Halo 2

And then there's the dual-weapon skill. You can combine any of the light weapons in whichever way you see fit. Don't think you can combine a sniper rifle and a rocket launcher though. There are logical constraints to what you can do and you're limited to weapons you could realistically hold together. The decision to use dual-wielding is very much a strategic one, as you no longer have access to grenades should you lean in that direction. Like the armoury itself, it's all about balance and what you want to achieve.

Level design mirrors that of the original, though taken to the logical next step. There's still a balance of outdoor and indoor terrain, but it all seems better this time. Navigating the world isn't as frustrating as it sometimes was, and getting to your destination is less labour intensive, but the game could still use a map of some sort. There's nothing worse that entering a symmetrical room filled with enemies, clearing the room and making your way through the stage only to find yourself right at the beginning again. This is a minor annoyance, though, as the tightened level design allows you to quickly see - for the most part - whether you're going in the right direction.

Paralleling this omnipresent upscaling is the quality of the art design. The game takes place in disparate locales with radically different environments, each of which carries nuance and an attention to detail bordering on psychologically concerning. The landscapes are painted with rich palettes and an eye for realism while the indoor environs mirror those of the best that movies have to offer, and each is accessorised by the more pronounced soundtrack.

Halo 2 is something else besides gorgeous to behold and thrilling to play though - it's demanding. While you'll be able to navigate the easiest difficult level with little effort in barely more than a dozen hours, the more challenging options are a true barometer of mettle. The occasional AI glitches are negated by the sheer tenacity of enemies and extracting a victory from their clutches is anything but straightforward.

Multiplayer!

And as if the campaign mode wasn't enough, there's still the delicious multiplayer - online or off - to contend with. From the first second I stepped onto the tight, polarized field of Battle Creek in Halo, I knew that online would be the only remedy for my neverending craving. To now finally have access to network play emphasizes how fun online play can be, reinforcing the mantra Microsoft has been muttering all along. But there is also a sense of disappointment as reality sets in and you realize that it's all based on technology, which is itself never without problems.

Given that there are - presumably, if message boards are any sort of barometer - thousands of gamers playing Halo 2 online all the time, quite why I couldn't reliably access a game is a complete mystery. Perhaps it's because I wasn't a member of a clan - an element that is given quite a push in Halo 2 - and I had to wait to be matched up with the rest of the loners out there. Perhaps I was just playing at the wrong time of day. Or perhaps it is Bungie's matchmaking service, which seems to make accessing a game that bit harder.

Whatever, though. Once you do get inside the technical obstructions dissolve and Halo 2 online becomes everything you wanted it to be and more. There are match types to suit everyone, from one-on-one tests of skill to full-scale, 16-person battles that see you bonding instantly with that cloaked voice out there in the ether. When your team mate asks you to wait with the Warthog while he brings over a bomb bound for the enemy base, you'll do the right thing, because you want to and it rewards you both. The action is as flitting as it was offline, only now you have the added benefit of not having to lug around 100 pounds of equipment for a night of fun. Or a weekend, if you're not careful.

Gameplay is smooth, but there are still episodes of lag frequent enough to leave you howling in frustration as you fail to cap the enemy Elite standing not ten yards from you. This is the reality of modern day networking realized. My trusty 3MB connection withstood most assaults, though, with everything up to and including the mammoth 16-player battles running smoothly save for the odd bout of delay. This will, of course, be highly dependant on when you're playing, who you're playing with, and how much you're paying your service provider.

The multiplayer levels themselves are diverse enough to cater to the variety of online game types present in the game. From expansive city structures to more outdoor orientated terrain, the maps lend themselves perfectly to the bedlam. The build quality is just as good as with the singleplayer levels, though the overambitious aspirations once again rear their malformed visage in the form of some rather disconcerting pop-up of both textures and full models. Halo veterans will get a kick out of finally being able to take to long-cherished maps without having to resort to cumbersome unofficial workarounds.

At present, just less than a week after the game's global release, the people populating Halo 2 online seem to make the experience generally enjoyable. It is often the case that a game's foibles are uncovered and exploited by ne'er-do-wells, but it seems that, at least for the moment, most people are online just to have fun. While it's not the first to get it right on consoles, Microsoft is to be commended for largely delivering on its promises. As technology and development march off into the future, online play will undoubtedly improve, but in the here and now, Halo 2 provides an excellent online experience sure to ruin the less frowned upon social aspects of people's lives.