<s>
Halo	B-Application
2	I-Application
is	O
a	O
2004	O
first-person	O
shooter	O
game	O
developed	O
by	O
Bungie	O
and	O
published	O
by	O
Microsoft	O
Game	O
Studios	O
for	O
the	O
Xbox	B-Application
console	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Halo	B-Application
2	I-Application
is	O
the	O
second	O
installment	O
in	O
the	O
Halo	B-Application
franchise	O
and	O
the	O
sequel	O
to	O
2001	O
's	O
critically	O
acclaimed	O
Halo	B-Application
:	O
Combat	O
Evolved	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
features	O
new	O
weapons	O
,	O
enemies	O
,	O
and	O
vehicles	O
,	O
and	O
shipped	O
with	O
online	B-Application
multiplayer	I-Application
via	O
Microsoft	O
's	O
Xbox	B-Application
Live	I-Application
service	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
Halo	B-Application
2s	I-Application
story	O
mode	O
,	O
the	O
player	O
assumes	O
the	O
roles	O
of	O
the	O
human	O
Master	O
Chief	O
and	O
alien	O
Arbiter	O
in	O
a	O
26th-century	O
conflict	O
between	O
the	O
United	O
Nations	O
Space	O
Command	O
,	O
the	O
genocidal	O
Covenant	O
,	O
and	O
the	O
parasitic	O
Flood	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
After	O
the	O
success	O
of	O
Halo	B-Application
:	O
Combat	O
Evolved	O
,	O
a	O
sequel	O
was	O
expected	O
and	O
highly	O
anticipated	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Bungie	O
found	O
inspiration	O
in	O
plot	O
points	O
and	O
gameplay	O
elements	O
that	O
had	O
been	O
left	O
out	O
of	O
their	O
first	O
game	O
,	O
including	O
online	B-Application
multiplayer	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
troubled	O
development	O
and	O
time	O
constraints	O
forced	O
cuts	O
to	O
the	O
scope	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
,	O
including	O
the	O
wholesale	O
removal	O
of	O
a	O
more	O
ambitious	O
multiplayer	O
mode	O
,	O
and	O
necessitated	O
a	O
cliffhanger	B-Application
ending	O
to	O
the	O
game	O
's	O
campaign	O
mode	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Among	O
Halo	B-Application
2s	I-Application
marketing	O
was	O
an	O
early	O
alternate	O
reality	O
game	O
called	O
"	O
I	O
Love	O
Bees	O
"	O
that	O
involved	O
players	O
solving	O
real-world	O
puzzles	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
was	O
followed	O
by	O
a	O
sequel	O
,	O
Halo	B-Application
3	I-Application
,	O
in	O
September	O
2007	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Halo	B-Application
2	I-Application
was	O
a	O
commercial	O
and	O
critical	O
success	O
and	O
is	O
often	O
listed	O
as	O
one	O
of	O
the	O
greatest	O
video	O
games	O
of	O
all	O
time	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
became	O
the	O
most	O
popular	O
title	O
on	O
Xbox	B-Application
Live	I-Application
,	O
holding	O
that	O
rank	O
until	O
the	O
release	O
of	O
Gears	B-Application
of	I-Application
War	I-Application
for	O
the	B-Operating_System
Xbox	I-Operating_System
360	I-Operating_System
nearly	O
two	O
years	O
later	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Halo	B-Application
2	I-Application
is	O
the	O
best-selling	B-Device
first-generation	I-Device
Xbox	I-Device
game	I-Device
,	O
with	O
more	O
than	O
8	O
million	O
copies	O
sold	O
worldwide	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
received	O
critical	O
acclaim	O
,	O
with	O
the	O
multiplayer	O
lauded	O
;	O
in	O
comparison	O
,	O
the	O
campaign	O
and	O
its	O
cliffhanger	B-Application
ending	O
was	O
divisive	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Halo	B-Application
2s	I-Application
marketing	O
heralded	O
the	O
beginnings	O
of	O
video	O
games	O
as	O
blockbuster	O
media	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
port	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
for	O
Windows	B-Application
Vista	I-Application
was	O
released	O
in	O
2007	O
,	O
followed	O
by	O
a	O
high-definition	O
remake	O
as	O
part	O
of	O
Halo	B-Application
:	I-Application
The	I-Application
Master	I-Application
Chief	I-Application
Collection	I-Application
in	O
2014	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Halo	B-Application
2	I-Application
is	O
a	O
shooter	O
game	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
campaign	O
mode	O
,	O
the	O
player	O
must	O
complete	O
a	O
series	O
of	O
levels	O
that	O
encompass	O
Halo	B-Application
2	I-Application
's	O
storyline	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Enemy	O
and	O
friendly	O
artificial	B-Application
intelligence	I-Application
is	O
dynamic	O
,	O
and	O
replaying	O
the	O
same	O
encounters	O
repeatedly	O
will	O
demonstrate	O
different	O
behavior	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Like	O
Halo	B-Application
:	O
Combat	O
Evolved	O
,	O
the	O
Xbox	B-Device
version	O
of	O
Halo	B-Application
2	I-Application
features	O
a	O
multiplayer	O
system	O
that	O
allows	O
players	O
to	O
compete	O
with	O
each	O
other	O
in	O
split-screen	O
and	O
system	B-Device
link	I-Device
modes	O
;	O
in	O
addition	O
,	O
it	O
added	O
support	O
for	O
online	B-Application
multiplayer	I-Application
via	O
Xbox	B-Application
Live	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Xbox	B-Application
Live	I-Application
multiplayer	O
and	O
downloadable	B-Protocol
content	I-Protocol
features	O
of	O
the	O
Xbox	B-Device
version	O
of	O
Halo	B-Application
2	I-Application
were	O
supported	O
until	O
the	O
discontinuation	O
of	O
the	O
service	O
in	O
April	O
2010	O
,	O
with	O
the	O
final	O
multiplayer	O
session	O
concluding	O
May	O
10	O
,	O
almost	O
a	O
month	O
after	O
the	O
service	O
was	O
officially	O
terminated	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Multiplayer	O
for	O
the	O
PC	O
version	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
used	O
Games	B-Application
for	I-Application
Windows	I-Application
–	I-Application
Live	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Instead	O
of	O
implementing	O
multiplayer	O
by	O
having	O
players	O
manually	O
join	O
lobbies	O
,	O
as	O
was	O
common	O
in	O
games	O
at	O
the	O
time	O
,	O
Halo	B-Application
2	I-Application
used	O
matchmaking	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Halo	B-Application
2	I-Application
takes	O
place	O
in	O
the	O
26th	O
century	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
crew	O
discovers	O
a	O
Forerunner	O
ringworld	B-Application
called	O
Halo	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Though	O
the	O
Covenant	O
believe	O
Halo	B-Application
's	O
activation	O
will	O
lead	O
to	O
divine	O
salvation	O
,	O
the	O
humans	O
discover	O
that	O
the	O
rings	O
are	O
actually	O
weapons	O
,	O
built	O
to	O
contain	O
a	O
terrifying	O
parasite	O
called	O
the	O
Flood	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
human	O
supersoldier	O
Master	O
Chief	O
Petty	O
Officer	O
John-117	O
and	O
his	O
AI	B-Application
companion	O
Cortana	O
learn	O
from	O
Halo	B-Application
's	O
AI	B-Application
monitor	O
,	O
343	O
Guilty	O
Spark	O
,	O
that	O
activation	O
of	O
the	O
Halos	O
will	O
destroy	O
all	O
sentient	O
life	O
in	O
the	O
galaxy	O
to	O
prevent	O
the	O
Flood	O
's	O
spread	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Halo	B-Application
2	I-Application
opens	O
with	O
the	O
trial	O
of	O
a	O
Covenant	O
Elite	O
commander	O
aboard	O
the	O
Covenant	O
's	O
capital	O
city-ship	O
of	O
High	O
Charity	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
For	O
his	O
failure	O
to	O
stop	O
Halo	B-Application
's	O
destruction	O
,	O
the	O
Elite	O
is	O
stripped	O
of	O
his	O
rank	O
,	O
branded	O
a	O
heretic	O
,	O
and	O
tortured	O
by	O
Tartarus	O
,	O
the	O
Chieftain	O
of	O
the	O
Covenant	O
Brutes	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
On	O
Earth	O
,	O
Fleet	O
Admiral	O
Hood	O
commends	O
the	O
Master	O
Chief	O
and	O
Sergeant	O
Avery	O
Johnson	O
for	O
their	O
actions	O
at	O
the	O
first	O
Halo	B-Application
,	O
with	O
Commander	O
Miranda	O
Keyes	O
accepting	O
a	O
medal	O
on	O
behalf	O
of	O
her	O
deceased	O
father	O
,	O
Captain	O
Jacob	O
Keyes	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
With	O
his	O
fleet	O
destroyed	O
,	O
Regret	O
makes	O
a	O
hasty	O
slipspace	O
jump	O
,	O
and	O
Keyes	O
,	O
Johnson	O
,	O
Cortana	O
,	O
and	O
the	O
Master	O
Chief	O
follow	O
aboard	O
the	O
UNSC	O
ship	O
In	B-Application
Amber	I-Application
Clad	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
crew	O
discovers	O
another	O
Halo	B-Application
installation	O
;	O
realizing	O
the	O
danger	O
the	O
ring	O
presents	O
,	O
Keyes	O
sends	O
Master	O
Chief	O
to	O
kill	O
Regret	O
while	O
she	O
and	O
Johnson	O
search	O
for	O
the	O
Index	O
,	O
Halo	B-Application
's	O
activation	O
key	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Responding	O
to	O
Regret	O
's	O
distress	O
call	O
,	O
High	O
Charity	O
and	O
the	O
Covenant	O
fleet	O
arrive	O
at	O
the	O
Halo	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Arbiter	O
meets	O
the	O
Master	O
Chief	O
in	O
the	O
bowels	O
of	O
the	O
Halo	B-Application
,	O
brought	O
together	O
by	O
a	O
Flood	O
creature	O
called	O
the	O
Gravemind	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Gravemind	O
reveals	O
to	O
the	O
Arbiter	O
that	O
the	O
Great	O
Journey	O
is	O
a	O
lie	O
,	O
and	O
sends	O
the	O
two	O
soldiers	O
to	O
different	O
places	O
to	O
stop	O
Halo	B-Application
's	O
activation	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Flood-infested	O
In	B-Application
Amber	I-Application
Clad	I-Application
crashes	B-Application
into	O
the	O
city	O
,	O
and	O
Cortana	O
realizes	O
that	O
the	O
Gravemind	O
used	O
them	O
as	O
a	O
distraction	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
As	O
for	O
Tartarus	O
,	O
the	O
Prophet	O
of	O
Truth	O
consigns	O
him	O
to	O
Halo	B-Application
with	O
Keyes	O
,	O
Johnson	O
,	O
and	O
Guilty	O
Spark	O
to	O
activate	O
the	O
ring	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Master	O
Chief	O
follows	O
Truth	O
aboard	O
a	O
Forerunner	O
ship	O
leaving	O
the	O
city	O
;	O
Cortana	O
remains	O
behind	O
to	O
destroy	O
High	O
Charity	O
and	O
Halo	B-Application
if	O
Tartarus	O
succeeds	O
in	O
activating	O
the	O
ring	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
On	O
the	O
surface	O
of	O
Halo	B-Application
,	O
the	O
Arbiter	O
joins	O
forces	O
with	O
Johnson	O
and	O
confronts	O
Tartarus	O
in	O
Halo	B-Application
's	O
control	O
room	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Arbiter	O
and	O
Johnson	O
kill	O
Tartarus	O
while	O
Keyes	O
removes	O
the	O
Index	O
;	O
the	O
unexpected	O
deactivation	O
sets	O
Halo	B-Application
and	O
all	O
the	O
other	O
rings	O
on	O
standby	O
for	O
remote	O
activation	O
from	O
a	O
place	O
343	O
Guilty	O
Spark	O
calls	O
"	O
the	O
Ark.	O
"	O
</s>
<s>
Halo	B-Application
had	O
never	O
been	O
planned	O
as	O
a	O
trilogy	O
,	O
but	O
the	O
critical	O
and	O
commercial	O
success	O
of	O
Combat	O
Evolved	O
—	O
selling	O
more	O
than	O
five	O
million	O
copies	O
in	O
three	O
years	O
—	O
made	O
a	O
sequel	O
expected	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Xbox	B-Device
general	O
manager	O
J	O
Allard	O
confirmed	O
Halo	B-Application
2	I-Application
was	O
in	O
production	O
at	O
Electronic	O
Entertainment	O
Expo	O
2002	O
,	O
with	O
a	O
planned	O
release	O
in	O
time	O
for	O
Holiday	O
2003	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Bungie	O
cofounder	O
and	O
project	O
lead	O
Jason	O
Jones	O
,	O
who	O
had	O
been	O
exhausted	O
shipping	O
Combat	O
Evolved	O
,	O
similarly	O
burned	O
out	O
during	O
Halo	B-Application
2s	I-Application
production	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Jones	O
left	O
the	O
project	O
to	O
work	O
on	O
another	O
Bungie	O
game	O
,	O
Phoenix	O
,	O
leaving	O
fewer	O
people	O
to	O
work	O
on	O
Halo	B-Application
2	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Then	O
we	O
just	O
plowed	O
ahead	O
,	O
much	O
like	O
we	O
'd	O
done	O
with	O
Halo	B-Application
,	O
with	O
one	O
notable	O
exception	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
An	O
important	O
feature	O
for	O
Halo	B-Application
2	I-Application
was	O
multiplayer	O
using	O
Xbox	B-Application
Live	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Multiplayer	O
in	O
Combat	O
Evolved	O
was	O
accomplished	O
via	O
System	B-Device
Link	I-Device
and	O
had	O
nearly	O
been	O
scrapped	O
altogether	O
in	O
the	O
rush	O
to	O
complete	O
the	O
game	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Initially	O
,	O
Combat	O
Evolveds	O
multiplayer	O
was	O
supposed	O
to	O
involve	O
larger	O
maps	O
and	O
player	O
counts	O
than	O
what	O
shipped	O
,	O
and	O
members	O
of	O
the	O
team	O
wanted	O
to	O
resurrect	O
those	O
plans	O
for	O
Halo	B-Application
2	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Hoberman	O
's	O
pitch	O
for	O
Halo	B-Application
2s	I-Application
arena	O
multiplayer	O
was	O
to	O
bring	O
the	O
fun	O
of	O
couch	O
multiplayer	O
online	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
story	O
for	O
Halo	B-Application
2	I-Application
grew	O
out	O
of	O
all	O
the	O
elements	O
that	O
were	O
not	O
seen	O
in	O
Combat	O
Evolved	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
restructuring	O
of	O
the	O
engine	O
meant	O
that	O
there	O
was	O
no	O
playable	O
build	O
of	O
Halo	B-Application
2	I-Application
for	O
nearly	O
a	O
year	O
,	O
and	O
assets	O
and	O
environments	O
produced	O
by	O
art	O
and	O
design	O
teams	O
could	O
not	O
be	O
prototyped	O
,	O
bottlenecking	O
development	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
All	O
other	O
Bungie	O
projects	O
,	O
including	O
Phoenix	O
,	O
were	O
cancelled	O
,	O
with	O
their	O
teams	O
folded	O
into	O
Halo	B-Application
2	I-Application
to	O
complete	O
the	O
game	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Staten	O
hoped	O
the	O
resulting	O
cliffhanger	B-Application
would	O
be	O
treated	O
like	O
the	O
end	O
of	O
The	O
Empire	O
Strikes	O
Back	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Engineer	O
Chris	O
Butcher	O
commented	O
,	O
"	O
For	O
Halo	B-Application
2	I-Application
we	O
had	O
our	O
sights	O
set	O
very	O
high	O
on	O
networking	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Outside	O
of	O
Bungie	O
,	O
Combat	O
Evolveds	O
success	O
had	O
become	O
a	O
problem	O
for	O
Halo	B-Application
2s	I-Application
development	O
,	O
as	O
the	O
success	O
of	O
the	O
Xbox	B-Device
platform	O
was	O
riding	O
on	O
Halo	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Microsoft	O
originally	O
pressured	O
Bungie	O
to	O
have	O
the	O
game	O
ready	O
as	O
a	O
launch	O
title	O
for	O
Xbox	B-Application
Live	I-Application
in	O
November	O
2002	O
,	O
which	O
Bungie	O
employees	O
told	O
them	O
was	O
impossible	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Missing	O
the	O
Xbox	B-Device
's	O
last	O
holiday	O
season	O
before	O
its	O
successor	O
console	O
,	O
the	B-Operating_System
Xbox	I-Operating_System
360	I-Operating_System
,	O
shipped	O
was	O
not	O
an	O
option	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Griesemer	O
said	O
that	O
this	O
lack	O
of	O
a	O
"	O
polish	O
"	O
period	O
near	O
the	O
end	O
of	O
the	O
development	O
cycle	O
was	O
the	O
main	O
reason	O
for	O
Halo	B-Application
2s	I-Application
shortcomings	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Butcher	O
retrospectively	O
described	O
Halo	B-Application
2s	I-Application
multiplayer	O
mode	O
as	O
"	O
a	O
pale	O
shadow	O
of	O
what	O
it	O
could	O
and	O
should	O
have	O
been	O
"	O
due	O
to	O
the	O
tight	O
schedule	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Halo	B-Application
2s	I-Application
soundtrack	O
was	O
composed	O
primarily	O
by	O
Martin	O
O'Donnell	O
and	O
his	O
musical	O
partner	O
Michael	O
Salvatori	O
,	O
the	O
team	O
that	O
had	O
composed	O
the	O
critically	O
acclaimed	O
music	O
of	O
Halo	B-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
O'Donnell	O
noted	O
in	O
composing	O
the	O
music	O
for	O
Halo	B-Application
2	I-Application
that	O
"	O
making	O
a	O
sequel	O
is	O
never	O
a	O
simple	O
proposition	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Halo	B-Application
2	I-Application
,	O
unlike	O
its	O
predecessor	O
,	O
was	O
mixed	O
to	O
take	O
full	O
advantage	O
of	O
Dolby	O
5.1	O
Digital	O
surround	O
sound	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
the	O
summer	O
of	O
2004	O
,	O
producer	O
Nile	O
Rodgers	O
and	O
O'Donnell	O
decided	O
to	O
release	O
the	O
music	O
from	O
Halo	B-Application
2	I-Application
on	O
two	O
separate	O
CDs	O
;	O
the	O
first	O
(	O
Volume	O
One	O
)	O
would	O
contain	O
all	O
the	O
themes	O
present	O
in	O
the	O
game	O
as	O
well	O
as	O
music	O
"	O
inspired	O
"	O
by	O
the	O
game	O
;	O
the	O
second	O
would	O
contain	O
the	O
rest	O
of	O
the	O
music	O
from	O
the	O
game	O
,	O
much	O
of	O
which	O
was	O
incomplete	O
,	O
as	O
the	O
first	O
CD	O
was	O
shipped	O
before	O
the	O
game	O
was	O
released	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Halo	B-Application
2	I-Application
Original	O
Soundtrack	O
:	O
Volume	O
Two	O
CD	O
,	O
containing	O
the	O
game	O
music	O
organized	O
in	O
suite	O
form	O
,	O
was	O
released	O
on	O
April	O
25	O
,	O
2006	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Halo	B-Application
2	I-Application
was	O
officially	O
announced	O
in	O
September	O
2002	O
with	O
a	O
cinematic	O
trailer	O
,	O
scheduled	O
for	O
a	O
Holiday	O
2003	O
release	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
first	O
major	O
look	O
at	O
the	O
game	O
came	O
with	O
the	O
E3	O
2003	O
demo	O
in	O
May	O
;	O
Halo	B-Application
2	I-Application
was	O
Microsoft	O
's	O
strongest	O
showing	O
at	O
the	O
event	O
,	O
and	O
some	O
journalists	O
believed	O
the	O
game	O
looked	O
too	O
good	O
to	O
be	O
live	O
gameplay	O
and	O
must	O
have	O
been	O
a	O
scripted	O
cutscene	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Microsoft	O
intended	O
to	O
market	O
Halo	B-Application
2	I-Application
not	O
just	O
as	O
a	O
video	O
game	O
,	O
but	O
as	O
a	O
cultural	O
event	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
trailer	O
for	O
the	O
game	O
was	O
shown	O
in	O
movie	O
theaters	O
,	O
making	O
Halo	B-Application
2	I-Application
the	O
first	O
video	O
game	O
so	O
advertised	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Hype	O
for	O
the	O
title	O
was	O
fueled	O
by	O
the	O
press	O
,	O
with	O
Microsoft	O
telling	O
one	O
journalist	O
that	O
their	O
Halo	B-Application
2	I-Application
review	O
would	O
be	O
the	O
most	O
consequential	O
of	O
their	O
career	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Halo	B-Application
2	I-Application
s	O
release	O
was	O
preceded	O
with	O
promotions	O
and	O
product	O
tie-ins	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
There	O
was	O
a	O
Halo	B-Application
2	I-Application
Celebrity	O
Pre-Release	O
Party	O
at	O
E3	O
2004	O
,	O
in	O
which	O
a	O
private	O
home	O
was	O
transformed	O
to	O
replicate	O
the	O
world	O
of	O
Halo	B-Application
,	O
complete	O
with	O
camouflaged	O
Marines	O
and	O
roaming	O
Cortanas	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
addition	O
to	O
more	O
traditional	O
forms	O
of	O
promotion	O
,	O
Halo	B-Application
2	I-Application
was	O
also	O
part	O
of	O
an	O
elaborate	O
Alternate	O
Reality	O
Game	O
project	O
titled	O
I	O
Love	O
Bees	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Microsoft	O
approached	O
42	O
Entertainment	O
's	O
Elan	O
Lee	O
,	O
who	O
had	O
helped	O
launch	O
the	O
Xbox	B-Device
with	O
Microsoft	O
,	O
on	O
producing	O
a	O
tie-in	O
game	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
centered	O
on	O
a	O
hacked	O
website	O
,	O
supposedly	O
a	O
site	O
about	O
beekeeping	O
,	O
where	O
an	O
AI	B-Application
from	O
the	O
future	O
was	O
residing	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Halo	B-Application
2	I-Application
was	O
sold	O
in	O
a	O
standard	O
edition	O
and	O
"	O
Limited	O
Collector	O
's	O
Edition	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Halo	B-Application
2	I-Application
first	O
released	O
on	O
November	O
9	O
,	O
2004	O
,	O
in	O
Canada	O
,	O
Australia	O
,	O
New	O
Zealand	O
and	O
the	O
United	O
States	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
sold	O
2.4	O
million	O
copies	O
and	O
earned	O
up	O
to	O
US$125	O
million	O
in	O
its	O
first	O
24	O
hours	O
on	O
store	O
shelves	O
,	O
outgrossing	O
the	O
film	O
Pirates	B-Device
of	I-Device
the	I-Device
Caribbean	I-Device
:	I-Device
Dead	I-Device
Man	I-Device
's	I-Device
Chest	I-Device
as	O
the	O
highest-grossing	O
release	O
in	O
entertainment	O
history	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
was	O
the	O
second	O
best-selling	O
game	B-Application
of	I-Application
2004	I-Application
in	O
the	O
United	O
States	O
(	O
after	O
Grand	B-Application
Theft	I-Application
Auto	I-Application
:	I-Application
San	I-Application
Andreas	I-Application
)	O
,	O
where	O
it	O
sold	O
copies	O
that	O
year	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
On	O
release	O
,	O
Halo	B-Application
2	I-Application
was	O
the	O
most	O
popular	O
video	O
game	O
on	O
Xbox	B-Application
Live	I-Application
,	O
holding	O
that	O
rank	O
until	O
the	O
release	O
of	O
Gears	B-Application
of	I-Application
War	I-Application
for	O
the	B-Operating_System
Xbox	I-Operating_System
360	I-Operating_System
nearly	O
two	O
years	O
later	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
the	O
first	O
ten	O
weeks	O
of	O
release	O
,	O
players	O
collectively	O
logged	O
91	O
million	O
hours	O
playing	O
the	O
game	O
;	O
by	O
June	O
2006	O
,	O
more	O
than	O
500	O
million	O
games	O
of	O
Halo	B-Application
2	I-Application
had	O
been	O
played	O
,	O
and	O
more	O
than	O
710	O
million	O
hours	O
logged	O
on	O
Xbox	B-Application
Live	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Halo	B-Application
2	I-Application
is	O
the	O
best-selling	B-Device
first-generation	I-Device
Xbox	I-Device
game	I-Device
with	O
at	O
least	O
6.3	O
million	O
copies	O
sold	O
in	O
the	O
United	O
States	O
and	O
8.46	O
million	O
copies	O
in	O
total	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Halo	B-Application
2	I-Application
received	O
critical	O
acclaim	O
upon	O
release	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
On	O
review	O
aggregate	O
site	O
Metacritic	O
,	O
the	O
Xbox	B-Device
version	O
has	O
an	O
overall	O
score	O
of	O
95	O
out	O
of	O
100	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Multiplayer	O
especially	O
was	O
noted	O
in	O
being	O
the	O
best	O
on	O
Xbox	B-Application
Live	I-Application
at	O
the	O
time	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Game	O
Informer	O
,	O
along	O
with	O
numerous	O
other	O
publications	O
,	O
rated	O
it	O
higher	O
than	O
Halo	B-Application
:	O
Combat	O
Evolved	O
,	O
citing	O
enhanced	O
multiplayer	O
and	O
less	O
repetitive	O
gameplay	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Most	O
critics	O
noted	O
that	O
Halo	B-Application
2	I-Application
stuck	O
with	O
the	O
formula	O
that	O
made	O
its	O
predecessor	O
successful	O
,	O
and	O
was	O
alternatively	O
praised	O
and	O
faulted	O
for	O
this	O
decision	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Edge	O
's	O
review	O
concluded	O
that	O
Halo	B-Application
2	I-Application
could	O
be	O
summed	O
up	O
with	O
a	O
line	O
from	O
its	O
script	O
:	O
"	O
It	O
's	O
not	O
a	O
new	O
plan	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
's	O
campaign	O
mode	O
received	O
some	O
criticism	O
for	O
being	O
too	O
short	O
,	O
and	O
for	O
featuring	O
an	O
abrupt	O
cliffhanger	B-Application
ending	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
GameSpot	O
noted	O
that	O
although	O
the	O
story	O
's	O
switching	O
between	O
the	O
Covenant	O
and	O
human	O
factions	O
made	O
the	O
plot	O
more	O
intricate	O
,	O
it	O
distracted	O
the	O
player	O
from	O
Earth	O
's	O
survival	O
and	O
the	O
main	O
point	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
;	O
while	O
Edge	O
labeled	O
the	O
plot	O
"	O
a	O
confusing	O
mess	O
of	O
fan-fiction	O
sci-fi	O
and	O
bemusing	O
Episode-II-style	O
politics.	O
"	O
</s>
<s>
Halo	B-Application
2	I-Application
won	O
multiple	O
awards	O
from	O
the	O
Interactive	O
Achievement	O
Awards	O
,	O
including	O
"	O
Console	O
Game	O
of	O
the	O
Year	O
"	O
,	O
"	O
Console	O
First	O
Person	O
Action	O
Game	O
of	O
the	O
Year	O
"	O
,	O
"	O
Outstanding	O
Achievement	O
in	O
Online	O
Gameplay	O
"	O
and	O
"	O
Outstanding	O
Achievement	O
in	O
Sound	O
Design	O
"	O
,	O
as	O
well	O
as	O
a	O
nomination	O
for	O
"	O
Game	O
of	O
the	O
Year	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Halo	B-Application
2s	I-Application
multiplayer	O
suffered	O
from	O
widespread	O
cheating	O
on	O
release	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Bungie	O
released	O
several	O
map	O
packs	O
for	O
Halo	B-Application
2	I-Application
,	O
adding	O
new	O
environments	O
for	O
multiplayer	O
matches	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Multiplayer	O
Map	O
Pack	O
,	O
released	O
July	O
5	O
,	O
2005	O
,	O
made	O
Xbox	B-Application
Live	I-Application
content	O
and	O
updates	O
available	O
to	O
offline	O
players	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Halo	B-Application
2	I-Application
was	O
one	O
of	O
the	O
Xbox	B-Device
games	O
that	O
was	O
backwards-compatible	B-General_Concept
on	O
the	B-Operating_System
Xbox	I-Operating_System
360	I-Operating_System
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
online	O
services	O
of	O
the	O
Halo	B-Application
2	I-Application
were	O
discontinued	O
alongside	O
other	O
original	B-Application
Xbox	I-Application
console	O
games	O
in	O
2010	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
February	O
2006	O
,	O
Microsoft	O
announced	O
a	O
PC	O
port	O
of	O
Halo	B-Application
2	I-Application
,	O
exclusively	O
for	O
the	O
Windows	B-Application
Vista	I-Application
operating	I-Application
system	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Like	O
the	O
Xbox	B-Device
version	O
,	O
the	O
release	O
of	O
Halo	B-Application
2	I-Application
Vista	B-Application
was	O
repeatedly	O
delayed	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
could	O
be	O
enabled	O
to	O
play	O
on	O
Windows	B-Application
XP	I-Application
through	O
an	O
unauthorized	O
third-party	O
patch	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Halo	B-Application
2	I-Application
Vista	B-Application
was	O
ported	O
by	O
a	O
small	O
team	O
at	O
Microsoft	O
Game	O
Studios	O
(	O
codenamed	O
Hired	O
Gun	O
)	O
who	O
worked	O
closely	O
with	O
Bungie	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
As	O
one	O
of	O
the	O
launch	O
titles	O
of	O
Games	B-Application
for	I-Application
Windows	I-Application
–	I-Application
Live	I-Application
,	O
the	O
game	O
offered	O
Live	O
features	O
not	O
available	O
in	O
the	O
Xbox	B-Device
version	O
,	O
such	O
as	O
Guide	O
support	O
and	O
Achievements	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
high-definition	O
remaster	O
of	O
Halo	B-Application
2	I-Application
titled	O
Halo	B-Application
2	I-Application
Anniversary	O
was	O
released	O
as	O
part	O
of	O
Halo	B-Application
:	I-Application
The	I-Application
Master	I-Application
Chief	I-Application
Collection	I-Application
on	O
November	O
11	O
,	O
2014	O
,	O
for	O
the	B-Device
Xbox	I-Device
One	I-Device
,	O
later	O
being	O
released	O
on	O
PC	O
for	O
Steam	B-Application
and	O
Windows	B-Application
Store	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
Halo	B-Application
2s	I-Application
release	O
was	O
part	O
of	O
a	O
shift	O
towards	O
blockbuster	O
gaming	O
releases	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Halo	B-Application
2s	I-Application
success	O
was	O
seen	O
by	O
the	O
press	O
as	O
evidence	O
of	O
a	O
generational	O
shift	O
in	O
entertainment	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
CBC	O
's	O
Greg	O
Bolton	O
remarked	O
that	O
prior	O
to	O
Halo	B-Application
2s	I-Application
splashy	O
release	O
,	O
"	O
the	O
video-game	O
industry	O
had	O
n’t	O
yet	O
found	O
a	O
recognizable	O
public	O
face	O
,	O
a	O
universally	O
acclaimed	O
megastar.	O
"	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Ringer	O
called	O
Halo	B-Application
2	I-Application
"	O
the	O
birth	O
of	O
the	O
video	O
game	O
as	O
we	O
know	O
it	O
today	O
:	O
a	O
mass	O
shared	O
experience	O
,	O
"	O
and	O
credited	O
it	O
with	O
birthing	O
modern	O
multiplayer	O
infrastructure	O
and	O
popularizing	O
American	O
esports	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Halo	B-Application
2s	I-Application
matchmaking	O
technology	O
was	O
one	O
of	O
the	O
turning	O
points	O
in	O
the	O
gaming	O
industry	O
during	O
the	O
2000s	O
,	O
setting	O
a	O
new	O
standard	O
for	O
other	O
games	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
G4	O
's	O
Sterling	O
McGarvey	O
wrote	O
that	O
"	O
Bungie	O
's	O
sequel	O
was	O
a	O
shot	O
in	O
the	O
arm	O
for	O
Xbox	B-Application
Live	I-Application
subscriptions	O
and	O
previewed	O
many	O
of	O
the	O
features	O
that	O
would	O
set	O
the	O
standard	O
for	O
Microsoft	O
's	O
online	O
service	O
on	O
the	O
next	O
machine	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Critics	O
credited	O
the	O
game	O
with	O
bringing	O
online	B-Application
multiplayer	I-Application
to	O
the	O
console	O
masses	O
,	O
and	O
as	O
serving	O
as	O
Xbox	B-Application
Live	I-Application
's	O
killer	O
app	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
Provinces	O
Paul	O
Chapman	O
wrote	O
that	O
games	O
like	O
Call	B-Application
of	I-Application
Duty	I-Application
:	I-Application
Modern	I-Application
Warfare	I-Application
2	I-Application
would	O
not	O
be	O
enjoyable	O
if	O
not	O
for	O
the	O
ground	O
Halo	B-Application
2	I-Application
broke	O
.	O
</s>
