Holding onto that Halo 2 feel.

Games Halo 5: Guardians
1

I figured I would drop in and tell my short story of my Halo experience, just to see if anyone is in a similar situation.

I started my Halo journey like a lot of people, with CE. I had spent countless hours over at friends house goofin off in MP, then we had heard Halo 2 was coming out and was pretty stoked. When Halo 2 came out it was the greatest FPS I had/have ever played. I was a junior in high school at the time, I remember playing all night on school nights with friends, custom lobbies just chillin, having super competitive matches. It was such an amazing game, even the story was perfect! I till this day hold Halo 2 to being my favorite game in history.

When my friends and I saw the announcement of Halo 3, we brought the hype to a new level. We followed every little detail we could find, as the date grew closer it only made more hype, we were ready, had pre ordered, got to the store hours before midnight. We were ready. We got home popped it in and started playin, I can’t recall what we did first, but, we thought it was fun. However, It was not “Halo 2 fun”. We had expected a even better Halo 2, instead my group of friends and I were actually pretty disappointed. We all hated equipment, the way the guns performed was off. It seemed like a huge difference, and will always be one of the biggest disappointments in my gaming career. Halo 3 was a very good game, the story was awesome, and the MP was pretty decent, but it was nothing compared to our beloved Halo 2.

Here comes reach, we were excited, but after the let down of 3, we were skeptical. Reach came out and fixed most of the problems that were with Halo 3, and till this day was the best Halo game since 2. Was really really fun, but again, wasn’t scratching that itch.

Unfortunately I never got to experience Halo 4 MP at launch, I lived in a pretty rural area while in college for about 2 years and had crap internet at the time, but the story was good, I really enjoyed it.

So I sit here and wait. I have played the beta and loved what I have seen so far in videos. The hype is building once again. I am still waiting to my Halo 2 successor, something that brings it beyond what it was and makes it even better! Its been 8 years. I really hope this does it for me. So far Halo 5 is on the right track, it looks and feels like a modern Halo 2. Its less than a month away now, I’m starting to get impatient, it looks very promising.

2

I agree, completely. And I have to say, Halo 5 looks to me like a true successor to Halo 2.

3

Expecting a game to exactly replicate a feeling you had years ago is a dangerous thing. You’re setting yourself up for disappointment. The feeling you got playing H2 years ago won’t even feel the same today playing H2. Your life is in a completely different state than it was years ago; your state of mind, your environment, everything’s changed. Using the feeling you get from nostalgia an expectation will NOT make you love H5. You have to stop living in the past and look at H5 in new lens to completely love it, because even if you do enjoy it, there’s always that nagging part of your mind saying, “This isn’t how it was years ago”. If you’re thinking H5 will replicate the feeling from H2 it’s probably for the best that you stop thinking that.

4

I think the comparisons between Halo 2 and Halo 5 are fair. Halo 2 is without a doubt, Halo’s glory days and 343 could be trying to recapture that. Quite a few similarities between H2 and H5 -

  1. Storyline shifting between two characters (or teams as the case may be).
  2. Arbiter is returning
  3. Covenant civil war like H2
  4. Return of competitive focused multi player

Halo 5 is to 343, what Halo 2 was to Bungie. It is the opportunity to expand, to improve and to develop.

I actually loved H3 at the time though. Scale was far more epic than H2.

5

> 2533274933749851;3:
> Expecting a game to exactly replicate a feeling you had years ago is a dangerous thing. You’re setting yourself up for disappointment. The feeling you got playing H2 years ago won’t even feel the same today playing H2. Your life is in a completely different state than it was years ago; your state of mind, your environment, everything’s changed. Using the feeling you get from nostalgia an expectation will NOT make you love H5. You have to stop living in the past and look at H5 in new lens to completely love it, because even if you do enjoy it, there’s always that nagging part of your mind saying, “This isn’t how it was years ago”. If you’re thinking H5 will replicate the feeling from H2 it’s probably for the best that you stop thinking that.

You may be right. but, I can’t help but have some glimmer of hope. And to some degree I agree with you, I don’t think anything will be as nostalgic as Halo 2 was to me (and many others). But I’m hoping for a new experience that is just as good. Halo CE was amazingly fun, and will always hold a very nostalgic piece of me, but, Halo 2 just brought it to a new level, made everything…better. And that right there is what I’m hoping for in Halo 5, not to BE Halo 2, but to be better.

6

Video games in general will never be like they were when we were kids because we aren’t kids anymore.

Maybe this game will be the “Halo 2 evolved” that brings that multiplayer intensity back though. I hope so.

7

im teh same way. I was disappointing in halo 3. halo 2 will always be the greatest experience i have had with any game. Im super pumped about h5 but trying to not get my hopes up. At this point in my life though…any game that has competitive multiplayer will make me happy. I miss being competitive and am soooo tired of games that use the prestige ranking system that requires no skill.

8

> 2649885852187352;5:
> > 2533274933749851;3:
> > Expecting a game to exactly replicate a feeling you had years ago is a dangerous thing. You’re setting yourself up for disappointment. The feeling you got playing H2 years ago won’t even feel the same today playing H2. Your life is in a completely different state than it was years ago; your state of mind, your environment, everything’s changed. Using the feeling you get from nostalgia an expectation will NOT make you love H5. You have to stop living in the past and look at H5 in new lens to completely love it, because even if you do enjoy it, there’s always that nagging part of your mind saying, “This isn’t how it was years ago”. If you’re thinking H5 will replicate the feeling from H2 it’s probably for the best that you stop thinking that.
>
>
> You may be right. but, I can’t help but have some glimmer of hope. And to some degree I agree with you, I don’t think anything will be as nostalgic as Halo 2 was to me (and many others). But I’m hoping for a new experience that is just as good. Halo CE was amazingly fun, and will always hold a very nostalgic piece of me, but, Halo 2 just brought it to a new level, made everything…better. And that right there is what I’m hoping for in Halo 5, not to BE Halo 2, but to be better.

This.

I don’t think we’re looking for the same exact feeling, per se. But it’s a NEW experience that’s just as exciting as Halo 2 was. Halo 2 was new and crazy fun and you couldn’t wait to get on and play.
I think Halo 5 is just that. From the gameplay I’ve been watching as well as the req system and Warzone, I’m more stoke than I’ve been since Halo 2. And it feels like I’ll be anticipating being able to play everyday.
And I think that’s the feeling that OP was talking about.

9

> 2649885852187352;5:
> > 2533274933749851;3:
> > Expecting a game to exactly replicate a feeling you had years ago is a dangerous thing. You’re setting yourself up for disappointment. The feeling you got playing H2 years ago won’t even feel the same today playing H2. Your life is in a completely different state than it was years ago; your state of mind, your environment, everything’s changed. Using the feeling you get from nostalgia an expectation will NOT make you love H5. You have to stop living in the past and look at H5 in new lens to completely love it, because even if you do enjoy it, there’s always that nagging part of your mind saying, “This isn’t how it was years ago”. If you’re thinking H5 will replicate the feeling from H2 it’s probably for the best that you stop thinking that.
>
>
> You may be right. but, I can’t help but have some glimmer of hope. And to some degree I agree with you, I don’t think anything will be as nostalgic as Halo 2 was to me (and many others). But I’m hoping for a new experience that is just as good. Halo CE was amazingly fun, and will always hold a very nostalgic piece of me, but, Halo 2 just brought it to a new level, made everything…better. And that right there is what I’m hoping for in Halo 5, not to BE Halo 2, but to be better.

Halo: Combat Evolved is to me what Halo 2 is to you. Halo: CE is my #1 favorite game. It’s why any chance I get, in later Halo games, I rock any piece of Mark V armor I can get my hands on. Halo 5 is going in the right direction and 343i know’s what Halo means to us. They’re just experimenting. They’re trying to get formula down while also advancing Halo into the future like it should. It can’t always be the same and in some peoples opinions, never be better than their preferred Halo game. Chances are, Halo 5 will be better than Halo 2 for you. I agree with Thievin, though. None of us should expect H5 to be H1. H2, H3 or even Reach. Each game has to be unique, you know? 343I is seriously stepping up their game. They used H4 as a way to make the best improvements possible to make H5 what they hope to be a fan favorite. I believe Halo 5 will be glorious, for all I know, it might sit right under Halo: CE for me. Halo: Combat Evolved will always be my #1 but I will never deny a different Halo game it’s status of being good. It’s all personal preference, so to each their own. But be ready, Halo 5 is gonna rock.

10

> 2649885852187352;5:
> > 2533274933749851;3:
> > Expecting a game to exactly replicate a feeling you had years ago is a dangerous thing. You’re setting yourself up for disappointment. The feeling you got playing H2 years ago won’t even feel the same today playing H2. Your life is in a completely different state than it was years ago; your state of mind, your environment, everything’s changed. Using the feeling you get from nostalgia an expectation will NOT make you love H5. You have to stop living in the past and look at H5 in new lens to completely love it, because even if you do enjoy it, there’s always that nagging part of your mind saying, “This isn’t how it was years ago”. If you’re thinking H5 will replicate the feeling from H2 it’s probably for the best that you stop thinking that.
>
>
> You may be right. but, I can’t help but have some glimmer of hope. And to some degree I agree with you, I don’t think anything will be as nostalgic as Halo 2 was to me (and many others). But I’m hoping for a new experience that is just as good. Halo CE was amazingly fun, and will always hold a very nostalgic piece of me, but, Halo 2 just brought it to a new level, made everything…better. And that right there is what I’m hoping for in Halo 5, not to BE Halo 2, but to be better.

Nah, Halo: CE had better weapon balancing that was not cripple by a pointless mechanic that allows the player to hold two guns, it took more skill, was faster-paced, had more consistency and fluidity, a better utility weapon(3SK Magnum>>>all iterations of the Battle Rifle), grenades took more depth to use, etc. I love Halo 2, but to me, it is was inferior to CE in every single possible aspect except for the soundtrack, movement(which let us be honest, was objectively better than CE’s), success, and accessibility.

11

You need to get that Halo 5 feeling not the Halo 2 feeling :wink:

12

For me the build up to Halo 5 feels like the experience I had getting hyped up for Halo 3. Between the easy to digest ARG, the officially licensed products galore, and video ad campaign I’m getting hyped to a degree I haven’t felt since '07. Course when it came to gameplay for Halo 3 I felt the same as the OP. I’m definitely hoping that Halo 5’s gameplay captures me the same way as Halo 2’s did long ago.

13

> 2649885852187352;1:
> I figured I would drop in and tell my short story of my Halo experience, just to see if anyone is in a similar situation.
>
> I started my Halo journey like a lot of people, with CE. I had spent countless hours over at friends house goofin off in MP, then we had heard Halo 2 was coming out and was pretty stoked. When Halo 2 came out it was the greatest FPS I had/have ever played. I was a junior in high school at the time, I remember playing all night on school nights with friends, custom lobbies just chillin, having super competitive matches. It was such an amazing game, even the story was perfect! I till this day hold Halo 2 to being my favorite game in history.
>
> When my friends and I saw the announcement of Halo 3, we brought the hype to a new level. We followed every little detail we could find, as the date grew closer it only made more hype, we were ready, had pre ordered, got to the store hours before midnight. We were ready. We got home popped it in and started playin, I can’t recall what we did first, but, we thought it was fun. However, It was not “Halo 2 fun”. We had expected a even better Halo 2, instead my group of friends and I were actually pretty disappointed. We all hated equipment, the way the guns performed was off. It seemed like a huge difference, and will always be one of the biggest disappointments in my gaming career. Halo 3 was a very good game, the story was awesome, and the MP was pretty decent, but it was nothing compared to our beloved Halo 2.
>
> Here comes reach, we were excited, but after the let down of 3, we were skeptical. Reach came out and fixed most of the problems that were with Halo 3, and till this day was the best Halo game since 2. Was really really fun, but again, wasn’t scratching that itch.
>
> Unfortunately I never got to experience Halo 4 MP at launch, I lived in a pretty rural area while in college for about 2 years and had crap internet at the time, but the story was good, I really enjoyed it.
>
> So I sit here and wait. I have played the beta and loved what I have seen so far in videos. The hype is building once again. I am still waiting to my Halo 2 successor, something that brings it beyond what it was and makes it even better! Its been 8 years. I really hope this does it for me. So far Halo 5 is on the right track, it looks and feels like a modern Halo 2. Its less than a month away now, I’m starting to get impatient, it looks very promising.

That’s funny. I felt the same way going from H1 to H2. Everything about H2 multiplayer felt off to me. And I hated having to play as a hingehead in the campaign.

But I honestly haven’t been so hyped for a Halo in a long time. No dual-wielding. No equipment (especially bubble shields). No armor lock. No promethean vision. No bloom. I’m not crazy about shoulder charge or ground pound, but at least everyone has them. And a decent pistol.

No gimmicks or luck on the battefield. Just Halo. Can’t wait.

14

Halo 2 was pree trash imo.
I did enjoy how we got told a story from 2 sides though.

15

TL;DR : I’m excited for Halo 5: Guardians. Yay for 343 industries.

16

This may sound weird, but I mean it- I think that the Halo community is really quite beautiful. Sure, it has its flaws. But so do all communities. See, this time leading up to release is really the time that makes me truly appreciate the franchise and its loyal fans. Everyone’s inner Halo begins to reemerge, this inner love for this franchise that’s become a part of our hearts over the years. This to me is a beautiful thing. To see people uniting like this, ready to undertake a new galactic adventure, is something I’ll never forget. The Halo franchise has always been more than a game to me, and I don’t think I’m alone. In direct response to the OP- Yes. I think Halo 5 could very well be the Halo 2 of this era and possibly my favorite halo game to date.

17

I feel like Halo 5 will finally be Halo 2’s successor. The beta mp was awesome and the campaign looks amazing.

18

A Halo 5 thread where people actually say good things about Halo 2 and don’t get crap for it.

…Am I dead?

19

Have to agree OP my opinion to is that Halo 2 is the greatest Halo game to date. I loved Halo 3 also when it was released but it was just never quite as good as Halo 2. Halo 5 for me is looking like it may possibly take the crown as my favourite game to date.

20

> 2533274792586201;2:
> I agree, completely. And I have to say, Halo 5 looks to me like a true successor to Halo 2.

agreed