Imagine if Halo 2 was the biggest let down ever

[DJ Sack]

Imagine it, everyone buying the special tins, everyone buying the normal game, some people pre ordering multiple copies, the advertising. Everything all for nothing. It'd be crushing and soul destroying, if any other game failed it'd be a disappointment but this...this!

Of course we all know it'll be at least good at the very very least. But just imagine.

[Dark_soldier]

i think enough time and money has gone into it to ensure a fucking amazing game. if it is a let down i can imagine people killing them selfs over it

[tyler]

Its not really going to happen but if it were to...no it won't happen.

Konami will crush us with no LIVE for Winning Eleven but not Bungie <margery doors>but thats not for here</margery doors>

[Lazychu]

If it happened they'd be several million Halo and Xbox fanboys in denial for a long time.

[acidforblood]

The weight of expectation must be a pressure on Bungie, i'd say in a positive way though. On the other hand not all sequels cut the mustard. I'd be happy with more of the same, if it's not broke and all that...

[a big boy]

I can honestly see them messing it up a little, they've tried to put a hell of a lot into it, and to be honest I doubt all of it will be to the benefit of the game. The second half of the original wasn't even that great, IMO.

On the other hand, it's going to be amazing.

[Burai]

Super Mario Sunshine proved that even a great sequel can be perceived as shit if it doesn't quite meet the standards of the original.

I personally believe that there were a good deal of flaws in Halo 1 that would probably help the second game look as good if not better by default of just having these fixed. In particular the framerate and level design were sometimes bordering on attrocious in the first installment which will help perception of part 2 no end.

[tyler]

Super Mario Sunshine proved that even a great sequel can be perceived as shit

Burai makes a good point and Halo did 'get away' with its problems, mainly because of such brilliant balance to the actual controls and its '30 seconds of magic'

Every game is going to have its nay-sayers. I thoroghly enjoyed Sunshine and couldn't identify any major faults, I wasn't looking. Was it becasue I love everything Mario? Maybe. Sure I yearned for Mushroom Kingdom but I enjoyed the Vacation.

The problem now is that many people approach a game looking to see whats wrong rather than playing the game.

I guarentee within hours of first impressions of Halo 2 someone will be picking out faults.

[JoeK]

I can honestly see them messing it up a little, they've tried to put a hell of a lot into it, and to be honest I doubt all of it will be to the benefit of the game. The second half of the original wasn't even that great, IMO.

On the other hand, it's going to be amazing.

The thing that Bungie do seem to have in their favour this time around is that they haven't had enforced deadlines like the original had (i.e: Xbox launch...).

It's been scheduled for November, and I'd be very suprised if they miss it.

Realistically, all they're doing to the game now is refinement. I'll willing to bet they could release it tomorrow, and it'd still be the best game on the Xbox yet...

[dan_tm]

The weight of expectation must be a pressure on Bungie, i'd say in a positive way though. On the other hand not all sequels cut the mustard. I'd be happy with more of the same, if it's not broke and all that...

Well if the game isn´t turning out as they expected (i.e ´is crap´) then they are keeping very cool about it and consealing it well. The seem like they wan´t to show everyone the best game ever as soon as they can, they cant wait to remove the shroud of doubt over the game.

Thats what I believe they have the weekly updates for. They better not CENSORED this game up!

[Preacher]

If you're honest about it, you soon come to realise that a great deal of the hype surrounding Halo 2 has come directly from us, the public - so if Halo 2 doesn't deliver, I'll reserve some blame for:

Myself

DJ Sack (for creating the thread and making me think long and hard)

Bill Gates (lo0zorxxz!!!11)

IGN

It's a double edged sword, the PR game. Reveal too much and all anticipation can be summarised in a collection of screenshots and anecdotal in-game gimmicks: reveal too little and the public is left to think long and hard until they decide what the want to see from a sequel - with little regard to the actual process of development and final outcome.

[Lazychu]

The thing that Bungie do seem to have in their favour this time around is that they haven't had enforced deadlines like the original had (i.e: Xbox launch...).

It's been scheduled for November, and I'd be very suprised if they miss it.

Realistically, all they're doing to the game now is refinement. I'll willing to bet they could release it tomorrow, and it'd still be the best game on the Xbox yet...

Firstly, they do have an enforced deadline - mid October I guess, in time for Nov 9th & 11th. It can't slip now, since MS have really started the marketing ball rolling and told everyone & their mum via a tattoo onto Peter Moore's fucking arm - THIS IS THE DATE.

Secondly, judging from the recent weekly updates, it's not going to be finished until the 11th hour. They sound as if there's still a fair amount of work to do and they'll be tweaking it right up until the last second.

Thirdly, I don't have a third point.

[Uncle Nasty]

Ban Request: DJ Sack.

[decider]

If Halo 2 is shit it will simultaneously be the most hilarious and the most depressing thing ever. Kind of like Driver 3.

But nothing can turn out that bad.

[Phelan]

To be honest I guess many of you never played Marathon so I have nothing but faith in their abilities.

The Marathon series was astounding which is why I knew Halo would be fantastic when it came out and I have no doubts about this one also.

And if it is shit then I'll play something else instead.

[Jumble Jumble]

Well if the game isn´t turning out as they expected (i.e ´is crap´) then they are keeping very cool about it and consealing it well. The seem like they wan´t to show everyone the best game ever as soon as they can, they cant wait to remove the shroud of doubt over the game.

Thats what I believe they have the weekly updates for. They better not CENSORED this game up!

How have you managed to get this far in your life without noticing that in every book you have ever read the word "want" has no apostrophe?

[Bojangle]

If it turns out to be shit, I'll be a bit gutted. But then I'll just carry on playing Outrun 2.

[Ktw]

To be honest I guess many of you never played Marathon so I have nothing but faith in their abilities.

The Marathon series was astounding which is why I knew Halo would be fantastic when it came out and I have no doubts about this one also.

Ah, yes.

Marathon and Myth are two of my favourite franchises of all time.

Marathon was fucking amazing when it was released. Scary, intelligent, challenging and tons of fun, with literally thousands of clever little touches. Marathon 2: Durandal was unarguably a more polished game. Better controls, nice additions (such as shotguns, underwater sections and new species) and just as good a story. Still, it wasn't as amazing.

Myth was equally amazing, blowing most RTS games out of the water. Once again, an intelligent story, challenging and fun gameplay and filled to the brim with clever ideas and touches. Myth II: Soulblighter, again, was the more polished game. Better controls, more of the fun stuff and so on. And once again it just didn't feel as amazing.

So if Bungie are to continue that trend, Halo 2 will certainly be better than the original, but we might not readily appreciate it. Then again, the difference, as has been pointed out, is that it's been in development long enough to ensure it will be The Best Fucking Game of All Time.

[layten]

To be honest I guess many of you never played Marathon so I have nothing but faith in their abilities.

The Marathon series was astounding which is why I knew Halo would be fantastic when it came out and I have no doubts about this one also.

And if it is shit then I'll play something else instead.

It was a game on the Mac (untill they converted it to the PC so they could afford food etc..), so of course most people here have never played it.

[Van]

I'd still play it.

[Lucky Gonk]

If it turns out to be shit, I'll be a bit gutted.  But then I'll just carry on playing Outrun 2.

If it turns out to be shit, I'll be a bit gutted. But then I'll just carry on playing Halo.

Will Bungie drop the ball with Halo 2? It's a possibility, I guess. My big fear is that Bungie have tried to implement too much, and as a consequence the balance that made Halo so ace will be lost. I remember Edge saying that games are fragile, that it doesn't take much to break them; tiny changes that are seemingly inconsequential have a detrimental knock-on effect and can spoil the game as a whole. Duel wielding and melee combos sound all right but we don't know what effect they'll have on the game's mechanics.

Part of me wishes Bungie would play it safe with Halo 2. I don't want innovation for innovation's sake - I want a new campaign mode, some new weapons and multiplayer maps wrapped up in a shiny new lick of paint. Other than that, I'm not too fussed.

[ianwuk]

Couldn't be as bad as Driv3r though could it?. Plus it's a first-party title and generally they are always of a high quality, with perhaps a few exceptions such as Azurik and Blinx, the question is, will the sequel get 10/10 from EDGE again and thus be the first gaming series (I think) to have ever been awarded 10/10 ratings for both iterations?.

[Lucky Gonk]

Couldn't be as bad as Driv3r though could it?.  Plus it's a first-party title and generally they are always of a high quality, with perhaps a few exceptions such as Azurik and Blinx, the question is, will the sequel get 10/10 from EDGE again and thus be the first gaming series (I think) to have ever been awarded 10/10 ratings for both iterations?.

Halo 2 - not as bad as Driv3r!

They should put that on the box.

[DJ Sack]

It wont get a ten for the fact it is a follow up game thats pretty similar to the first.

[ianwuk]

Mook, you could replace Halo 2 with any game name on Xbox due for release though really, Atari should be ashamed. I'm intrigued though, what if Halo 2 did get 10?. No doubt the likes of Xbox World and OXM are polishing the ten out of ten awards already as are probably IGN.

[Uncle Nasty]

It wont get a ten for the fact it is a follow up game thats pretty similar to the first.

I hope Edge review the Live part of the game and not just the campaign mode, it's definitely about time they started doing so anyway in all their reviews, but they'd be foolish to omit the multiplayer element from the Halo 2 review. I remember Bungie commenting that it would make "all other Live games look broken" so if they have done something particularly ace with MP it may well get a 10. I hope it does, just to see the effect it'll have on this place.

[DJ Sack]

I doubt they will give it a ten for the MP as not everyone has xbox live, if it was a multiplayer only game then sure but it isnt. They need to judge it as a whole product not on a scales type system where even though one player may be crap and multi player the best thing ever it evens out to be great.

[Beertiger]

Multi is more than Live though

System link, split screen and an allegedly nut busting Live mode should add up to an amazing package when combined with the most well gaurded single player game in recent times

[Lucky Gonk]

Mook, you could replace Halo 2 with any game name on Xbox due for release though really, Atari should be ashamed.

I know mate. I was being a bit facetious with that statement - damning Halo 2 with faint praise.

I can't see it getting a ten though. Edge would have to consider it revolutionary and I don't think will be. In fact, I'm sure Edge said in its E3 coverage that it's shaping up to be a case of evolution, rather than revolution.

Of course, that's not say Bungie haven't got an ace or two hidden up their collective sleeves - I for one am looking forward to the laser guided attack otters as much as the next faceless internet fanboy - but I think we've got a pretty good idea of what to expect.

[Phelan]

It was a game on the Mac (untill they converted it to the PC so they could afford food etc..), so of course most people here have never played it.

Well all those who haven't played it should make the time to do so...it will open their eyes to Halo and it's past.