Common Sense Note
Parents need to know this game is not for kids -- hence the PAUSE rating and recommended age of 17 years and older. It's a moderately challenging first-person shooter game with the lots of blood, gore, and scariness. You will use sub-machine guns, high-powered energy swords, grenades, and other weapons to inflict death. Lots of blood is shown throughout the game. And the aliens are scary looking. Some torture is shown and you can also high-jack cars. Online play will likely expose players to foul language. The star rating given this game is based on quality of game play within this genre of video gaming and not endorsement of the violence within the game.
Families can talk about why this game has become one of – if not – the most popular action game franchise of this generation. Is the sci-fi story so much better than other games? Does the level of violence make a game like this more immersive than its competitors? Is blood necessary in a 3-D shooter or is falling down enough to confirm the enemy is dead? Does the swearing that you might hear while playing online take away from the multiplayer experience or add to it?
Common Sense Review
Reviewed By: Marc Saltzman
In 2004, HALO 2 shattered video game sales records and causes tremendous buzz in mainstream media -- but does it live up to the hype?
In a word? Yes.
The original Halo: Combat Evolved is a single-player game that pits a human, Master Chief, against an onslaught of menacing aliens. By navigating through huge locations, the player discovers what weapons work best in a given situation and how best to dispose of the sly extraterrestrials.
Halo was one of those rare games that excelled in every department, from the game play and story to the graphics and orchestrated music soundtrack. And now its sequel takes things further.
Arguably the most impressive new feature in Halo 2 is the online play for up to 16 gamers via Xbox Live (service sold separately). Imagine running around stunningly surreal landscapes with more than a dozen of your buddies, each battling on foot or while riding in jeeps and other vehicles.
Game modes include the familiar Deathmatch (here called Slayer; whoever gets the most kills wins), Capture the Flag, King of the Hill, and other head-to-head options.
Choosing a game type, finding other players in the virtual lobby, and launching a multiplayer match is as intuitive as it is fast and smooth. Within seconds of logging on to Xbox Live, you'll find yourself deep in gunfire and will hear players strategize (or trash-talk) using an optional Xbox Live headset/microphone.
Microsoft says players will be able to use Xbox Live to download new Halo 2 maps.
Other multiplayer options include a split-screen mode for up to four players on the same television, and a system link mode for those who want to connect multiple Xbox units in the same room.
Also new to Halo 2 are extra weapons such as the Covenant (alien) energy blade and submachine gun (plus you can now wield two weapons at once) and the ability to toss an enemy out of a vehicle and climb in, perhaps a nod to Grand Theft Auto-style carjacking.
The game's sci-fi story and impressive cut-scene sequences are some of the best in a video game to date. The story begins shortly after the events in Halo, where Master Chief is attending a medal ceremony onboard a spaceship hovering above Earth. The evil Covenant begins an attack on the ship and planet, which calls Master Chief back into action down on the surface.
Memorable moments from the game include cruising in an enemy "ghost" vehicle over a huge suspension bridge leading into a city; fighting an onslaught of creatures along a beach; and jumping on top of an enormous four-legged scarab creature to destroy it. The story also contains many plot twists and a very gratifying midgame surprise.
There are a few minor shortcomings. For one, computer-controlled characters won't always operate a vehicle when they get in the driver's seat. Another minor beef involves some graphical issues such as downed humans that seem to move because of glitches that cause their bodies to awkwardly shift around.
The music in Halo 2 is outstanding; think of it as new-age ambient melodies, classical music, and Gregorian chants mixed with rhythmic drum beats and electric guitar.
Halo 2 proves you can improve on excellence. It's an outstanding solo adventure and multiplayer game that gets almost everything right.
For younger kids looking for a more appropriate sandbox style game, try The Incredible Hulk Ultimate Destruction.
Rate It!
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ViolenceShoot down enemies from a first-person perspective. You can wield two sub-machine guns at once, cut down your enemies with a sword, or blow up enemies with grenades. Blood is prevalent and battles are intense. |
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LanguageMild language sprinkled throughout the game. Online play isn't rated, and fellow teammates or enemies can swear in their headset. |
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Social BehaviorYou are fighting an alien race, using extreme violence to do so. |
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Educational ValueNothing you would want your kids to learn. |
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