Halo 2

Halo® 2 is the sequel to the highly successful and critically acclaimed Halo®: Combat Evolved. In Halo 2, the saga continues as Master Chief—a genetically enhanced super-soldier—is the only thing standing between the relentless Covenant and the destruction of all humankind.

Screenshots

• Fresh features: New weapons, new abilities, and new environments change the Halo universe in unexpected and exhilarating ways.
• Extraordinary combat: Fight to save the planet in vehicles, on foot, and with the help of the last Marines on Earth.
• New online play: Revel in a massively enhanced multiplayer game—and take the battle to Xbox Live™. Join clans, customize armor, communicate with friends, and enjoy a social gaming experience like no other.

Enter a beautiful, combat-filled Halo 2.

The event was hosted by Bungie’s Community Guy Brian Jarrard and Bungie.net Editor Frank O’Connor. Jarrard and O'Connor took time out from their busy schedules not only to talk to us about Halo 2, but also to play with us and demonstrate some of the new game types and maps. (By "demonstrate," I mean, of course, "repeatedly shooting us in the head, while chatting about the new features." These guys are good.)

The Bungie lads were quick to point out that the user interface (U.I.) is in the process of getting a makeover, but it was already obvious it will be efficient and gorgeous. Online play via Xbox Live—and we were playing on Xbox Live, not some kind of high-speed corporate network—was very smooth. The weapons all seemed balanced and useful. We were told that final optimizations to networking and gameplay are still being made, but from our comfy chairs, things already look fantastic.

New Blood
So, what’s new in Halo 2? That’s a big subject (and the topic of many future articles), but here’s a quick taste.

Ah, the joys of dual-weilding …

Weapons
You've probably heard about the new ability to dual-wield smaller weapons. It’s exactly as cool as you've hoped it is, and it's perfect for fighting in close quarters, when grenades are too risky to use. You will also find new tools of the trade, like the Battle Rifle, and tweaks to classics like the Pistol and Needler.

Game Types
Old friends like Slayer are joined by new varieties, such as Assault, where you need to plant a bomb in the enemy base, and one-flag Capture the Flag (CTF). Factor in downloadable content, and Halo 2 is going to have some serious legs!

Maps
Quality maps are the backbone of any shooter, and the maps in Halo 2 are positively sublime. This time, there is a greater emphasis on asymmetrical team-play maps, like the amazing Zanzibar map that Bungie debuted at E3.

Online Play
Halo 2 has full Xbox Live support, including some of its own online features you won’t find in any other Xbox Live game. "Parties" of Friends make it easy to stick together from game to game, and the matchmaking features ensure you'll find the best possible opponents, according to skill and connection speed. As Bungie told us, matchmaking can be a "real nail-biter" because you'll always be playing against people who are close to your skill level.

Nice rides!

Vehicles
There will be some new vehicles, such as Warthog variants, but what really stood out was the way you could damage the vehicles. Battlefields will now be home to smoking wreckage, just as nature intended! You'll also be able to jack an inattentive driver and take their ride. (I witnessed an impromptu demo of this when Jarrard casually ejected the MSN rep from his Warthog during one of our first Slayer matches.)

That’s just scratching the surface of what Halo 2 has to offer. Everyone attending this special event was blown away—no pun intended—and yours truly never had so much fun getting shot, run over, stabbed, bludgeoned, and exploded. November 9 can’t get here fast enough for these itchy trigger fingers.

Stay tuned for more in-depth Halo 2 articles in the weeks to come!