Foreword

That is such a deal also in games with comebacks: to succeed, previous services must be established to which, at least seamlessly – ideally even with a better performance than before. Exactly this requirement also applies to the published on 9 June PC version of Halo 2. But also in all other respects, the title of certain expectations scatters: Halo 2 is one of the first games designed exclusively for Windows Vista.

Computer base already had the opportunity to take the new-old adventures of soldiers with the striking name of Master Chief in the struggle for the survival of humanity in appearances in advance of publication. The question is whether the comeback on the PC is just as well managed as his time on the Xbox.

Test system for Halo 2:

• Intel Core 2 Duo E6700 @ 2.66 GHz
• Gigabyte GA-965 p-DQ6
• GeForce 7900 GTX (512 MB)
• 2 x 1024 MB crucial Ballistix (PC2-8000 DDR2-RAM)

Recommended system for Halo 2:

• Operating system: Microsoft Windows Vista
• Processor: Pentium processor 2.0 GHz or higher
• Memory: 1 GB RAM
• Hard disk: 1.2 GB of disk space
• Video card: nVidia 6100, ATI X 700 or higher
• DVD-ROM: 4 x DVD-ROM drive
• Control: Microsoft mouse or compatible pointing device
• Optional: Modem 56 Kbps or higher for online game

History

Just like the console version celebrated in 2004 on the Xbox, Halo 2 on the PC begins where Halo has stopped: short after the happy victory of the people about the aliens. Annoying here: Who does not know the story, is informed as well as not even by the while decent, but not very informative cinematic intro.

Therefore, the history of Halo is here mentioned in fast forward: in a distant future humanity and an Alliance of alien races fight, called Convenant, in a bitter war. While both parties find the Halo, a ring-shaped planet populated by parasitic Orgasnismen (“floods”), representing the potential gateway to the paradise for the Convenant. Which is the beginning of the “great journey” for the Alliance, is nothing more than a gigantic weapons of mass destruction in truth – note the causal link between the concept of “great journey” and that it should begin with a huge destruction. To prevent the total destruction of the player in the person of the legendary master chiefs (MC) Halo must destroy.

Once in Halo 2, the genetically tuned elite soldier is honored with together with his comrades on one of the Earth interstellar Defense for his exceptional achievements as just a major attack of the Convenant on Earth begins. In the course of the indeed very exciting held history is the plot of Halo repeated quasi – but actually only in a certain way. Although are almost same characters and with the second Halo a nearly identical planet there – different turns in the story, new aspects and not least, new figures make but that Halo 2 story terms, not to the copy of the predecessor is. Just in terms of the story is also a remarkable new feature: other than in the previous moves the player in the continuation in the role of responsible in the first part of the defense of Halo Convenant Commander, which is used after his unsuccessful stand in a suicidal Eliteinheit and with which it also applies to survive a handful of missions.

Weapons

For the player, Halo 2 means one generally in particular again: usual metzeln aliens of various kinds. By the comparatively sweet, highly coherent grunt to the evil as well as large brute and the opponents of zombie mutated by the floods, everything is in this time again. In the fight of the Master Chief can access this a usual rich arsenal: Besides conventional machine guns, which can be used in effective dual mode depending on the size, can be up to the rocket launcher on the sniper rifle that is just as effective as low-ammunition the human weapons nothing to be desired.

In the course of the various battles, the Master Chief can acquire also various alien weapons. Here the inclined player is encountered but unfortunately quickly a nuisance: Unlike takes in human weapons of the MC in some alien weapons no ammunition on, so that once emptied the weapon, must be exchanged against a lying on the ground, same type. This is particularly sensitive in the battle, when already empty shot under the many arms lying on the ground.

The inventory of the Convenant Commander is only to the extent worth mentioning, that he – in addition to the mentioned repertoire – with an energy sword even after medieval methods pea can fight and also has a nice, but little useful Unsichtsbarkeits toy.

Unfortunately the use of the weapons is altogether very unausgereift. So the MC (as well as the alien Commander) can result in only two types of weapons with it. Such a dual system consisting of two machine guns and a sniper rifle. To switch on the sniper rifle, the Q (default) must be key – out button but also makes sure, that the left weapon is dropped. After using the secondary weapons of a part of the dual system must be collected so manually. Exactly the same effect occurs if during the use of dual weapons stand-a gun is to be filled. Here even more critical: The left weapon is dropped so that mostly under the gun lies and can be resumed – if ever – only with great difficulty.

Vehicles

In the course of the game it comes again and again to enjoy the control of vehicles in which switches the view from the first to third person. The fleet of vehicles in Halo 2 is not glorious, but yet absolutely sufficiently equipped with a jeep, a tank and a skid of the Covenant. But also here is the devil in the detail: the control of the vehicle – in particular that of the Jeep – is due to the unfortunate combination of keyboard and mouse as extremely stressful. So, the vehicle with the keys W and A (default) will be moved forward and back. Left and right it is however with the mouse – a perfect circumstance, above all, himself while driving just shortly after opponents would like to umblicken and promptly thunders against an obstacle.

The use of the Jeep is also problematic in already Marines in this sitting. So the MC can not choose on what position he wants to put (driver, passenger or rifle seat), but he takes a automatically always the free position. A realistic, but not very comfortable feature, because it is so in some sections on the passenger seat to the blocked, with a small gun at enemy devouring armoured vehicles supporting actor. Brutal single as well as more complicated way out of this misery is to cause a crash of the vehicle, so that all occupants are ejected and must regroup with violence.

Even if the handling of vehicles as a whole also to wish left over can be, ensures the use of vehicles yet additional liveliness and a pleasant change from the day’s shooting of master chiefs and is a nice, even if no outstanding feature.

KI

Also the artificial intelligence (AI) covered itself in Halo 2 unfortunately not just with fame. So the Marines have especially, to run the Master Chief in the battle front of the lens then with a “You customise on yet, Master Chief” to acknowledge the dedicated provoked friendly fire. Otherwise give the contributors with rather annoying phrases à la “which you have shown it but Sir” rather useless comments from. In the field, which surprise Marines partially but: even with difficult walk-in terrain such as in a jungle mission on Halo they stay tight in the MC and provide good fire protection. It becomes really problematic mostly only when it comes in an elevator or – as in this use,-on a gondola; Here the half team lags like to once, because the members simply not to the transport vehicles want to occur.

Also the enemy AI is not just a huge IQ. So hang the aliens (also the zombies mutated by the floods) often at corners or have some distance to shoot confidently without significantly to respond. In this context even the quite generously sized hit boxes mentioning, which are often not very realistic set, especially with small flying opponents but prevent that too much frustration comes up with assault rifle fire.

Plot

In addition to the many aspects of criticism really positive to mention is the atmosphere in Halo 2. So, up to various operations on the planet Earth, and in particular Halo – constantly changing locations – from a variety of space stations provide nice change. In large-scale battles in these different areas of fun comes on in spite of these shortcomings quickly and above all sustained. Especially in night fighting with the flood zombies a certain shock factor is also not denying what voltage also gives Halo 2 in addition to the change.

The history of the game is here again and again through various events and well successful video sequences and which gives the player – admitted wrong – feeling, to be able to influence it. In addition WINS by the historical competition between the two protagonists, as well as the resulting duplication, the but usual linear and by weighting the quality of her rather the plot drive is focused on the adventures of MC. Overall, Halo offers 2 so that draft, as well as a sophisticated, exciting and consistent story.

Graphic

Not at all shiny presents the graphical implementation of Halo 2 however. The expectations were here but not necessarily small two reasons: on the one hand, you promised a PC adaptation, which should be significantly enhanced when compared to the Xbox version at Microsoft games in advance. On the other hand comes Halo 2 with Shadowrun, released on 1 June, as one of two first “Vista-only” games on the market.

Even if just last circumstance justify in advance in any way let the exclusive compatibility to Windows Vista stirs up nevertheless certain expectations of the graphic quality of Halo 2. From near DirectX-10 look no trace: instead of groundbreaking environments, as well as realistic as bombastic light and shadow effects and lifelike faces presented to Halo 2 in the just-still-actual look, as he may still at the beginning of the year 2005 as “High-end” would be scanned. Flat water acts like a thick, transparent chemical mixture and not refreshing wet; Grass come along frequently as texture plate instead of individually modulated, lush grasses and of the competitors on the part of the people there are only four or five different people – at least when it comes to the always same, relatively immobile faces.

Also by the promised inflated adaptation of the Xbox version, it can be only due to question. While Halo 2 – plump said is – not ugly. But if you a real Renaissance à la Counterstrike to Counterstrike: source expected, experienced a small disappointment. According to the overall rather low graphical enhancement, Halo 2 on the test system but also in the resolution of 1280 * 1024, with four anti-aliasing ran – more is not possible – and high details very liquid; always in the range of 90-100 FPS. Even in higher resolutions, it came to no significant performance drops. On a weaker system (Intel Pentium 4 570J on an ASUS P5WD2 premium with 1.5 GB RAM and an ASUS extreme N6600GT silencer) wanted to run Halo 2 however not properly: FPS figures in the mid twenties range made every fun from the outset to niece.

Other

Save
As with the predecessors, you can run a full save only at the beginning of a new level in Halo 2. During the missions of balanced set locations ensures that it is not too far back in the event of failure.

Goodbye disorient
Also like its predecessors eliminates the annoying search for Healthpacks and the anxious gaze in Halo 2 on the Healthpoint display: instead the Master Chief comes along with an invisible shield. A beep informs the player with too many opposing goals via the weak state of tarnished protection. Now not as soon as possible, if coverage is sought, the enemies within less another winners of their victory can look forward. The same is true also for the missions with the Convenant Commander.

Stability
Unfortunately not really unusual – but yet worth mentioning – is that Halo 2 during the test phase is crashed four times. While the application was closed three simply after one to four second-freeze and Vista issued the note, that the video card driver had to be restarted after a problem. What exactly this circumstance is due, can not say. The problems occurred in no certain places or during demanding scenes, but spread out over different areas only once. May well be that a first patch – if it occurs increasingly – soon could resolve this issue.

Multiplayer
The multiplayer mode of Halo 2 also works on the PC via the well-known for shelf-mounted sign, fee-based “live” service. Once logged in, the inclined players on a total of 23 maps in different, generally known in the genre of multiplayer modes can be as measure for example, deathmatch, capture the flag or King of the Hill. Unfortunately, the Halo 2 multiplayer mode despite older hopes apparently not platform-independent, works so that Xbox owners will not encounter PC gamers.

Multiplayer Map Pack
In addition to single- and multiplayer Halo 2 for Windows Vista also offers the official multiplayer map Pack that extends the multiplayer by nine more, very decent maps, as well as an own map editor.

Price
Halo 2 will cost probably about 50 euro. A month-long live Gratismitgliedschaft (gold) is included in the package.

Conclusion

All in all is Halo 2 for the PC as the almost tragic title. It seems as the specifications in advance were overall just too high. This circumstance is one part historically grown: to guarantee the success of Halo and Halo 2 for Xbox Bungie and Microsoft games must present actually one enhanced PC version the theory after, for the inclined PC gamers to get first place a kind of appeal. On the other hand, the pressure is homemade: by the fixation to be technically inconclusive on Vista in conjunction with the announcement to offer an improved version compared to the Xbox, provoked graphical desires be fulfilled in the approach. While the player looking forward to a feast for the eyes, he will be bitterly disappointed with the look & feel of a DirectX 8 graphics engine.

≪ div > “Halo 2″ Photo Gallery (50 pictures)

To stay at the Vista fixation: the reasoning it followed so at Microsoft, is by the brand-strategic point of view – in stark contrast to the purely technical aspect – not so incomprehensible. Of course, tried the group by just those step to move above all the sales-friendly PC gamers by the binding of the game to the new operating system to buy. And this approach is certainly in the near future with other, much better titles – age of Empires 4? even have some success. But also to get you started we needed a much stronger title. It is for certain: Halo 2 can create a right to exist as a result of the shortcomings referred to in the foregoing, in no way for Vista and is also pushing the already beautiful Vista sales figures.

Can of course be thrown behind, that is one of not only the graphic in a computer game, and even if exactly this argument just in games such as Halo is a questionable statement, this should be investigated. As a result of the shown shortcomings in the handling of weapons and vehicles, as well as the rather weak AI, it is Halo 2 also in this respect not just for fame and glory. However, these factors be compensated by a usual consistent and exciting history, which ends but somewhat disappointing and probably primarily has aimed to make appetite on Halo 3. The juicy minus point in the image would be not so striking, all deficits in control and AI were forgotten and the Master Chief would have had a golden comeback.

But we must say unfortunately, that Halo is probably just something for lovers of Halo 2, which no Xbox and like to play Halo 3 in a distant future want to without understanding only station in the storyline. Who but hopes for a genre your with first-rate graphics, which should better leave the fingers of Halo 2 for the PC.