Halo 2 Limited Edition

by Microsoft

• Master Chief can now wield two weapons at once, board Covenant vehicles and steal Covenant weapons like the incredible double energy sword
• Lead an all-new unit of super-soldiers, the ODST -- tougher, badder and deadlier versions of your old comrades
• New enemies, allies and surprises around every corner - intense combat action with enhanced AI and real-time lighting
• Immense single-player action with maassive landscapes and huge cities to explore and defend - destructible and interactive environments
• Take the action online with your Xbox Live and switch sides, to become a Covenant Elite!

Product Details

• ASIN: B0002A2S26
• Product Dimensions: 7.8 x 5.5 x 0.5 inches ; 11.2 ounces
• Media: Video Game
• Release Date: November 9, 2004
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (317 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,074 in Video Games (See Top 100 in Video Games)
  • #11 in Video Games > More Systems > Xbox > Games
• Discontinued by manufacturer: Yes

Product Description

Halo 2 is the sequel to the hugely successful and critically praised Halo: Combat Evolved. In Halo 2 the saga continues as the genetically enhanced super soldier, Master Chief, must defend humankind from the evil Covenant. This limited edition comes in a special tin box and includes commentaries, a "making of" feature, art galleries and more.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

77 of 82 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Halo 2 is merely an extention of the first November 16, 2004

By Scott D. Gribble

Fun: 5.0 out of 5 stars   

Halo 2 is an excellent game, there's no doubt in that. The core of the game still remains the same as the original, making it almost impossible to take a step backwards. The thing to think about here is how have the changes and improvements affected this game over its predecessor.

For campaign mode the story is not quite as captivating as the original. In addition you need to have it on Heroic for any type of challenge. And, as many other reviews have said, the game is simply much shorter than the previous (the cut scenes graphically were a little dissapointing too). However, the game is really entertaining. The maps are much more detailed, there's more variance in the layout between checkpoints. They did a pretty good job in making the layout not as repetitive. Plus the scenery is pretty interactive and makes you do a lot more cool stuff to accomplish a mission.

Weapons as well have changed a lot. They have increased the types of weapons, as well as improving ones that used to suck (the needler) and taking away some power from the pistol. The much talked about dual weilding is defiantly a nice advantage. It takes a little getting used to know how to use it best and the best combinations of weapons. Although people have complained about the fact you can't throw grenades while using it, it's more realistic (you do only have two hands). So they've made it a powerful tool, but they didn't want it to be unstoppable. Basically it seems like they've leveled the playing field more and although you may be disappointed because something isn't as dominate as before or than you thought it would be, ultimately it's for the better.

Same thing goes for vehicles: you have more to choose from, with different advantages, but they also made each a little more vulnerable and less unstoppable (the rocket launcher lock helps tremendously from the last game).

The multiplayer part of course is amazing. Looking past some minor faults (not all maps are good, the energy sword is too dominate here, etc.) this part really makes the game a cut above anything else.

The limited edition version here only really provides an extra DVD with the making of (which is interesting but not really necessary... you could easily have a friend tell you the stuff on there that's worth knowing). Besides that and the metal case, it's the same. It's really up to you weather $10-15 bucks difference is that big of a deal for you, cause it's not that big of a difference.

Bottom line: Halo 2 is a great game. It's definitely a lot of fun and very enjoyable. It's a little disappointing because the original Halo was such a huge difference from anything out there and I think everyone was expecting Halo 2 to do the same. Unfortunately, it didn't make any drastic leaps that leave you stunned, but maybe (besides living up to the hype) it didn't really need to be. What it did do was make a lot of tweaks, to try and improve on something that was already incredible. You have to praise Bungie for trying their best to please everyone. In the end the hype may have been too much, but don't let it deter you from enjoying this great game. Read more ›

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Halo 2 really does meet the hype! November 10, 2004

By Daniel Burt

Fun: 5.0 out of 5 stars   

I loved the first Halo. I have been anxiously awaiting the release of Halo 2 but I have kind of felt in the back of my head that there is no way that Halo 2 can meet the hype. Well I got the game yesterday and I have been very happy with it.

Pros:

1. I love that you can hop on an enemy vehicle when the they go by, punch them and throw them off. On the covenant "Wraith" you even have to punch through the top to pull them out, or throw a grenade in. I found that to be excellent attention to detail. You can operate more vehicles and there are more options when you do.

2. The Plot is very good, and you really want to watch the video in between levels.

3. The graphics are surprisingly much better than the first Halo. The videos are amazing and the actual game graphics have great detail. (In the Multiplayer mode there is a new "Blood Gulch" level. If you compare the graphics there is no comparison.)

4. The plot runs side by side, with an enemy covenant who is punished for loosing the battle (in Halo), and Halo blowing up. On some levels you play as the enemy covenant. (You can even be him in multiplayer mode.

Cons:

1. The game is a little too easy. I would recommend not doing it on "easy" or "normal" if you want a real challenge. You have a new shield that seems a little stronger and recharges a little faster. It is cool, but having previous skill from the original Halo, it seems easier than the first one.

2. You can't be black in the multiplayer mode. Not a big deal, but I always liked have my profiled character be very dark.

That is it. The game is a lot of fun! And it has renewed my excitement level for Halo. I think it is important to understand that the game is Halo, with new levels and a few new details. If you loved Halo you will love Halo 2.

P.S. There are a lot of reviews on Halo 2 from before the game was even released, so I realize nobody is going to read this, but the game was so exciting I felt a need to give it 5 stars. Read more ›

40 of 47 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Best console FPS to date! November 10, 2004

By happygamer

Fun: 5.0 out of 5 stars   

I just have to preface by saying that I feel bad for all the people who ordered from amazon who are apparently getting screwed. However, thats not what these review spaces are for. On to my review of the game:

Graphics---9.5/10

Far and away the best graphics of any xbox First Person Shooter, its kinda dissapointing that the in-engine cutscenes look so rushed. The cutscenes are usually a little choppy with a little bit og pop-in. When I first read this in reviews I didnt want to believe it, but its true.

Audio---10/10

The original Halo had great voice acting, great sound effects, and the best music and musical timing of any game EVER at the time. Halo 2 has the best voice acting, the best sound effects, and the best music and musical timing EVER in a console game. Listening to this game is an experience.

Gameplay---10/10

There are really 3 main gameplay additions-

-duel wielding- ability to hold two weapons at once

-swords- ability to fight with swords

-hijacking- ability to steal a vehicle from an opponent while they are riding on it.

Each new feature adds another element to the game. However, the most important gameplay change is speed: The action is much faster in halo 2. You run faster, you jump higher, your weapons do more damage, and the change in how health and shields works means that you're never camping in a corner for extended periods of time. For me, this is awesome, because I come from PC games where the action is typically very fast, and I always complained about how slow you moved and how long it could take to kill someone in the original halo. The ghost, banshee, warthog, and tank are all slower than they were in the previous game, or maybe they just seem slower compared to your new, faster running ability. In any case, it evens the playing field between people on foot and in vehicles.

Single Player---9.5/10

The game itself on normal difficulty isnt particularly long or hard. The awesome music, great gameplay, and great storyline all bring it together to make a great experience. Like the original halo, the best features for the SP game are the diferent difficulty levels and the co-operative play. Even tho playing through the game on normal difficulty isnt a trying experience, YOU ARE going to want to go back and play through it again on hard or legendary difficulty levels. Also, playing through the game with a friend is awesome. However, there are some dissapointments. Firstly, the save system is inflexible.

You only have one slave slot that maintains your exact position in a level, and if you want to go back and play a different level or play some co-op, you lose that save slot and have to start the level you were on from the beginning. Also, forget about 2 people who are sharing the xbox going through the campaign at the same time for the same reason. Secondly, Bungie decided not to include system link or XBOX Live co-op. That really stinks. Its great fun to play co-op as it is, sharing the screen, buts its really cramped, and would be much more fun if both people could have their own screen. Also, being able to play with a friend at seperate houses, maybe across the country, would have been nice.

Multiplayer---10/10

Simply put- amazing. More levels, many more features, plus Xbox Live and even some new features that arent available in other games. My favorite is the "party" system, which allows you to get together with some friends and travel between games as a group. Its unfortunate, but there usually is some lag on the bigger games. Lag seems to be the plague of XBL, and they just cant get rid of it. Oh well, theres always LAN parties, which are always lag-free.

Overall Score---9.8/10 Read more ›