Halo 2 | 
 enlarge | From: Microsoft
Category: Video Games
List Price: $19.99
Buy Used: $9.48
You Save: $10.51 (53%)
New (27) Used (53) from $9.48
Avg. Customer Rating:  764 reviews
Sales Rank: 207
Platform: Xbox
ESRB: Mature
Media: Video Game
Autographed: No
Memorabilia: No
Shipping Weight (lbs): 2
Dimensions (in): 5.4 x 0.8 x 7.5
MPN: m41028
Model: XBMSFT 805529792234
UPC: 805529792234
EAN: 0805529792234
ASIN: B00008J7NZ
Release Date: November 9, 2004
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Shipping: Expedited shipping available
Condition: Disc is scratched all over but plays fine. You know how these games go... tons of scratches and they play fine... First Class shipping!
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| Features:
| • | Master Chief can now wield two weapons at once, board Covenant vehicles and steal Covenant weapons like the incredible double energy sword | | • | Lead an all-new unit of super-soldiers, the ODST -- tougher, badder and deadlier versions of your old comrades | | • | New enemies, allies and surprises around every corner - intense combat action with enhanced AI and real-time lighting | | • | Immense single-player action with maassive landscapes and huge cities to explore and defend - destructible and interactive environments | | • | Take the action online with your Xbox Live and switch sides, to become a Covenant Elite! |
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Product Description
Halo 2 continues the story of Master Chief, the heroic super-soldier who defied the invading alien Covenant and survived. The Covenant leaders within Halo are angry at this unheard of event. To save face, they launch an invasion of our planet. Earth's defenses are breached, and we're all in danger -- unless Master Chief can lead a small military squad to victory against Covenant forces, in all-out guerilla warfare!
Amazon.com
Halo 2 is one of those rare video games that garnishes attention from regular folk who wouldn't know which direction to point a game controller. With more than 1.5 million pre-orders and a massive release party in Times Square, the game enjoys the sort of buzz, and sales, generally reserved for boy wizards. But does it merit the hype? Opening Scene
Halo 2 opens with a cut scene in the Covenant Holy City of High Charity. Much has happened since Master Chief (that's you) created so much havoc for the Covenant in the first Halo, and the Arbiter has much atoning to do for his failures. This first cut scene is long, but the lush graphics, orchestral sound, and polished voice talent for both this and other cut scenes as well as the game itself put most animated television shows to shame.
Much has happened since Master Chief created so much havoc for the Covenant in the first Halo, and the Arbiter has much atoning to do.
| In the end, though, Halo 2 is unabashedly a first-person shooter. It has a Mature rating and is not meant for kids. Gameplay is constant and intense. No sooner is one bunch of aliens taken care of than another descends. The controls are identical to the first game so those familiar with it will be up and blasting in no time. And the sound and graphics have been beefed up so that Halo 2 is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful console games available. Opening Fire
Most of the weapons from the first game return, although strangely the MA5B Assault Rifle (the default weapon in the first game) is not available. There is a single melee weapon known as the Covenant Sword, but the controls for it are the same as that for all the shooter weapons, making it difficult to direct. Also, for a new twist, you can hold two of the smaller guns at the same time and shoot double-fisted. As for vehicles, the old favorites are back and joined by a few new, mostly Covenant wheeled monsters. Some improvements have been made to the AI so that the nonplayer characters can drive without running into too many obstacles while you man the turret. This improved AI also has enemies ducking for cover, and the banter from both the Marines and the bad guys has undergone massive improvements so that it no longer sounds quite so repetitive. On Your Own
The most significant change in the single-player game is with Master Chief's much-touted defensive suit. At the beginning of the game, he is told that the suit has been upgraded, but it's really undergone a severe downgrade. In Halo 2, the player has only one lifeline. Unlike in the first game, there is basically no defensive shield on the suit, making gameplay tougher. It can often take multiple--sometimes a maddening number--attempts to make it through thorny parts of the game.
Or with a Friend
Finally, no review of a Halo game is complete without mentioning multiplayer. One of the main reasons to buy Halo 2 is the ability to play through Xbox Live, a feature not included in the first game, which was among the original releases for the Xbox. Multiplayer for Halo 2 uses all of the same weapons and vehicles as in the single-player game, and the types of games available in Halo (King of the Hill, Slayer, Capture the Flag) return with a host of new maps. Multiplayer Halo 2 offers customizable profiles, control layout, and screens as well as a voice proximity feature, where you can talk with other players via an Xbox Communicator so that those closer to you sound louder than those farther away. Players can also create both permanent clans and temporary parties in the Xbox Live world. Undoubtedly, this multiplayer feature alone ensures that Halo 2 will remain a top-selling game for years to come. --David Morel Pros: - Lush graphics and orchestral sound
- Constant, thumping shoot-'em-up action
- Multiplayer available through Xbox live
Cons: - Suit downgrade makes single-player often overly difficult
- Get ready for some bleary-eyed mornings
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| Customer Reviews: Read 759 more reviews...
 Great Halo April 20, 2008
This was purchased as a gift for my son and he loves it. He completed the first one and is on his way to completing this one. Halo 2 is a little shorter than the first one but is still worth it if you liked the first Halo. I have played it a few times with him and it's not bad. I think this one may be better than the first, but it's a hard choice because they are both good. This plays fine on the Xbox 360, by the way, just as the first one does.
The sequel to the game that sold Xbox systems. April 15, 2008
This game is a worthy sequel to Halo: Combat Evolved, but there are some differences. The one thing you'll notice right away is one the most significant changes, the graphics. While the graphics in the original were good, these are just amazing. The music take the great soundtrack from the original and improves upon it even more. There are some new weapons this time around, including my favorite, the battle rifle. The sounds for guns and explosions have been greatly improved. The campaign is rather short, but still fun to play through, and leaves off with a cliff hanger, which some people hated but I liked. The action in general feels more fast paced which is a good or bad thing depending on your play style. The thing that really stands out here is the multi player. There is nothing more fun than gathering up your friends and playing system link with eight people all night with pizza, sushi, energy drinks, soda and more! Plus, its online! This is great for all those online fanatics, although online play isn't really for me, I don't like how competitive it gets or the swearing, racist nine year olds. This game is pure fun.
I absolutely loved it March 23, 2008
I hadnt played a video game for over 5 years, since Playstation 1. I then buy an XBox 360 and this game came with the purchase as it was able to be played for the 360. So this was my first game I played in 5 years. I had surround speakers for the XBox and I just fell in love with this game. I havent played it in a year so theres only so much I can say. But you'll surely like it. I dont need to go in depth with the game and point out some minor flaw and compare it to other versions lol. But the music for this game, the scenery, the adventures, the story is just remarkable. When I eventually beat it (its a long game and I liked that), this cool music was playing, it felt like I was in a movie, I was so happy when I beat it. I felt as if I was the character I played and we did it lol. We saved the universe. It took so long to finish the game and it was an amazing experience. Especially with surround sound playing in the dark on your bed, you become apart of the game and it takes you on a wild ride. Buy it, you cant go wrong, nice addition to your collection at a cheap price.
great game, fast shipping January 26, 2008
the game is great and it came faster than i thought it would.
thank you
The Combat Devolves a Bit. January 25, 2008
The original HALO was the game that saved the X-Box and kept Microsoft's fledging HALO 2 continues the adventures of Master Chief and the soldiers of Earth as they try to save the universe. Besides Master Chief's adventures, the game also has a parallel story that begins with a cut-scene on the Covenant homeworld. A Covenant Elite Supreme Commander is disgraced, beaten, and punished because of his failure to capture Master Chief and is selected by the High Prophets to be the Arbiter and atone for his sins. The Prophets believe that the Arbiter will soon be killed in action as all Arbiters were before him, but this Arbiter is different and isn't killed in action. Instead, he fulfills his first few missions, uncovers a secret about the High Prophets, and joins forces with Master Chief.
Story-wise, HALO 2 is a bit of a let down than HALO. The original game had a great story that was well contained and stands upon its own. Apparently the makers of HALO 2 decided to take a cue from bad Hollywood franchises and HALO 2 isn't self-contained. The game is just as fun to play as the original, but without having played the first game, some of the plot elements are lost on newbies. Of course, then there's the whole "cliffhanger" (aka dumb) ending for the game that isn't an ending at all.
A new improvement to the game is that characters can choose to fight with two weapons (of only certain types) at the same time.
The game has a great deal of replay value because of the great co-op features.
Overall, even though I was disappointed by some of the points of the story and the abrupt ending, I enjoyed playing HALO 2.
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