HALO 2 REVIEWS

[Professor S]

"The greatest Xbox game of all time..."

IGN - 9.8

Genuinely great games don't come around that often, but in 2004 we're seeing a few truly remarkable achievements come to the forefront. Halo 2 is one of them. While you can minimize the game to its basics -- it's a linear first-person shooter, it doesn't have online cooperative play, some of the cutscenes look awkward -- the level of improvement in every aspect to an already near-perfect game is staggering.
Even though Halo didn't revolutionize the first-person shooter genre, its influences have already taken place -- it's two-weapon, one grenade system has had profound effects, just to name one -- and it's earned its place in the annals of gaming. Halo 2 is similar in form. It's not going to revolutionize the world of first-person shooters, but it stands on the shoulders of other really good FPSs, and it improves the game on every level.

The best parts of Halo 2 are subtle. No one thing stands out and smacks you on the face and says, "LOOK AT THIS!" Instead, the whole product, the entire game, from top to bottom, is remarkably well produced, well paced and planned. Very few games come together and look, sound, and play as smoothly, organically, and as well as this. It's got dozens of exciting, intense gameplay segments, excellent graphics and sound, and though it sounds like a cliché, the game is filled with millions of the little things that accumulate in your subconscious. The end-result is that it's not only addicting, it's not only the most fun you'll have in single-player or multiplayer game on Xbox, the story is deep and smart, and it keeps you interested. Perhaps best of all, the online portion will essentially blow everything else on Xbox Live out of the water. In a way, there are dozens of surprises about Halo 2, and yet there none. It is the best Xbox game this year, and it is the best Xbox game on the system, full stop.


Gamespot - 9.4

To say that there's a lot to like about Halo 2 would be an understatement. Despite a rather short campaign and a disappointing storyline, Halo 2 is an exceptional shooter that frequently delivers thrilling, memorable, and unique moments in its online, co-op, and single-player modes. Depending on what you most want from the game, you may find that Halo 2 leaves you desperate for another installment in the series--but even if it takes Bungie another several years to produce that game, there's enough first-rate action and lasting value here to keep you happily entertained till that time comes.


Gamespy - 5/5 stars

After three years of wishing, hoping, and waiting, it's hard to believe that everyone will finally get a chance to play a true masterpiece of a game on the Xbox. The campaign mode introduces a ton of new elements, not only to the game itself, but also to the Halo universe as a whole. As for the multiplayer, you won't find a better Xbox Live experience anywhere, and you can be sure that Halo 2 will be topping the Live charts for years to come. If you want to see a perfect mix of everything that makes games great, from storytelling to graphics and audio, look no further than Halo 2.


1UP.com - 100%

Halo 2 is not perfect. There are specific minor details you can point to as evidence that the game has flaws -- there are minor graphical and AI glitches, and you can't play co-op online -- but it almost feels unfair to even mention those points in this review, because none of them are significant enough to bring down their own part of the game, much less the game as a whole.
I've played roughly 15 hours of multiplayer battles in the past two days, after having played through a 24 hour single and multiplayer session a few weeks ago. We have Metroid Prime 2 in the office, with Metal Gear Solid 3, Prince of Persia 2 and Half-Life 2 on the way. All those great games, and there's nothing I'd rather do than play more Halo 2.

[Acebot44]

TeamXbox Review (http://reviews.teamxbox.com/xbox/833/Halo-2/p1/)

9.9

[GameMaster]

IGN's 9.8 rating is the highest it's ever given any game! OMFG!

I might just be buying an Xbox now.

[Professor S]

WARNING: That idiot Greg Kasavin over at Gamespot went ahead and spoiled a huge plot twist for me in the video review. He didn't get specific, but it was enough to piss me off... a lot. So if you want the story to be 100% fresh when you play, DO NOT watch the Gamespot video review.

[Professor S]

UPDATE:

Added Gamespy's review to the main post.

[Bube]

IGN's 9.8 rating is the highest it's ever given any game! OMFG.

IGN gave Advance Wars a 9.9, and they have awarded full 10s as well (Pokemon R/B and some Zelda games I think).

But if you're talking XBox, then I wouldn't know anything...

[bobcat]

When is it coming out?

I've preordered mine.

[Dyne]

IGN gave Advance Wars a 9.9, and they have awarded full 10s as well (Pokemon R/B and some Zelda games I think).

But if you're talking XBox, then I wouldn't know anything...

And Metroid Prime got a 9.8 too. Maybe he was just referring to IGNXbox.

[Fox 6]

When is it coming out?

November 9th. Cant wait........

[Professor S]

UPDATE: Added 1UP.com review to main post.

[DarkMaster]

Why the hell do GameSpot's reviews ALWAYS have the lowest scores? Are they trying to be different or something?

[Bond]

Yes. Haven't you figured it out yet?

[DarkMaster]

Well anyway...

US OXM - 9.7
AUS OXM - 10
UK OXM - 10
Gamepro - 10
1up - 10
Gamespy - 10
Gamespot - 9.4
IGN - 9.8
TeamXBOX - 9.9
EGM - 10
XBN - 10
GI - 10
TechTV - 10

Overall - 99.1%

[GiMpY-wAnNaBe]

Well anyway...

US OXM - 9.7
AUS OXM - 10
UK OXM - 10
Gamepro - 10
1up - 10
Gamespy - 10
Gamespot - 9.4
IGN - 9.8
TeamXBOX - 9.9
EGM - 10
XBN - 10
GI - 10
TechTV - 10

Overall - 99.1%
based on the results i'd gather that its quite a good game, yes?

[Professor S]

Those scores are insane. I've never seen a game get this kind of response from the gaming mass media.

As for Gamespot, its Greg Kasavin. He's a over critical moron who who tries to pad his receding ego (much like his hair) by making sure he gives the lowest score to highly anticipated games. Now 9.4 is not a bad score by any means, but he made sure his score was at least a few points lower than everyone else's. Its a pattern he has and seems to encourage in those that he works with at Gamespot. For some reason they believe that giving lower scores 99% of the time makes their opinion more valid or makes them a superior gaming site (and its not just Xbox bias either).

His reviews tend to be useless, also. Read the Halo 2 Gamespot review. Its pointless, all critical and the video review even spoils a very important plot twist. Basically his reviews of good games spend the whole time pointing out every miniscule flaw imaginable... and then he gives it a good score with the ending note of "its still a great game!" I don't see how reviews like that are supposed to help me decide whether or not to purchase a game.

Surprisingly, the most helpful and thorough review I've seen so far is from IGN. Its really an excellent review which gives you a good idea of what the game is like WITHOUT SPOILING THE STORY. I also find Gamespots assertion that the story is bad to be suspect as every other site raves about it. I guess I'll have to wait till Tuesday to really find out :(

In closing: Kasavin sucks, IGN actually had a really good review and I'm about to throw a brick through the window of my local EB to get my game under the cover of darkness.

[DarkMaster]

IGN's video review is excellent as well.

[Ginkasa]

Those scores are insane. I've never seen a game get this kind of response from the gaming mass media.

Game Rankings (http://www.gamerankings.com/itemrankings/simpleratings.asp?rankings=y)

If by "this kind of response" you mean .3% (or 1.5%, not sure which to count), then yes, Halo 2 is garnering acclaim never seen before in the history of video games.

While you're in your euphoria over this grandess, don't fail to notice that Halo 2 has so far gotten less reviews than a lot of the other games on the list.

SIDE NOTE: While I realize that Halo 2 is an allegedly really really really good game (considering I'm not a reviewer guy who gets copies early, and this never played it) and getting that high on the list and surpassing even the almighty Ocarina of Time is an achievement [is this a run-on yet?], I'm just really tired of Hal fanboy comments. Especially from The Strangler who is normally more intelligent...

Anyway...


*shrugs and walks away*

[Acebot44]

No fanboy comments here dude. He and every reviewer of Halo 2 give it credit as being Superb. You can't deny it or simply catagorize it as fanboyism when the most important reviewers have given their scores. The scores are high, the game is great, accept it.

[Ginkasa]

*sighs*

Read the whole bloody post before you reply....

*points to the side note at the end of the post*

I was not denying that Halo 2 is great, or that every reviewer, so far, as called it such. I wasn't saying that calling Halo 2 great was a fanboy comment. I even specifically pointed this out.

The fanboy comment I was talking about was saying that there has never been a game before Halo 2 to get the same kind of respone, which is just untrue. Judging from The Strangler's comment alone, it would be easy to believe that Halo 2 is the first great game ever, which its not.

Again, for those who like to ignore parts of a post, I am not denying the alleged awesomeness of Halo 2. I'm sure it is a wonderful game and plan on, at the oh so very least, renting it at some point. I'm just saying Halo 2 is not the first awesome game.


*shrugs and walks away*

[Acebot44]

My bad, I just read Fanboy and went blind. I read the whole post though, but I guess not too carefully. I'm just tired of the attack on strangler lately. But, you said fanboy at the end so I couldnt see any connection to the Strangler quote at the top. What other game has gotten this type of response? I'm not too sharp on game history and the only thing that pops to mind is SA.

[Ginkasa]

No hard feelings...

I assume what you and Strangler meant by the response were the great reviews and acclaim right? All the games at the link I posted got great reviews as well. Several of them had the tremendous hype as well. I wasn't really paying attention to forums and reviews, etc. when OoT came out, but for it to still be considered by many ot the Great Game of All Time, and still be the highest rated game on Game Rankings (until Halo 2), it had have made quite a splash. Certainly one comparable to this.

As well as Metroid Prime. Perhaps that was a more of a cautious hype, but it was still big. The impending release of MP2 will probably be just as big for Nintendo fans as Halo 2 has been for XBox.

The Final Fantasy games. Super Mario (er...perhaps SM64 and earlier..). Metal Gear Solid.

There are countless game released over the years that have been rated highly and hyped dramatically. Halo 2 is hardly the first, and I doubt the last.


*shrugs and walks away*

[DeathsHand]

The Final Fantasy games. Super Mario (er...perhaps SM64 and earlier..). Metal Gear Solid.

There are countless game released over the years that have been rated highly and hyped dramatically. Halo 2 is hardly the first, and I doubt the last.

Or how about a little more recently...

Ratchet and Clank 3
GTA:SA

:sneaky:

[Dark_Elf]

http://www.gamerankings.com/htmlpages4/562116.asp
Great site...check it out

More than 2 of them (1UP e.g) give halo2 a 100% and start the review with a that game isnt great.This shows extreme lack of writting skills + reviewing/critiscism.How is it possible to give a game a perfect score and then 1 line down saying that it isnt perfect.It makes me wonder if those guys up there have ever tried to attend to critiscism lessons or visiting language courses after their school.

Btw,gamespot's review sucked..I hate that guy.I see that gamerankings.com agrees with me,2/5 stars :)

Well,i think we should just play the game and enjoy it

Geez..What score would they give to tetris and pacman if they grade halo2 10/10 ? ;)

[coolman3007]

what are u guys talking about halo was overrate and so is halo2 im mean come on u walk around and shoot stuff how stupid is that :Poke: :doh: :banana: :drum: :guitar: :bonk: :slap:

[Fox 6]

what are u guys talking about halo was overrate and so is halo2 im mean come on u walk around and shoot stuff how stupid is that :Poke: :doh: :banana: :drum: :guitar: :bonk: :slap:
maybe...just maybe...its a FPS.

[Null]

i....thought it was a racing game?

or wait! its a FPSA First person Space Adventure! lol

[Canyarion]

or wait! its a FPSA First person Space Adventure! lol:D

Also, MP2 is not half as 'big' as Halo2... Metroid Prime was never as popular as Halo. Like an underdog.

[Null]

:D

Also, MP2 is not half as 'big' as Halo2... Metroid Prime was never as popular as Halo. Like an underdog.

Whats that have to do with anything i said? :hmm:


but no, MP isnt as 'big' of a game as halo is. But there are games out there bigger and more hyped than halo.

it deserves the scores it gets. I myself tho find it hard to give any console FPS good reviews cuz i keep comparing them to pc fps's. i suppose its not fair to do that. but eh *shrugs* games are games.

[Canyarion]

The impending release of MP2 will probably be just as big for Nintendo fans as Halo 2 has been for XBox. It had something to do with THAT.

I was just ':D-ing' about your FPSA comment. :p

[DarkMaster]

http://gamestop.com/

[Dark_Elf]

just check the url i gave and then the thread is over

[Null]

just check the url i gave and then the thread is over


i find it best to give up. i've been throwin around that link for almost 2 years. and people still search for scores individually.

[KillerGremlin]

I just played my way through some of the earlier parts of Halo 2, and wow. I'm amazed. The hype hasn't been bull****, and while many of the complaints are probably true, they aren't surfacing yet.

Halo 2 has been ALL THAT. The level design is superb, the graphics are great, the physics are yummy. Hey, Halo 2 kicks ass!

I just want to get it online, and that's being a bitch. I have a (working) connection going to my Xbox, but I can't get onto Xbox Live. I'm assuming that the servers are flooded and Microsoft ran out of Bandwith.

Hopefully I can get on tonight.

=/

[Dyne]

I just played my way through some of the earlier parts of Halo 2, and wow. I'm amazed. The hype hasn't been bull****, and while many of the complaints are probably true, they aren't surfacing yet.

Halo 2 has been ALL THAT. The level design is superb, the graphics are great, the physics are yummy. Hey, Halo 2 kicks ass!

I just want to get it online, and that's being a bitch. I have a (working) connection going to my Xbox, but I can't get onto Xbox Live. I'm assuming that the servers are flooded and Microsoft ran out of Bandwith.

Hopefully I can get on tonight.

=/


Jesus, Amen. I played multiplayer with my friend and my brother for an hour, and I'm blown away. I could stick to just playing this multiplayer with my friends, and I'd give it at least 9/10.

[Professor S]

09&>^,The fanboy comment I was talking about was saying that there has never been a game before Halo 2 to get the same kind of respone, which is just untrue. Judging from The Strangler's comment alone, it would be easy to believe that Halo 2 is the first great game ever, which its not.

Again, for those who like to ignore parts of a post, I am not denying the alleged awesomeness of Halo 2. I'm sure it is a wonderful game and plan on, at the oh so very least, renting it at some point. I'm just saying Halo 2 is not the first awesome game.


*shrugs and walks away*

Link, calm down. You question the intelligence of my post and accuse me of being a fanboy when I said that I, as in me myslef and I have never seen a response to a game like this, and I haven't... ever. I never said that no game period received a reception like Halo 2, I specifically said I hadn't. I also never said that Halo 2 was the first awesome game. You put those words in all our mouths.

The next time you want to accuse someone of being fanboyish or making unintelligent posts, why not check your screen name and avatar and then how you compared Halo 2 scores to Ocarina of Time... a little curious, no?

Anyway, enough time arguing with bitter boy, and back to playing Halo 2.

[Ginkasa]

Link, calm down. You question the intelligence of my post and accuse me of being a fanboy when I said that I, as in me myslef and I have never seen a response to a game like this, and I haven't... ever. I never said that no game period received a reception like Halo 2, I specifically said I hadn't. I also never said that Halo 2 was the first awesome game. You put those words in all our mouths.

I concede and apologize. However, it was still a fairly naive comment. You post regularly at two video game forums and you claim to have never seen something like this? It isn't all that rare.

The next time you want to accuse someone of being fanboyish or making unintelligent posts, why not check your screen name and avatar and then how you compared Halo 2 scores to Ocarina of Time... a little curious, no?

Yes, I am a fan of Zelda. A huge fan of Zelda. Naturally, I would hold a better knowledge of Zelda's scores than of some other game that I'm not a fan of. And the comparison was completely legit; OoT did receive critical acclaim, and still does 6 years later.

Also, I don't believe that I throw many, if any, fanboy comments around about Zelda. I praise it, yes, and I recognize the achievements, but I don't recall making unintelligent posts about it; not recently anyway. The only time I recall ever being a fanboy about Zelda would be during our Character Battles, and that was, more or less, intentional (got to support the team ;)).

Anyway, enough time arguing with bitter boy, and back to playing Halo 2.

Bitter boy. Clever.


*shrugs and walks away*

[Crash]

the ending is super freaking gay.... but it did end just like i thought it would... stupid gay ending.... worse than the matrix

[Professor S]

I concede and apologize. However, it was still a fairly naive comment. You post regularly at two video game forums and you claim to have never seen something like this? It isn't all that rare.

If this isn't all that rare, why is it the first game that has outscored Ocarina of Time, a game that came out many many years ago? That makes no sense.

No, I have never seen a game get an reaction like this since I started going online in 2001, and neither have you since that time noted by the fact that so far it has outscored Ocarina of Time.

I still don't see what problem you have with my statement. It was initially meant as an innocent reactionary comment, but you went and criticized it and then went ahead and in your posts on this thread proved me CORRECT. So what is your problem with my comment?

The mind boggles.

[Ginkasa]

If this isn't all that rare, why is it the first game that has outscored Ocarina of Time, a game that came out many many years ago? That makes no sense.

No, I have never seen a game get an reaction like this since I started going online in 2001, and neither have you since that time noted by the fact that so far it has outscored Ocarina of Time.

I still don't see what problem you have with my statement. It was initially meant as an innocent reactionary comment, but you went and criticized it and then went ahead and in your posts on this thread proved me CORRECT. So what is your problem with my comment?

The mind boggles.


Now that Halo 2 has more than 13 reviews, OoT and it are more or less tied (OoT leads in the Main Score, but they are tied in Overall; again, I don't know which to count). So I have not proved you correct.

I just personally feel that the original Halo was way overhyped and overrated. It was a good game, but not nearly the perfect experience that some make it out to be. It just annoys me when people start praising it like the one and only game that needs ever have existed (and Halo 2 that only needs to exist later).

I overreacted and again, I apologize.


*shrugs and walks away*

[Professor S]

Now that Halo 2 has more than 13 reviews, OoT and it are more or less tied (OoT leads in the Main Score, but they are tied in Overall; again, I don't know which to count). So I have not proved you correct.

No, you still did, seeing that OoT is still many many years older than Halo 2 and still came out before I started following games online.

Personally, I don't see why people get so annoyed because a ton of people loved Halo. Why get angry because a game is popular? I didn't think OoT was all that great. I played it for a month and then it pretty much stayed at the bottom of my stack. I can accept that a ton of people loved the game because I recognize that it was well made and had aspects that many gamers would love. I don't think a lot of Halo Haters have the ability, for whatever reason, to admit that about Halo.

None of this withstanding, I accept your apology.

[Ginkasa]

Sad story:

I was at GameStop today, browsing, when I noticed that they still had a couple of Halo 2 copies on the shelf (O_O). Alas, I had only $20 (:().

*tear*


*shrugs and walks away*