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[LavitzSlambert]

It's probably the most hyped I've ever seen anyone for the launch of a video game. Peter Moore's Nov 9 tattoo reveal is one of the greatest moments in Xbox history.

Still have my Limited Edition steelbook like many of you. What I appreciate most is how secretive everybody was about playing half the campaign as the Arbiter. Meanwhile it's alluded to on the manual itself, even to the point of the entire manual reading like a report from from the Covenant's perspective. I also like the little conversations from different characters in the series that was included in a little secondary book, separate from the manual. Pics included below.

Overall, it ended up being the least favorite of the original trilogy - I still think CE is the best game, but 3 is very, very close and 2 is still incredible. The jump from CE to 2 is definitely the biggest in terms of scope, and gameplay. Dual wielding, more vehicles (and hijacking), online multiplayer. Halo 2 multiplayer is some of the most fun I've had online - it was a special time.

 

[Lillie]

GOATED MP - the best Halo MP with the highest skill gap

 

[Rockondevil]

I miss the days when this launched. I don't think I've ever been more anticipated for anything, ever. The hype was ridiculous and it lived u p to it.

 

[twilo99]

 

[manfestival]

dang watching that g4 clip made me nostalgic. One of the coolest things about gaming when physical media was the medium was the fact that people lined up and had that general brick and mortar line with the hype. I went to a few midnight launches and they were always entertaining. Everyone was hyped about each game and the atmosphere was so fun. You just don't get that these days for obvious reasons but still.

 

[DEAD ORIGINAL]

The worst of the bungie Halo games. But still great fun. Dual SMGs rocks!
Maybe I'll have I play tonight.

The worst was reach ruined the multiplayer no ranked numbers armour lock made using the ghost pointless.

 

[diffusionx]

The only game that really topped Halo 2 MP was Halo 3. Singleplayer had... issues, but it's crazy they got the game out they did considering what a disaster the development was.

 

[LavitzSlambert]

The only game that really topped Halo 2 MP was Halo 3. Singleplayer had... issues, but it's crazy they got the game out they did considering what a disaster the development was.

In terms of multiplayer, Halo 3 had the best gameplay but I missed a lot of Halo 2's maps. Halo 2's experience couldn't be recreated, it was one of a kind and EVERYONE was playing it online together. It was THE online multiplayer game before CoD:MW strolled into town and dominated.

Halo 3's campaign had some of the highest highs, but a lot of the levels were pretty mid and Cortana was terrible. If they had taken more cues from CE it wouldn't even be a contest. Halo 2 probably had best variety in the campaign but the amount of time spent fighting the flood early on, and the brutes later sunk it for me. CE had a lot of repetition but still IMO the best overall campaign.

 

[Dr.D00p]

Still waiting for a Halo game with real-time graphics that match the Halo 2 remasters amazing CGI cut scenes...

 

[RAIDEN1]

They should do a Halo 3 remaster

 

[Mr.ODST]

Over the weekend a huge tournament with a lot of old players and new players, doing a full Halo 2 tournament, which brings me back, it's in the Semi-Finals atm

 

[ZehDon]

I remember seeing the screenshots for this in the Official Xbox Magazine, and wondering how it was possible for the jump in graphics on the same hardware! While the campaign's ending left me unsatisfied release weekend, I've ultimately come to love it as part of the trilogy.

 

[Drew1440]

Halo 2 is now supported on Insignia (OG Xbox Live restored)

 

[Ceadeus]

What a release and a time in gaming. We didn't know we were at the best era. It was also at a time when people didn't have cell phones and social media. Going to the store was the only way to pre order something and game releases were events.

 

[EverydayBeast]

Halo 2 felt like a massive game, halo 3 matched its energy,. I would say 4, 5 and

Infinite look flat footed compared to 1-3.

 

[DAHGAMING]

Legendry game, met some real Xbox warriors there who I still talk to today. Amazing multiplayer, maps and gameplay. The singleplayer although a shity ending is still amazing especialy if you play the trilogy back to back. That was the start of the glory era of console gaming, great times.

 

[Nintendo's Witch]

3 remains king. But it was ok.

 

[Muffdraul]

I watched the campaign gameplay demo video at least once a day from when I downloaded it during E3 2003 until the game finally released. I'm not sure I was ever hyped quite like that for any other game, it nearly drove me insane. Sadly, after the new car smell wore off, I couldn't deny that Halo 2 absolutely did not live up to the hype. It had its share of great moments, but as a whole, it missed the mark of being "a sequel that surpassed the original." To this day I still think Halo 1 is the best Halo, but I think Halo 3 and Reach are better than Halo 2.

That said, all things being relative, Halo 2 is one of the games of all time.

(note: I pretty much hung up my MP gloves circa 1999, so MP has no bearing on my opinion of Halo 2)

 

[Syphon Filter]

I watched the campaign gameplay demo video at least once a day from when I downloaded it during E3 2003 until the game finally released. I'm not sure I was ever hyped quite like that for any other game, it nearly drove me insane. Sadly, after the new car smell wore off, I couldn't deny that Halo 2 absolutely did not live up to the hype. It had its share of great moments, but as a whole, it missed the mark of being "a sequel that surpassed the original." To this day I still think Halo 1 is the best Halo, but I think Halo 3 and Reach are better than Halo 2.

That said, all things being relative, Halo 2 is one of the games of all time.

(note: I pretty much hung up my MP gloves circa 1999, so MP has no bearing on my opinion of Halo 2)

Halo 2 is way better than Reach's campaign. The chief is a more interesting character.

 

[Muffdraul]

Halo 2 is way better than Reach's campaign. The chief is a more interesting character.

 

[KU_]

What a release and a time in gaming. We didn't know we were at the best era. It was also at a time when people didn't have cell phones and social media. Going to the store was the only way to pre order something and game releases were events.

I wish we knew we were in the good old days, before we’ve actually left them.

 

[Ceadeus]

I wish we knew we were in the good old days, before we’ve actually left them.

Yeah right! Maybe it was less profitable for the companies back then and gaming more niche but I prefered when they kept it simple. Less greedy. Now too many people with bad intentions are getting involved and this is one of the reason why us, gotta deal with the woke culture and inclusion in our games. On top of this, all the pre order bs, the season pass and the list goes on.

 

[Mr.ODST]

I wish we knew we were in the good old days, before we’ve actually left them.

True wish it never ended, if u could go back in time, it would be to this era of no phones, socials etc and relying on forums and in game chat to team up on H2 online

 

[Team Andromeda]

One of the overrated games of all time and the worst single player campaign in Halo's franchise.
The multi player side was awesome mind

 

[Sybrix]

 

[Ozzy Onya A2Z]

Proximity chat was the goat before party chat ate its lunch. There will never be a greater moment than eavesdropping an enemy flag base and royally fucking their plans to then capture for the win. That statement is interchangeable with planting the assault bomb just the same.

I will always cherish silencing your defeated foe and them having to listen to your trash talk while their mic was abruptly cut off from them dying mid battle.

H2 MM was the best Halo ever got.

 

[Lucifers Beard]

One of the best multiplayer shooters ever made. It was revolutionary at the time for console online multiplayer and an absolute massive time sink for ranked gameplay. I spent a lot of time playing ranked, trying to push past some of the those higher ranks. Very addictive.

Oh and post game chat was where the real battle started. You grew thick skin in those lobbies!

 

[CamHostage]

Proximity chat was the goat before party chat ate its lunch. There will never be a greater moment than eavesdropping an enemy flag base and royally fucking their plans to then capture for the win. That statement is interchangeable with planting the assault bomb just the same.

I will always cherish silencing your defeated foe and them having to listen to your trash talk while their mic was abruptly cut off from them dying mid battle.

As a PlayStation-primary gamer, I often talk like this about great memories of SOCOM online days in this same time period.

That certainly was a foundational experience for me as a gamer (I don't even like SOCOM much as a game, it just was perfect for what it was and for bringing the right people together,) but man, the few XBL experience I had in those early days were pretty spectacular! Its feature set was phenomenal, and the community around certain games could be really encouraging. It fell apart fast (the bad rep of Xbox chat dicks came swiftly and severely, whereas PSN I don't feel ever suffered the same bad circumstances, in part because it just wasn't as ubiquitous and frankly not built as well,) but Halo 2, R6 Black Arrow, Splinter Cell Spies v Mercs, Steel Battalion if you knew a guy... we really didn't know how good we had it back then, and strangely we don't have anything like it today even with so much more power in our hands.

 

[T-0800]

I completed Outskirts on Legendary. My own personal Vietnam.

 

[Hayriko]

I got in with halo 3, but from the friends I met in H3. They all told me stories how amazing Halo 2 was and that they sunk a lot of hours into it. I played it later when the anniversary got released, but I wished I could've been there during H2

 

[Syphon Filter]

As a PlayStation-primary gamer, I often talk about and dig into conversations about great memories of SOCOM online days in this same time period.

That certainly was a foundational experience for me as a gamer (I don't even like SOCOM much as a game, it just was perfect for what it was and for bringing the right people together,) but man, the few XBL experience I had in those early days were pretty spectacular! Its feature set was phenomenal, and the community around certain games could be really encouraging. It fell apart fast (the bad rep of Xbox chat dicks came swiftly and severely, whereas PSN I don't feel ever suffered the same bad circumstances, in part because it just wasn't as ubiquitous and frankly not built as well,) but Halo 2, R6 Black Arrow, Splinter Cell Spies v Mercs, Steel Battalion if you knew a guy... we really didn't know how good we had it back then, and strangely we don't have anything like it today even with so much more power in our hands.

SOCOM II was also amazing, both Halo 2 and SOCOM II were the games to play online for those consoles. On PC you had several good online games already like unreal tournament,quake,counter strike,etc. It was gaming heaven at the time.

 

[Havoc2049]

Great game! I loved the Halo 2 campaign and multiplayer. All the Bungie Halo games are great and they each have their own unique vibe that make them all great games.

I was there on launch night and still have my Halo 2 steelbook collectors edition. There must have been like 250 people in line at the midnight launch at my local Electronics Boutique. I also ended up buying the strategy guide, both volumes of the soundtrack and Halo 2 Vista on the PC when it came out.

 

[Chuck Berry]

Might just be the first most disappointing sequel Ive ever played. The switch over to the boring ass fucking Arbiter had me drop the controller right then and I never fully went back to the series after that.

Tried 3 because of hype, dropped after a couple levels. Tried 4 because of hype, dropped after a couple levels. Avoid 5 like the plague because it looked like doo doo butter.

And Infinite is playable Ambien. No thanks.

First game is still the best.