There’s a balance to making a sequel to a successful video or computer game. The developer, at the very least, is expected to match the quality of the first game. If the game is too different from the original, it may not feel like a sequel at all. If the game doesn’t make enough changes, consumers may feel like they are getting ripped off. This predicament is made all the more tenuous when the sequel is for a game that has changed the genre, sold hundreds of thousands of systems and is still widely played three years after it was initially released.
Bungie Software, the developer of “Halo: Combat Evolved” and most recently “Halo 2,” has created a game that has all the workings of a great sequel.
“Halo 2” is by far the best game made for the Xbox. It is also the best console multiplayer game and possibly the best console game ever made. A combination of a solid single player game and a phenomenal multiplayer game makes it a must-buy for both hard-core and casual gamers alike.
The game’s single-player mode is pretty much standard first-person shooter fare. Players reprise their roles as Master Chief, a stoic super-soldier. In “Halo,” Master Chief fought against The Covenant and single-handedly destroyed Halo, a planet-sized alien weapon in the shape of a ring. “Halo 2” finds Earth in peril as The Covenant is out for revenge on humans for the destruction of Halo. The plot develops fairly linearly and is semi-intriguing; it has a few twists — some predictable, some not. I don’t want to spoil too much of the plot that Bungie has been fairly secretive about over the past few years.
What “Halo 2” lacks in plot it more than makes up for in ambiance, game play and presentation. “Halo 2” makes the player feel like a hero in a massive war. Characters ward off huge ships and drop dozens of Covenant soldiers, drive down a bombed-out highway in a tank swatting off incoming enemies with your turret, board a mechanical spider and tear it apart from the inside and pick off unsuspecting Covenant soldiers from afar, all in the first few levels.
Although the single player is ok, “Halo 2’s” multiplayer is clearly its best feature. The game has four-player splitscreen multiplayer and can have up to 16 players through system link or Xbox Live. At first glance, “Halo 2” multiplayer looks almost identical to “Halo,” but after a few matches one sees the many differences. One of the first things players will notice is the size of the maps; each of the 12 (one of which is unlocked when the game is beaten on “Heroic”) levels is quite intricate and most of the maps are huge.
One of the most obvious additions is the ability to dual-wield weapons. While running around levels, players will be able to pick up an additional weapon with their free hand, forfeiting their ability to throw grenades. This adds an incredible layer of depth to the game, as players can experiment with over a dozen different combinations.
The weapon balance has been tweaked since the last “Halo,” removing the ultra powerful pistol and replacing it with the semi-powerful battle rifle. The first “Halo” forced everyone to be pistol-centric; in “Halo 2” every weapon seems to be a viable option.
Vehicles are no longer indestructible in “Halo 2,” which means players no longer have to whittle away on the driver; they can now target the vehicle itself with hopes that it will blow up. Some vehicles can even be commandeered by players on the ground.
The graphics in “Halo 2” are some of the best available on any console. “Halo” vets will notice better-looking, more customizable character models in “Halo 2.” The levels are vast, and even in huge battles the frame rate doesn’t dip. On a whole, the in-engine cut scenes look good, although they do have some glitches on occasion. Battles look spectacular, muzzle flares are picture perfect and the dust kicked up by explosions looks amazing.
So what’s wrong with “Halo 2”? Well, for one, the single player is relatively boring. The multiplayer levels often seem too large for four people; they were clearly intended for more than six. Vets will wonder why Bungie did not include many classic levels. A couple of updated versions of old maps are available (Blood Gulch, Battle Creek), but where’s Hang ‘Em High? Some suspect that Microsoft may release more maps over Xbox Live in a couple months. Currently the Xbox Live support is spotty, but Bungie promises to fix the problem soon.
Bottom line: If you liked “Halo,” buy “Halo 2.” If you didn’t like “Halo,” rent “Halo 2” and then buy it.

Andrew McCollum is a freelance reporter for the Daily Emerald