Halo 2 (Xbox)

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The original Halo was an early Xbox game created by Bungie studios, a Microsoft owned and suitably 'right-on' development house. With Microsoft struggling to establish its new console in the Sony-controlled marketplace, Halo created a name for itself and Xbox on the basis it was an extremely good sci-fi FPS (First Person [Perspective] Shooter).

Multiple millions of copies later, and the inevitable sequel was released in ...
...big on sci-fi, so the Halo story bypassed me to a large degree. However, there is a fairly solid and credible story arc permeating all the action, and it all ties in nicely to the gameplay. So nicely in fact, that there is a Halo movie in the making; alas as with most game-o-movies it will likely be crap. Much of the back-story draws from 'best in class' examples from the movies yet this is really no bad thing.

Starting with the cliché; ... more

MY FILTHY ADDICTION

I'm not the most prolific of writers here at Ciao. Even at the best of times, lazy tendencies wrest away inspiration as I attempt to commit pen to paper. However, this unplanned and extended hiatus from my keyboard can be explained; I'm grappling with addiction.

There you go, I've said it. I feel better now. I AM AN ADDICT. I've succumbed to a time pilfering, wasteful and self-destructive habit, which casts Pete Doherty's illicit indulgences in a tamer light than my Nan's passion for peanut crackles and Breakfast with Frost.

HA-LO THERE

The original Halo was an early Xbox game created by Bungie studios, a Microsoft owned and suitably 'right-on' development house. With Microsoft struggling to establish its new console in the Sony-controlled marketplace, Halo created a name for itself and Xbox on the basis it was an extremely good sci-fi FPS (First Person [Perspective] Shooter).

Multiple millions of copies later, and the inevitable sequel was released in November 2004.

IMAGINE NO RELIGION [Uber-Nerd Remix]

I'm not big on sci-fi, so the Halo story bypassed me to a large degree. However, there is a fairly solid and credible story arc permeating all the action, and it all ties in nicely to the gameplay. So nicely in fact, that there is a Halo movie in the making; alas as with most game-o-movies it will likely be crap. Much of the back-story draws from 'best in class' examples from the movies yet this is really no bad thing.

Starting with the cliché; the Human race is under attack from alien invaders three hundred years from now. The invaders, the Covenant, are a deeply religious collection of alien races, with each race holding a different status within the social system. Their aggression towards Humans is supposedly engendered by a puritanical belief that they are morally/spiritually repugnant. You don't have to look too hard for some relevant modern day parallels then!

The Covenant fervently study a mysterious and seemingly long-extinct race - the Forerunners - a more capable people than both the Covenant and Humans, and are held in esteem as the most enlightened race ever to have populated space.

The most impressive architecture left behind from the Forerunners was 'Halo', a huge and unsurprisingly Halo shaped metal space station thousands of kilometres wide, the secrets contained within forming the basis of Covenant study. The original Halo game unearthed some of these horrific secrets, one being that Halo was created as a macabre self-defence mechanism against a terrible, parasitic plague; the other that this self defence mechanism was capable of destroying all life in space, thus could be used as a weapon against humans if channelled correctly.

With time running out for humanity, the battle to prevent the Covenant from unravelling the capabilities of Halo rages on in Halo 2. What neither the Covenant nor Humans appreciate is that their histories, futures and fates are intrinsically linked.

You play the role of Master Chief - a bionic, trained from birth marine with massively enhanced physical capabilities (not some kind of magical self-washing luxury nasal rag as his title suggests). As the last known of his kind, he represents Earth's best hope of infiltrating the Covenant and halting their plans.

DYNAMIC DUEL

Essentially, the campaign mode within Halo 2 requires you to play through a number of set pieces and objectives pertinent to the story progression, whilst avoiding death. This is the stock of all games of this genre, so you'll find no surprises here. Mission objectives are relayed by a female AI computer program, who will give your objectives context against the wider battle. These range from fending off attacks from Covenant drop-ships on Earth, to infiltrating Halo itself and grappling with the horrific Flood virus.

Missions are also dynamic, in that suddenly a new requirement will be foisted upon you mid-level, forcing you to rethink your strategy or make a daring rush into battle against the odds. This is an effective means of drawing you into the feeling of fighting a living battle which could swing at any moment, rather than plodding through a set of pre-determined tasks.

Depending on the location and stage of the game other marines will fight alongside you, occasionally calling locations of Covenant troops and discussing the ebbs and flows of the battle. It is at your discretion whether you protect these relative foot soldiers, although I tend to find them more useful for downed ammunition post-mortem.

What sets Halo apart from the competition from a cosmetic perspective is the scale, scope and atmosphere applied in every instance. From the battle-ravaged streets of New Mombassa on Earth, through to giant Space Cruisers and the mystifying/horrifying corridors of Halo itself, each stage of the story is played out on the grandest of scales. The visuals are fantastic for a home console, with vibrant colours, rich environments (one battle is staged with an enormous Earth looming from the glass frontage of a space-cruiser) and an excellent level of incidental detail a lazier programmer would have omitted. Character animations are also marvellous; your Covenant rivals can each jump, dive and move in a very convincing and 'organic' manner.

To compliment the visuals, the award-winning soundtrack of Halo 2 does much to immerse you in the experience. Orchestral scores reminiscent of Star Wars greet the more tense moments in battle, while the brief moments of eerie calm are accompanied by the acoustic purity of Choristers. This is effectively a near movie-quality soundtrack in-game, so trust me when I state you won't always notice it, but you'll always appreciate it.

ELITE GRUNTING

So Halo rates highly among those who judge books by their covers. Thankfully, the gameplay delivers on a similar and equally deep scale. Let's start with the Covenant opposition. As mentioned, the tiered social system is also reflected on the Battlefield; for example, Grunts are the least powerful yet most prevalent member of the Covenant force, and tend to operate in teams under the command of an Elite. Jackals are braver than Grunts, better equipped, yet physically just as frail. Each have their own diverse appearances, behaviours and respective strengths/weaknesses to counter and exploit.

The main facet not present in many games of this ilk is an advanced Artificial Intelligence, which takes many months of programming to create realistic behaviours. An Elite for example will attempt to flank you, run for cover when injured, throw down covering fire, and try to brain you with its gun if you stray too close. Should an Elite be killed in action, the accompanying Grunts will cease fire and retreat, screaming in horror as you chase the little critters down with a Shotgun. This brings some strategy into play, as you can save a great deal of work by picking the right target at appropriate times. Pleasingly, there are around a dozen variants of opposition to grapple with.

ENORMOUS WEAPONS

Halo's weaponry is as diverse as the Covenant opposition, and is perhaps what really lends the game such balance and versatility. Both the Humans and Covenant have separate technologies, and this is reflected in the arsenals of each. During the game, you can recover dropped weapons from either comrades or enemies. Rather than being gimmicky, this feature enhances tactics, as the Covenant weapons are based on plasma and light, the Human equivalents on ballistics. Moreover, they can be used in tandem to devastating effect; finding the most destructive combinations and where they are best employed is an integral part of the experience. Whether you are sniping from distance or getting up close and personal, there is a weapon for every occasion (which sounds very much like an ad for the Chippendales).

The use of vehicles is more often than not terribly realised in shooting games, however Bungie has performed a minor miracle in making them not only functional, but superb fun to utilise. Following the same Ying/Yang system as the weapons, you can either board a gun turreted Jeep with fellow marines and cause mayhem, doughnutting into a group of Grunts whilst honking the horn triumphantly, or conversely hijack a Covenant 'Ghost' (a bit like a hovering alien-esque motorbike with guns) and turn its attentions on the previous owner. Whatever your decision, a beautiful and bloody intergalactic chaos usually ensues.

To continue the Dark/Light balance, the campaign mode also demands you play as a Covenant Elite at times, which is an unlikely and unique twist. His presence is really a vehicle for telling the Covenant's story, and how the Master Chief and this particular Elite 'The Arbiter' are destined on a collision course later in the game. Exile and failure spur this Elite to success in a final suicide mission, and it's a nice departure from the standard missions. To be fair, the gameplay is almost identical in these sections, yet as an atmospheric touch this feature is nicely implemented.

Finally, you can also drag your other half around the campaign mode on the same screen should you wish, which is almost identical to the single player mode.

FACING MY DEMONS

So, c.1500 words in and I have reviewed approximately 1/10 of what Halo 2 is really all about. My addiction lies not with the Campaign as described, but elsewhere. It has cost me more hours of valuable real-life than any game I ever owned. It almost killed my Ciaoing. Hell, it almost made my girlfriend cry. It's the multiplayer online mode and it very nearly ruined me. I'm not joking. I wish I was.

For the price of an internet connection and router, plus a £40 subscription to Xbox Live, you can hook up with people from all over the world to participate in the Halo 2 multiplayer mode. Far from being an added extra, this is an entire game in itself. Believe me, if you're reading this and enjoyed the campaign; DO NOT be tempted by this unless you care not for loved ones, friends and careers.

ORGANISED VIOLENCE

Drawing inspiration from the main game, Halo's multiplayer places you in arenas reminiscent of the main campaign, assigns you to a colour-coded team and gives you an objective. Whether this be capturing an opposition flag, planting a bomb in the enemy base, holding territories for a specified time, or simply killing each other first to fifty, there is always a common goal; send the opposition packing under a hail of grenades/bullets etc. As a form of organised sci-fi violence, Halo has no equal. It has no equal in terms of online gaming. The chaos as 16 people grapple over a captured flag, inching it ever closer to the target, with rocket launchers, grenades, snipers and gun turrets homing in on you, is utterly exhilarating. Don't laugh, it really is.

Another draw of Halo online is the ease in which you can enter a game, and the deep level of competition thereafter. Most games online operate much like internet chat rooms, which necessitates dropping in on a group of random people and arranging a game. To make games fairer and less random in nature, Bungie have created the coveted 'Matchmaking' system, whereby you are allotted a ranking of 1 - 50 in each play list (a play list being the different game variants such as every man for himself 'Rumble Pit', or 4 v 4 'Team Skirmish' etc etc.). Your rank subsequently determines your opposition, as you can only be matched against players of similar skill. After the action, the victors take 'experience points' from the losers, and the respective ranks are recalculated. These calculations are based on the ELO system, originally devised to represent the skill and rank of chess players.

This system seems to unleash an unparalleled competitive streak in participants, so I would recommend any young and innocent ears are kept away from the headset provided with the Xbox Live subscription. Most players are based in the U.S., so you can imagine the result of such elevated testosterone levels.

The level concepts are unrivalled, varying from advanced Covenant space craft to dusty ancient graveyards, following both symmetrical and asymmetrical formats. Every arena has its own context within the Halo story, and boasts interactive features such as moveable scenery, retractable gates, air vents etc, all designed to have a relevance to combat. Bungie have painstakingly tested each arena for balance ensuring that no matter what game you're playing, no matter what area you begin from, you have a realistic chance of victory.

ROY OF THE ROVERS

Another excellent feature of Halo is the Friends/Clan system (this sounds so sad). Should you play with or against someone you particularly warm to, you can add them to a personal list of up to 100 players, so you can see when they are present online. Simply send them a 'Party Invite' and they can join up with you to enter the Matchmaking system together in parties of 2 - 8 players. Creating a 'Clan' enables you to draft players into a specified team then enter into battle, matching up against other Clans to gain team experience points rather than individual. This is where strategy comes into play, as you decipher who is most effective performing which roles, and communicating and playing as a unit.

Having never really dabbled in online gaming before, I have to say I was surprised at the demographic present within the community. Expecting a dour mix of Star Trek enthusiasts and philatelists, I have encountered some very mature, witty and fun people online in Halo, many of whom were 'Live Virgins' too. Entering into a game with the right people can be hilarious, as Halo online consistently throws up some classic comedic moments of heroism and utter stupidity in equal measures. Cue Roy of the Rovers-like improbable feats of skill to save your stricken team-mates via a hopeful grenade tossed from across the arena, or utter disbelief as you annihilate your entire squad with an eager yet horribly misplaced Rocket.

The cherry topping the Live cake has to be the ability to create private games for you and your online 'friends' to enjoy outside of Matchmaking. Should you have finally had your fill of American accents emanating from your headset, simply invite your British comrades for a fisrt-to-50 and make the game private. Just add beer.

Halo 2 online has consumed my spare sofa time for months. That's how good it is. It may sound like a nerdy pastime, but ultimately what's more sociable - playing videogames alone or with people from all over the world? I've spoken to and played alongside people from Mexico, Canada, the U.S., Egypt; it's as educational as games are going to get. I've had some interesting and entertaining conversations about dialect, cultures and lifestyles with my foreign friends all whilst having a quick blast on this truly great game. If you own an Xbox, this is as high a recommendation as you'll get from me. Five stars, no question.

RRP £39.99 - going cheaper second hand nowadays
Xbox Live - £39.99 - 1 year subscription + Headset
http://www.bungie.net/Games/Halo2/
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