Halo 2 FAQ and Rumors by our Halo 2 Guru – Article

Halo 2 is one of the most anticipated games releases of ALL TIME. Now thanks to Thumb Bandits member Nathan Miller you can get the lowdown on all the frequently asked questions and rumors surrounding this mega release.

Halo 2 FAQ/Rumors
Ive read about every Halo 2 article and seen every Halo 2 screen shot, wallpaper, and movie. I’m sure most of you have seen the movies but there are fine details in the articles that have introduced new things. Ive taken it upon myself just to keep everyone as up to date as possible. We gave our input and unlike any other developer they actually listened. Let’s see how Bungie met our needs.

Single Player
As seen in the E3 2003 demonstration we see the Master Chief is on his way back to earth, but when he comes home he is surprised to find that Earth is under invasion by the Covenant forces. Right from the start you are introduced to new things. But what are they? How do they work? This is all I know Enjoy!

Features - First of all I would like to talk about the new feature of dual wielding. Dual Wielding speaks for itself but how does it control? Well unlike Halo 1 where your L trigger is your grenade button Halo 2 utilizes both triggers one trigger to fire each dual wielded weapon . You pick up a second weapon by using Y and can only throw grenades while only one weapon is out. The marines have finally got their drivers license hehe. Yes that is right the new AI system for Halo allows you to be the gunner instead of the wheel man. While we are talking about AI, Bungie has also added some brand new goodies. For starters the Elites will now be able to jump, dodge, and roll as well as react smartly to combat such as retreat, and talk etc. A cool new addition to the Grunts has been added to which I would like to label “squad tactics”. It enables the Grunts to think for themselves for a change, if a Grunt just saw his whole team killed he will want to retreat and call for reinforcements or regroup or find some suitable cover. The list goes on. You should not be disappointed though this should add a whole new element to Halo in its own way. Something I want to really see as well is the new fully destructible environments, will it be utilized like Half Life 2 or will it be craters everywhere like Red Faction? Who knows :/

Vehicles - The next feature introduced was stealing a vehicle. How this is done is by slowly waiting till the vehicle is smack dab in front of you and by pressing A you have stolen your first vehicle. The Warthog is also back and badder than ever in Halo 2 there are 7 different variations of the warthog. There is also a newly added horn and E-brake that uses both of the triggers. Whether you just want to make alot of noise and distract your foes while your teammates travel in the enemies base, or go at it Project Gotham style the Warthog has it all. Here is a list of the few Warthogs I came across and their descriptions.

Troop Transport (Instead of a gun in the back there is seating)
Snow Orientated (It is white and has treads on it)
Camo Warthog (Camoflaged to specifically blend in with jungle levels)
Normal Warthog
Modified Warthog (Instead of the same old machine gun it carries a weapon that shoots exploding projectiles)
ATV [All Terrain Vehicle] (Yes ladies and gentlemen it was announced. It is also possible to shoot from it too) Sorry but it seems 2 months before the release of Halo 2 the ATV was taken out of the multi-player hopefully it will be in the single player (crosses fingers).

Graphics/Sound - Even though we would like to think that they could all be in there nothing is known for sure as of yet. Lets all just hope they are. Graphically the game is way ahead of its predecessor by using Bump Mapping and Real Time lighting affects to wooooooooh the audience. Even putting screen shots in a comparison you can validly see that Halo 1 has a high contrast when it comes to lighting. But when you look at Halo 2 its darker. That is all part of the new Dynamic Lighting System that can be seen in Doom 3, and Deus Ex 2. As far as sound goes, for you surround sound addicts Halo 2 will be the best experience with your surround system. Positional audio is your friend MWHHAHAHAHA.

Enemies - You want to learn about new and old enemies no prob. If not please feel free to skip this section by any means.

The Brutes. First of all there is the brutes Big hairy aliens solidified with Heavy Armour. It is not good news for the Master Chief as their weaponry is strong and their melee strength is powerful. Some of you might even have a tough time with these fellas. (Hint) Aim for the weak spots in the armour. Or just keep whapping him with your melee attack. Big Armour can also be a bad thing sometimes.
Threat: Really High Sightings: Once in a while

The Prophet’s. Prophets are considered religious figures in Halo 2. But they will be really rare, they are said to be really weak but really powerful. It is also said that they like to lead big groups of baddies into battle. You cant judge a book by its cover however. They are supposed to be powerful magic users so keep that in mind.
Threat: High Sightings: Rare

The Covenant Elite. Probably is the sole heart of the Covenant military. This Elite (shown to the left) is the new model of the Platinum Elite or the Spec Op’s Elite. A normal Elite has the power to destroy up to 10 Marines, their sightings are frequent and sometimes can be dangerous. But the Platinum Elite has the power to take out large numbers of infantry because of his clever camouflage that makes him invisible from sight. The Platinum Elite sightings are rare but their melee weapon has the power to kill a Marine in one single swing.
Threat: High Sightings: Frequent

The Grunts. Probably the ugliest and most annoying smart creatures I have seen from the Halo series. They travel in large numbers carrying a lazer pistol. With one single charge it can deplete Master Chief’s shield so be careful. Though they are extremely weak they are excellent marksman. When they see their chances of dying are great they will retreat till they find another squad to fight with and regroup. Without a moments notice your dead.
Threat:Low/Medium Sightings: Almost all the time

The Jackals. The Jackals are considered an honorable foe, they never rest till their target is dead. The Jackals are well equipped with a Plasma Shield and a Lazer Pistol, while the shield blocks most of the incoming fire. The firing hole that they shoot through on the left side is their weakness. They are also very vulnerable to melee attacks. You shouldn’t find too much difficulty with these bad boys. Unless that is if they are traveling in groups. Be on your guard!
Threat:Medium Sightings: Very Often

The Hunters. Whether they appear in Halo 2 or not they need to be mentioned. The hunter is one baddy that you will think twice about messing with. It is heavily armored and is equipped with a Fuel Rod Gun/cannon for big damage. It is also equipped with a Heavy Shield for melee but everybody has their weak point. Aim between the Armour.
Threat: Extreme Sightings: Often

Upped Arsenal:
Now that you have been introduced to new and reintroduced to old character’s I think it’s about time I tell you about Bungie’s new upped arsenal for 2004.

The Battle Rifle. This is pretty much everyones answer to the pistol sniping crisis. This weapon pretty much speaks for itself with zoom going up to 2x. In zoom mode its firing mode changes to single shot but unzoomed it comes out to a deadly 3 shot burst. Not a bad weapon if I do say so myself.

The SMG or Sub Machine Gun. It pretty much speaks for itself. But it’s also a brand new treat for those Halo fans dying for an Uzi type gun. Even though the automatic gun before it (The Assualt Rifle) does not match up to this beauty. The SMG is one of the many weapons capable of dual wielding and is very powerful if two are held.

The Covenant Carbine. Essentially the answer to the no sniper for the covenant crisis. Essentially a bad answer for the human race. Little is known about this gun accept for it fires just like a carbine. That could be good for the Covenant but bad for the Marines. The Carbine was originally made for Halo 1 but was taken out in the development process for unknown reasons. But you can be sure that this gun will get the job done.

The Pistol. For the longest time I thought they were taking this gun out and it was being replaced by the Battle Rifle, oh boy was I wrong. Even though it’s making a comeback on Halo 2, the most disappointing news ever has come across to me: IT HAS NO SCOPE! Many of you may be disappointed but this is a step up for balancing the gameplay. In Halo 1 this weapon was cheap and brutal. So take that Pistol campers!

Multiplayer
Multiplayer is one of the greatest things about Halo 2. Xbox Live is offered as well as Offline play. Honestly I think that the addition of Multiplayer is one of the greater things that could be added to the game. Not only does it add a more immersive interactive world for players to play in, it is really fun, with that in mind everyone should play the Multiplayer regardless. I would also like to mention that Halo 2’s Multiplayer is going to take its Multiplayer to the next level, how? Well lets take a look.

Features – Firstly what was introduced at the E3 2004’s Multiplayer Demonstration was the new level Zanzibar. Zanzibar is located in Africa and is one of the Covenant’s greatest and last defenses. Zanzibar is fully equipped with awesome defensive locations, and objective based play. FINALLY the MC’s prayers were answered, a new wardrobe. MC gets an Armour upgrade from the old MOLJINIR II Armour to a nicely ab showing piece of comfortableness. MC’s new Armour is fully customizable to symbols, tattoos, and other goodness. Whether you want to go into battle with style or a taste for blood Halo 2’s Multiplayer offers the best of both worlds.

Next to be introduced was the new Dual Wielding feature, which is found to be a powerful technique, especially with two Needlers (which the fire rate was increased) you should be able to get the job done. But what good would having vehicles be if you couldn’t blow the crap out your buddie’s vehicle and make it un-drivable beyond all recognition. Yes fully destructible vehicles is also a major element of the Multiplayer. Say if you were to shoot the back end of a warthog with a Rocket Launcher, sparks would be flying everywhere and the axel would be dragging also your Warthogs Armour will be chewed to bits. Or if you shot a hubcap off with a Pistol Halo 2 has it all.

But once again what would be the point of having vehicles again if you couldn’t make your buddy furious about booting him out of his ride. Like I mentioned in the Single Player section. By timing your movements with the A button you can go slap happy on your friend till he falls out of his vehicle. Something that really caught my interest was the new Nitro boost and the new sounds for the ghost. It looks like Bungie is taking a step in the right direction with their vehicles. Hopefully this feature will work out good. Some weapons have also had an upgrade ie. the rocket launcher. Sure it looks like the old thing but appearances can be deceiving.

As you take a look through the scope and aim at your enemy the cursor will turn a different color and by squeezing and a release of the R trigger your missile will be guided. On a personal note this might hurt the Multiplayer in many ways. Dodging homed rockets will be a hard feat to accomplish and getting multiple Allies inside a base will be a hard task. But we will see how this new feature will fare soon. Zanzibar also has many secrets, you will come to find that Multiplayer levels in Halo 2 will have puzzles and the reward shall be the Covenant Sword. “Sword fights are going to be the new fad they are just so awesome” this is according to MS employees who were offered a Beta of Halo 2’s Multiplayer earlier this year. Zanzibar is fully loaded with wonderful defense positions, objective type gameplay, and fully destructible environments, it’s hard to believe a multiplayer of this stature is coming to the Xbox but believe it.

Levels - So far 3 new levels have been introduced for multiplayer. Two of Three entitled nameless. Many of you already know of Zanzibar but two were mentioned in the first coverage of Halo 2 in OXM. I cannot remember the names off the bat but this is what I do remember. The first level is inside a cave and it sort of resembles your beloved Blood Gulch in many ways, but it seems every level in the Multiplayer is totally massive and as described by OXM, even with a banshee it takes a considerable amount of time to reach the other side. The second level is an outside canyon type level, it is also really long but as in every level in Halo 2’s Multiplayer for the flying lovers, there is also mounted turrets throughout the terrain BE ON THE LOOKOUT! Also 3 of the old maps should be making a reappearance one is only known and that is Blood Gulch. Yes it is back and badder than ever but no comment on any changes.

Mentioned Ditties - I would not lie to my readers this section is 100% true. These were announced features by Bungie themselves without further adieu heres something to think about.

Ive decided to put this section in a bulleted list to spare your eyes.

• Halo 2 will be one of the first games to utilize the new Xbox Live 3.0. Many features are planned to be added to enhance the gameplay but no comment from MS.
• For Xbox Live a single Guest is available. You want to get your friend into some Halo loving action then pull up a controller.
• Fully detailed levels offering Strategy, Puzzles, Obstacles, and Destructive Environments.
• Brand new Clan features making Halo 2 as Clan user friendly as possible. Goodbye SOCOM 2 you will be missed.
• Official tourney’s will be held (With Prizes hopefully).
• If the host leaves the room never fear. There will be a 3 second pause then the server will choose the best connection in the room as the new host. Nifty eh?
• Look for Easter Egg’s
• For Dual Wielding in both Multiplayer and Single Player you can carry a spare gun but changing to that third gun drops the second gun that you were holding.
• Melee attacks in Dual Wielding is possible. But MC will automatically drop one weapon to do so.
• Some old levels from Halo 1’s multiplayer will be reappearing. Look for this.
• As of now all previous weapon’s from Halo 1 will be reappearing. Maybe with some changes in store.
• 16 player Multiplayer with team play up to 4 teams, Offline Co-op is available up to 2 players.
• Inviting Clansmen in Xbox Live could not be easier. You can individually invite your friends to your game, or send a invite to your whole friends list at once. Don’t tell me Bungie is not thinking about us.
• Reservations are offered a Collector’s Edition version of the game. This package is an extra $5 but it comes with a bonus DVD. It contains hours and hours of footage, such as the making of the game or some stuff from Red vs. Blue. The list goes way on. Also as a bonus you get your copy of Halo 2 in a special limited edition steel case. Thank You Bungie.
• Awsome new Covenant vs. Human Multiplayer action.

Rumors
!!!NOTE!!! Rumors are stories spread around by imaginative people. Rumors are sometimes true and sometimes they aren’t, make sure you keep in mind when you read these rumors that these are not confirmed and you should not by any means be angry or disappointed in Halo 2 in any way if these are not. Lets begin shall we. I did not make up any of these rumors myself and the rumor source was Ign.com just to clear some things up. Rumors aren’t always true but sometimes they are, so please hear me out.

Classes – Ok the first set of rumors is the classes of Covenant. As you may know already there is the Grunt, Hunter, Brute, Jackal, Prophet, Platinum Elite but there are rumors of other classes too lets take a look. First of all there is the Grunts the Grunts come in 3 classes Normal Grunt, Gold Grunt, and Platinum Grunt. With none of this actually confirmed its great to keep an open mind though. Next there is the Elite’s. There are the Regular Elite’s, the Gold Elite’s, and the Platinum Elite’s. Two out of the three already exist however.

Levels – HAH now we get to something some people might want to hear the new single player levels. Now according to the rumors there is supposed to be 15 levels on Earth, 5 on a new ring world, and 1 on the Moon. But as like the other rumors none of that is confirmed.

Vehicles - One vehicle has also been rumored. That vehicle is called the Stealth Warthog while 6 of the 7 vehicles is known this is an interesting rumor because this is like a normal Warthog accept with the Original cloaking device that was once offered as a pickup is now a feature in this warthog. Stealth would be so much easier with this kinda of ride.

Weapons - One weapon was rumored. It sounds interesting enough but it is a Covenant Rocket Launcher. Curious as to how it will look or shoot. This rumor may as well be very TRUE. I will have to get back to you on this Rumor in my upcoming review.

Game Modes – Yes a mentioned game mode has been rumored. Co-op online is the likely scenario. Even though it may or may not happen it’s a nifty idea especially for this game but we will see if this rumor is true or not.

Final Note
As you can see by this super long feature Halo 2 has way more to offer than its parent figure. Are these changes for the better? I would absolutely have to give a resounding YES, not only does it have many new features to play with but it also offers a new level of strategy. Should I consider buying this game? I would recommend it to anyone who wants a good FPS and with a good replay value as well. Finally will Halo 2 live up to all the hype? I would certainly hope so, Halo has sold in excess of 4 million copies worldwide (so far) and is a trend all around the world. Bungie better keep their promises because they might not have a bright future ahead. But I have faith it will live up to its reputation.

Like many reviewers have said, Halo 2 is nothing revolutionary, it does not change the way we play games in any way. However it is a much greater Halo than before, and if you are a fan of the first installment I highly recommend you check this out. Even those of you who are new to Halo it’s a must buy on my list. Thanks for reading, I will see you all Online Nov. 9th.

Article by: Nathan Miller/RTD-Spector (2004)

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