My fondest memories with my original Xbox stem from Halo 2. I sunk dozens upon dozens of hours cutting my teeth on my FPS skills and had fun in unconventional methods, as I found different ways to break the game, play stylistically, etc. All-around, it was gaming bliss, a top runner for one of my favorite games ever, and something I could come back to time and time again until I upgraded to an Xbox 360 in 2008.

As I segued into PC gaming last decade, I lost touch with Halo until the announcement of the Master Chief Collection heading to PC. While I had plenty of fun with Reach and CE, Halo 2 was my bread and butter. I knew from the start I’d have a different experience for a few reasons. It has been more than a decade since I played the game, so I wasn’t sure if nostalgia would hold up, but I also knew that I’d get to experience it in high-definition at a very high frame-rate.

It was clear from the opening cutscene that this project got the time and effort needed, as Blur Studio (the company behind the visual effects of Modern Warfare and League of Legends‘ Warriors 2020 cinematic) made these look stunningly life-like. The younger me also didn’t grasp the plot as well as I do now but, while simplistic, it’s enough to warrant not skipping these, as Master Chief and The Arbiter are protagonists the player can get behind.

Another thing I remember fondly was the soundtrack/score. Thankfully, Martin O’Donnell & Michael Salvatori’s work gets a well-executed touch-up that honors the original pieces and expands upon them with an even higher production value. While the memorable Incubus and Breaking Benjamin songs aren’t present, they’re replaced with the excellent Misha Mansoor’s djent-y guitar prowess, a welcome surprise to me and one that had me grinning ear-to-ear.

As far as combat goes, it’s as tight and rewarding as it was back in the day. The weapons have fresh sound effects, and ones like the Covenant Carbine and Fuel Rod Cannon are a thrill to use. The Arbiter’s active camouflage is still one of the best subtle game mechanics the series has implemented, letting you get the jump on enemies. Sticking an enemy with a plasma grenade from long range is a treat, as much as having the Grunt Birthday Party skull on is for a good laugh.

Best of all, some of my favorite exploits/glitches are left in the game. For example, if you deplete your Energy Sword and hold onto it in a transitioning level, it will have unlimited charges in the second level. I was also able to fly my Banshee into the final boss fight to have an unfair edge on Tartarus. There’s ample exploration potential in the linear levels still, which was what kept me coming back to the game in the 2000s.

Halo 2 Anniversary knocks it out of the park. My only gripes are that it takes quite a long time to load on an HDD and has some stutters at the start of some levels, but otherwise it runs like a dream. While the game can be completed in a half-day, it will undoubtedly be the highlight of that day, and it’s likely you’ll want to come back to it. I know I will, as I’m leaving this installed unlike most games when I complete them!

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Halo 2

$9.99

9

Score

9.0/10

Pros

• Gameplay Holds Up
• Gorgeous Cutscenes
• Incredible Soundtrack

Cons

• Stuttery at Some Points
• Load Times