As the alien Covenant invade Earth, the Master Chief must defend humanity's homeworld whilst discovering more about the rings called "Halo."As the alien Covenant invade Earth, the Master Chief must defend humanity's homeworld whilst discovering more about the rings called "Halo."As the alien Covenant invade Earth, the Master Chief must defend humanity's homeworld whilst discovering more about the rings called "Halo."
- Won 1 BAFTA Award
- 6 wins & 7 nominations total
- Gravemind
- (voice)
- (as Dee Baker)
- Miranda Keyes
- (voice)
- 343 Guilty Spark
- (voice)
- …
- SpecOps Leader
- (voice)
- Arbiter
- (voice)
- Master Chief
- (voice)
- Heretic Leader
- (voice)
- Lord Hood
- (voice)
- Sergeant Johnson
- (voice)
- …
- Cortana
- (voice)
- Brute
- (voice)
- …
- Marine
- (voice)
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaHad 1.5 million preorders before its release, making it an Xbox "Platinum Hit" months before it was even released.
- GoofsIf you shoot Sergeant Johnson as the Arbiter, he says things like "Stop it, Chief".
- Quotes
Cortana: [after seeing Gravemind] What... is that?
Gravemind: I... I am a monument to all your sins...
[the Arbiter struggles]
Master Chief: Relax. I'd rather not piss this thing off.
Arbiter: Demon!
Gravemind: This one is machine and nerve and has its mind concluded; this one is but flesh and faith and is the more deluded...
Arbiter: Kill me or release me, parasite. But do not waste my time with talk!
Gravemind: There is much talk... and I have listened through rock and metal and time... Now I shall talk and you shall listen...
2401 Penitent Tangent: Greetings! I am 2401 Penitent Tangent, I am the monitor of installation 05...
Prophet of Regret: And I am the Prophet of Regret, Council of most high hierarch of the Covenant!
2401 Penitent Tangent: [looks at Master Chief] A reclaimer, here? At last! We have much to do! This facility must be activated if we are to control this outbreak!
Prophet of Regret: Stay where you are! Nothing can be done until my sermon is complete!
2401 Penitent Tangent: Not true! This installation has a successful utilization record of 1.2 trillion simulated and 1 actual. It is ready to fire on demand.
Prophet of Regret: Of all the objects that our Lords left behind, there are none so worthless as these Oracles! They know nothing of the Great Journey!
2401 Penitent Tangent: And you know nothing about containment! You have demonstrated complete disregard for even the most basic protocols!
Gravemind: This one's Containment, and this one's Great Journey are the same... Your prophets have promised you freedom from a doomed existence, but you will find no salvation on this ring. Those that built this place knew what they wrought. Do not mistake their intent or all will perish as they did before.
Master Chief: This thing is right; Halo is a weapon. Your prophets are making a big mistake.
Arbiter: Your ignorance already destroyed one of the sacred rings, Demon. It shall not harm another!
Gravemind: If you will not hear the truth, then I will show it to you.
[to the Chief]
Gravemind: You will search one likely spot...
[to the Arbiter]
Gravemind: And you will search another. Fate may have placed us as foes, but this ring will make us brothers.
- Crazy creditsAfter the credits roll, there is a short scene featuring Cortana and Gravemind.
- ConnectionsEdited into Red vs. Blue (2003)
- SoundtracksBlow Me Away
Performed by Breaking Benjamin
(P) 2004 Hollywood Records, Inc. Courtesy of Hollywood Records, Inc.
Written by Benjamin Burnley
Published by Seven Peaks Music o/b/o itself and Breaking Benjamin Music (ASCAP)
All rights reserved
Used by permission
Halo 2, then, is a sequel with no small amount of hype to live up to. Picking up very soon after the events in its predecessor, the game begins with humanity's worst case scenario: religious fanatic alien alliance The Covenant invades Earth. Reprising your role as the bio-engineered supersoldier, you begin by repelling boarders on a planetary defence frigate but soon find yourself on terra firma, skirmishing with invaders amid the ruined cities then pursuing a key Covenant figure back to their neck of the galaxy. Far more polished than the original story, Halo 2's plot line drives the action well and, thanks to the judicious use of cut-scenes, gives a deeper insight into the Covenant, evolving them beyond faceless cannon fodder and probing the reasons for their galactic jingoistic instincts.
Which brings us to the most significant change in Halo 2. After wading through the first few levels as the Master Chief, the viewpoint switches to that of The Arbiter, a disgraced Covenant Elite. Apart from coming as something of a surprise, playing as The Arbiter is a subtly different experience. Equipping you with the Elite's deadly force blade and Predator-like cloaking field, the Covenant perspective provides an interesting counterpoint to the human levels though remembering that the aliens are now your friends and shouldn't be gutted on sight takes some getting used to. The continuing narrative doesn't abandon the Master Chief, though, and you'll alternate from one side to the other as the story progresses, until the two come together in a final, satisfying synthesis.
The graphics, while not leagues ahead, have certainly been given a boost this time around, and the fiendishly addictive multiplayer mode now comes with added bells and whistles in addition to being Xbox Live enabled. Gameplay changes include the ability to wield two weapons simultaneously a welcome addition that rules out the need to retreat and reload, markedly changing the strategies you'll employ in the many ranging firefights. New foes, vehicles and weapons have likewise been added to the roster. Halo 2 isn't revolutionary by any means, but as the follow-up to such a sublime experience as Halo, it really didn't need to be. The sequel's achievement is to give a second helping of the most accomplished title on the Xbox, with just enough tweaks and polishes to make this experience as fresh and enjoyable as the original.
- cameron-burn
- Nov 20, 2007
Details
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 4:3