I think that halo2 is more of a noob game than halo1. It seems like ANYONE can be good because of the shitty weapons. Like, with halo1 there was good and bad and very good, why? because of the pistol. By taking out the powerful weapon, there leaves little room to get good. The pistol wasn't "unfair", but it took skill to use. None of the new weapons in halo2 take that same skill. The advantage of the pistol in halo1 was there for everyone. If you sucked with it, then you sucked with it, and probably sucked at the game. I think there is a need for unbalanced guns.

I completely agree. There are other things that make the game more noob friendly too, but Im not gonna go into too much detail since I am a busy man. Lets just say spray and pray vs precision and practice.

I like the halo 1 weapons and engines FAR more but the live stuff on halo 2 is great. Oh how I wish there was a halo 1 with all those live goodies. *tear*

The game is most definitely different from the original Halo, but still maintains the fun. Did they remove the precision in the game just so it doesn't seem like there's lag when you play online? I prefer the first Halo over the new one only because there's precision in the original game. But Bungie did come through with making Halo 2 enjoyable for everyone, even for those who have never played the first Halo.

I think this version relies heavily on setting up the gameplay the way you want it. So if you can decide almost exactly how you want the multiplayer games to be, then you might have a better time. Almost everyone I know has said that this game removes skill, and I sort of agree and sort of disagree. If it didn't take skill then how are there score boards where someone dominates? Obviously there is some skill involved otherwise I'd be seeing a lot more average scoreboards. When I setup a game I take out the weapons that are too easy to use and substitute. Although, I will say that the sword is the CHEAPEST weapon in the game. I can easily go from 5 kills behind to 15 kills ahead and then win the round only using the sword. The sword has filled the void of the pistol and I think it did so a little too well.

I can't wait for the hackers to pull the mongoose and creaper out of the shared map file and open it up for players. Or perhaps live will enable it later.

What is the mongoose and creaper?

What would really kick some ass is a re release of halo 1 w/ live stuff. That or a content DL that changes the weapons and engine back to halo 1 so you can play either way. Im sure it will happen in a mod eventually but then id have a hard time finding people to play w/

What is the mongoose and creaper?

What would really kick some ass is a re release of halo 1 w/ live stuff. That or a content DL that changes the weapons and engine back to halo 1 so you can play either way. Im sure it will happen in a mod eventually but then id have a hard time finding people to play w/

Notsodiseased...I'm not on the winners list cause I have a little thing called a life and don't sit around playing halo all day. :-/

what r u guys talkin about. i dont understand how the need for skill has been taken out of the game? im a little confused on the whole areguement here.

I was bummed about the pistol but then realized that it will just be put back in by Hizlo, Swampfox, GTjuggler, and the rest. Seriously the Halo 1 mods right now are so kick ass that i dont know when i'll play halo 2 religiously. Maybe when they mod that but the gameplay for halo 1 is just better to me. Halo 2 looks a little better but so what. And only burst fire for the rifle?

As with most FPS games, there will be unique skills that will separate the good from the bad. Halo2 simply changes the skill set. Halo1 multi-player required skills with the pistol. That's gone now and I think for the better as just about every multi-player game out there has tried to rid itself of unbalancing weapons (look at how many times CStrike for the PC changed around the weapons - at one time the AWP was very unbalancing). Was it that the pistol really added to Halo1 gameplay - not inherently. It was just a required skill because that gun was so unbalancing. Halo2 is still a bit too new for refined skills to become apparent but obvisouly those skills will be somewhat different. The sword is definitely a bit over the top but in a more open board you can drop a sword weilder like a bitch before he ever gets close.

There is still skill in the game. Its more about the ability to stay alive in this one than the last. You need to use cover or your dead in 3 seconds flat.

Also, this sequel is a lot more about strat and closer combat.

The sniper rifles are the new pistols and the covy carbine isn't too bad, although they all leave trails and the rilfes trail stays a bit longer than in the first, but with due warrant. Get out of the line of their fire or pick them off.

The thing I think every is overlooking is the covenant pistol. Charge it and hit someone they have no shields. Then they are gone with any auto weapon you have.

You guys have to be kidding me, right?

Halo 1 was the most unbalanced game ever. It was just laughed at by other games because there was no real strategy to it. You get good with the pistol, you got good with grenades, and you are king.

Having played Halo 2 over Xbox Connect several times over the past 3 weeks, I can tell you that it still takes a lot of skill. A good player will own you. The best players are actual good with the magnums or the battle rifle.

I, being a one man team, managed to outscore 3 other 3-4 man teams over about 35 kills. I obviously wouldn't have been able to do that if it was a noob game.

You just need to play it yourself.

It takes even more skill. There is nothing like dual wielding two players down, meleeing someone, then getting a grenade kill all in a row.

There is nothing like throwing a grenade, smging two people that have been weakened by it, then whipping out the rocket launcher and nailing a banshee flying by.

It takes skill; and its a great and very balanced game.

ok i get wat u guys r sayin and i think its balanced. i mean i read (and could be wrong) that u cant melee attack with dual weapons and u cant throw grenades with them either. to me that will be kinda hard cause im awsome at throwin grenades and killin people and i love to donkey punch(thats wat me and my freinds call) hitting someone) and killings them that way but then again 2 guns is twice the fire power so which do u use? i think it may be unbalanced in some ways but not overall if u look at it that way. plus ive seen videos and if u catch a guy with a sword before he gets to u hes gone so it shouldnt be a problem unless u love to camp and snipe the other people

well thats wat i wasnt sure about...thanks for the clarification

there will definitely be seperation between good and bad. most likely the choice for noobs would be dual smg's, or anything automatic, but a constantly overlooked combo would be a plasma pistol and smg, plasma pistol and pistol, or plasma pistol and then battle rifle. If you hit with the charged plasma pistol, switch to the battle rife and hit with that, they are dead.

Ya i get what you guys are saying about balance and that it is too early to make judgements on the weapons and gameplay. Your right. I just miss the pistol and like whining.

I am amazing at Halo 1 and I hate Halo 2. Anyone that bitches about the pistol in Halo 1 means that they got owned really bad in it. Halo 2 is just like Unreal Championship with all that fast and stupid guns. All you have to do in Halo 2 is dual weapon or get the noob-sword and youre good at it. Compared to Halo 1 when you had to time with the pistol and precision of the 3 shot kill and grenade placing, also the strategies of knowing where the other team is going to be.

Halo 2 sucks plain and simple and will never be better than Halo 1..

p.s. and if you doubt my skills in Halo 1 play me on XBC and you can host...

XBC Tag = [[[-Rizzo-]]]

Ok, now alot of ppl here able complaining about the loss of the pistol and saying how skilled they were at halo 1 etc etc, well if u were truely skilled at halo 1 then you should be able to kill someone with say the needler, all halo 2 makes u do is actually come up with a few strategies and tactics to take someone down, it isn't a noob game it is just more noob friendly in the beginning you can still get skilled at it. you just need to take the time and practise and maybe think about what you are doing. being able to kill someone with 3 shots with the pistol in halo 1 isn't being good at the game, its just being good with the pistol.

I go both ways on this one. It seems as though they tried to balance it out, but made some stuff more nub friendly. IE the homing rockets that you have about a 10percent chance of dodging, or, as stated many times before, the energy sword thing. I do still miss the pistol, but the battle rifle takes it's place. It just doesn't seem like it takes AS MUCH skill as Halo 1 IMO...Please don't flame, just saying what I think.

On a side note, I finished the campaign in about 8 hours on Heroic; it seems like Halo 2's campaign blows compared to Halo 1. There are maybe 4/10 levels that I actually like to play on campaign in Halo 2, and the ending was total BS. Then again, I like how Bungie implemented a boss at the end of every few levels, and how the AI was much better. I just can't see what Bungie was working on for 3 years

The mongoose is the 4 wheeler/atv which I believe it's 2 seater. 1 drives while the other rides on back. They sit back to back. The creaper is a covenant bus of some type. They are in the multiplayer shared map file. So, if they are going to be unlocked via xbox live content or hackers is in the air right now. It may be like the gravity gun and flame thrower in the first Halo. They might just be there, but not functioning properly. Time will tell.

I think I'll start a poll to see what the general consensus is on which game is better.

Halo 2s unreals twin. I hope they have content download for halo 1 weapons. I thought thats what halo clasic was:(

I havent played Halo 2 yet (cos I'm in the UK) but, Ii'm getting it tomorrow, I was wondering why people are so upset about the pistol being taken out, why? it was what ruined Halo1 so unbalanced, but from what i hear, Halo2 is much better balanced

people want more of the same. Like comparing StarWars prequels to the originals..... ok bad example.

I played H2 8 hours last night, and again this evening. Its a different game. I dont really enjoy it as much, and I can see it growing old relatively quick. H1 is still a fantastic game to play single, coop, XBC, or LAN, 3 years after its release. It took me a good year to get good at H1, and figuring out the pistol is the weapon of choice. H2 plays like Unreal/Quake, but I think theres stuff in there that gives it potential for extended gameplay and better times.

Of course the game is n00b friendly. Smart business, make everyone feel welcome the first time they play online, rather than a highly tactical game that turns off some gamers. H1 sold 5 million copies TOTAL, they are expecting H2 to sell that in 6 months.

I will bet that they left the pistol out on purpose, and will offer a paid download upgrade in the near future that includes it. Gotta get people used to buying stuff on Live

I posted it once (in another thread ofcourse) and Ill post this again.
Halo 2 is a breeze of fresh air for me. I wasnt very good at it and if they kept Halo 2 the same Id rather not pay it onlne seeing as to how there are people who devoted their life to Halo 1, Id never get a kill because frankly I have a life outside Halo and cant sepnd every second of my living life perfecting every damn skill in Halo hence I can say I suck at Halo. I admire Bungie for taking out the uber powerful pistol and dont like the idea of having my AR taken away but everyone has opinions and likes and dislikes. If you dont like it then get over it and go play Halo 1 which is still available and always will be. True Halo 2 is more n00b friendly and I hear many of the "HALO GODS" complaining on the other boards, but I say this to them. Overall Halo 2 lived up to my expectations and then some. Props to Bungie on a good game. My vote goes to Halo 2. Hope they have smaller downloadable maps as some are way too big for me and my bro to play in offline. My liitle advice to all Halo GOds out there, Stop whining and start learning. The universe doesnt revolve around you or in this case Halo isnt only about the pros. Have fun with Halo 2.

Oh, cry me a river....


You sound like the undisputed Best Player of our Halo 1 lan parties. IT'S A NEW GAME. You are just mad because 'n00bs' have an equal chance of winning now as the halo 1 vets. IT"S A NEW GAME. STOP YOUR WHINNING. Guess what? You're going to have to learn how to play it just like you learned how to play halo 1. It's that simple.


Everyone's on an equal playing field, so stop your whining and start practicing.

okay, im not going to quote anyone or call anyone a noob here I'm just going to try to state the facts as I see them.

The pistol was unbalanced and better than any other weap. in Halo 1. This is good if you want to spend all of the time using a pistol, but why not call the game "Pistol" and not give anyone any other weapon? I for one would be pretty angry if bungie came out with "Pistol 2". The pistol had a scope and explosive shells, it was a sniper rifle in your hand, cool idea but without other weapons that compare to its power it leaves the game unbalanced.

The accuracy has been taken out of halo 2. This is a complete and utter disregard for the truth, weapons like the covenant carbine, the sniper rifle and a few others deal alot of damage at range with great precision.

Halo 2 is like quake/unreal/half life. another example of a disregard for the truth: Halo 2 is like Halo 2 it has unique weapons and gameplay, sure the smg sprays and prays like a motherfucker but it has RECOIL something that the above mentioned games do not. The shield system sets this game apart from every other, you can return to full health just by managing to stay alive.

The sword is for noobs. While some may like to claim this... you try attacking me w/ the sword when I have any long range weapon... or i have a short range weap and plenty of room, the sword requires you to sneak up on your opponent, or at least attack them while they are cornered.

halo 2 is a noob game, all it is is spray and pray. say that to my sniper rifle. well youre a noob sniper rifle lamer, go play "pistol"

dude, did you even read my post?

Sentiet - that threw me too. I was wondering if I missed something.

Bottom line is that there are nuances to every game and mastering a game requires learning them. In Halo 1 the pistol was not a nuance - it was unbalanced. You can tell because not anyone here is saying, "You know. I didn't use the pistol all that much. I prefered the shotgun as it lent itself better to my style of gameplay and only rarely used the pistol."

No one developed their own style in H1. They quickly realized that the pistol was a solid sniper, close combat, and power weapon (ultimate jack of all trades excellent at nothing but damn good at everything) and then developed a style of gameplay around it. If a game is balanced people will have preferences for certain weapons and styles of play but a master player will be able to adapt his style to any weapon and play with supperiority. Of course, that requires learning multiple nuances not just a single unbalancing super nuance.

The games are similar enough that your basic skill set should carry over fairly well with just a little bit of practice and some time with the boards. If they don't, then perhaps the skill set being used was based solely around a certain weapon or knowing certain boards and that in my book is familiarity more than skills.

This game has been out for 1 Day and people think they've got it's number?


Wait a couple months and see if no new strategies pop up before you judge it. Ignorant people suck

i agree i think people in halo one that owned with the pistol need to stop complaining play halo 2 more get skill and get good at halo 2 ,also on another note ,ummm has anyone seen how many bullets it takes to kill somebody with the MAGNUM or ASSULT SCOPE RIFLE,i was shooting with dual smgs and my friend didnt die and i emptied both clips in him ,plus its only been like 3 days and people are whiniing because they arent that good ,the game just came out ,you not gonna get good at halo2 ,a whole new game with new weapons you have to learn in 3 days its gonna take a week or 2 atleast to get used to the weapons and learn there weaknest and strengths ,so go play some halo 2 and get some skill ,halo 2 isnt the noob game i think halo is. i give you a example.

my friend played halo 2 atleast 2 days before his friends got it,he siad that people that beat in him in halo he was now beating them in halo2,he was beating them in halo 2 ,why you ask, because he 1 had time to learn the weapons a little and find out you couldnt just kill somebody with 1 weapon now ,and 2 hes friends didnt because they had jst got the game and played him,

people you cant just own with the pistol now ,you got to use diffent tacktics to get ya kills sorry.

Halo 2 was very disappointing to me, when you make people wait months for a game to be realeased it better be great. Instead halo 2 was not as good as the original, it took me a few hours to complete the whole game. The difficulty for halo 2 has decreased and the story has become worse.

i mean seriously... how can a pistol have a zoom anyways?? or what are the chances of you being killed with a SMG vs a pistol.. id guess an SMG would kill me a lot faster.. but im glad they toned the pistol down a bit.. to me it didnt make much sense that it was soo powerful. and yeh i think you just gotta get used to the new variety of weapons there are.. and figure out strategies.. yeh many weapons are automatic, but some are heatseeking or whatever(ie the needler). and now you got that sword. i was totally owened the last time i played by this kid with a sword and i kept shooting everything, until i got the needlers. and it was a whole new game.. see you just gotta find what works.

I was always fond of the plasma rifle and needler. now i can rape and pillage my enemies twice as fast. the pistol which has been revoked in halo2 is sad, 3 shot kill days are over but then again i can remember days of 3 words AWP, D-EAGLE and my favorite WALL HACKER. in halo 1, you only use a pistol if you dont have anything else, my sniper rifle rocks. as for people saying the only g0d gun is the pistol, and oh no he has a pistol what ever shall i do, gain something called SKILL IN DODGING. 3 shots into you from a pistol takes a long time when someone is ducking jumping and moving infront of you. its easier to throw a DWARF TOSSER in the right spot. oh hang on H2 ( which apart from the ending i loved ) has my favorite weapons in it, all of them. and more.