pull it off, not get killed, and keep control of the craft. Dual wielding is a great way to fill the air with lead (or plasma bolts), but holding two guns means you can't toss grenades and will go through ammo faster than normal. If you're using human weaponry in a Covenant environment, you can't afford to dual wield them for long. Also, if you use your melee attack while dual wielding, you'll automatically drop one weapon, which is easy to overlook in the heat of battle (especially since melee combat plays a much larger role in Halo 2).
Melee combat—using your fists or the butt of your gun as a weapon—is one of my favorite parts of the new game. It's always been a fast and effective way to take out almost any foe, butHalo 2 introduces a few new wrinkles. You can still earn one-hit kills with any weapon, but you have to take the enemy unawares. Tougher customers, like Elites, also have energy shields that can withstand a single melee blow, so you'll have to deliver two, three, even four to finish them off. Again, the stronger your element of surprise, the more impact your blows will have.
There's also at least one new melee-style weapon, but to delve into that would violate my "minor spoilers" stipulation. All I can say is that once you experience the hyped-up melee combat in Halo 2, you'll start looking for reasons to beat evil aliens to death as often as possible, both to take them down quickly and to hear the rewarding "crunch" and "splat."
Sergeant Major keeps your spirits up.
The last and perhaps most unexpected thing I found in Halo 2 was humor. Really funny humor. Not just funny-for-a-video-game humor, but seriously witty and sharp dialogue as the Marines around Master Chief chatter, complain, and bust each other's chops. One of your fellow soldiers is voiced by David Cross, star of Mr. Show and Arrested Development. Cortana even gets in on the act with several digs about Master Chief's stoic personality, and when you see what the Sgt. Major is talking about in the caption above, you're guaranteed to break out in a wide, bloodthirsty grin.
I'm not saying Halo 2 is a comedy, but your fellow Marines are all sharp-tongued with a rough sense of humor and as quick with a quip as they are with an SMG. In other words, they're good people to have at your side when evil aliens come to conquer your planet.
Halo 2 starts tossing major innovations and gameplay surprises at you in the very first battle, and it doesn't stop until the closing credits roll. Stock up on food, unplug the phone, and settle in because, once you start playing, you won't want to stop. If I didn't have to turn in this article in the next hour, I'd still be playing myself.
If anyone asks after that, tell them I'm indisposed until further notice.
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