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LITHIUM'S REVIEW
My review system uses 1~10 ratings, and views in Graphic, Gameplay, Audio, Extra, and Story. The ratings are averaged, and is totaled.
1~10 Ratings.
1~3 - Poor
4~6 - Good
7~9 - Super
10 - Flawless

TABLE OF CONTENTS
- Halo: Combat Evolved
- Halo 2


HALO: COMBAT EVOLVED
[Game Rating] M (Mature) Blood and Gore,Language,Violence
[Publisher]  MS Game Studios
[Developer] Bungie Software
[Genre] Sci-Fi First-Person Shooter
[Release Date] Nov 14, 2001
[Players] 1-4


The game is futuristic FPS game which you take your role as Spartan-117, Master Chief Petty Officer of UNSC. You first start off on a level called Pillar of Autumn, very smooth. The level is like a maze, and things like you need to do is push a button, kick a door open, and find yourself through mazes and roads carpeted with enemies.
The good things are, first you get to choose varieties of weapon, and the whole movement is smooth.

The story, in some year in future, a war is waged between humanity and the covenant, a collection of alien races in which is formed in some sort of caste, has waged a holy war upon the humans. Humans created several spartans, total in 30 something. However, in a major battle, all but one spartan survived, and that spartan is Master Chief, Spartan 117. When he sent majority of spartans into the atmosphere of their major industry planet, the covenant glassed the planet, in which by burning the planet apart, he was the only spartan left. Now you play as him in the world of Halo. He goes through many obstacles as he crosses aliens, monsters, then when you play enough, it gives you some cinematics you want to see.

The gameplay consists of many vehicles, weapons, and enemy. The game's play is awesome, absolutely awesome. The computer artificial intelligence is very realistic. Weapons varie from human weapons to covenant weapons. You, as Master Chief can ride vehicles and tackle them aliens. The levels consist of several missions, and everything is nice and simple, buttons and stuff, although some are mazes, and you gotta figure out which is a true way.

The audio is pretty good, from some rocker called Incubus. It isn't bad, it matches with the game very well, and they are very good. The audio usually comes in at dangerous moments, or moments that are important in the game. The audio don't play on the multiplayer, however the gun sounds, elite's wart wart, and other sound effects are really awesome, everything sounds realistic.

The game can varie many things such as choosing levels, choosing difficulty, and having many secrets to uncover, however there are still some glitches to be uncovered. However, the use of these glitches may get you banned or suspended
online wise.

The online play, very excellent and holds many maps, as it holds many interesting things. Sniping and shooting goes on very well, and the game itself suits well on the online play. The online play supports up to 16 players, and can be played on Xbox Live, or PC online, aswell as XBC. This game can have many online game types such as slayer, oddball, and capture the flag. This online play would suggest atleast a broadband connection, and is a must have settings.

This is only on PC and Xbox, and I suggest you buy this because this is a excellent game. You can get this game on your local stores, on Xbox and PC. This game is from Microsoft's company Bungie, and is a must have.

[GRAPHICS: 9][GAMEPLAY: 10][AUDIO: 8][EXTRAS: 10][STORY: 9][TOTAL: 9.2]

HALO 2
[Game Rating] M (Mature) Blood and Gore,Language,Violence
[Publisher]  MS Game Studios
[Developer] Bungie Software
[Genre] Sci-Fi First-Person Shooter
[Release Date] Nov 9, 2004 (more)
[Players: 1-16, 16 Online, 1-2 Campaign]


A game sequel to Halo: Combat Evolved. This game has stunning graphics, and even better graphics in cinematics. The game everyone has craved for, was a little disappointing because of lack of long missions, and story, or so the people say. The game is actually an astounding piece of work. The smooth and sleek HUD has been modified into a better looking HUD. After the HUD, a new playable character called "Arbiter" comes in. The story gets mixed with two characters as they play along.

The storyline, as people say a bit disappointed, however most are not smart enough to know what is going on anyways. Master Chief, unknown how he got back unless you have read the books of Halo, starts out in a battle station called "Cairo". Sergeant Johnson is back! Master Chief asks Sergeant Johnson for a weapon, and follows him to the armory, Master Chief again fights aliens against all the odds. Now I won't spoil you any further, because the storyline is actually a secret to all you "haven't playeds".

The graphic is just awesomely stunning, polished, and playable everything looks so realistic. The game showed how much Xbox is capable of, especially in cinematics. Elites have a more shiny looking look, and you can actually see the details. Even grunts have more good lookings, as they are the most common enemy. However, the most change has been made to the flood, a more scarier looking and more detailed. This thrills the game even further.

The audio is the same as Halo: Combat Evolved, from Incubus and many other bands. The start theme is good, drumming while on the excitement of battle, and many other musics in some events and others. This makes the game more thrilling than ever, especially when the music matches what you're doing, or what you're supposed to be doing, or what is going on anyways.

The gameplay, as said is awesome. Because the new weapons and vehicles are available, several changes have been made to you. You can now play as Arbiter, an elite who was a commander of the ships that followed Pillar of Autumn to the Halo, and have failed. As you play through the game, the tide turns and you find out whats going on. At the end of the game, another sequel is likely to be held. The most stunning things are dual wielding, it gives much more possibility. Don't use Banshees to cheat your campaign, it gives much less fun. I suggest playing a legendary game, trying out for 10 lives, die 10 times, start over, not saying any life system exists in this game though, however the shield regenerates much faster, and unlike Halo 1, the game is shields or nothing, baby! 

The online play, as was with Halo: Combat Evolved, this game has new weapons through and through. As people were saying the game is rigged and stuff. However because dual wielding evened it out, people can kill in a utmost easy way. Strategies are discovered, skills are honed, and you can see if you can be the best. The game is only buyable on Xbox, and is available to Xbox Live. I suggest you buy this game because its a must buy and need in your life.

[GRAPHICS: 10][GAMEPLAY: 9][AUDIO: 9][EXTRAS: 10][STORY: 10][TOTAL: 9.6]

DDRMAXDance Dance Revolution
[Game Rating] E ( Everyone )
[Console] PS2, Xbox
[Publisher] Konami
[Developer] Konami
[Genre] Dancing / Rhythm
[Release Date] Oct 28, 2002
[Players] 1-2

The game play of this game is intense, or just plain. This is a game where you use your feet! DDRMAX is a game where as you can use your controller or use your pad to play.
In game you can select difficulty of light, standard, heavy, and nightmare. In light everything is easy, almost everysong anyways. In standard, everything is moderately difficult, and if you're a veteran; nothing you can't handle. In heavy, however is very difficult, this mode can really wear you out. In nightmare, there is several sets, and sets have a pack of songs, to beat in this mode, you must bypass all the songs without making more than three mistakes.
The gameplay is very cool, you use your feet to step on the pointers than come up in the screen. There is the left, right, up, down signs that are placed in the top of the screen, and they are transparent. When the game starts, colored and non-transparent direction signs appear from the bottom and climb up to the pre-placed transparent ones. When they are on transparent ones, you need to step or press on the direction sign that is on the pad or the controller. This game play can really make you skinny, of course if you are playing on pad that is.
The graphics are generally good, not that this game requires any graphics that much. The background is pretty well designed... changes every so often when the themes change. Every background is well fitting for the music, and yes there are backgrounds that have babes dancing on it.
Audio is very good, I guess. The audio is more of music collection in the game. Every dance collection includes music, and that means audio is very good.
Sorry, there isn't online play to this game. However, there are two player battles. One player loses, one player wins. If no body fails, the score judges whos the winner.
Overall, the gameplays are good...

[GRAPHICS: 7][GAMEPLAY: 10][AUDIO: 10][EXTRAS: 8][STORY: N/A][TOTAL: 8.8]

Original Halo does not have online...
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I wonder why they can't add bots to Halo's multiplayer... They should take that idea along with Time Splitters mapmaker and it would add so much.
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This is long, but any true Halo Fan should find it HIGHLY fascinating...

The following is all true, based on documentaries, articles, interviews, the special DVD that came with the game's Silver Edition, and basic perception.

Roughly 7 months before E3 2003, Bungie decided they would shock the world with an intense footage of live, actual gameplay that blew everyone away. Unfortunately, 7 months before E3 2003, all they had finished making so far was the game's basic outline (story and content-wise) and an experimental version of the game's engine, all of which took about 5 months in itself. Nevertheless, they spent the next 7 months solely on that 10 demo so that it would hype us out of our minds for the actual game. Anything they could think of that seemed cool, they threw into the demo without thinking about any consequences it may have. Like people thinking it would be in the game. They were just too excited to care.

Ultimately, finishing the demo took up all of their 7 months of work time.

After Bungie hyped the world out of its mind with their undeniably awesome demo, they came back and realized they had made a mistake that not even the public or gaming press would think a game company could make... which officially became known as, based on hard stats, "The Greatest Upset in Gaming History".

They had wasted the last 7 months of work. Completely and 100%. They realized they didn't have a level. They didn't even have a part of a level. What they had was a demo, that ran on an experimental engine that ultimately could not work with the Xbox, and none of it could be implemented into the actual game. For the next TWO months, I kid you not, Bungie studios was practically empty because they were so confused on what course of action to take.

Those 2 months dwindled away. That's when Microsoft showed up...

Microsoft, being fair and rational, inquired as to why the *** Bungie had been *** around with Halo 2 for 1.5 years but still seemed to have no useable material. Who knows if Bungie leveled with Microsoft and admitted they screwed up, or if they hid the truth somehow. The fact was, the hype for Halo 2 had been set with an actual playable demo. The public would not stand for waiting much longer after seeing something that made the game look so... complete. In all rationality, a good game takes about 1.5 years to make. It had been almost 2 since the public thought Halo 2 was in the works. So Microsoft did what it had to do. It gave Bungie a deadline that would wind up as their death sentence. They were given 10 months to finish the game before Microsoft demanded the discs be made and shipped.

They hadn't even started making the actual game...

For ten months, Bungie studios sacrificed every fiber of their beings to make the game. They did not go to their homes after work. They designed and programmed for 18 to 20 hours a day, falling asleep on their desks or on beanbags. They rushed the game furiously. Slamming it together piece by piece, hoping things at least functioned without a total crash.

And as the leader of Bungie said, "At that moment, Pandora's Box was opened...".

Literally 75% of what Bungie had originally intended to be in the game, had to be scrapped. It was absolutely the only way to finish the game on time. If anyone wants me to, I can develop a list of what was promised in the game that was ripped from it.

The worst part of it all, was that even the original intended storyline had to be mutilated. Anybody remember the original Halo 2 Teaser where the MC jumped out of a space station? Think about what we saw happening to Earth in that trailer. Or watch it again. What do you notice?

Earth... is in flames.

Most people have forgotten that the trailer and demo of Halo 2 both gave a direct impression that the game would contain the first stage of THE LAST BATTLE FOR EARTH. ALL ACROSS AND OVER EARTH. Think of the demo. Human bombers bunker-busting giant covenant artillery, Jackals marching in formations, fleets of Phantoms swarming the clouds, legions of starcruisers circling the earth, razor drop-pods, hundreds of them, crashing to the ground, each holding deadly black-armored Elites with energy swords that actually LOOKED like they were made of energy. All the while, the entire sky has been painted orange with the flames consuming the planet the whole surface of the planet. This was the last battle we had been waiting so long to fight.

Remember anything of that caliber in the final version? Where did it all go? Easy. Bungie did not have the time and resources to develop a game with a battle of that magnitude. So what cover-story do they pull? Anyone remember?

They rewrote the story so that the ships that attacked Earth was merely a small strike force that accidentally jumped the gun, and didn't harm any part of Earth outside the levels in the game, being New Mombassa. Bungie's best cover story was to make a profit named "Regret" (how creative) to accidentally warp in too early. Genius. Crafty. They succeeded, because only the particularly sharp gamers noticed the dastardly move they pulled. And in case you read the novels and are wondering why a fourth one is not coming out when there are so many questions unanswered, this is the reason. Eric Nylund could not work with the material from Bungie’s substitute-story in a way that could connect to his universe properly. Nylund was probably planning a book after First Strike based on the original story of the last battle Bungie wrote out for Halo 2. Well, Bungie cared more about finishing their game then being friendly to the novels. So there you have it. Bungie killed the Halo novels as well.

As far as game CONTENT that didn't make it, well, with Multiplayer being whipped together in 2 months, and stuff that they didn't have time to make work, the list would be huge, but I could make it if someone wanted me to.

Why do you think Halo 2 has been ruined by cheaters? For a whole year, the cheating ratio became 1 out of 4. That's because within that 10 months, Xbox live had to be rushed in design and program as well. In fact, they were not even sure if they would be able to get it working for Xbox Live by the deadline.

Why do you think so many of the aspects in Multiplayer seem broken, unfinished, and unbalanced? This is your answer. This is your answer to all your questions.

If anyone has wondered why anything in the real game seems worse, different, or missing things that were shown to us in the TRAILER and DEMO, this is your answer.

You have three choices. One, you believe this, and you accept it and choose not to let it get to you, and call me a knit-picky whiner. Two, you believe it, and you get angry, confused, and disappointed, like every hardcore Halo fan has the total right to do. And three, you tell me this is all bullcrap, and I go search for concrete evidence to further prove I know what I'm talking about and shove it down your throat. Take your pick.

Any questions on the subject directed towards me I will gladly answer in truth and accuracy.

---List of Cut Halo 2 Material---

Notes: List is updated regularly, & "Video available" means there is recorded footage floating around the net somewhere.

01. Three to four-hit melee combo strings in campaign and multiplayer.

02. The four-wheel ATV, or "Mongoose". Initially weapon-mounted. Render made.

03. The human assault hovercraft, or "Kestrel" flying vehicle Banshee equivilent in campaign and multiplayer.

04. Damage to vehicles effecting how they drive/function (boosting, barrel-rolling wingless Banshee, anyone?)

05. The RELIABLE, and effective versions of the Needlers. Video available of prototype versions.

06. The single SMG that could kill w/o aid of nades/melee. Videos available of prototype versions.

07. ODSTs having more advanced AI/behavior/tactics than Marines. Watch the demo.

08. Giant, plasma-throwing Covenant artillery installations. Watch the demo.

09. Human bomber jets (Longbows) being seen actively in campaign. Watch the demo. Very cool.

10. The "Juggernaught" flood-giant form. Bigger than a Hunter. Very cool. Video available.

11. The "Drinol" giant ogre-like Covenant alien. Render made. Kind of like Star Wars "Rancor".

12. The Covenant sniper alien. Very cool. Render made. Concept art in LE dvd.

13. The "Blind wolf" Brute-mounted walking creature. Render available. Concept art in LE dvd.

14. The Covenant "Engineer". Render available. This guy was even meant for Halo 1.

15. Grunts without their masks actively seen in campaign. Render available.

16. The Flamethrower for campaign and multiplayer. Render made. See LE dvd.

17. Jungle and Arctic variants of the Warthog. Renders made.

18. Plasma swords that actually looked like burning plasma & not plastic. Watch the demo.

19. Black Elites that emerged from fallen drop-pods on Earth level. A sad loss. Watch the demo.

20. The great, last battle, meant to be all across earth and in space. See original teaser-trailer.

21. Covenant AI that knew formations, like Jackals in defensive lining. See demo.

22. The original models for the Battle Rifle and SMG. See renders on b.net.

23. The original effective and cool-looking version of the Plasma Pistol. See demo.

24. Balance between the UNSC weapons and Covenant weapons. (Carbine vs. BR anyone?)

25. Balance between the Elite model and Spartan Model. (Elite = Giant walking target)

26. The effective version of the Plasma Rifle, even single-wielded. Video available as prototype version.

27. Fuel Rod Gun being in multiplayer as an effective Rocket equivilent.

28. The reliable version of the Warthog that doesn't explode to one or two frag nades.

29. Vehicle's that didn't burst into flames just because the pilot was killed. Video available.

I thought Halo 2 was gonna get higher rating than that... But w/e... I liked Halo 2... Banshees are terrible...
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