New Halo 2 Multiplayer Preview on Gamespot

[Sparta]

http://www.gamespot.com/xbox/action/halo2/preview_6107086.html?q=1&tag=gs_hp_flashtop_story

7 Pages long.

I hope this game lives up to its hype. From the looks of things it looks like UT2004 set in the Halo universe when it comes to Multiplayer. Except with less weapons. Not that its a bad thing though.

As a new gameplay mode, assault was the biggest surprise for us. This mode essentially works like a reverse capture the flag: The team on offense begins with a bomb that it must deliver into the enemy's base and then protect for a certain number of seconds before scoring a point. Once the bomb is planted, the defending team can run up to and defuse it, provided they get there with enough time to spare--which usually requires them to blast their way through all the people that are defending the bomb. Assault is a little like the demolition mode in Counter-Strike, though it felt decidedly like Halo to us

Thats pretty cool, but will it be fun for those of us WITHOUT Xbox Live? Who are forced to play 4 players on 1 screen?

Bungie wants the magnum to be a support weapon as it was intended, not the superweapon that skilled Halo players have turned the original pistol into

No more super pistol .

The vehicles will also reflect the symmetrical relationship between the Spartans and the Covenant, with the addition of such powerhouses as the wraith tank. This massive vehicle is the Convenant's equivalent of the Spartan scorpion and it features a powerful array of weapons. The most challenging weapon in the wraith's arsenal is the powerful mortar blast it fires in an arc. Deadly to players on foot and immensely dangerous to anyone in lesser vehicles, wraiths appear to be a pretty kick-ass counterbalance to the scorpion.

Sounds like they're going to the trouble of BALANCING OUT the vehicles as well as the weapons, this time around.

Based on our all-too-brief time with the online multiplayer game, we have to say Halo 2 appears to be poised on the fabled "practically guaranteed not to suck" path that few games find themselves on.

Here's hoping the single-player campaign is going to be just as good as the multiplayer sounds

 

[Seppo]

IGN also has a new Halo 2 Beta Hands-On, and it's also 7 pages long.
http://xbox.ign.com/articles/546/546627p1.html

 

[TheHitman5]

cant wait, hope HL2 doesnt come out around halo 2 time :/

 

[DarkStar]

The press has covered Halo 2 MP to death. I want info on SP!

 

[antimatter]

The press has covered Halo 2 MP to death. I want info on SP!

The exact opposite of HL2.

 

[dart321]

Bungie is keeping the single play a big secret.

 

[ShadowFox]

The press has covered Halo 2 MP to death. I want info on SP!

Agreed.

The MP of Halo 2 doesn't sound that special. The SP looked good two years ago though.

 

[Foxtrot]

The press has covered Halo 2 MP to death. I want info on SP!

Bungie isn't going to cave in like Valve and release plot details.

 

[dart321]

Agreed.

The MP of Halo 2 doesn't sound that special. The SP looked good two years ago though.

What are you talking about? The Halo 2 E3 trailer rivals Half-Life 2s IMO. Or have you never liked Halo and just dis the game because its not Half-Life 2?

 

[Warbie]

Agreed.

The MP of Halo 2 doesn't sound that special. The SP looked good two years ago though.

bah humbug

I'm looking forward Halo 2 more than any other game at the mo. After Golden Eye, Halo is the best single player fps around (imo)

 

[dart321]

Halo is the best single player fps around (imo)

Run! Run like the wind! The flames! There coming!

 

[Warbie]

hehe I can take it.

I did say 'after Golden Eye', though

 

[<RJMC>]

the flames will come just by the fact that this is a halo thread

 

[MultiVaC]

Bungie isn't going to cave in like Valve and release plot details.

What do you mean? They have a whole site dedicated to releasing plot details (although it is cryptic)

 

[Foxtrot]

What do you mean? They have a whole site dedicated to releasing plot details (although it is cryptic)

But it isn't directly related to Halo 2, atleast not yet. Infact, it sounds like before the covenant attacked Reach. There are still outer planets left, like Troy.

 

[Asuka]

When do you guys think Halo2 will come out on pc?

 

[TheHitman5]

never, halo 2 on pc would suck, just like the first. It only feels 'right' on xbox.

 

[Asuka]

Nah they will make a pc version for sure. I want it for the single player.

Even tho i liked the Halo mp its like dead now.

 

[Sparta]

To be honest i'm not expecting that much from Halo SP. It'll be great but i have a MASSIVE feeling that it's going to be EXACTLY like the first game. Shoot grunts, shoots jackals then kill elites, progress to next part of map.

 

[Foxtrot]

To be honest i'm not expecting that much from Halo SP. It'll be great but i have a MASSIVE feeling that it's going to be EXACTLY like the first game. Shoot grunts, shoots jackals then kill elites, progress to next part of map.

Judging from all that I have heard and seen it will be nothing like that, it won't even be completly linear.

 

[Sparta]

Judging from all that I have heard and seen it will be nothing like that, it won't even be completly linear.

Everything i've read and seen says it will. But i could be wrong so i'd love to read more about where it says that

 

[Dux]

never, halo 2 on pc would suck, just like the first. It only feels 'right' on xbox.

What a pile of gonads.

 

[Warbie]

To be honest i'm not expecting that much from Halo SP. It'll be great but i have a MASSIVE feeling that it's going to be EXACTLY like the first game. Shoot grunts, shoots jackals then kill elites, progress to next part of map.

It's possible to condense any game experience in such a way (Half Life - shoot aliens, progress to next part of map. GTA - steal cars, drive around)

I can only hope Halo 2 SP follows in the originals footsteps - which was all about the challenge. Nothing on the pc can compete in this respect. (*cough* Far Cry, Doom 3, CoD, JK2, NOLF etc etc They look pretty, and entertain for a week or 2, but don't require any practise/skill and offer next to no challenge. Halo does, and this is why it's still played every day at my house, albeit usually in co-op) At its best, Halo in single player can rival the excitement of online play. NO other shooter i've played, on pc or console, has achieved this.

This is usually where someone jumps in and mentions the 'cut and paste level design', which, to be fair, is a massive exageration - and happens on very few occasions during the game. Another (common) example of pc fanboys trying to justify their biases. (Doom 3 is far more guilty)

It's obvious that hate is thrown at Halo is because it's a console fps (that was 'meant' to be on the pc) The crappy port and dull experience that is Halo on the pc only throws fuel on the fire. (no decent pc shooters over the last few years doesn't help either :/)

None of this makes Halo (XBox) a bad game, though.

What other fps combines decent vehicles, great combat, large levels, all wrapped up in a challenging single player experience? (don't say Far Cry :/, which only succeeds in the large levels part)

What other fps provides such a sublime co-op experience?

What other fps is ideally suited for small LAN parties (4-6 players) and can boast so many gametypes? *we've all been there. Go the hastle of organising a LAN party and end up playing CS 3 v 3. Bag of shite*

Sorry for the rant

 

[PvtRyan]

Uh... they need 7 pages to tell you that the multiplayer is gonna be exactly like any other multiplayer you've played? I'm surprised it didn't promote Dual Wielding (why the hell am I writing it with caps?) like a gift from the gods.

Granted, Halo's MP was fun, but then again, what game isn't fun with 3 other friends? I've never experienced such an unbalanced MP, ever. Although, unbalanced isn't the proper word, teams and chances were equal, but some weapons and vehicles were utterly pointless.

Bungie wants the magnum to be a support weapon as it was intended, not the superweapon that skilled Halo players have turned the original pistol into

Skilled? Skilled?! I hardly ever play on Xbox, and found it easy to own everyone when I got my hands on the n00b canno... errr pistol.

Compare it with the AWP in cs, but now the AWP fires Redeemer missiles from UT, which are laser guided and can follow you around for the whole map, also they can fly through walls. That's how skilled you need to be for the pistol!

 

[ShadowFox]

What are you talking about? The Halo 2 E3 trailer rivals Half-Life 2s IMO. Or have you never liked Halo and just dis the game because its not Half-Life 2?

You misunderstood me.

I said the MP looked like old hat, but when it was shown two years ago at E3 (the E3 trailer you worship), I thought it looked good. You are trying to gleam too much from my words.

Warbie, I know you have taken it upon yourself to defend Halo at every opportunity, but everything in your rant is opinion. In my opinion, the only reason Halo is more challenging is the aiming of a console. The PC version was dead easy. If you need to be handicapped for it to be challenging, then that is nothing to be proud of, IMO.

Some of the levels are very varied, and the outdoor environments were well made. But the indoor parts of the snowy level get so repetitive, it is rediculous. And then you have to do it again later in the game! I felt like I was doing work, instead of playing which is never good.