Halo 2 (PC Games)

I've had Halo 2 for the X-Box for a while now, and while the matchmaking had it's pros and cons, it was acceptable.

Halo 2 Vista is a polished version of the original X-Box title. Introducing "Gaming for Windows Live" which is a Windows variant of X-Box Live, gamers are asked to either register a name or use their X-Box Live name via the Microsoft Passport system. (Entering the e-mail address you used when you signed up for X-Box Live) This is forced, you have to do this before entering the game. You can create a local profile but will only be able to do the Single Player campaign and LAN mode. Installation is a breeze, and if you choose, you can play the game while you install. That's about the only nice feature this game truly has though besides Achievements.

The gameplay is typical Halo 2. The campaign is exactly like the X-Box version, so it will have a familiar feel in that aspect. Those blessed with a nice gaming rig with find it to be a pleasantly smooth experience. You can take your pick as far as connecting an X-Box 360 controller or using the mouse and keyboard combo. As an equalizer I suppose, the controller has a slight auto-aim, allowing for a more precision shot. There is no auto-aim with mouse and keyboard, however it wouldn't be necessary to implement one, since it's already pretty precise.

Multiplayer has it's pros and cons. The gameplay is smooth, and the netcode is nice. Those who played Halo 1 PC used to have to lead their shots to actually hit the character. Halo 2 fixes that and now you can actually aim at the target. The majority of people use dedicated servers, so those used to X-Box lives matchmaking will feel lost and confused. There is no ranking system, just straight continuous game after game on dedicated servers. You can set it to join the next game, if you're worried that you'll join a game that's already lost.

Honestly, I do like the game. I really do. However it's only good for achievements and multiplayer. The servers currently are not that populated, but I supposed that will change when Vista becomes the norm and the game drops in price. If you're happy with the X-Box version of the game, you may not want to jump ship quite just yet. Give it some time.

I loved it i usually game on my 360 with halo 3 but on the go halo 2 is the stuff atm. Great product and great ebayer thanks!

this is a great game, i would recommend buying it to a friend. the graphics and game play run smoothly and it gives you a great looking game. once installed there are a few title updates that take place but those are just minor issues that all games have. a must have game!

works great it was what i wanted and was ship quikly . would recumend this seller to anyone looking for software.

Halo 2 wasn't quite as good as the first of the series. The storyline was just a bit confusing in my opinion. Though, what really got me is the multiplayer modes. I mean, you'll have a hell of a time playing this online! Still, I was expecting more out of Microsoft.

Halo 2 is the second in a great trilogy of Halo games. This particular one was great and porting it to the PC was a good idea!
The singleplayer aspect of this game is well worth the purchase. It has an epic story and allows you to play as Master Chief and the Arbiter in the game. The graphics are very well done and the game is quite a challenge on Legendary mode to keep you busy.
Halo 2 really shines online. With lots of maps and weapons and character customization, online mode can be very fun. Also, the achievements are very well-rounded and will keep you busy trying to obtain them but none are so hard that they are unobtainable.
Overall, this is a great game and well worth picking up if your computer is up to par!

I played the first one and really enjoyed it so I decided to go but the sequel. It is a wonderful game although the campaign mode is a little short. Also there are very little people on multiplayer mode.

This game is starting to show its age, but I am an avid Computer Gamer (I don't like console controllers)MS locked the game for Vista Only, but it can be run on XP using a different image (check on google).
If you played Halo, you have to play Halo 2.

Liked the weapons system, everything was great; just an awesome game. +++++
Bought it because of great reviews.
Didn't like that the last level was short.

Try Legendary Mode. It's fun because it adds a certain amount of difficulty that everyone will find interesting in a game.

No lag or artifacts using stock settings with this rig --
Video: PCI-e x16 EVGA GeForce 8600 - 500M GPU - 384M DDR3 onboard RAM,
CPU: Athlon X2 4600+ (2.3G),
Mobo: Asus M2N-MX (plain),
RAM: 2G DDR2 800,
OS: Vista 32-bit SP1,
HDD: SATA II 160G.

its a cool game, all halo games are cool to play with people around the world or with friends, i would like to buy halo 3 too for pc but its not out yet!

I bought it for the famous title and I played Halo 1 before. The content is quite satisfying with the original idea of free play (you choose your guns and rides and sometime paths) intact and lots of added features like dual weld take allies weapons and more. My complaint is the ridiculusly high hardware requirements, considering it is just a remake of an xbox (P3 level processor) game. I also dislike its vista requirement. Microsoft is just asking for too much. Bottom line, if you have a very fast comp, get it. Otherwise you might spend less just getting an xbox 360 and a used Halo 2 for xbox.

I find Halo 2 is a bit more polished than Halo 1 was, with obviously Microsoft's help, they have worked out and buffed up the software! The action of the software, the movement of the characters, and the overall flow of the game is excellent! The LIVE version of the software works well, and is very fluid. The only negative thing I can say, is Halo 1 was very difficult, Halo 2 is a bit easier overall.....

The Good

* Some of the best first-person shooter gameplay in the business
* Outstanding multiplayer features--tons of fun modes and customization options
* Incredible audio--music and sound effects both major highlights
* Impressive artificial intelligence
* Co-op mode tons of fun.

The Bad

* Disappointing story
* Short campaign
* Some unsightly graphical issues
* No co-op online.

Halo 2, the long-awaited sequel to one of the most widely praised, most influential first-person shooters ever created, has a very tough act to follow. Fortunately, it's built on a foundation that's as strong as they come. The game's success was preordained--publisher Microsoft tallied more than 1.5 million Halo 2 preorders in the weeks leading up to the game's release, which demonstrates just how confident Halo's fans are in the sequel's quality. But how is it, really? The good news is, the sequel to the Xbox's defining action game is an absolutely superb, fully featured game, boasting an excellent presentation, a highly replayable campaign, and the greatest, most complete online multiplayer component in a console shooter yet. A surprisingly disappointing story and a fairly short single-player portion are noticeable shortcomings, but there's just so much breadth of content in Halo 2, and the action itself is so outstanding, that there can be no denying its quality. Overall, it's one of the very best action games available.


It's good to see you, Master Chief.

There are several reasons why the original Halo ranks up there with a very small number of other first-person shooters as one of the definitive games in the genre. For one thing, Halo succeeded at establishing a cohesive, memorable, and original science-fiction universe. For another, the Master Chief, Halo's cybernetic protagonist, made a great hero. A fearless, enigmatic man, the Chief could succeed where pure flesh-and-blood humans could not, and guiding him to victory against the alien menace known as the Covenant, as well as the parasitic creatures called the Flood, made for a gripping story and an intense and satisfying gameplay experience.

Halo's gameplay was amazing in that it seamlessly integrated top-notch first-person shooting with incredibly fun third-person vehicular sequences and outstanding friendly and enemy artificial intelligence. The game's subtle innovations--the tactical consequences of such things as having recharging energy shields, being able to carry only a couple of weapons at a time, the ability to throw powerful grenades in between shots, and the option of dishing out fierce melee attacks--also did a lot to differentiate Halo from other shooters, and proceeded to influence subsequent games. Halo's multiple, well-balanced difficulty settings, two-player cooperative campaign option, and assorted multiplayer modes also ensured that the game had tons of lasting appeal. All these factors contributed to the game's well-deserved success, and they're all back in Halo 2. For the most part, the sequel takes an "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" approach to its gameplay--everything that you loved about Halo's action is back in full effect here. At the same time, the handful of new additions in Halo 2 are well thought out and well implemented, enriching the gameplay and making it seem fresh but still familiar.

Everything that you maybe didn't love about Halo is pretty much back, too.
Overall Rating: 10 out of 10

I know this is an outdated game, especially with HALO 3 already out for months now. I bought it only because I never really caught up on Halo trilogy. Not the best game out there, but certainly has some good ONLINE PLAY and a kickin soundtrack!

great game!!!! looks great and plays awsome... game gives you achivement points and gives you the multiplayer game everyone is looking for.... great game.................................................................................

Great graphics in the game and I used software off of e-bay that let me use the game on XP. I appreciate the service of this seller and would recommend him to others.

Simply put, Halo 2 is by far the greatest first-person shooter the console world has seen in the past. From the monster multiplayer (both off- and online) to the perfectly constructed single-player campaign, this game never lets up for a second.

If you have been following the Halo phenomenon, you already know that this sequel has introduced dual wielding, vehicle boarding, and a host of Xbox Live options including clans and the ability for four players on a single split-screened TV to all be online.

Considering the game is over 3yrs old. I feel it's a keeper. I'm very interested in the Halo story line and it still keeps my attention. I oved playing Halo 1 so I just had to play the second in the series. The only thing I disliked about it was the cliff hanger ending. but i was prepared for that from a online reviews.

Sure, it's an old game By Gaming standards. But it's still very fun to play.

Great Price, Great Product, Great service, I am having fun with the challenges of the Game. I have been looking for this game for quite a while and when I found it on E-Bay and I could afford it I did so. Thank you for this Listing.

this game is good but, the online mode doesn't work, seems like the company doesn't support it anymore.

This is awsome, now people with pc can compete just like having an x-box, you can even get a usb controller!!! HALO is the best game ever, Halo 3 on live is where it is at!!!!

read carefuly this one please:

Complete community freedom. Halo 2 for Windows Vista offers gamers the freedom to host their own dedicated servers for maximum multiplayer action.


Thats a big lie that you can only host servers with in 1 gold accaount trail. Then you need to pay every mounth. it isnt freedom then, i guess...

I didn't like the fact that it wasn't stated that you need Windows Vista to play the game. I cannot use the game. A waste of $39.00

I loved the graphics and game play; however, the ending was not there. The ability to play as the arbiter was a pleasant surprise. I hate that they took out the great pistol, bad idea. overall it was a good game but some things did not add up to the hype. It seemed that the ending was short and did not fulfill what I expected from it.

Spent months with "tech" support from India oops I mean from Microsoft and even with their level 2 tech could not fix the connection problem with the game. The last time the tech was going to get advice from another tech and said he would call me back never happened. I have many games I play over the internet and the only one that wont work is Halo 2, even Halo works so this is a MS issue and they could care less. When you buy a MS product you take your chances they have the worst Tech support in the industry.