Project Earth

Project Earth (opens in new tab) and the M.A.C.E.R. demo from last month were both hotly anticipated games that had left an impression on gamers, but in the absence of their individual pieces of footage or even a proper look at the game itself, both games suffered from a fate worse than the truth. Even though the demos had been promoted, the game didn't start shipping until the last day of this year, and many gamers felt the same.

However, considering that the game was released right after the release of the original Halo game, the appearance of a demo was justifiable, and it doesn't take away from the fact that the first-person shooter already had plenty of player-versus-player action.

Project Earth was initially scheduled to hit shelves on December 17, but although it didn't make it to shelves until the same day, the release of the first game was delayed. Now, many gamers are looking forward to the release of the new installment, and there are already enough people lining up at retailers to make the purchase. That said, the most gamers could do with the new Halo game is play through the first two campaign missions and then enter a Halo-style training mode. To the delight of all gamers who were thinking that Halo: Combat Evolved was going to be a short-lived release, some retailers have released a demo that was actually worth the wait. The demo is of a good size, and it allows you to experience the game's opening and ending scenes as they are presented in a cinematics-style fashion. You can then select a difficulty setting that will set the intensity, difficulty, and visual impact of the campaign mode.

In a game designed for fast-paced gamers, Halo's combat is tightly balanced. You can approach each fight with the appropriate strategy.

Because of this, it's easy to become frustrated when the game is too easy. If you're having trouble staying focused, you can rely on simple, quiet tactics. At any time, you can fire at a target and take him out by hiding in one of the corners of the room. You can also shoot the enemy, if you're feeling tactful. That's probably the most important tactic in Halo, as most enemy types have room to maneuver and anticipate your actions. In Halo, you'll be able to spot an enemy who can't be shot, allowing you to remain on the offensive or rely on your abilities to overcome most situations.

Halo will also have a distinct online experience. From what we've seen, Halo will offer two-player split-screen play on one Xbox. Both of you will be able to play co-op offline. However, the details of the online play have not been revealed.

The number of players that can actually play Halo online seems much smaller than we'd like. We also know that online play is part of the experience. There's no monthly fee or fee. All the player-versus-player gameplay is going to be included in the game. Multiplayer matchmaking will be based on an online test system that will allow people who don't have the game to play against other players to come up with unique strategies.

GS: In what ways will Halo have influenced the game? Is the developer focusing on Halo 2's multiplayer?

DI: We have a great love for multiplayer gameplay. There are a number of great reasons for this, including that Halo is still the ultimate game in Xbox Live. One of the primary reasons that we've had so much success with Halo is that it has such an immersive world. We've also looked at the other games that have really set the benchmark of being a first-person shooter and were impressed by the experience Halo provided. I think the only thing that the Halo series has outdone is in-game commentary that shows everything on the screen, rather than relying on voice recordings to tell the player what's going on. It's a truly amazing feeling to see that in action. The first Halo game has done a really good job at showing that.

GS: The human protagonist from Halo: Combat Evolved has some pretty memorable moments. What can you tell us about the Covenant faction in Halo 2, and how you've balanced it with the Flood in the new game?

DI: The first major benefit of having humans is that they do really well. You can still run into them, because they are pretty hard to kill, but it's also a huge advantage because they can tell a story about the dangers of the Covenant versus the human race. And we've built a huge toolbox with an incredible amount of data, so the Covenant will be a huge challenge to overcome. The Covenant will be right there in front of you, and they will be pretty tough to take down.

The Flood will definitely be a threat to the Spartans, but they are smart enough to do their best to combat it.