Halo 2
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US: November 9, 2004[1] |
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- "Earth will never be the same."
- — Official tagline
Halo 2 is a first-person shooter video game developed by Bungie Studios for the Xbox video game console and is forwards-compatible with the Xbox 360. It is the sequel to Halo: Combat Evolved and features a newly built graphics engine as well as many new gameplay elements. Storywise, Halo 2 develops the struggle between the United Nations Space Command, Covenant, and the Flood during the Human-Covenant War in the fall of 2552. A sequel, Halo 3, was released on September 25, 2007.
The game is one of the most successful and actively played video games for the original Xbox console, with 8.46 million copies sold as of November 2008. Despite this, the game's online servers, along with all other original Xbox LIVE services, were discontinued on April 15, 2010. [2]
A PC version of Halo 2 was released in 2007. Halo 2: Anniversary, a remastered edition of the game, was released for the Xbox One as part of Halo: The Master Chief Collection on November 11, 2014, the 10th anniversary of the original game.[3]
Synopsis[edit]
Characters and setting[edit]
Halo 2 does not pick up directly after the events of its predecessor, but rather, after the events depicted in the novel Halo: First Strike, taking place in Halo: Combat Evolved with the events explaining Master Chief's return to Earth not featured in any game so far. The story dives deeper into the society of the Covenant, their goals, beliefs, and alliances, as well as continuing Master Chief's story to put an end to the Covenant threat on Earth as well as another Halo. Halo 2 also introduces the insectoid Yanme’e and the Jiralhanae, who were first mentioned in First Strike. They are shown as large, hairy, ape-like beasts; although they do not have energy shields like the Sangheili, their immense bulk and strength allows them to absorb a large amount of damage before dying.
The game follows a linear series of episodes that differ from Halo: Combat Evolved. The player will play as both the Master Chief and a troubled Covenant Sangheili known as "Thel 'Vadam".
Plot synopsis[edit]
The game begins on High Charity, the mobile capital city of the Covenant. The former Supreme Commander of the Fleet of Particular Justice, Commander Thel 'Vadamee, is on trial before the High Council for his failure to protect Halo. Despite his insistence that the Flood hampered his abilities, the Hierarchs who lead the council, the High Prophets of Truth, Mercy, and Regret, deem him guilty of failing to protect the Sacred Ring. 'Vadamee is then stripped of his rank and his armor and is branded with the Mark of Shame by Tartarus, the Chieftain of the Jiralhanae.
The story then turns to Earth's orbital defense platform Cairo Station, where Master Chief Petty Officer John-117 receives the new MJOLNI