Halo 2: Anniversary has arrived on PC through The Master Chief Collection. By now, the game needs no formal introduction. While Halo: Combat Evolved kick-started the franchise, Halo 2 expanded on it. Its story was bigger, and it set the matchmaking standard for online multiplayer. Simply put, it's great the title is readily available on PC for all to check out. It may not be a perfect PC port yet, but Halo 2: Anniversary is still excellent.
Gameplay remains pretty much unchanged from Halo: Reach and Halo: Combat Evolved, at least while playing as Master Chief. Halo 2 introduces new gameplay in the form of the Arbiter. Unlike Chief, Arbiter can briefly turn invisible, which is handy for sneaking up on enemies. Beyond that, everything will seem very familiar. Players traverse areas and blast Covenant and Flood alike with different weapons.
After the destruction of Halo, Master Chief is commemorated by the UNSC. However, the Covenant have returned. It turns out there is another Halo. The Covenant wish to activate it, to begin what they call their "Great Journey." Master Chief and Cortana are back to prevent this from happening. Meanwhile, a Covenant Elite is given the title of Arbiter. He is sent to find the Halo's activation key.
Cinematic Halo
Those who have never played Halo 2 before may be surprised by the nuanced storyline in comparison to Halo: Combat Evolved. While the previous game certainty told a story, Halo 2 expands on it by focusing a great deal on the Covenant. In the two previous games, the Covenant are little more than mindless grunts to be destroyed. There's nothing wrong with that, but Halo 2 delves into the Covenant's hierarchy, and their overall goal. The voice acting and visuals all add to the atmosphere.
The story focuses a lot on the Arbiter. Once again, new players may be surprised when they are given control of this Covenant character. This works to the game's benefit, as Arbiter is an interesting character to follow. There's a level of anticipation as players count down the missions until Master Chief and Arbiter meet. Overall, Halo 2's emphasis on expanding the lore is welcome, especially with the terminals players can find.
Plenty Of Action To Go Around
Halo 2 doesn't do much to change the battle formula, but it definitely improves upon Combat Evolved in the environment department. No longer are there any overly lengthy library sections or repetitive corridors. Shooting enemies once again requires great strategy, as Chief's health will dwindle if one's not careful. A neat addition is dual-weapon wielding, which is as satisfying as it sounds.
There are a few great vehicle sections, especially with the Arbiter. Speaking of this new character, he adds an interesting twist to the gameplay: invisibility. Smartly, the ability only works for a limited time. The time is short, but long enough to provide quality usage.
Halo 2: Anniversary's soundtrack is fantastic, combining epic rock, emotional choir, and its signature military themes. There are transitions to certain music themes, such as when Arbiter goes into a vehicle section, that elevates the gameplay. As for multiplayer, capture the flag still provides some fun, fast-paced action. Those who enjoy Halo's multiplayer should have fun with the modes Halo 2: Anniversary brings to The Master Chief Collection.
Halo 2: Anniversary's PC port is not flawless. There have been reported issues, though 343 Industries is working on remedying them. This reviewer ran into a couple of split-second freezes in one mission. These were certainly annoying, but didn't happen throughout the game. Also, like Combat Evolved, checkpoints can be inconsistent at times. Though, this could be an issue from even before the PC port.
Still A Great FPS Experience
Halo 2: Anniversary is an excellent game, bringing fantastic first-person action and a compelling continuation of the story. The characters - Master Chief, Arbiter, Oracle, and more, all bring something to the table in a well-done script. Even those who just come for the shooting will likely be engrossed with what's happening in the plot. Of course, Halo 2's emphasis is still on shooting action, and it delivers that.
A PC copy of Halo: The Master Chief Collection was purchased by TheGamer for this review. Halo 2: Anniversary is available for PC and Xbox One.
Halo: The Master Chief Collection
Halo: The Master Chief Collection brings together six titles in the iconic FPS series from Microsoft, optimised for PC. All games have both single-player campaigns and multiplayer modes, as well as an improved form of the Forge map editor.