After the huge success of Halo: Combat Evolved, could Bungie live up to the hype in the sequel? Let's find out:
Gameplay: Like the previous installement, the game is linear. This time, missions are far from being open-ended. Thecampaign is simmilar to the CE's one. You have 2 weapons and you go from checkpoint to checkpoint. This time, you can use 2 weapons at the same time. There are some points in the campaign where you drive a vehicule. You can also play the campaign in coop. When you boot the game, you get to choose your Xbox Live profile. With it you will be able to play the multiplayer. You are able to customise your online character models. You can play as a spartan or an Elite but there is no difference between the 2. You can create your own game mode. There is alots of maps and game mode and all of this is available on the Xbox Live.
Graphics: Environnements are beatiful. However, it is very far from being the best-looking game on the market in 2004. Sometimes, it even manages to look worse than Halo CE! The variety of the missions partly make up for it.
Atmosphere: Another let-down from Halo CE. You are immersed in the game but it is not even close to the feeling you get when you play CE. However, some missions are atmospheric, especially the ones at the end. The game really tries hard to be epic and badass and succeed, to the price of the feeling of discovery in CE.
Music and Sound Effect: Same level as CE, perfect, badass, epic, atmospheric, chilling, mysterious. Masterful soundtrack, yet again. The sound effects are well done.
Story: After the events of Halo: Combat Evolved, Master Chief manages to go to Earth. However, the moment of peace is quickly interrupted by the Convenant, which finnaly found the Earth. Meanwhile, in the holy capital city of the Convenant, High Charity, an Elite commander from Halo CE is about to be executed. This is probably the best story in the franchise.
Characters: Very memorable like the first one, Master Chief, Cortana, Lord Hood, Miranda Keyes, Sgt. Johnson, Arbiter,the prophets and many more. The characters are probably even better than in the original.
Innovative or Unique: It pioneered online multiplayer for consoles. On the other hand, it bringed map pack, overpriced DLC, pre-orderes, unfinished and buggy games, short campaigns, multiplayer-based FPS and many other horrible things to the table.
Verdict: One of the best game in the 6th generation of gaming
+ Extremely fun campaign
+ Best story in the series
+ Best characters in the series
+ Masterful music
+ Deep online mode
+ Character model cutomisation
+ Game modes creation
+ Pioneer of console online multiplayer
- Linear
- Graphics could have been better
- Short campaign
Gameplay: 9.4
Graphics: 8.5
Story: 10
Music/Sound Effects: 10
Atmosphere: 9.5
Characters: 10
Innovation/Unique: 10
Overral: 9.8