Halo 2 Retrospective (7/10)

Halo 2 was never brilliantly recieved, but in my mind it's the better game for the original Xbox: better graphics, a more blockbuster-esque story of galactic proportions and most importantly a better-paced all round adventure for the Master Chief to shoot his way through. The plot here revolves around the Chief's return to Earth on a cruiser, cut short by an impending Covenant invasion of the planet. Sequences from the Chief blasting a bomb into the centre of an enemy cruiser to his nostalgic escape from the second Halo via a Warthog and a large ramp aid Halo 2 in providing a game that doesn't stray too far from its Halo heritage, yet ramps up things a notch in every respect so that the player gets more general enjoyment. The main complaint levelled at this sequel was it just felt like build-up for the trilogy's conclusion, Halo 3 (9/10), but looking at the plot and game-play I'd say it feels like an installment of its own. Admittedly the vehicle and character models still aren't great, and some locations just look plain boring, but these shortcomings don't derail an ultimately better game than its predecessor, and deserves a look once more before Halo: Reach hits this Autumn!