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Which sequel added more to the series: GTA:SA or Halo 2?

J

J2 Cool

Member
I'm not trying to start world war III, I swear :)

Anyway, what game was a bigger jump over the previous game? GTA:VC --> GTA:SA or Halo 1 --> Halo 2? I haven't played Halo 2 and hope to get my hands on it soon. Heard the usual "if you didn't like the previous game then you won't like this" and that it's "the same game only better". Same thing I heard for San Andreas but I think it's easily improved over the predecessors. I've been real satisfied with all the improvements. If Halo 2 is that much of a sequel then I'll be a happy camper.
 
A

Andy787

Banned
GTA:SA, easily. Halo 2 brought a lot new to the story, but it fucking ruined all of the story it had built up. They did add a decent amount to the gameplay too, but it still plays for the most part the same.
 
K

Kanbee-san

Member
^^

ha ha lol, it still plays the same. :lol well duh !

Halo 2 adds xbox live (online, dlc, stats etc) and a whole host of gameplay, scenery and graphic enhancements (also some de-enhancements).

Xbox live is enough to make it a clear winner.
 
L

LukeSmith

Member
Kanbee-san said:
^^

ha ha lol, it still plays the same. :lol well duh !

Halo 2 adds xbox live (online, dlc, stats etc) and a whole host of gameplay, scenery and graphic enhancements (also some de-enhancements).

Xbox live is enough to make it a clear winner.
Click to expand...

BUT YOU CAN PLAY GTA:SA CO-OP :lol
 
L

LukeSmith

Member
A more appropriate question is: which game had more to improve on.
And the answer is GTA: SA.
Maybe nex time they'll get the game running smoothly on PS3 and will finally create a targeting system that isn't crap. And maybe, just maybe they'll have some variety in their citizen skins.
 
J

J2 Cool

Member
Scoot said:
A more appropriate question is: which game had more to improve on.
And the answer is GTA: SA.
Maybe nex time they'll get the game running smoothly on PS3 and will finally create a targeting system that isn't crap. And maybe, just maybe they'll have some variety in their citizen skins.
Click to expand...

true, but, GTA:SA's concept is a lot harder one to tackle. There isn't a game out there trying the same thing and doing it as well or without some of the problems mentioned. Test out Driver or the Getaway and you'll increase your headaches ten fold. GTA's real edge is that it's fun to play, and minor quips can be easily overlooked given how much the game offers and how much of a blast it is.
 
M

Meier

Member
Halo 2 is incredibly similar to the original although the multiplayer is improved greatly (which was tough to do as is) and will clearly be the facet in the end that causes it to be played more over time, however from a straight forward standpoint, San Andreas' additions clearly outnumber Halo 2's.

Happy to own both though. :D
 
M

Musashi Wins!

FLAWLESS VICTOLY!
I don't know. I like this GTA better than the others and it's just soooooo large. It feels like a natural extension of the series, without huge additions to mechanics.

Halo 2 plays better and brought LIVE which is what the series needed most. So in relation to the question I think it made the next larger step...even though I'm not sure which I prefer more.
 
O

Optimistic

Member
J2 Cool said:
true, but, GTA:SA's concept is a lot harder one to tackle. There isn't a game out there trying the same thing and doing it as well or without some of the problems mentioned. Test out Driver or the Getaway and you'll increase your headaches ten fold. GTA's real edge is that it's fun to play, and minor quips can be easily overlooked given how much the game offers and how much of a blast it is.
Click to expand...

Yeah but all of the developers who have attempted GTA clones are shit, so it's not a very good example. Come back to me when a GOOD developer attempts a GTA style game and it's nowhere near as good as GTA, okay? :)
 
G

Ghost

Chili Con Carnage!
Agreed, Hit & Run is a fine game, and the itchy & scratchy cartoon you get for unlocking everything is the greatest unlockable extra ever created.





To answer this topic though, Halo 2, Live play >>>>>>>>>>> all the improvements GTA:SA has without even considering anything else halo 2 has.
 
R

rastex

Banned
I don't really know if you can compare the two. Not because they're totally different games, but because their entire approache to game design is fundamentally different. GTA:SA is about giving the player a crap-load of stuff to do and just letting them do it. There's a nice story that can be followed with some sweet Voice Acting but the real features of the game are just how many different things you can do (parachuting, jetpacking, dildo bashing, etc.)

Halo is about giving a small number of abilities that are highly highly tuned and polished. Gameplay-wise Halo2 adds 2 new features, dual wielding and hijacking. Whereas GTA:SA offers dozens of new gameplay types and experiences over its predecessors.

In terms of pure numbers, GTA wins hands down. However, when you consider that one of th changes that Halo2 brings is Live that really changes the balance. Live has totally altered the way the game is played. Instead of having to get a bunch of your friends over to have a big LAN match, or just do 4 player split-screen, you can have 16-player CTF matches in the span of a few minutes. That is a fundamental shift in the dynamics of the package as a whole. In contrast, while GTA:SA offers a vast number of improvements and additions, none of them makes a significantly large impact to the way the game is played.

So taking that all into consideration I'd say Live play really puts Halo 2 above GTA in terms of new features. However, if GTA:SA had included an online mode, even if not well implemented, would have won the features contest hands-down.
 
E

evil ways

Member
GTA SA by far.

The fact that they finally improved the auto aim, which now makes gunfights far more enjoyable and responsive than before, added swimming, and customizeable stats and appearance is more than enough.

Overall, there's more to do and more fun to be had in San Andreas.
 
M

Mecha Gandhi

Member
Having already spent an unhealthy amount of time playing both, I'd say that SA adds more to the series.

In other words, it's Vice City but with a bunch of extra features. But for the most part, the niggling little problems from the predecessor still haven't been ironed out. The pop-up and draw distances in san Andreas are quite appalling. It's all about adding to the series rather than perfecting the formula.

Halo 2 is almost the opposite approach. In terms of gameplay, there's nothing really new, they've just perfect Halo 1's formula.

IMO, Halo never deserved a true sequel or a full series. It's just a crappy generic sci-fi bull-script. Technically, it's awesome, but I wish Bungie had used the Halo 2 engine to make a game that wasn't about some Yank in a robotic type suit shooting aliens designed by people with no imagination.
 
E

evil ways

Member
IMO, Halo never deserved a true sequel or a full series. It's just a crappy generic sci-fi bull-script. Technically, it's awesome, but I wish Bungie had used the Halo 2 engine to make a game that wasn't about some Yank in a robotic type suit shooting aliens designed by people with no imagination.
Click to expand...

I believe this news.

There's gotta be more to FPS games than the same old spaceman vs aliens in a futuristic lame world, or the generic World War I & II theme. Something similar to Killzone but that actually plays good.
 
R

Razoric

Banned
evil ways said:
I believe this news.

There's gotta be more to FPS games than the same old spaceman vs aliens in a futuristic lame world, or the generic World War I & II theme. Something similar to Killzone but that actually plays good.
Click to expand...

I dunno why all the Killzone hate... it's really not that bad of a game. Probably the best FPS out for PS2 now. And I LOVE the look of killzone over Halo 2 by a huge margin. Is it me or are a lot of H2s backgrounds crap? That earth city with the cars (with no wind shield, just a blue polygon) annoyed the hell out of me... I guess I'm too used to GTA:SA now. :)
 
D

DaCocoBrova

Finally bought a new PSP, but then pushed the demon onto someone else. Jesus.
None. They're both marginal improvements, but they both perfect the pre-established formula.
Click to expand...

Seriously... For you to say that means you never played the game. Even going by that, GTA:SA offers so much more.
 
M

MightyHedgehog

Member
GTA: SA adds a lot more than Halo 2 does compared to their previous installments...but Halo 2 will live on for a hell of a lot longer with the best online console-action available with more to be added as time wears on...and that about wraps it up for GTA. :)
 
S

Solid

Member
Killzone has been getting very good scores here in Europe. 9/10 in both Super Play and Gamereactor (Swedish magazines)... It seems like Americans don't like it. It will be fun to see what Eurogamer gives it, since I trust their judgement a lot.
 
R

Razoric

Banned
Deepthroat said:
Killzone has been getting very good scores here in Europe. 9/10 in both Super Play and Gamereactor (Swedish magazines)... It seems like Americans don't like it. It will be fun to see what Eurogamer gives it, since I trust their judgement a lot.
Click to expand...

I think magazines hyped for Halo 2 and the fact it was labelled a "Halo Killer" really hurt it. It's not a bad game at all guys and online play is fun... not restricted Xbox Live crap that Halo 2 has pulled. I'm sorry but that is just lame...
 
I

Insertia

Member
GTA:SA adds more.

I don't think Halo2's online feature is a big addition considering I've been online with Halo (pc) for over a year. :)
 
6

6.8

Member
DaCocoBrova said:
Seriously... For you to say that means you never played the game. Even going by that, GTA:SA offers so much more.
Click to expand...

I own and am currently playing both games? They're both typical sequels to me. I haven't finished either so my statement is obviously provisional.
 
D

DaCocoBrova

Finally bought a new PSP, but then pushed the demon onto someone else. Jesus.
^

Then you're delusional.

Even in their marginality, you don't see the scales tipping in GTA:SA's favor? Just about everyone in here does.
 
6

6.8

Member
I don't see scales tipping at all. I think they're both great sequels to their series, and that they both contribute in their own ways, but marginally, to the advancement of the series.

If that makes me delusional, so be it.
 
D

DaCocoBrova

Finally bought a new PSP, but then pushed the demon onto someone else. Jesus.
^^

These are sequels. They're not going to be totally different. Who would expect them to be?

What were you looking to see in these games?
 
6

6.8

Member
DaCocoBrova said:
^^

These are sequels. They're not going to be totally different. Who would expect them to be?

What were you looking to see in these games?
Click to expand...
^
I've already stated that they are sequels. And they are. I never said I expected anything else. Don't put words in my mouth.
 
I

Iceman

Member
SA added more. Anyone who says othewise hasn't played the game.

That said, I don't own the game (rented it 2x), don't have a desire to play it anymore and can wait for the PC version next year.. in the meanwhile HALO 2 has become the only game in my library as far as I'm concerned.
 
N

Nerevar

they call me "Man Gravy".
I'm guessing everyone here who is saying GTA:SA either does not own an xbox & live! or doesn't want to. Seriously, the multiplayer additions to Halo clearly give it the advantage in "most improved game this gen." GTA:SA doesn't improve upon the greatest flaws the series has had (poor framerate, lots of poor textures, and generic, lifeless citizens). Not saying the game isn't a blast, becuase it is, but it's clearly got it's flaws that I don't think can be remedied in this console gen.
 
S

SolidSnakex

Member
"Not saying the game isn't a blast, becuase it is, but it's clearly got it's flaws that I don't think can be remedied in this console gen."

Just because it has flaws doesn't mean it's not a massive impreovement over GTA3 and VC.
 
G

Goreomedy

Console Market Analyst
Nerevar said:
I'm guessing everyone here who is saying GTA:SA either does not own an xbox & live! or doesn't want to. Seriously, the multiplayer additions to Halo clearly give it the advantage in "most improved game this gen." GTA:SA doesn't improve upon the greatest flaws the series has had (poor framerate, lots of poor textures, and generic, lifeless citizens). Not saying the game isn't a blast, becuase it is, but it's clearly got it's flaws that I don't think can be remedied in this console gen.
Click to expand...

You're right.

I have San Andreas. It's such a deep game, and has so many additions and improvements, that I have no reason to consider anything else this year.

The framerate criticisms are silly, in my opinion. On my new model PSTwo, it's stable almost all of the time. And the citizens are hardly "lifeless" in this edition. The tag-along gang system rocks, and the thousands of conversations you overhear and take part in make the state come to life.

It's funny that you condemn San Andreas for it's graphical shortcomings, without giving the same treatment to Halo 2's sub-Riddick effort. Add to that a reportedly disappointing single player campiagn that lasts a tenth of CJ's, and the threat of Live play against other Bungie apologists, and I'm not exactly itching to invest.
 
D

Duckhuntdog

Member
Mecha Gandhi said:
shooting aliens designed by people with no imagination.
Click to expand...

Well Bungie isn't known for their spectacular character designs. I mean Andrew Jones can only work at one place at a time. That guy has mad design/art skills, Retro better be paying him big time.


Overall though, the nod goes to GTA:SA. Keep on rocking DMA.
 
D

Duckhuntdog

Member
Goreomedy said:
You're right.

I have San Andreas. It's such a deep game, and has so many additions and improvements, that I have no reason to consider anything else this year.

The framerate criticisms are silly, in my opinion. On my new model PSTwo, it's stable almost all of the time. And the citizens are hardly "lifeless" in this edition. The tag-along gang system rocks, and the thousands of conversations you overhear and take part in make the state come to life.

It's funny that you condemn San Andreas for it's graphical shortcomings, without giving the same treatment to Halo 2's sub-Riddick effort. Add to that a reportedly disappointing single player campiagn that lasts a tenth of CJ's, and the threat of Live play against other Bungie apologists, and I'm not exactly itching to invest.
Click to expand...


And let's not forget that really bad texture pop-in Halo 2 has going for it.
 
R

Razoric

Banned
trippingmartian said:
GTA had 'more' added to it, but it doesn't make it the better game IMO. Sometimes less is more. And the lack of online really hurts it.
Click to expand...

Lack of online? What about San Andreas would even work online? Keep GTA offline.
 
Blackace

Blackace

if you see me in a fight with a bear, don't help me fool, help the bear!
trippingmartian said:
GTA had 'more' added to it, but it doesn't make it the better game IMO. Sometimes less is more. And the lack of online really hurts it.
Click to expand...

No online hurt Zelda for the GameCube also...

The wisdom is making my head hurt...
 
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