Halo 2 is coming for PC

[Joker T]

Halo 2 is hitting the PC, but there's a catch...Windows Vista only.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/4698072.stm

[poe]

Meh. Old game being ported to a platform that's been doing that genre better in every way, shape, and form for years. Not worth a buy even if they made it for XP.

[Mr.FoodMonster]

Meh. Old game being ported to a platform that's been doing that genre better in every way, shape, and form for years. Not worth a buy even if they made it for XP.
Words taken from my mouth.

[Emuaust]

Halo 2 compared to Half-Life 2 and CSS is beyond a joke,
just a stupid stupid marketing ploy by the big M$, I mean
come on how may SMART people are going to say, Damn
I need to fork out $Xx to buy this new OS so I can play a
Game thats out of date and bland as hell!.?

Not me thats for sure..... :/

[keiblerfan69]

Damn everything everyone else has said are my exact thoughts. I mean compare Halo 2 to UT, CS, HL, BF2 and FEAR, it doesn't stand a chance.

[Richter Belmount]

well it is one of the most popular series , of course a pc port is coming.

[zerohero]

Comparisions aside, I'm glade I didn't cave in, and buy an Xbox for Halo 2. I've wanted to play it, but since I have the first installent, and played the first installent on PC, I told myself I'll wait for the PC version to hit, and now I'll get it.

[unwinddesign]

I still play Halo 2, over a year after I got it. I've played over 500 hours of Live alone. I still enjoy every minute of it.

I don't think I'll get it for PC, but it more than holds its own against other FPS games. The multiplayer is the best I've seen in an FPS.

And yes, I've played UT.

[studvicious]

From the article..


Players have also racked up more than 600 million hours of multiplayer Halo gaming on the Xbox Live service.

Wow.. @_@

[THATinkjar]

I highly doubt this will be a Vista only title.

[Ed Oscuro]

I never really checked it out, but didn't the original Halo remake lack even remade textures? (It ran slow, too.)

[zerohero]

I never really checked it out, but didn't the original Halo remake lack even remade textures? (It ran slow, too.)

I think the textures stayed the same. As far as running slow that just depended on your PC at the time. I had an old MX graphics card back then, and it still played just fine on my PC so I dunno I guess that just varied.

[zerohero]

I highly doubt this will be a Vista only title.

I hope not, because I don't think every single person here is gonna go change OS just so they can play Halo2...

[s1lence]

It also is going to include the ability to create new maps of your own, something that Halo 2 fans have been wanting for a while.

[Austin]

*yawn*

Just surprised it took so long.

And xboxes and Halo 2 are so cheap right now, I'm surprised everyone interested in the game hasn't gone that route already.

[nik]

Comparisions aside, I'm glade I didn't cave in, and buy an Xbox for Halo 2. I've wanted to play it, but since I have the first installent, and played the first installent on PC, I told myself I'll wait for the PC version to hit, and now I'll get it.

Yup, thats the person they are after!
I liked the game, enjoyed the story, hope to play Halo 3 soon and finish it off, worthy of a purchase, just not a shrine!

[Avatard]

Heh, ya'll say it won't have a chance. Thats what I said about Halo PC. Now, a few years later, I have picked it up and have been playing it well over a year, I play it atleast once every week. I can't say that about any other game. I can't even play a game of UT2k4 anymore, it seems I can never find enough people playing.

Who cares if it only works on Vista, I'm gonna be getting it anyhow. And people will slowly be switching over.

[Mr.FoodMonster]

*yawn*

Just surprised it took so long.

And xboxes and Halo 2 are so cheap right now, I'm surprised everyone interested in the game hasn't gone that route already.
From the looks of the responces in this thread, I would say they already have.

[ubersaurus]

*yawn*

Just surprised it took so long.

And xboxes and Halo 2 are so cheap right now, I'm surprised everyone interested in the game hasn't gone that route already.
From the looks of the responces in this thread, I would say they already have.

Because a site largely dominated by thirty-something hardcore game collectors are indicitive of the video game market as a whole.

[Joker T]

Here is the IGN artcile on it:
http://pc.ign.com/articles/687/687234p1.html

[THATinkjar]

In Bungie's weekly update, they discuss the move to Vista. Check it out here (http://www.bungie.net/News/TopStory.aspx?story=updatefeb10). I still think something will end up on Windows XP.

[calthaer]

I don't think it will, actually. Vista is going to be a big change - and they say that it will really support games (probably with a lot of features not supported on XP). Maybe M$ is realizing that if Windows dies as a gaming platform, there is really no reason for some of the hardcore folks to run Windows (as opposed to Linux) on their desktop just for surfing the web and email and crap.

[kedawa]

There's also a rumor floating around that it will only play with the 360 controller.

[Avatard]

Lamest rumor ever. What wacko started that one?

[GrayFox]

I still play Halo 2, over a year after I got it. I've played over 500 hours of Live alone. I still enjoy every minute of it.

I don't think I'll get it for PC, but it more than holds its own against other FPS games. The multiplayer is the best I've seen in an FPS.

And yes, I've played UT.

You gotta be a newer online gamer, or a console only person.

I had more fun back in the day with Quake 2, Action Quake 2, Dark Forces 2: Jedi Knight, Jedi Outcast, Rainbow Six, Rainbow Six: Rogue Spear, Team Fortress, Team Fortress Classic, Counter-Strike, Rainbow Six 3, Battlefield 1942, MoH: Allied Assault, Call of Duty, Unreal Tournament, Day of Defeat, Day of Defeat Source, Counter Strike Source...

Halo 2's multiplayer was outdated when it came out. It might be good to console only gamers, but I just don't enjoy people claiming its the best online game/best FPS ever when there's SO much better out there on the PC.

[unwinddesign]

I still play Halo 2, over a year after I got it. I've played over 500 hours of Live alone. I still enjoy every minute of it.

I don't think I'll get it for PC, but it more than holds its own against other FPS games. The multiplayer is the best I've seen in an FPS.

And yes, I've played UT.

You gotta be a newer online gamer, or a console only person.

I had more fun back in the day with Quake 2, Action Quake 2, Dark Forces 2: Jedi Knight, Jedi Outcast, Rainbow Six, Rainbow Six: Rogue Spear, Team Fortress, Team Fortress Classic, Counter-Strike, Rainbow Six 3, Battlefield 1942, MoH: Allied Assault, Call of Duty, Unreal Tournament, Day of Defeat, Day of Defeat Source, Counter Strike Source...

Halo 2's multiplayer was outdated when it came out. It might be good to console only gamers, but I just don't enjoy people claiming its the best online game/best FPS ever when there's SO much better out there on the PC.

Wrong, and er, more wrong.

Halo 2 is wonderfully balanced. It's so damn near perfect, it's incredible. You get two equal strength teams going at it, you will have one hell of a match. Even if one team grabs the sniper (arguably over-powered) or the other power weapons, you are not helpless with just your starting weapon (usually an SMG). The grenade - two weapon system is great stuff.

Mind you, this is just my opinion -- one that, most likely, no one (or very few) here will agree with.

The first PC game I played online was about five years ago. That would mean I'm not exactly new to the whole online gaming party. I used to play Unreal Tournament; it's a fantastic game. I wasn't slighting any other titles by saying that Halo 2 is the best multiplayer FPS ever -- it's just the way I feel. I also have played Unreal Tournment 2004 a good bit too. Quake III Arena was a turd; I never got the chance to play Quake II. I'm contemplating purchasing the PC version of Quake 4 to give it a spin. Battlefield 1942...meh, it's alright.

Counter-Strike, in my opinion, is trash. If you want extremely over-rated, then look no further than CS.

Honestly, I'm not a big multiplayer shooter fan. They're good when you have people over, but otherwise, I'd prefer to play single player or a different title entirely. However, Halo 2's excellent matchmaking system, along with the aforementioned points, had me playing three hours a day for a long time. I still play it.

Just because it's on a console doesn't mean the experience is any less gratifying or enjoyable. The controls work great, the game is optimized for the Xbox, and hell, it's just a blast to play.

[Mr.FoodMonster]

I couldn't disagree more with pretty much everything you just said.

[kainemaxwell]

PC port should have come out then, not now.

[unwinddesign]

I couldn't disagree more with pretty much everything you just said.

Hence,




Mind you, this is just my opinion -- one that, most likely, no one (or very few) here will agree with.

[Iron Draggon]

Oh sure Microsoft, give us fucking Halo 2, but deny us Rallisport Challenge 2 and Crimson Skies 2! Damn you!

I am sick and fucking tired of the entire lame FPS genre!

[Joker T]

Oh sure Microsoft, give us fucking Halo 2, but deny us Rallisport Challenge 2 and Crimson Skies 2! Damn you!

I am sick and fucking tired of the entire lame FPS genre!

It is too bad, but this is Microsoft they are gonna do what makes money.

[Avatard]

I'm interested on how people here measure "better". Better graphics? Blah. More weapons? Heh. Biggest maps?

Halo is the game I've had the most fun with. BFV being my fav with a different group of friends. So to me Halo is the best fps seeing as how its the one I have the most fun on with friends.

And don't say I haven't played many FPSs. I've been playing them since Wolfenstein 3D.

[calthaer]

I couldn't agree more with the statement that Counter-Strike is trash (I hate, hate, hate waiting several minutes to spawn back in), but would have to agree that the Halo franchise is fairly overrated. In terms of gameplay, there are PC games out there that do the deathmatch / team deathmatch / drive around in vehicles in deathmatch / CTF / whatever better than Halo 2 does.

[Joker T]

I couldn't agree more with the statement that Counter-Strike is trash (I hate, hate, hate waiting several minutes to spawn back in), but would have to agree that the Halo franchise is fairly overrated. In terms of gameplay, there are PC games out there that do the deathmatch / team deathmatch / drive around in vehicles in deathmatch / CTF / whatever better than Halo 2 does.

I actually think that waiting to spawn isn't horrible, once you get used to it, it isn't really that bad. If anything it makes you use strategy so you don't die.

but back to Halo 2...there may be games on PC that do things better but can you name one FPS on a console that does things much better than Halo. On current systems Halo and Timesplitters are the only FPS games that I bother with for multiplayer offline. Online Halo 2 isn't quite as fun, but having friends over and playing LAN is easily one of the most enjoyable multiplayer experiences out there.

[calthaer]

I wouldn't at all argue the fact that Halo is the best console FPS of all time - I'm sure it is. But unwinddesign was saying more than that - that it'll whip just about any FPS out on the PC or anywhere else.

Having played Halo and tons of other PC FPS games, I'm just inclined to disagree. Part of it may just be preferences in game design / experience. Halo had an incredible amount of polish, but in my opinion the level designs were rather monotonous and uninspired compared, say, to the original Unreal with its Sunspire and floating cities. The story was good, but I think a shooter like Deus Ex or System Shock 2 had it beat hands-down. When it comes to vehicles, C&C: Renegade had it beat, too - I mean, nothing can top that Mammoth Tank, I'm sorry.

Again, part of this is a matter of preference - some people like different multiplayer games. I really enjoy multiplayer, but I think other PC games (like the Natural Selection mod for the original Half Life) just do it better. And my all-time favorite multiplayer type - multiplayer cooperative - isn't supported by Halo at all (at least by the PC version, which is what I was playing).

But you're right - when it comes to console games, few games can match it.

[unwinddesign]

I was discussing multiplayer fun. In terms of single player, Halo/Halo 2 are both ok, but nothing spectacular. Solid, but nothing to drop $50 on.

Deus Ex is my favorite game of all time (by far), but the multiplayer, at least in my opinion, is crap.

I'm really not judging my opinions on individual merits; more on the question "How much fun did I have playing this game?" And for Halo 2, the answer is "A hell of a lot more fun than any other FPS I've played." To be honest, for Halo 2, I can't tell you exactly WHY I have a blast. There are individual elements -- be it sound effects, graphics, weapon variety, gameplay variety, level design etc. -- that other games do better. However, the cohesiveness of Halo 2 as an experience -- something more than a sum of its individual parts -- is one hell of a trip.

[Yamazaki]

I don't understand how somebody can seriously be happy about Halo 2 getting released while BF2, Source and bunch of other top tier FPS are available!

[Nesmaster]

I feel the exact same way about every game unwinddesign mentioned, right down to not playing Quake 2 Online (yet..)

I only have Halo for pc to go on, but the Multiplayer IS great stuff. CTF is damn near perfect in this game (imo), I love it.

That said, I gotta try Halo 2 sometime soon. I'd sooner buy an xbox and Halo 2 than have to upgrade my OS to play it, though (if it ends up as a Vista-only title).

[GrayFox]

I can see how some people think Counter-Strike is bad. I downloaded CS Beta 1.1, and started from there with Counter-Strike. I've always known the game extremely well and played the shit outta it.

If you play CS now, you're gonna get your ass HANDED to you. People are just way too good nowadays. A lot of people don't play the game for this reason. I know plenty of people who hated the game just because they couldn't play against the compeitition. I'm not saying that's bad or anything, but its something I noticed.

And your opinion on Halo and stuff is fine unwinddesign, I'm not saying you can't believe that, heh.

But from my experiences on these intranets with FPS's since Doom and Duke Nukem 3D, Halo just felt like such a step back. To me, it always felt like an everyday FPS.

[Ed Oscuro]

When it comes to vehicles, C&C: Renegade had it beat, too - I mean, nothing can top that Mammoth Tank, I'm sorry.
Renegade's demo...ahh...such an unbalanced map, but wow, it was fun.

[Joker T]

If you play CS now, you're gonna get your ass HANDED to you. People are just way too good nowadays. A lot of people don't play the game for this reason. I know plenty of people who hated the game just because they couldn't play against the compeitition. I'm not saying that's bad or anything, but its something I noticed

Very true. I just started getting back into Counter-Strike Source about a month ago. I used to be quite a good player but now I just get the crap beat out of me alot, a few months without practice and I'm done, if you don't know the maps perfectly you are almost instantly killed. I'm still decent at the game but not even close to where I was before.