If you play video games, chances are you’ve heard of this. If you own an X-box, chances are you have this. If you are thinking about buying an x-box, chances are it’s because of this. The Halo franchise nearly single-handedly put Microsoft and the X-box ahead in the console war, and with good reason. Nothing beats a genetically altered super soldier blasting his way though an onslaught of prophetic aliens and plague like jellyfish in a last ditch attempt to save humanity from oblivion on a Sunday afternoon in your boxers with Cheeto dust on your face.

Halo 2 has been the top choice of gamers around the world for its beautiful texture detail, amazing lighting effects, solid responsive, simple controls, and fast paced action. This is just the tip of the ice berg, any gamer can play a single player game over and over, learn where the simple AI bad guys appear and blast away, but the real challenge, fun, and sporadic-ness is had online, playing against other gamers around the world, just like you. Halo 2’s multiplayer action is so sweet that it is known in the gaming culture as the all time best online multiplayer game out there, utilizing Microsoft?s X-box Live service, playing online has never been easier or more widely used. At any point during any day in any part of the world one can always find hundreds of online gamers going at it, head to head in X-box Live land. From the massive array of weaponry to choose from, to the many options to change the game up from team slayer with shotguns only (my personal favourite) to deathball mode (like capture the flag, but with a human skull) and the many maps available to battle upon, no two games are ever alike… and the deal just got sweeter.

With Microsoft’s new Halo 2 multiplayer map pack, Master Chief?s social life just got a little more interesting. This expansion pack consists of nine new maps made specifically for online play, a plethora of bug and cheat fixes, a short film using the same graphics engine Halo uses, and a documentary about the creation of the expansion pack including interviews with some of the development team. This expansion can be downloaded over x-box live, but Microsoft didn?t want to isolate their majority offline community, so they offered everything that one could download with an X-box Live subscription in this handy CD.

With this new expansion, not only have nine new well balanced terrains been added but a sense of interactivity in the world has been created, a great example is on one of the new maps (Terminal) there is a pathway with a beefy plasma sword out in the open, however, if you stay on this pathway to long, a massive train flies through and crushes you and whoever else is in it’s way instantly, just like real life!

considering Bungie’s (Halo’s development team) tight schedule while working on Halo 2, most of their time and effort was put into making sure the single player story was up to snuff, and believe me it was, imagine how amazing the multiplayer mode would be if Bungie had focused all of their talents on that portion of the game. With this expansion pack, that?s exactly what they did.

Me and my friends spent countless hours in front of the TV with 4 controllers and thousands of people around the world for hours on end. Now with this expansion pack, those hours may very well multiply quickly.

There are some downfalls however, some of the maps, while working astonishingly with some game modes, are horrible with other game modes. There are a couple of smaller quarter maps that are great for one on one or 4 player team slayer, but when you have a full house free for all it?s a button masher?s wet dream. On the flip side, if you?re playing 2 on 2 death ball or capture the flag, and you?re on such a large map that it takes you 5 minutes to actually reach the opponent, you may get frustrated or bored very quickly. If you try out the maps, find out what works well with how many people and what type of game to play, this game will surely entertain for hours on end.

Graphics: 10. Beautiful texture and scenery, amazing lighting effects and mad crazy animations make this a trademark X-box title.

Control: 9. I admit, at first I wasn?t the best at controlling the master and got my fair share of beatings, but after a little but of a learning curve, it felt like second nature to blast my shotgun and follow it up with a jumping gun butt. The controls are well placed and very responsive, and you can customize your controls to an extent, which is always welcome.

Sound: 9. Even though I only played this on my monaural 20? (think what you want). I felt like I could tell where shots were coming from, and jumped up in surprise on more than one occasion.

Fun: 10. It?s Halo. Nuff said.

Lasting appeal: 10. That?s the best part of this map pack, it was made almost entirely to enhance the online experience. It never gets old, never gets boring, and is NEVER EVER the same game twice? if your playing offline however, take a point off of lasting appeal. The AI in this game can only do so much.

Extras: 8. The short video is entertaining, and if you liked it, I suggest checking out Red Vs Blue. The documentary about how this disc came to be is interesting enough, but if I wanted a documentary, I would go to the Discovery channel.

Overall: Overall I would rate this game a 10 out of 10. Halo 2 is the first game anyone with an X-box should buy, and in my opinion, it?s the feel good hit of the decade.

If you have halo 2 and you play online, you probably already have most of what’s on this CD, I would not recommend going out and purchasing the disc just for the short film and documentary unless you?re a true hardcore halo fan with everything from the 2d side scroller Halo game to every action figure built in your possession. If you have halo 2 and you don?t play online I would highly recommend going out right now and picking this disc up to truly get the most out of your multiplayer experience (even if it is with just you and a few friends). If you don?t have halo 2 I suggest you finish reading this article, go out pick up this game and on your way home pick up some red bull and pixie sticks because it’s gonna be a great sleepless night.

This disc gets the Salem seal of approval.






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