The Video Game Critic

Ah, good ol' hyperbole.

The awful Halo 2 experience? Wah!? There is only a very small handful of games I have ever really truly enjoyed online, and Halo 2 tops the list without batting an eyelash. Lots of game modes including straight up death match and teams, great levels to play, and all manner of interesting variants, PLUS the best match making system I've ever enjoyed. I never felt overwhelmed by the skill of the players at level 1 or level 16.

This meant that I was never dead last, as long as I gave a decent effort... unlike most online games where you are either AMAZING or you are TERRIBLE.

-Rob

Well my whole gaming group are XBox and 360 owners and none of us like Halo 2 online.  The reason we had was simple:

-Dual wielding.  This ruined any strategy and tactics to working the levels.  An unskilled player can easily beat out better players due to this mechanic.  Since anyone dual wielding can beat anyone who isn't it's such a joke.

I also thought most the levels were pretty crummy.  Too big and lacking focus or decent, well thought out item placement.  There were no counter balances.  Although having said that there were a handful of good maps but certainly not up to the standard set by Halo 1 where they nailed it just right on both weapon and level fronts.

Halo 2 multiplayer is all about luck.

Well my whole gaming group are XBox and 360 owners and none of us like Halo 2 online.  The reason we had was simple:

-Dual wielding.  This ruined any strategy and tactics to working the levels.  An unskilled player can easily beat out better players due to this mechanic.  Since anyone dual wielding can beat anyone who isn't it's such a joke.

I also thought most the levels were pretty crummy.  Too big and lacking focus or decent, well thought out item placement.  There were no counter balances.  Although having said that there were a handful of good maps but certainly not up to the standard set by Halo 1 where they nailed it just right on both weapon and level fronts.

Halo 2 multiplayer is all about luck.

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It sounds like the issue you're describing was the way Halo 2 was at launch where anyone with a duel weapon set that fired first would win.  After the update that was done with the added multiplayer levels the gameplay changed immensely.  Grenades now detonate much faster adding tactile depth and all the weapons have different hit capacities.  Heck, even the brute shot now has oomph.  The battle rifle went from being an inaccurate and useless weapon to a pawning masterpiece from medium to long range easily defeating anyone with a duel wield set from medium range.  Likewise, a single wield weapon user can take down a duel wielder with proper timing and a fist to the head after a little softening up. 

Might be worthwhile to give it another shot.  After playing halo 2 weekly for a couple of years now skill makes a huge difference.  (though I will admit sword games gets a little wacky)

Hmm I might give it another chance then.  Somehow I never heard about the patch. 

Hmm I might give it another chance then.  Somehow I never heard about the patch. 

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You know, that could be true because I didn't have the ability to use Xbox live until I had already owned Halo 2 for about 6 months, so I was already experiencing a more evened out playing field by then. It must have been different at launch.

When I played, the game was dominated by either people who knew the maps inside and out or people that had learned to use the battle rifle. The battle rifle people were always very hard to beat.

-Rob

I find Halos (and every other FPS on multiplayer) 100x funner when I play with no shields and no extra health.  I guess I got spoiled to this in Goldeneye's "licencied to kill' mode = one shot and your dead.  Anyway, this prevents people from just running around going rambo on newcomers.

I find Halos (and every other FPS on multiplayer) 100x funner when I play with no shields and no extra health.  I guess I got spoiled to this in Goldeneye's "licencied to kill' mode = one shot and your dead.  Anyway, this prevents people from just running around going rambo on newcomers.

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Ever try the Team SWAT variant online?  It's no shields, no radar, pistols and BRs.  Headshots galore so you're always constantly paranoid spinning around.  I love it. (and suck at it, but still tons of fun)