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Gamespot Review (9.4)
IGN Review (9.8)
Not surprised by these reviews. It seem like Bungie butchered the single-player mode with a sub-par story and its short length. :oh_no:
The multiplayer sounds spot on.
In less then 30 hours, I'll have my copy, w00t :buttrock:
and the rest:
9.4/10 GameSpot
9.9/10 TeamXbox
9.8/10 IGN
5/5 GameSpy
10/10 Game Informer
37/40 Famitsu
9/10 EuroGamer
10/10 Official Xbox Magazine UK
9.7/10 Official Xbox Magazine US
10/10 Electronic Games Monthly
you have to keep in mind this is only the first half of the 2nd story, it will be finished up in the 3rd game. part 2 storylines are usually not the strongest in a trilogy.
the multiplayer is the most important aspect, all i see is a few pissed off fanboys because they can't deal with a cliffhanger at the end of the game, bungie knows what they are doing.
and in closing, who fucking plays an FPS for the ocsar winning storyline? Halo isn't final fantasy, take doom for example, none of those games had any fucking storyline and they still rock.
nice sig.Quote:
Originally Posted by DashK
anyways, this game's story is so horrible its fucking atrocious.
the scores are totally unjustified ... if the story wasn't important, why include it at all?
why not simply release a multiplayer game?
they were released as a package, and should be graded as such. it's only fair. i was stoked about this game just as much as anyone ... but its just so glaringly embarrassing --- leagues worse than Halo in every aspect --- that I can't deal with people trying to justify these scores.
not to mention the amount of time the company made us wait for this game, and the secrecy surrounding the story, made it seem as if it was not only going to impress fans, but tie up any loose ends. it did neither.
on top of that, i really dont think the gameplay is that impressive in and of itself.
- melee moves are hardly as effective, and feel horribly clunky.
- vehicles are nowhere near as fun as they once were ... two rockets and they're out of play. whoop dee do. they're hardly the multiplayer trophies they once were.
- tons of features which would've made the game a bit cooler were taken out. running, peaking from around corners, combo moves ... bungie promised a lot and really didn't deliver on much of it AT ALL.
KA, the eurogamer halo 2 review is just for the single player game - agree or disagree? i mean with the text, not the overall score.
well i havent played it yet, i don't trust movie reviews, i've read bad reviews of movies and ending up liking the movie, a lot. i think these guys reviewing it are anal, what did they expect? halo was a stand alone story, like star wars, like back to the future, and part 2 and 3 were halves of another story. of course beating halo 2 will give you a sense of not being satisfied as far as the story goes, cause you have to link it to the 3rd game. still once i see it for myself i doubt it will be as bad as "gamespot" said it was, and i didn't see anyone else complaining as bad as them, the game is still getting 10's and 9.8's from other mags.Quote:
Originally Posted by Kid Aphex
and on another note, didn't haters of the first halo say the same thing about the first games storyline? how it sucked, all it did was rippoff sci-fi movies, and the MP was the only good aspect of the game? i think anyone who expects halo 2 to be halo 1 in every aspect but with better graphics is never going to be happy.
So the french version was pretty close to being done? Not a 40% complete beta that we have been hearing so much about.
I think we need a little bit of "I already told you" :kekeke:
I agree Halo was much better overall than 2. 2 is possible only worth it in Live.
I still enjoyed quite a lot the campaign mode in 2, though, but doesn't live up to the hype. I'd give the game an 8/10.
i agree with what eurogamer said at the end of their review:Quote:
Originally Posted by Plisken
"The final word? Brilliant, but not enough of a progression to deserve top marks. Better than Halo? Yes."
I'm just glad they put the Shotgun back in, it's the main pull that brings me back to the first game. So satisfying to use.
Anyways, i also have not played Halo 2, but personally, what i have seen fills the criteria i was looking for:
weapons having more 'oomp'
duel-wielding
more weapons, being able to use the plasma sword
60fps, instead of 30fps
better graphics
grander scale of battles
from what i've seen in movies/pics, it looks like those are covered. I know the story means a lot to many of you, but i'm really not that fussed - the first one didn't particularly grab me, in fact i thought it was quite cliched, though still enjoyable.
that's all i wanted ... but really man, its worse.Quote:
Originally Posted by DashK
hey, i really, really wanted to like this game. i mean, i've been so stoked for the past three years about how impressive it's gameplay and graphics looked.
but really ... if you ask me, the graphics are worse. their inconsistencies really, really distract the gamer and make the game world less "solid"...less immersive, you know?
gameplay wise, the combat really doesn't feel as fluid as halo 1's. you'll see when you play it. remember how once you got good at halo, you could just switch weapons left and right, lob grenades, blow guys away with certain guns, weave around characters, smash them with the but of your gun, etc --- once you got good, you could just cut through lines of enemies like a fucking MACHINE? that was by far my favorite aspect of halo ... and its totally gone. wait until you see how clunky movements are, or how ineffective melee strikes are, or how unfun the lack of health/overshields makes the game --- especially when you just want to charge through a HORDE of armed covenant.
this game is all about shoot, hide, shoot, hide, shoot, hide, advance.
that's all taking away the Health aspect did.
I have to admit this shocked me a bit - i only found out tonight they took away the health bars.Quote:
Originally Posted by Kid Aphex
i really cant wait until you play this game so i can see how you take it.Quote:
Originally Posted by Plisken
to me?
the weapons have FAR less oomph. especially the substitutes for the assault rifle. pathetic. the pistol is like a fucking toy.
duel wielding seemed cool, but is clunky during multiplayer battles when you're juggling between the three weapons you want [one button activates duel wielding --- and ONLY with the weapon thats on the ground --- so if you want to switch from duel wielding the plasma gun and the rifle, for instance, to the plasma gun and the pistol you have in your other hand, you must drop one first.]
plasma sword is really cool.
graphics to me, are worse ... because to me? its all about atmospherics and immersion. and constantly seeing half-ass texture pop ins [I mean, all the time] and all around LAME textures [trees, cars in africa, etc] it totally drops me out of the games reality.
LESS GRAND scale of battles. not once in the entire game do you fight a battle worthy of the name halo. not once, i PROMISE you this. one level has you riding a tremendously slow large elevator down through a building --- with NO ENEMIES IN SIGHT FOR 40-50 SECONDS AT A TIME. it was the most awkward, piss poor action scripting ive ever seen in a video game. buro and i were just trotting around shooting barrels. wow, what an evolution.
Big change of heart in about one hour. If the story was that atrocious why didn't you complain about it earlier when everyone was saying it was bad? Did you think the story was all a made up lie in the beta version? I personally can't wait to play Halo 2 for the mulltiplayer alone. I can care less about the absense of health packs and the story being weird. The only thing that saddens me is the pistol being dumbed down. I guess I won't be seeing you on live then...Your loss. I think that the graphic related complaints you have are silly. You should give it a chance instead of writing it off completely for a few gripes you may have.Quote:
Originally Posted by Kid Aphex
Quote:
Originally Posted by Plisken
Agreed, the story in Halo 1 was nothing special to me.
I think Kid Aphex is just a negative guy that likes to go against the main stream. He's just trying to piss everyone off :p
I know he'll secertly get the retail copy, play it to death, play with his buddies (if he has them), rave about it off the boards, and come back to bitch about how bad it is :mr_t:
Quote:
Originally Posted by Neo Maikeru
Obviously you haven't been paying attention.
I've done NOTHING but complain about the story, but I was pretty easy on it, assuming the "beta" wasn't even close to being complete.
Now that it looks like what I considered to be the "beta" IS the official version, I can safely say it sucks ASS.
"My loss" i wont be seeing you on live? I should give it a chance? So far, I've played through the game on normal and legendary and played MP with a few chums. How many times have you given it a go?
So has anyone really confirmed that the leaked version essentially is the full version?
You heard it here first....
My mad theory why there is a "cliffhanger" ending.
Bungie has also said that they are not working on Halo 3 next. Why make a cliffhanger ending and then not bother to finish the game? Because its already done, or mostly done.
Wait for Halo "The End" to be the biggest direct download from xbox live, or any other game service ever. And if MS charges a "nominal" fee for this service, who can complain about getting that much more game?
It will be the launchpad for direct game downloads that the industry wants. Factory direct to you, we cut out the middlemen!!!!!
If I'm wrong, I'm wrong. But this idea has been percolating around my head ever since reviewers were complaining about the abruptness of the game's ending, followed by Bungie's "Halo 3? WTF is that?".
I hope I'm right, as it would be nice to finish this game series on one console generation...
One problem.
The majority of xbox users don't have live.
Why absolutely enrage *everyone* who isn't signed up for their online service?
Aside from that I really doubt the xbox has enough hard drive space to successfully pull it off given saved, games, soundtracks, downloadables for other games, that other people generally keep on their xbox.
Finally, Bungie did confirm the eventuality of a Halo 3, they just gave no specifics as in expect it to be awhile after their next big project...whatever that turns out being...
Quote:
Originally Posted by BC_Gambit
this theory has substance, bungie spent a LONG ass time on Halo 2, they could have made parts 2 and 3 all at once, just like they did shooting the matrix sequels.Quote:
Originally Posted by BC_Gambit
what would be a bigger draw for MSFTs grand online plan than to have Halo 3 a download exclusive over xbox live when xbox 2 launches?
the only problem I see is the download time, even on cable or dsl getting 150k a second, it would take awhile to download that game, unless they had some hella good compression scheme, i mean we're talking a gig or two.
one more problem would be that everyone would still not have broadband, they wouldn't sell as many copies as a retail game.
I am saying that it is your loss you will not be able to enjoy the game on live with me and the rest of the NG.com crew because you are upset about the storyline and graphical glitches.Quote:
Originally Posted by Kid Aphex
Ah, the download wouldn't have to be that large (on a relative basis). You're not downloading the whole game again, its more of an expansion.
You would have most of the textures and models on the halo 2 disc. Remix the level designs, and you have a mostly new game.
And as far as pissing regular folk off, they would obviously release it to retail at a later date. $$$ talks.
If the last couple of days has shown us anything, its that people are stupid. People are willing to shell out almost $300 for a copy of H2 just a couple of days early. Why wouldn't a fair chunk of people take the online plunge to play H3 a month or so early?
Aside:
And as far as not everyone having broadband, I hate to break it to the Americans, but yes, everybody does have broadband except you. Yours is probably the only industrialized country left in the world where getting broadband in even large centers is an issue. Everywhere else its smooth sailing unless you truly live in the middle of nowhere, in which case you can do satellite broadband.
Like I said, if I'm wrong, I'm wrong. H3 could just as easily be the Xbox next launch title du jour. But given bungies track record, I don't think they'll have time to finish 2 games between now and the xbox next launch.
Lastly, who doesn't love the $$$$'s? If I had 2 million copies of a game pre sold, who in their right mind would not start working on a sequel? A moron with no business sense, that's who :). If MS has shown us anything, they love the money, and they have decent business sense. Ergot.... H3 is coming sooner that 5 years from now.
that's true, but if halo 2 hangs around like Halo 1 did, they won't need to bring out another game for at least 3 years, since Halo 1 still sold 50,000 copies in the top 10 lists 2 years after it came out....Quote:
Originally Posted by BC_Gambit
when halo 2 stops selling they will worry about halo 3.
Its not about not having broadband, since BB is required for live, its about that even on broadband, a 2 gig download is going to take a long time.Quote:
Originally Posted by BC_Gambit
Also glad to see Kid Aphex is coming around, I won't pull too much I told you so shit because I understand how everyone was hoping for more than we got.
53% of people in the United States with internet access are on broadband...
We're further along in terms of broadband saturation than several european countries including the UK, France and Spain, but we're behind The scandanavian countries, The Netherlands, Germany and South Korea/Japan. Broadband saturation in Canada and in the continental United States is virtually the same so I'm not really sure what you're smoking in that regard. 0_o
Quote:
Originally Posted by BC_Gambit
If every live users intends to leech 2GB from microsoft simutaniously the stress on their infastructure is going to be immense...if not back breaking....
Quote:
Originally Posted by lithy
Maybe things have improved since Xbox live launched, but the stuff I've been smoking is the xbox live launch.
A disproportionate amount of the people on live at the beginning were Canadian, as we had that fancy broadband service :). I remember people in suburbs of major US cities complaining, that they couldn't get BB.
If things have changed, congrats and welcome to 3 years ago :).
(edit: retarded spelling)
Well due to how the logistics of how canadian population is dispersed it was probably easier to reach a broadband saturation point (60% of the population living within 200 miles of the boarder) etc, versus a somewhat more even dispersion. US saturation has grown about 12-15% for the last several years in a row so yeah we caught up in the past two years. But I really fail to see how it's possible that the majority of XBL accounts were held by Canadians even given a previous 40% to 60% saturation rate when you consider the 10 to 1 population ratio. It's far more likely that you were just routed to geographically closer servers and games with lower pings so that's how it appeared. I remember it being pretty uncommon to play someone outside of the east coast when we initially had the service.
Quote:
Originally Posted by BC_Gambit
I think Microsoft will release Halo 3 as a launch title for XBOX2.
They know that will pretty much guarantee sales of their new system in 2005.
Just a theory though.
I never said that the majority of XBL accounts were canadian, just that a disproportionate amount of early XBL accounst were Canadian.
I.E. about (maybe) 25% of gamers might have been in Canada, versus an expected ~10%.
HALO 3 will most likely be an XBOX Next launch title. Visually, if anything I've seen in demos, XBOX Next will cut your eye balls and blow your mind with the graphics it will be able to produce. PS3 will be on par or even better.
Well the games on there will polly look better than 3dmark05 or Far cry which already look sweet as fuckQuote:
Originally Posted by Big Shady
At least there is MGS3 and Metroid Prime 2 to look forward to. :glee:
Ah ok. sorry about that misunderstanding then.
Quote:
Originally Posted by BC_Gambit
you guys are kinda blowing the size of the theoretical halo3 download out of proportion
it would probably be no bigger than 500megs, probably a lot less
the ut2k3 bonus packs were no bigger than 200 megs each and they each added about 10 maps and tons of game modes (maps which use MUCH higher res textures than halo2 would)
i wouldnt worry about the size
i would worry if its actually happening
True, it may not happen.
It just feels like there's something missing.
Either Halo 3 will be a killer xbox next launch title, in which case it will be announced in the next six months and bungie was lying about its next project (or its next project is almost done, whis is very hard to believe).
Or, halo 3 is already done, and is waiting for its time....
I know publishers are desprate to try and cut out the retailers, shipping, packaging etc associated with games. This would be THE test case to see if rabid fans will bite. The xbox is the perfect platform for this test, as the built in hard drive is unique.
If MS can make money off d/l content, a HD might become standard on the next xbox. If not, I'll be sad.
Bungie has completely gutted me as a fan of their games.
I've never felt more cheated, more let down, and more decieved in my lifetime. If I didn't already have this faggot game paid for, I'd seriously be contemplating on having sex instead of standing in line tomorrow night and never bothering to pick up the fucking thing.
A cliffhanger ending I can understand. But come on, even the most FLAGRANT cliffhanger endings in cinema/gaming history (Empire Strikes Back, Back to the Future) have some kind of resolution, SOME kind of carthasis. The ending to Halo 2 has none, just when that feeling in your chest starts clawing at your ribcage, when you FINALLY know, that THIS is the fucking FINAL MOMENT OF TRUTH, when you finally get to pit Master Chief against the ENTIRE Covenant Horde and save the planet from annihilation......
THANKS FOR PLAYING, FUCK YOU. - BUNGIE
Not to mention the other GLARING plot holes in the game. I can't even wait to see how gamers react to the GIANT FUCKING PLANT LIVING AT THE BOTTOM OF HALO 05. Yeah, FIGURE IT OUT, because the remaining storyline after encountering him certainly won't.
I might try playing this atrocity on Live since I still have my account, but I can guarantee I'll end up hating it within a week and shelve it.
To be perfectly fair though, the single-player campaign, aside from the fact that its totally incomplete, is quite nice and I did have some moments that brought me back to the grandeur and polish of Halo, but these moments were fewer and further between than the first game.
I'd give it a 7/10, and thats only adding another .5 because at least I'll get to play the game in English this time around.
Oh and nobody, especially jizz-queen KASAVIN at GameFAGGOTSpot, fucking BLIND fanbois that he is, is even bothering to mention the tons of things Bungie PROMISED US YEARS AGO:
-Melee combo attacks, this was SHOWN at E3, where'd they go?
-Alternate firing mode for the Battle Rifle, 3-shot burst mode regular/1-shot snipe mode in zoom, where'd it go?
-Warthog Quad vehicles, where'd they go?
-Multi-terrain Warthogs, where'd they go?
-Using the shadows to hide from enemies, where'd it go?
I'm positive I'm forgetting more things these asshats didn't deliver on. But of course, all the numbskull cock gobblers who can't elect a President, let alone discern a good game from a bad one, won't teach Microsoft or Bungie the lesson they desperately need to learn.
DURANDAL > All other Bungie games
For Buro,
They also left out
peeking around corners
running
ATVs or is this what you mean by by Warthog Quads?
interactive environments turn into falling boxes, rocks, and exploding boxes...great.
probably more still.
They might have cut stuff for multiple reasons:
1. Time (ie the vechiles)
2. Game balance (the Melee combo and what not)
Maybe the vechiles will be downloadables. I can only hope.
Yeah, the ATVs, and I totally forgot about the running, that should would've come in handy, especially during the early levels where you often lose your vehicle and have to haul ass across immense distances. What the FUCK ever. The demo they showed at E3 DOESN'T EVEN EXIST, I don't understand why they would purposely TAKE OUT something that amazing.Quote:
Originally Posted by lithy
Are you serious? The video from E3 a couple years ago in New Mombasa or whatever isn't actually in the game? That fucking sucks.Quote:
Originally Posted by Buro Destruct
Nope its just gone :(Quote:
Originally Posted by genjiglove
One cool effect I thought was how the sound muffled in the first stage when you went into space but still there's too many negatives in the gameplay to even worry about small things that improve the game experience.
And it's proven that the leaked version is the same as the retail version?
Aside from the already reported on ending and iffy looking cutscenes, the only thing I can hope for is better AI (because the one in the leak I played fucking sucks) and some better balance on the weapon power.Quote:
Originally Posted by genjiglove
The weapon balance is one of my huge concerns as well. Dual wielded SMGs is completely unskillful but nearly the most powerful combo in the game. Plasma pistol wielded with an SMG is useful too I think. But as for multi it doesn't seem like there is a skillful, dominating weapon in the game. Which to me is what made Halo great.Quote:
Originally Posted by Buro Destruct
I noticed poor AI but I'll be honest I've only played on Easy and Normal, but still the elites weren't even jumping out of the way for grenades.
If this is true, then it's just unbelieveable. What the hell were they doing for the last three years? And why is it getting such great reviews. Well, I know why actually: $$$Quote:
Originally Posted by Buro Destruct
But, I have not played the game yet and will not until late tomorrow night, so I'll hold off judgement until then.
Man, you guys are bumming me out. Furthermore, some of you (Buro) are acting like this game beat you as a child and you're still not over the pain and suffering. It's just a god damned game.
However, I understand waiting for so long to be let down. This game was only going to let people down. I'm going to have faith, ignore the shit posted here, and pray to god that the reviews out there are honest and not driven by money from Microsoft.
I really want this game to be good, and it's not been proven to me, yet, that it's not a great game. We'll see. Shit, then again GTA: SA got all 10s, and I don't care for that game too much. Sigh. Well, I'll always have Metroid and Res Evil to play, right?
Spike