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This topic has moved here: Subject: A Halo 2.5
  • Subject: A Halo 2.5
Subject: A Halo 2.5
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Dark Jester 86 is the Gamer tag.

I'm sure I'm not the first to bring this up, and I understand that this isn't the most original idea ever, but I really got to thinking about Halo 2.

Honestly it's probably my favorite of the series, by a thing hair, but my favorite.

Putting my opinions aside however I got to thinking about Halo 2. If you've seen the bonus DVD you'll note there were a lot of things cut. I also frequently heard that there just wasn't enough time to add all of the things that Bungie wish they couldv'e added, and I'm sure that goes with Halo 3 as well, and any other game and game developer.

I guess the point I'm trying to make is, imagine Halo 2, but remade. Reinvented.

It's a great game, I don't think anything should be taken out, and the game had plenty of epic moments.

-Fighting off Ranger Sangheili never got old or boring.
-Boarding the Scarab was something I had to replay over and over.
-Cutting the Cable to the Gas Giant Facility while playing as Thel Vadam (Arbiter) was an incredible rush. You're fighting on a giant falling structure.
-Fighting the Prophet of Regret, and fighting on moving Gondolas.
-Then last but not least, the final levels as Arbiter. You free your allies, find some already in a fire fight, and form a real resistance against the Jiralhanae (Brutes). That rallying of troops was an amazing feeling, and then in the end where you fly along side of a scarab in a Banshee and then face of with Tartarus. Pure epicness. (and that's not a word I use much)

It was great... but for some reason I just want more out of it.

Currently, Halo 2 on the original Xbox is very good, though the time it takes to fully load the graphics in cinematic is a bit sketchy. On the 360 they load fine though, no loading time or rendering, though on the 360 it's more prone to freezing (happened to me, as well as some odd shadowy glitches.).

But as great as it was, I really feel like there was so much that wasn't there. I'm still waiting for books that explain some of the Halo 2 goodness and behind the scenes, but I want us to imagine something:

If Bungie went ahead and remade Halo 2 (Either from the ground up with Halo 3 graphics and physics, maybe even Reach graphics and physics) what do you think should be added into the game?

I mean I think it's a good idea, look at other popular series:

Star Wars was re-released several time with new scenes and etc.

Ninja Gaiden was released, and then a better clone of it was released called Ninja Gaiden Black, and then a 3rd being Ninja Gaiden Sigma.

I think Halo 2 is more than worthy of such re story telling, and that's a good thing.

SO as I stated above, I'll ask again: What should be added, or touched on more in Halo 2?

I'll make my own personal list:

Because We get to see High Charity, I would have really enjoyed seeing more of the San Shyum (Prophets), particularly the ones that walk around. I also wouldv'e liked the cut scenes in High charity to chow the Covenant with casual clothes. In the Halo comic that comes with Halo Wars, the imprisoned elites where a jumpsuit, and in the books there is a variety of robes that are worn by different classes of Covenant species. I would have liked to have seen some of those.

I think The Earth levels were good, but maybe throw in one more somewhere. The Delta Halo levels were great though. Very beautiful. I would have liked to see some more wildlife though, as well as huge architecture that has the same emotionless cold appeal as the Ark and Installation 04.

I would have liked to use the spears too.

A time limit stage wouldv'e been great.

Destroying a Covenant cannon.

Driving a Covenant Shadow around a little bit, or at least fighting one that held covenant warriors, rather than Ghosts.

Spectres handling couldv'e been a little more like the ghost (smooth and fluid)

Scarab could have had some sort of life bar.

Brutes that came in with Tartarus, couldv'e been equipped with halo 3's armor, just for an interesting perspective at the end of the game.

I read somewhere that a Yanmme queen was supposed to be included (could've been a rumor though... maybe I actually heard it rather than read it) I think that would've been a great Earth level, that or adding the Drinol in just one more Earth level.

If the Drinol was added, then it should be included in the later levels as the Arbiter, and Drinol controlled by Sangheili and Jiralhanae should duke it out, whether scripted or not.

Cinematics could be redone, a little more explosions. We could have the scene where Arbiter and Johnson brawl a bit and add an extra 2 minutes of footage. I want to see human Martial arts versus alien Martial arts. I doesn't even have to be fancy, just some CQC. When Master chief runs from the destruction of the temple after slaying Regret, some wreckage could be added, hurdling over this and that a little faster, more agile. I want to see Spartan speed.

Some sort of Gravemind fight to would have been nice.


Note that I'm not bashing Halo 2, I love it. I just feel like a good story with epic content still needs some back bone, and though it had some backbone, I feel it could be reinforced a bit.

Ideas? Opinions?

  • 08.26.2009 8:26 PM PDT

By the power of truth, I, while living, have conquered the universe.

I 110% agree.

Halo 2 is my favourite game of the trilogy, and the campaign was the best I've ever played. On Sacred Icon where you're falling down the elevator shaft in pitch black darkness with only tiny purple lights to illuminate your path as you emerge towards the Library, defended by the millions of Sentinels flying past the screen.
Recreate that image with Halo 3/Reach graphics and BAM, you've got the killer image.

However, a lot of Halo 2 had to be scrapped because of Microsoft's strict deadline. About 4-5 levels were scrapped (one involving being in free-fall down the Library, dodging Gravemind's tentacles and battling the Forerunner Tank).
High Charity was beautiful, mixed with the ambient soundtrack from the god of music, nope not Apollo, Marty.
I'd like to have seen more of the place through the eyes of the Arbiter, maybe an exploration level to wipe out a Heretic Assassin that is loose in High Charity.

If Halo 2 had everything planned to be in it (Mongooses etc), Halo 3 would be a very different game.

  • 08.28.2009 2:48 AM PDT

Like this guy said, Halo 2 should be remade. Put the stuff that Bungie intended to put plus Halo 3/Reach graphics and WALA! I can see it now...

  • 08.28.2009 4:12 AM PDT

You just got Shakespeared!

I like it.

  • 08.28.2009 6:01 AM PDT
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Dark Jester 86 is the Gamer tag.

Not to get off of topic, but Imagine 3 years from now if the entire trilogy was remade. (I understand 3 years probably isn't enough time though)

Use Halo 3 or Reach Graphics for all of the Trilogy, include a Legendary edition with Reach and maybe a Grunt Gas Mask, then jack up the price for the 4 games and content.

Expensive, but it would be a Holy Grail in gaming. A Monolith laughing at other games as they bowed down to it.

Halo 2 doesn't need it because it's a bad game, it needs it because it deserves it because it's great game (That might be a bit hard to understand but it's the same idea with the SW trilogy and Ninja Gaiden)

Halo 2.5 (Just what I'm calling it) would be big. People generally look at the game in two popular ways I noticed:
1. Epic I loved it.
2. I didn't like it, it needed more this and that.

So remake the epic game with more and it'll appeal to both audiences.

Imagine a trilogy even, where Halo 1,2,and 3 are all together. Imagine it all on one disc (Hard to imagine with technology, but I'm getting ahead of myself and I figure I'd just see where I go from here.) and then you had the multiplayer on another disc, with the Halo 1 weapons, 2 weapons, and 3 weapons.

I'm only stating some sort of bundle because I know that if Reach came out then the multplayer would all be on Reach, so I'm saying that any remakes should have the same multiplayer content as Reach (Like what ODST is doing with Halo 3 matchmaking.)



Alright I'm done with my head in the clouds.

Back to Halo 2.5.

What else would be good to throw in as far as levels go?

Imagine starting the game as the Arbiter during the Destruction of the First ring. You saw how Chief escaped and read about his journey home in "The First Strike" now let's see what Thel Vadam did. Almost like a prequel. I know people will say "But shouldn't Master Chief start it off." but look at it this way:

We play as the Arbiter before he's in the Arbiter armor. I'm not sure where he was (Probably in a ship or something) but we could set him up somewhere where the Flood are intensely populated.

Imagine a level as a prequel with Thel on a ship, one that's becoming infected with Flood, and he's somewhere in the Center trying to escape back to another ship that'll take the Covenant away from the Halo ring.

You'd start with a cinematic, some brief hateful words of the Master Chief and words about the humans opening the Flood door the Covenant locked down. Maybe he'll be asleep, and we'll get to see where they sleep. He could be dreaming, which would be the tutorial, and that tutorial would be on Sangheilious in his dream. He awakens to one of his Sangheili brethren informing him of the situation and that the Flood are taking over this ship.

You'll then exchange some words, then start off fighting the Flood alongside of the Covenant (Like the Uprising levels later on, how you band together with survivors) you find along the way. Eventually after a few challenges along the way, you'll make it to a Spirit (sometimes called a Harbinger) dropship (Tuning fork shaped) and you'll escape, but only at the end. While in the Harbinger and making your way to the other safe ship a cinematic will kick in with the Covenant in shambles after they get word of the Flood and what the "demon is trying to do. You'll get to see Thel's rage, and maybe even have a montage of the Covenant suffering either on board via hologram, or comm chatter. Then, After Thel is faced with all of the suffering he looks out onto the ring with hate only to find that the Ring has just then exploded by the Chief.

Thel has failed his mission, and then from there the Covenant trial would start from Halo 2.

That's a very basic idea though. It still needs filler, like how to get from point A to point B, but it was an idea I felt was worth mentioning.

I have a few more level ideas, but I'll leave the forum with this and hopefully come back later to some more creative responses.



[Edited on 08.28.2009 8:27 AM PDT]

  • 08.28.2009 8:15 AM PDT

Your ideas=An epic Halo 2

  • 09.07.2009 7:49 AM PDT
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Tell Bungie I give the ok to hire you.

  • 09.07.2009 8:52 AM PDT

Great Idea is what i say,I liked to find Easter Eggs and if they remade it they could be more to find

  • 09.07.2009 2:25 PM PDT

Yeah I loved the Soccer ball and the scarab gun :D
I'd love to see Halo 2.5 with Forge z0mg!!!!1

  • 09.07.2009 3:53 PM PDT

A Halo 2 player never dies, they are just Missing in Action

I thnk Oasis is a pretty cool guy. Eh sings Baetles songs and doesn’t afraid of anything

that'd be awesome, idk if bungie will ever do it but if they did, I don't think i'd play anything else ever again lol

  • 09.08.2009 5:58 AM PDT
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  • Intrepid Mythic Member
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R.I.P. Halo 2
11/9/04 - 4/15/10

- B( )B

Posted by: Grumpy2
Tell Bungie I give the ok to hire you.

Agreed.

  • 09.08.2009 4:46 PM PDT

This is the average H2 Fanboy.
Xfire: JacobGRocks.
50 in H2/H3? Great, but you still fail at this.

That would be epick, though, it may not happen, we are all waiting for them to remake older games like Marathon.

  • 09.08.2009 5:46 PM PDT

I don't see you doing anything to help our country.
Except sitting at home, naked, eating twinkies, rubbing your hands together going "Heh. Target Destroyed. Mission Accomplished." Oh wait. that's not helping.

i love the idea of remaking all the games. Maybe for the 25th anniversary of Halo CE

  • 09.14.2009 4:12 PM PDT
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  • Exalted Legendary Member
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halo 2 still the best game in the series. long live halo 2.

Dam, I miss the old days playing halo 2 with my old brothers in arms. Thank you my old friends for giving me this account, I shall continue our legacy.

Posted by: BOB570
Posted by: Grumpy2
Tell Bungie I give the ok to hire you.

Agreed.


I agree as well. Good idea.

  • 09.14.2009 4:28 PM PDT

agreed!
H2 is the best in terms of campaign and multiplayer maps.(waterworks, coagulation, battle creek, headlong, etc...)

  • 09.16.2009 3:21 PM PDT
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Posted by: JB 199
Posted by: BOB570
Posted by: Grumpy2
Tell Bungie I give the ok to hire you.

Agreed.


I agree as well. Good idea.


I also agree, I want to play the deleted levels that were cut from Halo 2, I really want to see the Forerunner Tank, as well as the inner workings of a Covenant Capital Ship.

  • 09.17.2009 3:24 PM PDT

Also the Drinol and Flood Juggernaut....I really wanna fight them. And we need a little bit more MC Flood levels with marines. I mean....High Charity is only one level.

  • 09.19.2009 6:39 AM PDT