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Did Halo 2 damage Bungie's credibility?

I'm not talking about in terms of sales or anything.

But sooner or later, they will start hyping Halo 3. I'm sure there is going to be some tantalizing media for it, but as far as delivering the goods, is Bungie's word still credible?

Of course, this topic is inspired by the relative disappointment of Halo 2, all the things that were promised, all the time they were supposed to have (it won't rushed!), the abrupt end of the game and even the misleading advertizing (dark10x, give it up).
 
No. Halo 2 is a "disspointment" because the hype was incredible and beacuse the shitty end. It´s still a great game and Bungie is still a rock solid developer that you can trust.
 
:lol @ Shog

I'm pretty happy with how Halo 2 turned out, abrupt ending and all. I don't think they have a credibility problem. In fact, I'd say that Halo 2 actually lived up to the hype.
 
Halo 2 just gets shit becuase it's popular. It's a good game, which people still play due to high xbox live popularity. If anyone has "lost faith" in bungie due to comparing halo one to halo 2, that's pretty ridiculous.

When something's hyped as going to be "the greatest of all time" it's definitely impossible to live up to that.
 
The game could have used a bit more bugtesting, and the game support was severely lacking in the first few months. Yet somehow I'm still looking forward to the next Halo, even if it's MP-only.
 
I'm making this post from a Microsoft Server, so it may be slightly filtered.

My expectations for Halo 3 are lower than Halo 2, definitely. Single player (Bleep). Multi-player (bleep). The vehicle (bleep) physics were (bleep) where (bleep) as much (bleep) as halo 1's.
It (bleep)ed.

TO SUM UP: BUY MICROSOFT PRODUCTS MY FRIEND OR RELATIVE OR STRANGER.
 
Honestly, short term yes. Long term no.

Like anything could have lived to that amount of hype. However most people are past single player now, and multi player is where Halo 2 truly shines. (post-update)

Also as long as sub-par console FPS's are the norm rather than the exception, that only works in Halo 2's favor... or kills the genre.

Will Halo 3 have as big an opening day as 2, probably not. But if Bungie nails it, it could be what Halo was to Xbox. Moving 1 to 1 with the system for years.
 
I think it depends on the person...

The Halo saga seems to mirror Metal Gear Solid thus far...

The original is released, everyone falls in love and it alone becomes a reason to own a certain system. Sequel is announced and shown (though MGS2's footage was actually accurate, unlike Halo 2). People proceed to go nuts. The launch of the new game approaches with great excitement. When it finally sees release, we find out that each game had quite a suprise awaiting people just a short way in (suprise characters). A lot of people essentially end up hating the two games and claim the series have fallen as a result. Halo 2 is a wee bit different only as a result of multiplayer...

Like MGS2, I LOVE Halo 2 and often find myself defending it. I appreciate what they did with both games, while most fans do not...

Hopefully like MGS3, Halo will return and steal everyone's hearts once again. :)
 
Dude, no. Halo 2's multiplayer is great. My friends and I still play it all the time, thanks to its depth.
 
My only beed with Halo 2 was the single-player. I still play Halo 2 on Xbox Live to this day, and did almost everyday up until just July. And that is an accomplishment for a developer to hook someone on their game that long.

However, the single-player was undoubtedly rushed and not finished. Bungie didn't implement any of the new AI features that were talked about...The design went straight down hill after you leave Earth and just become grab two guns, and run straight while shooting. No massive battles anymore, or storming the beach, or sniping in the dark, or anything like that in Halo: Combat Evolved. It just lacked good game design after the first couple of hours.

Oh and going back to Xbox Live...It took Bungie an obnoxiously long time to completely fix the cheating. Hopefully next time though with Halo 3, they will come prepared for the cheaters.

Other than that I still have faith in Bungie...Just a bit less than I did when I was playing Halo: CE's single-player every day, and staring at screens of Halo 2.
 
However, the single-player was undoubtedly rushed and not finished. Bungie didn't implement any of the new AI features that were talked about...The design went straight down hill after you leave Earth and just become grab two guns, and run straight while shooting. No massive battles anymore, or storming the beach, or sniping in the dark, or anything like that in Halo: Combat Evolved. It just lacked good game design after the first couple of hours.
That's just not true...

The AI did not see all major improvements, but they did improve them in a number of ways. Both games still feature AI leagues above almost everything else.

The design of the levels was quite different, but very solid and well directed. They also addressed the "repeating area" problems that so many complained about. The Arbiter missions were a unique change of pace and I really enjoyed them. Master Chief generally faced very similar situations as in the first game. The two missions on Delta Halo were fantastic both in design and scope. Most of the battles in Halo were not "massive" in comparison to Halo 2. I know what you are thiking of, but it wasn't as large as most people remember and it didn't occupy the entire mission.

Also, the original Halo was even more rushed.

I do agree, though, that there is no single mission as memorable as the best in Halo 1.
 
So, what your saying is that the masses who bought an Xbox to play Halo and then purchased Halo 2 upon release will actually care about the finer points enough to not buy Halo 3 when it appears?

Assuming that you're right, and there were some sort of massive problem with Bungie and their development and such (and that's a hefty assumption to make around these parts), I can't see the Halo zealots caring enough to change their buying habits.

Why don't you make another post asking if EA's shoddy game design damages their credibility enough to hurt the sales of the next Madden.
 
Nah, Halo 2 is a fantastic game it just didnt live up to the originals brilliance (single player)

Halo is still the current standard for console FPS

Delta Halo if fucking brilliant
 
Halo 2 was an excellent game. The poor ending wasnt actually as bad as people make it out to be. Calling Halo 2 average or a poor game is just stupid, and doing so makes you stupid.
 
it sure did with me, but not for lame reasons like "it didnt live up to the hype" or "i didnt like the ending"... more for the fact that they made multiplayer suck with (1) the whole matchmaking fiasco and (2) the game being cheated to death
 
credibility, to the hardcore, yes [in terms of sales, maybe]. but that reputation was tarnished in halo 1 [aswell as halo 2].

bungie produced a good console/pc fps, with great multiplayer and okay single player.

however, bungie's level design, and overall game design, for a single player game, needs work.

overall i consider bungie to be a good developer, not a great one.
 
Not even in the slightest. Having a few hardcore vocal minority complain (over and over again) and cite their anecdotal evidence of 'one of my friends doesn't think it's as good too' is not the majority.

The vast majority of gamers have a higher opinion of Bungie after Halo 2... not lower. Halo 3 will be off the chart in gamer excitement... no matter how many nintendo fanboys try to derail it with false claims of supposedly playing and not liking Halo 2.

Bungie are gods. Halo isn't even their greatest game. Myth: The Fallen Lords is.
 
is this the requisite Halo trolling thread of the week? I mean, we've already had the requisite PS2 demo trolling thread, and the requisite Gamecube sucks thread, I guess someone decided we needed the Halo trolling thread?

The game is more polished with tighter gameplay than 95% of the FPS games out there. It might not be the greatest of all time (which, IMO, it isn't, not even the best of it's own year - Half Life 2 is better, again IMO), but the game is still fun. People just bitch because it's the flagship title of the xbox.
 
People just bitch because it's the flagship title of the xbox.

Not me, the first one is one of the best game that I've played but H2 is.........let just say that I still want to forget that it happen, and no isn't just a vocal minority that criticize this game.
 
Gaijin To Ronin said:
No. Halo 2 is a "disspointment" because the hype was incredible and beacuse the shitty end. It´s still a great game and Bungie is still a rock solid developer that you can trust.

Bingo. Great game, brilliant multi-player, excellent follow-up support. Case closed.
 
however, bungie's level design, and overall game design, for a single player game, needs work.
Now, that's just so wrong. They clearly understand aspects of game design that most other FPS developers have never even THOUGHT of...but let's not even go there. If you guys love your generic FPS games, fine, enjoy them.

Bullshit, Bungie cemented their brilliance with Halo. Before Halo i didnt even know who Bungie were.
A lot of people didn't, but they have been making great games for a long time. The only time they really stumbled was with Oni (though I know SOMEONE who absolutely loves it). Most of their previous work was gold...and Halo was no different.
 
ziran said:
but that reputation was tarnished in halo 1 [aswell as halo 2].

Bullshit, Bungie cemented their brilliance with Halo.

You only have to see the industry awards Halo was rewarded with, the consesus is that Halo is an outstanding achivement.
 
FiRez said:
and no isn't just a vocal minority that criticize this game.
oh yeah? so you polled the whole gaming world huh? face it, you're talking out of your ass. and even if you sampled every message board in the world, you wouldn't be close to the majority.
 
and no isn't just a vocal minority that criticize this game.


True. Most Americans complain nightly about Halo 2 at dinner.


Dad: "WTF is teh Arbiter?"

Grandma: "He's the plant-thing that eats you."

Mom: "Grandma, that's the Gravemind not the Arbiter."

Grandma: "Well the Plasma pistol is still a bitch-noob weapon, so fuck you."
 
Stinkles said:
True. Most Americans complain nightly about Halo 2 at dinner.


Dad: "WTF is teh Arbiter?"

Grandma: "He's the plant-thing that eats you."

Mom: "Grandma, that's the Gravemind not the Arbiter."

Grandma: "Well the Plasma pistol is still a bitch-noob weapon, so fuck you."


:lol :lol
 
dark10x said:
Now, that's just so wrong. They clearly understand aspects of game design that most other FPS developers have never even THOUGHT of...but let's not even go there. If you guys love your generic FPS games, fine, enjoy them.


A lot of people didn't, but they have been making great games for a long time. The only time they really stumbled was with Oni (though I know SOMEONE who absolutely loves it). Most of their previous work was gold...and Halo was no different.
Oni doesn't count cause Lord of Bungie, Jason Jones, wasn't in on it. :D I don't count anything unless Jason Jones does it. ;)
 
Stinkles said:
True. Most Americans complain nightly about Halo 2 at dinner.


Dad: "WTF is teh Arbiter?"

Grandma: "He's the plant-thing that eats you."

Mom: "Grandma, that's the Gravemind not the Arbiter."

Grandma: "Well the Plasma pistol is still a bitch-noob weapon, so fuck you."

Dad: "At least she's not a camping sword bitch, GRANDMA"
 
IMO yes they did overhype it, and I was disappointed with it. The ending sucked, and the majority of the main game was very below average

Multiplayer was fun but ruined by cheating, and it's taken far too long to fix. I gave up waiting and sold it before the rest of the new maps came out

I loved the first game, enjoyed the second but I doubt I'll even buy the third game
 
Stinkles said:
True. Most Americans complain nightly about Halo 2 at dinner.


Dad: "WTF is teh Arbiter?"

Grandma: "He's the plant-thing that eats you."

Mom: "Grandma, that's the Gravemind not the Arbiter."

Grandma: "Well the Plasma pistol is still a bitch-noob weapon, so fuck you."

I neither said that. look how many units Halo2 sold and how many are unique players on Live, certainly most of them bought the game for the SP, and where are the top players of H:CE zyos, stk, etc?
but thanks you actually participated in critique to Halo 2.
 
I say yes.

The game just didn't do anything for me. I rather enjoyed the level with the big walking turtle boss or whatever that was, but aside from that and the occasionally (very) pretty graphics, I didn't find too much to like.

Master Chief has zero personality. His voice is particularly grating. (The sound quality was so poor, I remember being shocked and absolutely embarrassed for the developers by a few scenes late in the game.)

Halo 2 may not have been as repetitive as the original, but it was still too repetitive for my liking. And the ending... well, I don't need to tell you about that.

While I'm talking (and not donning my Kevlar suit, as I really don't care about any forthcoming flames), I really didn't enjoy multiplayer that much, either. So as soon as I finished slogging through that dreaded SP game, my collector's edition Halo 2 went right back to Gamestop. I got $18 for it, and I considered myself fortunate at the time.

So yeah, I'm unlikely to buy a Halo 3.
 
I loved Halo but thought the single player of Halo 2 was a disaster. it was like every aspect of Halo I hated (which wasn't much really) times a hundred. I mean, Halo 1 had some questionable level design at points, but they were relatively few, and everything else was great. Halo 2 though, it's like Bungiue went "okay, people didn't like the repetitive environments, or the corridor shooting of shit like The Library in Halo 1, but everything else was gold. I know, let's shovel a sequel down their throats which is ALL corridor shooting and repetitive level design in shitty, dark, claustrophobic environments, and chuck in a totally retarded plot as well!! They're bound to grow to like it sooner or later!!"

Seriously, Halo 2 single player was incredibly mediocre. I REALLY hope Halo 3 is much, MUCH more like Halo 1, because if we get another game like Halo 2 from Bungie I won't be giving them the time of day.
 
Prine said:
Bullshit, Bungie cemented their brilliance with Halo.

You only have to see the industry awards Halo was rewarded with, the consesus is that Halo is an outstanding achivement.

Bungie actually cemented their brilliance with the Marathon games :D

Halo's definitely the standard for console FPSes... but there is still a lot they could add to it to make it even better. So I'm actually excited for Halo 3, more than I was for 2 at least.
 
and the majority of the main game was very below average
I GIVE UP!

People are unable to tell the difference between disappointint and low quality...

You were disappointed? Wonderful, doesn't mean it was actually of low quality.
 
FiRez said:
I neither said that. look how many units Halo2 sold and how many are unique players on Live, certainly most of them bought the game for the SP, and where are the top players of H:CE zyos, stk, etc?
but thanks you actually participated in critique to Halo 2.

The top players are playing H2 competitively, check mlgpro.com
 
Prine said:
Bullshit, Bungie cemented their brilliance with Halo.

You only have to see the industry awards Halo was rewarded with, the consesus is that Halo is an outstanding achivement.
that doesn't mean i have to like it.

halo brought a new wave of fps games to consoles, which is a great thing, but i found both 1 and 2 to be overrated. however, they are still good games.
 
I never really liked Halo too much. They are both very solid games but have long been surpassed by PC FPS. Half Life / Half Life 2 destroy Halo's single player experience and games like Counter Strike, Battlefield 2, etc put it's multiplayer to shame.

If I didn't play PC FPS I may have liked the games better though. Just seemed like a generic retread more than anything else. :\
 
dark10x said:
I GIVE UP!

People are unable to tell the difference between disappointint and low quality...

You were disappointed? Wonderful, doesn't mean it was actually of low quality.

Of course there is a difference. Just like there's a difference between you thinking it's good and it actually being good.

Fine then...I THOUGHT it was very poor due to about 5-6 repetitive levels, boring story twists, stupid bosses and very dull, monotonous environments.
 
duderon said:
Seriously, don't compare the two. They're two different beasts.

Uh Half Life 2 is a first person shooter. Halo 2 is a first person shooter. They are very fucking comparable.

IMO, HL2 is far much better enjoyable / quality experience than Halo 2 by FAR. Same goes for multiplayer.
 
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