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The multiplayer component of Halo 2 is considerably more beefed up than Halo 1. Confirmed is the fact that flying vehicles will be included, a big plus considering they were sorely missed in Halo 1. Additionally, the Scorpian tank will apparently be able to fire in one direction whilst driving in another (like strafing when you’re on foot, you’ll use the right thumbstick to aim and the left to move). Thirdly Bungie has remarked on the idea that they’d like to be able to make it so vehicles take realistic damage, if not so they can be destroyed outright. Remote mines are also being considered.

The real beauty doesn’t rest with just the little things. Remember team combat? Now it escalates to a whole new level with not Red v. Blue, but Spartans v. Elites! Teams are more noticeable and realistic now, because come on, do we really think fellow Spartans would fire upon each other? Unknown remains the question of bots, but Bungie is reportedly “in serious consideration” of the issue.

Oh and guys – Halo 2 will be fully compatible with Xbox Live!

NEW VEHICLES:

- Shadow
https://www.haloonline.net/shadow.jpg

Some of you will remember the Shadow from pre-release Halo 1. Well it was scrapped, but now it has returned valiantly the battle sporting a beautiful new frame. Although this picture shows the Shadow with two drivers seats, Bungie has said that the final version will seat just one driver. This doesn’t mean its carrying capacity is at all diminished – nay, like the Tank the Shadow can seat two on the sides of its wings, which will be flattened a little to allow this.

- Warthog(s)
https://www.haloonline.net/warthog.jpg

The Warthog isn’t a new vehicle right? Wrong. There will be several different types of Warthog, each suited for special types of terrain (snow, jungle, etc.). Some have the classic LAAG still mounted on the back but others look like they’ll function more like troop transport than offensive vehicles (especially the one on the far right of the picture).

- ATV
https://www.haloonline.net/atv.jpg

The ATV (All Terrain Vehicle) is like a Moped for Space Marines. It has no weapons (at this time anyway; it may change to sport a machine gun on the side or something), but it’s remarkably fast (even more than the nimble ghost) and can function on, yeah you guessed it, all terrain. It seats one.

NEW WEAPONS:

- Battle Rifle
https://www.haloonline.net/battlerifle.jpg

Although the name probably will be called Assault Rifle again (with some nifty combination of letters and numbers in front of it for “added realism”), this new upgrade on the old classic is currently being called a Battle Rifle. Bungie has stated that it will be more accurate than it’s predecessor (thank god) but will fire somewhat slower (hopefully not much). Note the scope it sports people; that should help with the accuracy problem even more so.

- SMG
https://www.haloonline.net/smg.jpg

The Sub-Machine Gun (SMG for short) was originally intended in Halo 1, but like many other things it was eventually scrapped. Not so in Halo 2. The SMG is back and with a vengeance – this little gem will reportedly fire faster than you can wet your pants by looking at its graphical beauty. The obvious problem to this is a loss of accuracy, meaning it’ll be a good weapon at close range but less effective as you get farther from your enemy.

For added stealth, Bungie remarks “We may include a silencer on it, or at least on some versions of it.” Now ignore the words about the silencer. VERSIONS? Does this mean that each gun is customizable? Or that there is more than one type of SMG out there (like the Mp5, UMP, etc.)? Only time will tell.

NEW RACES:

- Prophet
https://www.haloonline.net/prophet.jpg

“They’re like giant space popes,” says Lead Artist Marcus Lehto. “The first two races of the Covenant were the Elites and the Prophets,” adds Jason Jones. “The Elites are the military right hand, and the Prophets are the political, religious and spiritual leadership. Together they formed the Covenant and recruited other races around them.”

Interestingly, Bungie has declared that every single Prophet in Halo 2 will be unique – that is, you won’t see the same one twice, unlike the almost identical Elites, Grunts, Jackals, and especially Hunters. Their headdresses are all unique, as are their robes.

Any combat capabilities that the Prophets may have remain largely unknown, and judging by their looks I seriously doubt they’ll have any aside from their ability to lead. My thoughts are that they’ll be employed largely as things for you to kill, and as things that you might have to capture and hold for information as well as ransom (well not literally ransom, but to force a bargain or to exchange for the release of some of your own men).

The chair that the Prophets float on may be misleading. “[It’s] not that they can’t walk,” says Lead Designer Jaime Griesemer, “They just choose not to. They’re too good for that.”

- Brute
https://www.haloonline.net/brute.jpg

Remember the Hunter in Halo 1? Well, although the whole posse of Hunter’s will make a return (as will all the other Covenant races), he’ll have a “homie” to help bust things up on the field with. The Brute appears to be some kind of sub-Hunter; it is apparently the bridge between the agile Elites and the Strong Hunters. Designed after a gorilla or some kind of ape, the Brutes rely strongly on endurance alone and as of yet do not have the Elite-esque shielding.

“[For the Brute] we’re going for something more monster-like,” says Art Lead Marcus Lehto, “but agile at the same time – something like a cross between a gorilla and rhinoceros.”

What’s interesting about the Brut is that along his “utility belt,” there are four long grenade-like items – possibly a new type of grenade in Halo 2? The left arm of the Brute holds a radical new weapon, perfectly suited for melee combat (note the blade it has). I think that it functions as a fuel rod gun at distance and as a Plasma Sword-esque blade in close quarters.

CLOSURE:

The End of Halo 1 left many people asking for more. Well, Bungie’s going to give them more. More and more and more until they have a stomach ache and they need their stomach pumped before it bursts because Bungie gave them so much. Much of Halo 1 came together in the last month of it’s development partly because of the switch from PC to Xbox, and partly because of the fact they were working on an unfinished Xbox. Now, Halo 2 has been “coming together” ever since six weeks after Halo 1 was released (wow Bungie totally kept this a secret for a LONG ass time) and will continue “coming together” until 2003 (oh ####). I hope we can all wait – hopefully Bungie will periodically release screenshots, information, and especially trailers as time goes by. Of course, this is by no means all the new aliens, improvements, and weapons, vehicles, etc. that Halo 2 will have. I'll continually post new Halo 2 updates as I can, and soon we'll have a Halo 2 section on the site for just this sorta thing. Lucky for me, I’ll be a Senior when Halo 2 comes out, which means I’ll have plenty of time to play! Here it comes guys – just 1 year more!

- PTM; webmaster: Halo Online (www.haloonline.net)