My Halo: Combat Evolved review

[dlm]

You should never need to restart due to a checkpoint like that in Halo 2. If you die too many times in a row within a short length of time at a single checkpoint, you're restored to the checkpoint before it.

In the worst case, just throw grenades at your feet immediately upon respawning and you'll see.

I don't know if Halo 1 did it, but I used that technique many times in Halo 2 when my roomate and I would glitch through geometry to get back out.

 

[TurnDragoZeroV2G]

That was added in between Halo 1 and 2. It was a good improvement. However, it's also lost me some progress before, where I wasn't caught in an infinite death loop, but was just immediately jumping into the next section. I think a system where it keeps track of your last several checkpoints and lets you go back to the last and second to last checkpoint would be better than automatically kicking you back if you die too many times in a row. But, eh...

 

[patsu]

You should never need to restart due to a checkpoint like that in Halo 2. If you die too many times in a row within a short length of time at a single checkpoint, you're restored to the checkpoint before it.

No idea but it didn't take me to the earlier checkpoints. Restarting the level was the only option after countless attempts.

In the worst case, just throw grenades at your feet immediately upon respawning and you'll see.

Tried that but didn't help.

EDIT: I didn't encounter this problem at all even though I played Halo 1 almost every night for 2 years.

 

[AlNom]

Ya, those Jackals on legendary... yeesh... They were an exercise in memorization and patience and strafe-snipering. But I think I hated those dual wielding Elites more. Just when you thought they couldn't fire any faster in the first game on Legendary, Bungie decides to make the gun rapid fire (double shots per trigger pull) and then doubled again with dual wielding.

Once on the last level. Blew up the last reactor core and the tube started coming at me. Thought it was an escape tunnel! So I stayed in it. Then he died and joined me in there.

Tea... it's everywhere...

 

[Kzin]

IMHO, they broke Halo 2.

Halo 1 is great because it's simple, well-balanced and has great enemy AI. I can jump out and fight an Elite in the open (on Heroic or Legendary) anytime I want to. Even at this micro-level, it's a great mini-game. With a team of enemies, it becomes even more interesting -- especially if you can take advantage of the terrain.

In Halo 2, the one-hit-kill Jackal sniper and the increased Elite's strength overshadowed the AI and limited Master Chief's moves. It became a grind to me (Stop and fire, stop and fire, ...)

Well said, i could´t agree more. In a way I can understand that they messed up the balance. I still find it strange cause they nailed basicly everything perfecft in the first game. But how anyone can think that one-hit-sniper-kills is a good idea is beyond me.

 

[DemoCoder]

I was never able to finish Halo because the Library level pissed me off so much, I quit playing except for some multiplayer. Well, that and getting trapped in some buggy map areas. The library is like the worst level design in the history of FPS gaming.

I liked Halo up until that point, the atmosphere, the music, the vehicles. I played Halo2 until the Arbiter part. I couldn't get into the plot line, and didn't like playing as the Arbiter.

 

[mcsven]

Interestingly, I've done a very similar thing recently. Figured that since I've got a 360 I really should play Halo 3 when it comes out but wouldn't enjoy it as much if I didn't know what happened in H1-2. Have just got to the Arbiter bit in H2. Have to say that in general H1 was more fun. The thing that annoyed me most is the change in the assault rifle to the three-round burst.

 

[patsu]

I was never able to finish Halo because the Library level pissed me off so much...

Hah, you sissy ! [Ok, just joking]
I get nausea playing the Library level, and yes it's repetitive. The exploding flood is interesting to play against though (because of cascading explosions). I toggled between shotgun/needler and the assault rifle to get through as fast as possible. Sometimes, rushing past the spawn points is the best way out. It's not so bad for me.

I liked Halo up until that point, the atmosphere, the music, the vehicles. I played Halo2 until the Arbiter part. I couldn't get into the plot line, and didn't like playing as the Arbiter.

You should try Resistance also (if possible). It maintained the good Halo 1 traits, fixed the repetition problem, and expanded the weapon strategies significantly. The control is more difficult due to weapon management but after some practice you should be all set. The initial few levels feel rushed and shallow but the later ones are "Haloic".

 

[RobertR1]

While the library level is certainly the worst, I'd say the best parts of the game come afterwards. The battles are much larger and whole game goes up in intensity but a good margin.

The last level will certainly get your heart rate going! The sound track is really impressive also.

 

[warb]

It’s a good story sequence IMO and loads of fun to play through on Legendary co-op with the shotgun, assault rifle and grenades.

 

[infinity4]

i hope MS releasse special edition pack containing all three halos. i only played halo 2 on beginner, i couldn't find any second hands anywhere! and i don't have credit card, so no halo for me then

 

[kyleb]

Im after 16:9 however 15:9 with borders is fine. The problem is my TV doesn't support 720p from the PC (although its fine with the 360) and thus Halo 2 doesn't give me that option in full screen mode. I have to play 720p windowed which is a huge dissapointment given that it wasn't a problem with the original, and 'Games for Windows' is supposed to make this kind of thing better.

Ah, you'd likely be able to add the resolution via Powerstrip. My plasma doesn't list 720p support by default either, but I add that as well as a whole bunch of other resolutions with Powerstrip.

 

[RobertR1]

i hope MS releasse special edition pack containing all three halos. i only played halo 2 on beginner, i couldn't find any second hands anywhere! and i don't have credit card, so no halo for me then

A brand new copy of Halo1 is $10 from best buy.

 

[AlNom]

Ah... grenades... probably the first time in my gaming history that they were actually more than "just another weapon". The fact that they were so powerful just made it that much sweeter when I got into tight spots with the flood (or the elites on legendary).

I still remember the first time I played the Library and I heard the Monitor say "This portal is the first of ten." Boy-oh-boy... Then I knew it was going to be a long night. :|

 

[DemoCoder]

You should try Resistance also (if possible). It maintained the good Halo 1 traits, fixed the repetition problem, and expanded the weapon strategies significantly. The control is more difficult due to weapon management but after some practice you should be all set. The initial few levels feel rushed and shallow but the later ones are "Haloic".

I tried the Resistance demo, but I think I've come to the conclusion that the Dual Shock controller isn't that great for FPS. I am not a big fan of FPS on consoles, but I definately like the feel of the XB controller better for FPS. The placement of the left thumb stick, and the triggers have a nicer feel than the L/R buttons on the DS.

 

[NRP]

I was never able to finish Halo because the Library level pissed me off so much, I quit playing except for some multiplayer. Well, that and getting trapped in some buggy map areas. The library is like the worst level design in the history of FPS gaming.

I liked Halo up until that point, the atmosphere, the music, the vehicles.

Too bad. The last level of Halo was epic in my opinion. It's worth slogging through the Library level just to play The Maw.

Halo 2's SP campaign is not really noteworthy, in my opinion of course.

 

[patsu]

I tried the Resistance demo, but I think I've come to the conclusion that the Dual Shock controller isn't that great for FPS. I am not a big fan of FPS on consoles, but I definately like the feel of the XB controller better for FPS. The placement of the left thumb stick, and the triggers have a nicer feel than the L/R buttons on the DS.

Yes I prefer the asymmetric thumbstick layout too. IMHO, L1 and R1 are too loose/shallow, but L2 and R2 are ok. I have adapted since.

It's too bad I won't get to meet you in the game. I have not played PC FPSes for the last few years. Like you, I tried several demos but Halo 1 and Resistance are the only 2 that "clicked".

Too bad. The last level of Halo was epic in my opinion. It's worth slogging through the Library level just to play The Maw.

I can't remember very well now. My favorite was this large battle in a valley somewhere (to grab a Banshee). I also liked the sniper level. I hated the last driving level though.

Halo 2's SP campaign is not really noteworthy, in my opinion of course.

Same here. I have met others that said the same thing.

 

[NRP]

I can't remember very well now. My favorite was this large battle in a valley somewhere (to grab a Banshee). I also liked the sniper level. I hated the last driving level though.

My favorite level of all time was (and still is) Assault on the Control Room. The driving level was frustrating at first, but it was also supremely exhilarating when I finally made it to the ship! It's a shame that DemoCoder missed out on it just because of the Library.

 

[infinity4]

A brand new copy of Halo1 is $10 from best buy.

i live in UK, i am going to try other major stores in central london! and i don't mind if it's 2nd hand or first hand, i just want to play it! and i need pc ver

 

[dlm]

My biggest problem with the Halo 2 campaign was the vehicle portions. In Halo 1, having a vehicle generally didn't mean that you could just power your way right through everything (for the most part).

In Halo 2, you could skip entire levels if you had a vehicle (for example, if you grab a Jeep at the beginning of Metropolis, you can drive it all the way to the Scarab battle, and you could pretty much skip the entire Quarantine level on a ghost).

It also wasn't as much fun to fight the Flood in Halo 2. In Halo 1 they would come by the dozens and you really had to control the fights. In Halo 2 they were stronger, but less numerous, which made them less interesting of an enemy.

There also wasn't anything in Halo 2 like the crazy fights in Two Betrayals with every faction pounding on each other.

Beyond that, the levels were less exploitable. My roomate and I used to love using geometry tricks or other stuff to get above or under levels, or speed run things (it was possible to skip everything in Silent Cartographer except the trip from the map room back to the surface, for example). Halo 2's death planes put a stop to that sort of thing.