Now Playing: Halo 2

I remember having some pretty mixed feelings about the Halo 2 campaign when it originally released in 2004. I don’t think I actually played it through more than once or twice. That was partly due to the game having some pretty bad technical issues on the original X-Box, with tediously long load times, poor frame rates and a lot of levels where textures simply didn’t load properly.

So I was curious to see how or if my impressions of the game would change with this PC release. Certainly, the technical problems are no longer a consideration, but what about everything else? Well, after completing Halo 2 again both in solo and co-op, I can say I still have pretty mixed feelings about it.

Halo 2, in many ways, is a more ambitious game than its predecessor. The plot is more complex, delving into the political structure of the Covenant and their religious hierarchy. The missions are split between playing as Master Chief and the Arbiter – an elite who comes to question the wisdom and the truth of those who command him.

 

Playing as the ‘enemy’ for half of the game was a pretty risky move, although they never actually put you in a situation where you’ll be fighting humanity as the Arbiter. The environments are more varied and complex, as are the enemies you fight. There’s a lot I can appreciate about Halo 2 as a game in terms of story and design but, unfortunately, I’m still a little disappointed by it.

Because the campaign is split, you end up feeling like you’re only getting half a story for both characters. The campaign, overall, is also shorter than the original game. The missions become increasingly linear as you progress, with both the Chief and the Arbiter stuck in what feels like an endless series of recycled corridors and copy-paste rooms.

Halo 1 had a similar problem, but not quite to this degree. The game feels increasingly rushed and hastily knocked together as you go which, given the well documented development issues of Halo 2, shouldn’t come as a surprise.

That said, the campaign does get off to a fantastic start. In fact, I’d say that Halo 2, despite its flaws, has some of the most enjoyable combat and levels of the entire series. But it does, sadly, turn into something of a slog as you progress, before eventually concluding in a way that’s not entirely satisfying.

 

Whilst I can understand some people preferring the classic visuals of Halo 1, I don’t see how anyone could prefer the classic visuals of Halo 2. My god, does the original game look ugly today. Thankfully, the remastered visuals are excellent, as are the updated, CGI cut-scenes.

The combat of Halo 2 is as fun and engaging as you’d expect and I certainly like the story aspects. But the game, overall, falls short of the original in terms of level design, length and providing a satisfying campaign.

There are moments of brilliance and some genuinely excellent levels, but Halo 2 is a game that was essentially pieced together in a hurry and that’s exactly what it feels like to play. In a way, it’s impressive how good the game is despite those developmental issues. It’s certainly worth picking up and playing if you liked Halo 1 or Reach, but don’t set your expectations too high.

7/10