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| | Title:
Halo 2: Team Swat and BTB
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System:
Xbox
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Genre:
First Person Shooter
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Publisher:
Microsoft
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Developer:
Bungie
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Release:
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Online:
Yes
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ESRB:
M
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What would Xbox Live be without Halo 2? Despite the fact the Xbox 360 is approaching its one year anniversary, no game in the Xbox 360 library has come close to dethroning Halo 2 as the most played game on Xbox Live. How does Bungie do it? Well, besides the almost flawless gameplay online, Bungie is also constantly updating the Halo 2 matchmaking gametypes. Every few months several new gametypes are added into the mix while others are removed. The latest additions to the playlist are the unranked Big Team Battle Slayer and Team SWAT gametypes, along with the ranked Big Team Battle Skirmish. While previous matchmaking updates haven't been all that stellar, this time Bungie seems to have nailed it down as to what makes Halo 2 fun, and wrapped it into at least two of the very enjoyable gametypes.
The first up is Team SWAT. Being unranked, guests are allowed to join the action, meaning getting into games through Bungie's matchmaking system is much faster. The basis behind Team SWAT is to arm players with weapons that can pull off one hit kills, and then remove the shields so these types of kills are possible. Surviving for long in a Team SWAT match is a feat unto itself, since players drop left and right as the intense battles are fought. Usually armed with a Battle Rifle and a Magnum, players will not have any trouble taking down enemies. Starting players off with the Battle Rifle removes the terrible, "run for the best weapon," problem that has plagued Halo 2 in the past (and still does in some gametypes.) While Slayer is the most fun way to play within Team SWAT, the objective based games are also entertaining. As a result of shields being gone, grabbing the flag or planting the bomb is harder on both ends. It is very easy for one player to wipe out the entire opposing team, thereby clearing a path for the flag or bomb carrier. The same goes for the defending team who, after killing the attacking squad, can then easily camp with the flag or bomb until the round is over. But the beauty is these types of situations go back and forth throughout the whole round, making them much more intense than anything Halo 2 has delivered previously. I've never been a fan of objective based games, but Team SWAT has made me a believer.
Accompanying Team SWAT is BTB Slayer and BTB Skirmish. BTB Slayer is unranked, so again guests can join in on the fun. It was amazing how easy it was to get into a game with sixteen people. Those who are veterans of the Big Team Battle gametype can attest to how hard it became to get a full number of willing players. It would seem Bungie realized fans have all been asking for a huge Slayer match, and now fans couldn't be happier. BTB Slayer is a wonderfully chaotic experience. Thanks to the huge maps and number of vehicles, it seems as if there is always a fight to get in on, or an opponent to take out. Headlong so far seems like the most entertaining big map for Slayer, while Containment is the least fun. Containment is just too big for even sixteen players, regardless of there being two Scorpion Tanks on the map. Next to Team SWAT, BTB Slayer is my new favorite gametype. Huge battles with a bunch of people who don't care if they win or lose (the beauty of unranked games) makes BTB Slayer a breath of fresh air within the highly competitive Halo 2 online world.
Big Team Battle Skirmish is the only new ranked gametype, and as such comes with some different experiences. Guests can't join, and like with all ranked matches everyone is concerned about their rank. As such, the Big Team Battle Skirmish matches are a lot more intense and in a way, a lot less fun. Yes, it is still very cool to play CTF or Assault matches with sixteen people, but ultimately the matches become less about strategy and more about who has the more people in the right spot at the right time. It also doesn't help when the whiny kids we've all come to love begin screaming about how their rank is going down because they are losing. We don't care.
As a whole, the new matchmaking playlist is a welcome addition. It is always nice to inject some much needed flavor into the old Halo 2 formula. Team SWAT and BTB Slayer are two gametypes that are bound to stay around, thanks to their mix of intense combat and laid-back attitude. However, BTB Skirmish - while fun - doesn't quite capture the magic of the other two gametypes. All in all though, any new way to play Halo 2 is obviously a good one.
Pages
| The Core Score |
Overall
10 |
| Fun |
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9 |
| Gameplay |
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10 |
| Graphics |
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10 |
| Audio |
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10 |
| Replay |
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10 |
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| Kid Safe Score |
| 2 Horrible |
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Parents watch out for all the swearing and immature kids. Graphic violence that comes with the FPS territory is also abundant. |
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