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> Don't get me wrong, I love the game, but the ending sucked XXX. Bungie
> seems so worried about the online gameplay, they forgot to finish the
> story.... I am not interested in buying a game that ends with: BUT WAIT
> THERE'S MORE!!! I was expecting one last level where the MC cleans house,
> kills the remaining prophets and ends it all. What a let down.

quote:

---

> Does anyone else get the feeling that Halo 2 is nothing more than a big
> trailer for Halo 3 on XBox 2? I beat it on Heroic, thought that the end
> must have been a glitch, so I replayed the second half of the last board
> ...AND... it was still the most anti-climactic ending I have ever seen in a
> video game.
>
> Spoiler space
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> The Prophets are still alive, the Halo is still operational... were there
> more Halo's introduced?? The last level wasn't even played by Master
> Chief!!!? All we got was the MC promising to finish everything... And what
> was the sequence with the giant Octopus and Cortana?
>
> Don't get me wrong, I love the game, but the ending sucked XXX. Bungie
> seems so worried about the online gameplay, they forgot to finish the
> story.... I am not interested in buying a game that ends with: BUT WAIT
> THERE'S MORE!!! I was expecting one last level where the MC cleans house,
> kills the remaining prophets and ends it all. What a let down.
>
> -Muuurgh
>
>

quote:

---

> I love the ending! I know a lot of people hate it, but in my opinion it
> rocks. Halo 3 will have a whole ton of hype for it after this one.
>

quote:

---

> I love the ending! I know a lot of people hate it, but in my opinion it
> rocks. Halo 3 will have a whole ton of hype for it after this one.
>
>

quote:

---

>

quote:

---

> I think that people would be complaining no matter what the ending
> was. If the game was entirely on Earth, and the master chief
> personally killed every single Covenant, people would be posting here
> how it was predictable. Obviously, yes, there will be a Halo 3. Halo
> 2's role wasn't to resolve the story but to advance it, and it
> undeniably advanced it very far.
>
> SPOILERS FOLLOW.
>
> The story of the first game was, in a nutshell: A human ship arrives
> semi-randomly next to a ring world, some aliens who were chasing it
> engage it in battle, the humans bail from the ship to the ring world
> and try to fight it out on the ground, the Flood get released and you
> fight them for a while, you realize that the ring world exists to
> destroy all life in the universe, and so you blow up the ring and
> flee for Earth.
>
> The story of the second game, in a nutshell, is: The Covenant invade

quote:

---

>
> Okay, my hands are tired from typing.
>
> But the brief version is - anybody who thinks the story in Halo 2 is
> subpar just doesn't have any clue what the story really is, and thinks
> that it's just a straightforward human vs. Covenant battle. As for the
> complaint about it being a cliffhanger, yes, that is how it works in
> trilogies. If you can find a trilogy in which the second installment
> does not end in a cliffhanger, I will give you a nickel. However, IMO,
> it appears at this point that the humans are on their way to victory.
> I suspect that the third game will be a race to prevent a desperate,
> last-ditch effort by the Covenant from activating the Halos. I predict
> the finale will be set either in Mayan ruins or a pyramid.
>

quote:

---

> suppose Halo 3 doesn't run, or doesn't run optimally, on an XBox and you
> have to purchase an $800 XBox 2+ in order to get "the full gaming

quote:

---

> I think that people would be complaining no matter what the ending
> was. If the game was entirely on Earth, and the master chief
> personally killed every single Covenant, people would be posting here
> how it was predictable. Obviously, yes, there will be a Halo 3. Halo
> 2's role wasn't to resolve the story but to advance it, and it
> undeniably advanced it very far.
>
> SPOILERS FOLLOW.

quote:

---

> I think that people would be complaining no matter what the ending
> was. If the game was entirely on Earth, and the master chief
> personally killed every single Covenant, people would be posting here
> how it was predictable. Obviously, yes, there will be a Halo 3. Halo
> 2's role wasn't to resolve the story but to advance it, and it
> undeniably advanced it very far.
>
> SPOILERS FOLLOW.
>
> The story of the first game was, in a nutshell: A human ship arrives
> semi-randomly next to a ring world, some aliens who were chasing it
> engage it in battle, the humans bail from the ship to the ring world
> and try to fight it out on the ground, the Flood get released and you
> fight them for a while, you realize that the ring world exists to
> destroy all life in the universe, and so you blow up the ring and
> flee for Earth.
>
> The story of the second game, in a nutshell, is: The Covenant invade
> Earth, but with a far smaller force than expected, because they didn't
> realize humans were there - in other words, they came for some totally
> different reason that probably relates to their religious views as
> pertain to the rings and the Forerunners. You fight them off, then
> accidentally pursue a ship containing a prophet to another ring world.
> You incapacitate that prophet; you also realize that there is an
> enormous Covenant fleet gathering, big enough to defeat Earth's
> defenses. You are attacked and end up being captured by a mysterious
> being known as Gravemind. Gravemind later transports you to the
> Covenant capital city, which is contaminated by Flood and also
> undergoing turmoil between Elites and Brutes. You find a second
> (incapacitated) prophet of the three and pursue the third, but he gets
> away on the fleet, which heads toward Earth to launch a huge attack.
> You board a Forerunner ship and head to Earth as well. Meanwhile - as
> the Covenant Arbiter, you retrieve the Index (defeating Johnson and
> Keyes to do it), which is then taken by the Brutes, who are going to
> activate the lethal Halo weapon as part of their religious beliefs.
> You are later captured by the aforementioned mysterious being,
> Gravemind, and learn that the Halos will kill all life. At that point,
> your agenda is parallel with the Master Chief's - both of you are
> trying to keep the Halos from being activated. You pursue the Brute
> leader, making surprising alliances along the way, and finally manage
> to defeat him just before catastrophe. Keyes retrieves the Index, but
> not before the Halo sends a beacon that puts the other installations
> on standby mode, awaiting the signal from "the Ark" - aka Earth,
> which, it is now obvious, was a part of the Forerunner plans (and it
> is a very solid bet that humans are descendants of the Forerunners).
> The game ends as the big battle begins, but it seems that the humans
> now have the upper hand, as the Covenant leadership is in disarray,
> the Elites are in open rebellion from the Prophets, and you have
> captured a super-powerful Forerunner ship that may be able to turn the
> tide of battle. In any case, the Covenant will have to invade Earth,
> not blast it from space, to achieve their objective (most likely,
> finding a hidden control room to activate the Halos).
>
> Okay, my hands are tired from typing.
>
> But the brief version is - anybody who thinks the story in Halo 2 is
> subpar just doesn't have any clue what the story really is, and thinks
> that it's just a straightforward human vs. Covenant battle. As for the
> complaint about it being a cliffhanger, yes, that is how it works in
> trilogies. If you can find a trilogy in which the second installment
> does not end in a cliffhanger, I will give you a nickel. However, IMO,
> it appears at this point that the humans are on their way to victory.
> I suspect that the third game will be a race to prevent a desperate,
> last-ditch effort by the Covenant from activating the Halos. I predict
> the finale will be set either in Mayan ruins or a pyramid.

quote:

---

> I was thinking the remote control for the remaining 6 halos could be a
> pyramid too. Look at the shape of the forerunner ship, it could land
> vertically right on top. Remember cortana says when it took off it was more
> like it was disengaging from the city.
> The ending of h2 would be ok if h3 was coming up in the next year or so.

quote:

---

> "Keith" <kjordan1@gmail.com> wrote in message
> news:82de20b3.0411161535.3a0fdb9c@posting.google.com...
>
>

quote:

---

> Devala Rees wrote:
>
>
> I think that's the problem. Seems like hype is the name of the game.
>
> The Halo series is reminding me of the Matrix movies. The Matrix comes
> out, it's a great movie, everyone loves it and can't wait for the 2nd
> Matrix. The 2nd Matrix comes out and despite better CGI effects is not
> as good as the first. The plot is weak and the cliffhanger ending is
> annoying.

quote:

---

> In article <BDBF59EF.17D7%darkeagle@lisco.com>, darkeagle@lisco.com
> says...
> <<snipped>>
> suppose Halo 3 doesn't run, or doesn't run optimally, on an XBox and you
> have to purchase an $800 XBox 2+ in order to get "the full gaming
> experience" of Halo 3?

quote:

---

> Keith wrote:
>
> <snip>
>
> Keith, that is exactly how i feel. I think everybody is getting a sour
> taste in their mouth because of how this cliff-hanger ending reminds them
> of how much Matrix: Reloaded sucked. I've seen all these conspiracy
> theories on how M$ wanted Halo 3 on Xbox 2 so they cut Halo 2 short bla
> bla bla. I have faith in Bungie. I've followed their games since I first
> got a Pathway into the Darkness Demo from an old Mac Magazine from the UK
> and I thought that they don't skimp out on the story. Marathon series they
> didn't skimp out on the story (i still see forums talking about the
> intricacies of the game). The first 2 Myth series were a blast (the only
> real time strategy game out there that didn't involve building a shitload
> of tanks to mow the opponent over). Oni was fun at first but then they had
> to sell the game off. And Halo, I don't need to say anything about that.
>
> Just like any other original game, Halo brought us into their universe. It
> gave us a glimpse of what is going on (Covenant vs. Human) and was only
> scratching the first layer. I would hate for Bungie to throw out a game
> where it's a continuation on that straight forward covenant taking over
> human story found in Halo:CE. Even Star Wars, the most predictable,
> straight forward, 1 dimensional had more depth than that.
>
> Lets analyze star wars here. The conflict is between basically good and
> evil. You have a bunch of predictable characters who don't really mature.
> Han Solo is still a cowboy in return of the jedi. Leia is still the strong
> headed female warrior at the end. Luke is is still like a child, always
> rushing into things (he rushed to join Obi Wan, then rush to 'save' Han
> and Leia, then rushed to go along to endor). The list goes on. But as
> oppose to the continuation of Star Wars a new hope in the second film,
> Lucas decides to throw us a little more back story to it. Goes a little
> more indepth. Luke's dad is Darth Vader! Holy shit! That came from
> nowhere!

quote:

---

>
> If Halo 2 was just MC running around earth trying to fight off the
> invasion, it wouldn't add anything to the Halo Universe. The power
> struggle and the politics of the covenant is the meat and gravy of the
> Halo universe ( Personally I'd rather see that develop than seeing more of
> MC). The humans are just fighting to survive where as there are so many
> layers in the covenant. Instead of being another star wars, this breaking
> of the covenant is almost Dune like. (in truth, the MC isn't that
> interesting. He's just a super soldier who will do what he is told. The
> Arbiter is a lot more interesting because he actually has a certain
> belief.)

quote:

---

>
> I don't want to speculate whether Halo 3 will come out or not, but it
> would be a shame if they didn't explore this more. Just like Halo:CE, Halo
> 2 gave us a more indepth look into the halo universe except this time we
> see more than just a human-covenant struggle, now we have almost a 3 way
> war.
>
> (imagine how exciting star wars would be if there were 3 factions instead
> of 2. The dynamics would totally change.)

quote:

---

>
> But the brief version is - anybody who thinks the story in Halo 2 is
> subpar just doesn't have any clue what the story really is, and thinks
> that it's just a straightforward human vs. Covenant battle. As for the
> complaint about it being a cliffhanger, yes, that is how it works in
> trilogies. If you can find a trilogy in which the second installment
> does not end in a cliffhanger, I will give you a nickel. However, IMO,
> it appears at this point that the humans are on their way to victory.
> I suspect that the third game will be a race to prevent a desperate,
> last-ditch effort by the Covenant from activating the Halos. I predict
> the finale will be set either in Mayan ruins or a pyramid.

quote:

---

>
> Okay, my hands are tired from typing.
>
> But the brief version is - anybody who thinks the story in Halo 2 is
> subpar just doesn't have any clue what the story really is, and thinks
> that it's just a straightforward human vs. Covenant battle. As for the
> complaint about it being a cliffhanger, yes, that is how it works in
> trilogies. If you can find a trilogy in which the second installment
> does not end in a cliffhanger, I will give you a nickel. However, IMO,
> it appears at this point that the humans are on their way to victory.
> I suspect that the third game will be a race to prevent a desperate,
> last-ditch effort by the Covenant from activating the Halos. I predict
> the finale will be set either in Mayan ruins or a pyramid.

quote:

---

> "RuddyH20" <me@here.com> wrote in message
> news:MPG.1c045b08582990aa989b9e@news.giganews.com...
>
> Funny. A full blown gamer's Windows PC costs how much?
>
>

quote:

---

> In article <BDBF59EF.17D7%darkeagle@lisco.com>, darkeagle@lisco.com
> says...
> <<snipped>>
> suppose Halo 3 doesn't run, or doesn't run optimally, on an XBox and you
> have to purchase an $800 XBox 2+ in order to get "the full gaming
> experience" of Halo 3?

quote:

---

>I don't usually join in these conversations about the negative impact of
> games or movies... But, I can't help myself, this time. Why is it that
> everyone seems to compare one game or movie to another--there individuals
> not groups. Trilogies, or originals and their sequels (i.e. Halo, Halo 2,
> Star Wars, The Matrix, LOTR, etc.) need to leave you hanging, especially
> on
> part 2 if its a 3 parter (not that Halo will be, but just in case). When
> part 3 comes out and you watch or play one behind the other, its usually
> wonderful, long, exhausting and very fulfilling by the end. If you haven't
> done it yet, make plans with family or friends or both to sit down and
> watch
> LOTR, The Godfather, The Matrix, or the 3 parts of Harry Potter, come
> Tuesday, from beginning to end in one day...starting in the morning and
> only
> breaking for necessities. Its a fantastic experience!!!
>
> Back to the issue at hand. Halo 2--answer each question to yourself...not
> to
> me or with a reply. It only matters to you. Did you enjoy playing the
> game?
> Were the dynamics of the game neat to see and experience? Could you play
> it
> over and over again with multiple degrees of difficulty to make it more
> interesting? Could you go as different characters, directions, and explore
> a
> vast realm of dynamics to find every nook, cranny and game glitch? At this
> point some of you are saying...how boring...OK, then just do the action
> stuff and don't explore, but don't put down a game that has done all it
> can
> to utilize technology at its present level. Bottom line is, the ending
> "movie", whether its 1 minute or 5...who cares (the longer ones are neat)
> but do no have anything to do with playability. The whole point was an
> enjoyable "playing" experience not a movie, we have DVD players for that.
> The dynamics and graphics of this game deliver...you can only fit so much
> on
> a 4.7GB disc.
>
> FYI--I am 56 years old and have palyed everything from pong to Halo 2,
> including Doom, Quake, Tomb Raider (just about my personal favirite),
> Marathon, Myth (I was a beta tester for this game...didn't care much for
> it
> personally, but the game was well done). I love simulators of almost every
> type, especially racing sims. I have had every game console that has
> existed
> along the way. The Xbox, when utilized to its fullest, with a widescreen,
> hi-def TV and 5.1 DD surround sound, is the best thing out there today. I
> have a PS2 and have played a GameCube...to find out which was better. The
> PS2 is only used to play Angel of Darkness...I wish they would make it for
> Xbox. I rarely play any games on my computer anymore. I am waiting for
> Xbox
> 2 and the next level of optical discs which will have about 4 times the
> space available. OK, I'm done.
>
> MWR
>
>
> "Muuurgh" <meatbag@porkfat.com> wrote in message
> news:301d94F2qmsloU1@uni-berlin.de...
>
> "RuddyH20" <me@here.com> wrote in message
> news:MPG.1c045b08582990aa989b9e@news.giganews.com...
>
> That's what scares me. I think that's MS' plan.
>
> -Muuurgh
>
>
>

quote:

---

> Okay... I see your point, but nobody told me before I finished the game that
> this was part 2 of a trilogy. If I knew that before hand I would have
> expected an incomplete ending. And I would have been perfectly happy with
> it, why didn't they tell us?

quote:

---

> Did you enjoy playing the game?
> Were the dynamics of the game neat to see and experience? Could you play

quote:

---

> over and over again with multiple degrees of difficulty to make it more
> interesting? Could you go as different characters, directions, and explore

quote:

---

> vast realm of dynamics to find every nook, cranny and game glitch?

quote:

---

> Muuurgh wrote:
>
> Why would they tell you? or anybody else.

quote:

---

> do a 3 Halo titles back to back.

quote:

---

>I feel for them man, that's hard work.

quote:

---

> It's not hard to let yourself be immersed in expectations for an upcoming
> title, but over the years i learned by expecting something you're setting
> yourself up for a fall. I think anykind of movie/book/videogame is best
> when you go in not knowing anything, then you can really immerse yourself
> into the game, rather than trying to compare it with what you expected.

quote:

---

>
> -stu

quote:

---

>
> In H2, we have simple single path mazes. We participate in the storytelling,
> but the outcome is always the same. There aren't any of the epic battles
> that defined Halo. You tote a weapon, walk the narrow single path, and point
> the weapon at the scripted bogies. At the end, the screen freezes with no
> warning or preamble, and yet another clumsy cut-scene plays. You had better
> like the story, because that's all you have.

quote:

---

> If they want to tell a story and make a movie, by gosh, they should sit down
> and make a movie and tell the story. Campaign tries to be that, and fails.
> Instead of a game with a bit of story behind it, we get a story (simple and
> shallow, IMHO) trying to find enough room to fit in a game. I pray that it's
> failure is evident to its authors, and CGI cinematics takes a more
> meaningful, perhaps traditional path.

quote:

---

> As to comparison with Matrix, that too is inevitable. For that matter,
> Robocop falls into the same mold. All are victims of their success. In all
> three, the original tells the story of a hero on a quest. His reason for
> being is simple and clearly defined; his actions and their outcomes
> captivating even if predictable. What do we get in the sequels? They become
> victims of petty jealousy, the story mires in the politics of a society that
> demands conformance, and justification for the earlier mayhem sugar coated
> and presented as the back story. Just like real life, one might argue. And
> just how flipping dreary is that? I can visit the real world anytime I want.
> Maybe I'm looking to movies and video games for something else. Sequels
> inevitably fail because artistic vision takes second seat to the bean
> counters and corporate attorneys. (BTW, did anyone see Shrek 2?)

quote:

---

> Okay... I see your point, but nobody told me before I finished the game that
> this was part 2 of a trilogy. If I knew that before hand I would have
> expected an incomplete ending. And I would have been perfectly happy with
> it, why didn't they tell us?
>
> -Muuurgh
>
> "M Reeder" <mreeder50@hotmail.com> wrote in message
> news:uS8Pno9zEHA.2040@tk2msftngp13.phx.gbl...
>
>

quote:

---

> "M Reeder" <mreeder50@hotmail.com> wrote in message
> news:uS8Pno9zEHA.2040@tk2msftngp13.phx.gbl...
> it
> a
>
> That's about it in a nutshell. While I agree in general with your thoughts,
> Halo2 falls short on all counts. Comparison to Halo is not just valid, it is
> inevitable. How can a sequel not be held to the original for examination?
> Campaign falls short in every way possible. We played Halo for, what, three
> years before H2 came along. I never tired of it. The story, such as it were,
> was just a backdrop to hang the action on. As a game, it was complete
> without the extra trimmings. Contrast that with H2.
>
> In H2, we have simple single path mazes. We participate in the storytelling,
> but the outcome is always the same. There aren't any of the epic battles
> that defined Halo. You tote a weapon, walk the narrow single path, and point
> the weapon at the scripted bogies. At the end, the screen freezes with no
> warning or preamble, and yet another clumsy cut-scene plays. You had better
> like the story, because that's all you have.
>
> (Live is altogether different. The action and playability is there. The
> ending isn't scripted, nor is the action (or lack of). It is, in fact, a
> sheer joy to play. The maps and graphics are utterly delightful. It is the
> game I thought I bought. Alas, the only elements in common with the H2
> Campaign are the weapons and characters.)
>
> If they want to tell a story and make a movie, by gosh, they should sit down
> and make a movie and tell the story. Campaign tries to be that, and fails.
> Instead of a game with a bit of story behind it, we get a story (simple and
> shallow, IMHO) trying to find enough room to fit in a game. I pray that it's
> failure is evident to its authors, and CGI cinematics takes a more
> meaningful, perhaps traditional path.
>
> As to comparison with Matrix, that too is inevitable. For that matter,
> Robocop falls into the same mold. All are victims of their success. In all
> three, the original tells the story of a hero on a quest. His reason for
> being is simple and clearly defined; his actions and their outcomes
> captivating even if predictable. What do we get in the sequels? They become
> victims of petty jealousy, the story mires in the politics of a society that
> demands conformance, and justification for the earlier mayhem sugar coated
> and presented as the back story. Just like real life, one might argue. And
> just how flipping dreary is that? I can visit the real world anytime I want.
> Maybe I'm looking to movies and video games for something else. Sequels
> inevitably fail because artistic vision takes second seat to the bean
> counters and corporate attorneys. (BTW, did anyone see Shrek 2?)
>

quote:

---

>
> "Waco Paco" <wacopaco@emailaccount.com> wrote in message
> news:1101075035.807692@www.vif.com...
>
> So their clients won't be disappointed...
>
> I don't think bungie wants to
>
> Isn't that what they locked themselves into by writing a story with no end?
>

quote:

---

>
> What!? It's not like they aren't getting paid for doing a job they love.
> But you are right, poor underpaid bastards.
>
>
> Why read a book that has no ending? Why watch a movie that has no ending?
> Why play a video game that has no ending?
>

quote:

---

> "...and my axe!" *credits roll*
> "I am your father!" *credits roll*
>
> See? They wouldn't be the same without a conclusion. Warning or not.
>
> -Muuurgh
>
>
>

quote:

---

> How does any of this differ from the first game, or for that matter,
> for any other game? You lament a lack of "epic battles".

quote:

---

> If anything,
> there are more large-scale battles in Halo 2 than in Halo 1, IMO. I
> think it just doesn't seem like it to you, either because you have
> more ability now so it doesn't seem as daunting, or because of
> nostalgia.

quote:

---

> - "We participate in the storytelling" - check, for both games

quote:

---

> I think there is a fair amount of truth in this. However, I honestly
> don't know what people expected that would be "better" - other than a
> remake of Halo with no additional storyline elements added.

quote:

---

>
> If they wrote an end, they couldn't make money with another game.

quote:

---

> If Halo 2 was just MC running around earth trying to fight off the
> invasion, it wouldn't add anything to the Halo Universe. The power
> struggle and the politics of the covenant is the meat and gravy of the
> Halo universe ( Personally I'd rather see that develop than seeing more
> of MC). The humans are just fighting to survive where as there are so
> many layers in the covenant. Instead of being another star wars, this
> breaking of the covenant is almost Dune like. (in truth, the MC isn't
> that interesting. He's just a super soldier who will do what he is told.
> The Arbiter is a lot more interesting because he actually has a certain
> belief.)