Topic: Halo 2 impressions.

[Pugnate]

http://pc.ign.com/articles/782/782423p1.html

We honestly weren't sure how much we'd like the keyboard controls. Having had some hands on time with the game at GDC, it felt more natural to use the gamepad. Now that we've had the chance to play through a lengthy portion of the game, we're actually finding that we prefer the mouse and keyboard controls. The game's still fun with a gamepad, but the precise aiming that the mouse allows more than makes up for the finger dancing required to access the rest of the commands on the keyboard. You can remap the keys to give you access to the actions you use the most but the default layout is very intuitive and convenient.

I am surprised to read a PC vet. like Butts say that. I thought it was pretty obvious he'd feel that way, I don't get it.

Halo 2's dual wield system is brilliant. Being able to pick up a second pistol or submachine gun in your off-hand makes you so much more lethal this time around. It's true that you won't be able to throw grenades while you're carrying two weapons, but you can more than make up for that by delivering twice the firepower. Switching and picking up additional weapons is just as easy as it ever was and you can also swap weapons out with your allies if they've got something you really want.

With one lone exception, the weapons are all much better this time around. The new submachine gun is terrific for in close fighting and the new and improved Needler finally makes it a worthwhile weapon to use in a firefight. Other neat alien weapons include the powerful carbine and an awkward but oh-so-enjoyable grenade launcher. The only weapon that really disappoints is the new pistol. It's deadly enough, to be sure, but it just pales in comparison to the sniper pistol from the original game.

The most powerful new weapon by far is the Covenant energy sword. Having been on the receiving end of this one for long enough, it's a real treat to be able to turn the tables and use it on your enemies. It has a limited charge but the amount of damage it does is just tremendous. This is particularly useful when you run into the uber-powerful enemies who won't go down with a simple smash to the back of the head.

Nice.

Unfortunately, Microsoft has requested that reviewers not post their own screens of the game, so we can't show you just what the game looks like on our systems until after the game is released. There are a number of graphical options that you can adjust to get the right balance of performance and quality but the high-resolution visuals definitely hamper the framerate. If you stick with the level of visuals seen in the Xbox version, the game runs much better. There are also some very noticeable hiccups in the transition between levels. While these are usually cleverly hidden by cinematic triggers, you can sometimes run into the stutters while in the middle of a fight.

That is such bullshit. The game is so old, it should be running smooth as butter no matter what the system. You'd think a Microsoft game would at least run smoothly with FULL visuals on Vista. Anything less than smooth is horrible advertisement for PC gaming.

The game also makes use of lots of bump and normal mapping. While it's a wonderful effect during the battles, it can be a bit too much during the cutscene close-ups. You'll sometimes feel as if you're watching a skin cream commercial starring Edward James Olmos and Morgan Freeman.

haha that's hilarious.

The Tray and Play feature seems to work okay once the game has managed to transfer sufficient data to your PC but the beginning of the game, particularly the tutorial, is a bit clunky. Happily, no one's actually shooting at you during the first minutes of play so this is more of a nuisance than an actual obstacle. Once the game gets enough information loaded, you won't have to worry with the clunkiness ever again. Even if you reboot your PC, the information is still present and readily accessed.

The only innovation for gaming provided by Vista doesn't work well, which is beautiful isn't it?

All the maps previously released for the Xbox version are included right out of the box with the PC version and there are even two new exclusive maps just for the PC. If that's not enough (and it probably should be), the PC version also includes a brand new map editor that allows players to create their own playing areas and game types. Additionally players can now host their own servers.

And it probably should be? Way to suck up IGN.

[MysterD]

So, ummm....when's it coming for Win XP as well???
And for the Bargain Bin?

[idolminds]

XP version release will be on bittorrent around the time the game is released in stores.

The game will never hit the bargain bin. Halo 1 is still $20.

[Jedi]

Does any body care? Well I guess not everyone has played this but still its been so long in coming I've played this twice, once on XBox and the 2nd on the 360!

As for the Tray and Play feature what's the point? Are you telling me that people can't wait 10 - 15 minutes for the thing to install that they'd rather play the game at lower frame rates while the it's still installing?

Bah! I think you're right though Pug a game this old should run smooth but clearly they've added textures/code to improve the visuals and its those "improvements" that have crippled the game. Perhaps they shouldn't have waited so long to release it game in the first place? 

[Ghandi]

* Ghandi tries to care less and cannot do so.

Halo 2 was a disappointment for me on so many levels. It's like they took Halo 1 and beat it with a hammer. They dumbed down the multiplayer so much- it has absolutely none of the finesse that the original had.

[Quemaqua]

And the first game kinda' blew, so... yeah.  Color me as uninterested as uninterested can be.

[angrykeebler]

In one week I will have a 360 Elite! Just wanted to chime in and say that.

[Pugnate]

.... that sweet black one? You BASTARD!

[Xessive]

"We are the resisty."

Yes, I will stick to my favoured KB+Mouse configuration. I definitely enjoyed Halo 1 way more on the PC, simply because I could actually aim. Halo 2 I've only ever played on the Xbox, but it was basically the same as the original with some enhancements.

[Pugnate]

Halo 2 Vista vs Xbox:

http://www.gamespot.com/features/6169711/index.html?tag=topslot;title;2&om_act=convert&om_clk=topslot

OK I have to admit, it looks a lot better on Vista. But DX10 exclusive better? No. Anyway worth checking out the roll overs.

edit:

That final screenshot compares the 360 480p version to Vista, and the Vista one looks helluva lot better.

[idolminds]

Funny thing it, its not DX10. Its DX9. ITs only Vista exclusive due to an OS check. And the Live service is also Vista only.

Cant wait till I see Halo 2 XP pop up on the torrent sites, just like the "Vista exclusive" Geometry Wars.

[Pugnate]

Yea I know. That's what I meant by DX10, I meant Vista.

[MysterD]

Funny thing it, its not DX10. Its DX9.

Wait....I thought it was going to ONLY support DX10 and its new technologies?

Are you saying the gamer can turn off some of the exclusive-DX10 graphical features for Halo 2 PC on Vista, if you want? (That probably would boost the framerate up, heh)

If that is the case, they should've made it also support XP, if that's the case!!

Wait...what are some of the graphical features/bells and whistles that are found only in DX10, which are NOT in DX 9.0C?

Cant wait till I see Halo 2 XP pop up on the torrent sites, just like the "Vista exclusive" Geometry Wars.

It's bound to happen.

[Pugnate]

You can install and play DX9 games on Vista. That's how they have those benchmarks comparing game performances on both OSs.

Wait...what are some of the graphical features/bells and whistles that are found only in DX10, which are NOT in DX 9.0C

I am sure you can find a proper answer on google or wikipedia.

[idolminds]

It is my understanding that there are no special DX10 effects in the game at all.

Official product page

    
MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS
   
OS:    Windows Vista™
Processor:    2 Ghz Pentium 4 class processor (or x64)
RAM:    1 GB
Hard Drive:    7 GB
Video Card:    DX9 graphics card: WDDM driver, PS 2.0/32BPP, At least nVidia 6000 or ATI x700 or above
Online Multi-player:    Internet connection for Games for Windows – LIVE
Drive:    DVD-ROM drive

Supposedly the only boost DX10 and a DX10 graphics card will give is better performance, not better effects.

[MysterD]

DX9 as a minimum requirement?
Oh, WTF??!?!!?

At least if it was DX10 as a minimum, then it'd not be so big of a deal...at least they'd be using new tech and stuff and making that the mininum, enhancing the game and all -- making at least more of a reason to  try and sell Vista and its DX10 features.

That's even more bullshit w/ this game than I thought....
Shit, they could've put it on XP, if this is the case...

Supposedly the only boost DX10 and a DX10 graphics card will give is better performance, not better effects.

And that is supposed to give a reason for PC gamers to go get Vista and Halo 2 PC?
HA!!! What a joke.

They could've at least made DX10 the minimum, since they seemed to want to push Vista and its exclusives so much...
...I guess they really don't wanna push DX10, that much, eh?

[Jedi]

pfft who gives a toss really, do you really have to play it that badly? Does anybody still have to play this game that badly? There's plenty of other, none Vista exclusive and more up to date, games out there right now.
From what I understand it looks about as good as it does on the XBox (if not slightly better) so you're not getting anything more out of the game for being on the PC (that I know of). We've all heard about or experienced the repeating rooms syndrome so it’s not perfect or anything.

If they want to use this old game to push Vista, I say fine let them, it's their mistake and no great loss; you can always pick up a console on the cheap and give it a go if you really really had to play this (if you haven't done so already in the last 2 years!).

[Quemaqua]

Yeah, who cares.  Go play a game that doesn't suck instead.

[MysterD]

3.5 stars from EvilAvatar (out of 5)
86% from GamingTrend (out of 100)

[idolminds]

66% from PCGamer

Halo 2 is a lazy port of a less-than-perfect sequel to an FPS that was pretty good on a console and only average on a PC.

[Pugnate]

hahahaha

PCG have gotten vicious lately. I applaud them... remember my post about PCG losing it a few months ago, how they were sucking up to developers etc and stuff? They've started to change their ways. They gave scathing reviews to Dark Messiah, Double Agent, Ghost Recon (games they have perpetual hardons for).

Now this, a 66% is just great.

[MysterD]

hahahaha

PCG have gotten vicious lately. I applaud them... remember my post about PCG losing it a few months ago, how they were sucking up to developers etc and stuff? They've started to change their ways. They gave scathing reviews to Dark Messiah, Double Agent, Ghost Recon (games they have perpetual hardons for).

Now this, a 66% is just great.

Except for Dark Messiah (since it was made for the PC-only and all), this is a major "screw you" to all the companies making them console-to-PC ports very lackluster in the technical aspect for the PC. You'd think -- especially since this is an XBox game -- it'd at least be a technical marvel on a modern PC and all. You'd think they'd make it work on Win XP, as well.

Halo 1 PC I felt was very lackluster in not just the game itself, but also in, worst of all, the technical aspects. Looks like Halo 2 is more of the same, as expected...

Y'know, I wonder what PCG scored the original Halo 1 PC, myself....anyone know....?

[idolminds]

I think the article I linked to might be PCG UKs review. Not sure.

PCG US gave Halo 1 85%.

[idolminds]

The release has been delayed again. Now the release date is June 8. Except...Circuit City broke the street date and has been selling the game since last weekend.

Obviously its not game code they are working on. Sounds like Windows Live isnt up to snuff yet (shock and awe, right?).

[sirean_syan]

Now this is strange

Having played through Halo 2, I have no idea where there can even be nudity... unless it's alien nudity. Did they really make the Covenant models that detailed? Creepy.

[Quemaqua]

That's... weird.

[idolminds]

Thats...what Que said.


PS, fuck Halo.

[Quemaqua]

alsos fuck haylo +2

[idolminds]

ESRB explains the nudity thing:

"After the M (Mature 17+) rating assignment was issued for Halo 2 for Vista and just prior to the shipment of the game to retail, Microsoft notified ESRB about pertinent content found in a map editor tool that is being bundled with the game. The content in question, although likely to be inaccessible to the vast majority of users, displays a photograph of an individual showing his bare backside to the user when a particular error occurs, and thus warrants a 'Partial Nudity' content descriptor in order to alert consumers to its presence in the product. Microsoft has therefore applied stickers with correct ESRB rating information to the packaging of virtually all copies that will ship to retail in the U.S. and Canada. We have been advised by Microsoft that future runs of the game will be produced without the content in question, thus negating the need for the descriptor to be displayed on those versions.

"ESRB's job is to ensure that games are appropriately labeled, and that is precisely what we did in this case. We greatly appreciate Microsoft's cooperation in this matter." - Entertainment Software Rating Board

So someone at Bungie thought it'd be funny if the error message in the map editor would display someone mooning you, and thats what caused all this bother. I'm sure he's been given a very stern talking to.

[sirean_syan]

At the same time, how lame is that?

[MysterD]

ESRB explains the nudity thing:

So someone at Bungie thought it'd be funny if the error message in the map editor would display someone mooning you, and thats what caused all this bother. I'm sure he's been given a very stern talking to.

That still isn't enough to get the Halo 2 game to jump from M (17+) to an actual AO rating, so I dunno' what the fuss is all about here...

So the ESRB will add one additional mention of "partial nudity" content to the actual gamebox, which STILL warrants it the SAME exact rating of M (17+) as it would've originally been.

And this is causing the whole delay of Halo 2: Vista Edition? ? ? ? ??

How freakin' silly is that...

[idolminds]

It doesnt matter if its a rating change or not. Everyone is scared of another Hot Coffee incident. So they had to update the boxes to mention the partial nudity. You just know some mom/laywer would complain and sue MS...we'd have another inquiry and just waste a bunch of time over what is essentially nothing.

[Quemaqua]

Over an ass?  I'm a prude and even I think that's really stupid.

[MysterD]

It doesnt matter if its a rating change or not. Everyone is scared of another Hot Coffee incident. So they had to update the boxes to mention the partial nudity. You just know some mom/laywer would complain and sue MS...we'd have another inquiry and just waste a bunch of time over what is essentially nothing.

Well, maybe the ESRB should do a better job of rating games accordingly.

Plus, the ESRB could've sent new M-rated stickers to all of the retailers for Halo 2 PC, adding the new "content" print-out to the list of game content.

[idolminds]

The ESRB is doing their job. It only came up because MS brought it to their attention. Why the fuck should the ESRB bother messing with the MAP EDITOR when rating the GAME?

[PyroMenace]

Don't know if this has been posted but Gamespot's review up, 7.0. Sounds about right.

[MysterD]

Don't know if this has been posted but Gamespot's review up, 7.0. Sounds about right.

And Gertsmann lays the smackdown on Halo 2 PC. Good.

And what's up Gertsmann mentioning some issues w/ the KB/mouse vs. the X360 gamepad -- especially in Multi?!?!?!?

[Jedi]

And Gertsmann lays the smackdown on Halo 2 PC. Good.

And what's up Gertsmann mentioning some issues w/ the KB/mouse vs. the X360 gamepad -- especially in Multi?!?!?!?

Yeah shock horror that there might be issues.

[Pugnate]

From that gamespot review:

As a Games for Windows-branded game, Halo 2 has full support for the Xbox 360 controller. While the game plays just fine with a mouse and keyboard, playing with a controller is a bit closer to the original console experience, right down to force-feedback support. This creates some really weird and potentially unbalanced trade-offs in multiplayer. By default, a player with a mouse will be able to turn more quickly and, if that player is skilled, more accurately than a gamepad user. Gamepad players can increase the right-stick sensitivity to turn faster, but they also get another benefit that feels downright dirty. Like the console version, the PC game employs a certain amount of auto-aim when you're using a gamepad. This makes sticking to other players for up-close shotgun blasts or melee attacks significantly easier with the gamepad, and there doesn't appear to be any way to disable it or even detect that another player is using a pad. After pumping up the gamepad's sensitivity, we found ourselves doing more damage when armed with a gamepad, which makes the two control schemes feel unbalanced, is sort of crazy when you consider how tournament-focused the current Halo 2 Xbox scene is these days.

That is the most retarded shit ever, and really annoying. Is this a taste of things to come? Give the console children unfair advantages?

How the hell could PCG give this 85% ? ? ? ?

edit:

Idol PCG US gave it 67% while PCG UK gave it 66%.

But yea, where'd you get 85% from?

[PyroMenace]

That gamepad handicap is only the just the beginning of this PC vs console fps debacle. The shadowrun game intends to do the same thing, and I think most ridiculous of all, you have to pay more if you want to play multi-platform on multiplayer.