Halo 2 -- Page 2

Breaking the Covenant

Halo 2's storyline and cinema introduce you to the world of the caste-based Covenant and its religious fanaticism. It's an involved and ultimately rewarding trip that helps you understand the alien connection to Halo, but it might require more attention to the dialog than some gamers would like to muster.

These narrative threads are meant to reveal the secrets of Halo, but while entertaining there's maybe just one new conceptual leap taking place in 2 (for those keeping track). However, you'll be talking about the story for months to come, because...well, you'll find out.

There's also a nice gameplay twist that we aren't allowed to talk before Halo 2 actually cracks the cash registers (but everyone knows what it is). It's a cool idea, but ultimately your loyalties are tied to the fate of the Master Chief .

Scenes of Destruction

The generous use of extended cinema sequences punctuates the game's gorgeous graphics and glorious sounds. The environments look particularly lush and otherworldly, and the character graphics are sharp to fine. You can pick out details in the characters although the overall appearances of the returnees have changed very little, save for the Jackals, who resemble velociraptors ala Jurassic Park. You'll also see damage when you ride the Ghosts and fly the Banshees, which really emphasizes the fun when they're just barely holding together.

Naturally the sound's pumping at full Dolby 5.1 surround capability. Tremendous audio effects drop you right into the thick of battle. Also, the voice acting is appropriately dramatic, although it's a little strange to hear the various Covenant characters speaking English with accents.

The Forever War

Aside from being an excellent example of more of the same, Halo 2's legacy will likely be the introduction of vibrant multiplayer online gunplay to console gamers. Through Xbox Live, the game will support up to 16 players on teams in deathmatches, capture-the-flag, and more. The multiplayer game feels every bit as fun as Counter-Strike, but the true test will be the extent to which gamers are willing to pay a Live fee to play. The multiplayer promises to elevate Halo 2 online gameplay to Counter-Strike status with the added attraction of Xbox Live full voice support.

This is about as easy an Xbox buying decision as there is: just do it. If you enjoyed the first game or you're a fan of console FPS games in any way, shape, or fashion, this is as close to a sure thing as you can get for this generation of game systems. And with online gameplay you may be playing Halo 2 for years...or at least until the inevitable Halo 3 is ready.