First off, I should preface this by making clear that all of this stuff will be available online eventually. Four of the nine maps are available for download now and the rest will be up in a few weeks. Also, the update to Halo 2 version 1.1 is up right now. So why buy this disc? Well, if you can’t wait for the new maps to come out for free it is a good buy and also if you are a big Halo fan and have to own everything that says Halo on it is obviously a good buy. The biggest reason to buy this disc is that not everyone has Xbox Live so if they want the new maps and v. 1.1 and the other goodies this is the only place to get it.
Something else that needs to be made perfectly clear is that you can use this disc on multiple Xboxes. Yes, you read that correctly. You could potentially split the cost with a group of friends and then pass the disc around so everyone is updated.
Version 1.1 - To use the Halo 2 Multiplayer Map Pack, you have to update your game to version 1.1. What this does is it fixes most of the cheats and bugs that people used to exploit in the multiplayer such as flag bouncing, pulling flags through walls, and sword flying. The update also fixes some of the balance issues among the weapons. Melee attacks and grenades have been made more powerful so now you actually have a fighting chance against someone dual-wielding SMGs while you are running around with nothing.
Bonus Stuff - Also on the disc are some videos. One is a new cinematic that shows what happens to one of the Pelicans that was shot down at the beginning of the Halo 2 single player. There is also a video that features interviews with the guys at Bungie that worked on the new maps and they give you a little walkthrough and explain the how and why of the new maps. The other videos are the trailer for the original Halo that was shown at E3 2000, the first Halo 2 trailer, and a hilarious sound test.
The Maps
Containment - Containment is a massive, icy outdoor area suitable for vehicle combat and large team-objective games. This map really is huge, so intelligent use of vehicles and teamwork is a must.
Warlock – Warlock is a remake of the map Wizard from the original Halo. It is a small- to midsized indoor arena set in ancient Forerunner ruins and offers ample opportunities for a variety of game types.
Turf - Located in the streets of Old Mombasa near the wreckage of a downed Covenant Scarab, Turf is a midsize urban combat environment with narrow streets, dark alleyways and heavily defended buildings.
Sanctuary - Sanctuary is a medium-sized symmetrical environment in the sunlit remains of an ancient Forerunner temple. The map is perfect for team-based games such as CTF and assault.
Gemini - Gemini is a smaller map set high in space above the lights of High Charity. Sharp eyed Halo fans will recognize it as a heavily reworked version of Duality.
Relic - Relic is a medium-sized map set on a beach littered with wreckage from a dropship. There is also a huge structure in the middle that protects the flag in single-flag CTF.
Elongation – This is a reworked version of the original Halo map, Longest. The little pits and traps have been removed so the map is much faster than before.
Terminal - Terminal is a large map that is great for team-objective games, and it is filled with hazards including an active monorail that players can move across. The train is incredibly fast and poses a real threat if you aren’t paying attention which will make playing chicken with the ghosts and warthogs on the map extra exciting.
Backwash - Backwash is set within a swamp covered with a thick mist. Rainfall and sound effects help evoke the feel of a highly organic eco-system. This map is interesting because the thick mist means that you won’t actually be able to see other players until you are right on top of them so good close quarters combat skills are a must here.
Bottom Line
Something that I really appreciate about the maps in Halo 2 is that they are all designed so that they actually fit into the overall Halo world. You can actually see locations from the single player game and that is very important. You feel like you aren’t just fighting a random battle but rather something more important that is somehow connected to what the Master Chief is doing just over the next ridge.
New maps, bonus stuff, better gameplay thanks to v.1.1 – the map pack is worth owning or at least bumming off of a friend. It really does make Halo 2’s multiplayer better.
