Any of you planning to purchase the release when it's available tomorrow?

"The video game Halo 2 is expected to gross $75 million US in sales over the next 24 hours, with a "midnight madness" release similar to the opening of a blockbuster film.

Around the world, more than 7,000 retailers have scheduled "midnight madness" events for the Nov. 9 release of Halo 2, with Hollywood-style red carpet celebrations in some countries."

http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/1099959261266_61/?hub=TopStories

The 'M' rating is keeping it unavailable for those 17 and under

I need to break down and get an xbox, not sure if Melanie is into games tho

Count me out. First person shooters give me motion sickness.

maybe you should wait for xbox2, not so many good games on the 1

When is it available? And will the older games still be playable on it?

My brother in law has had Halo2 backordered; his parents buy him anything he wants... sickening...

from http://www.xbreporter.com/xbox_2_news.php

I've already seen that Nintendo's DS is available for backorder hehe... IT looks differant but I think I'll wait for the PSP

I almost bought it yesterday, but then realised that I wouldn't be able to play it until saturday (at my in-laws), so I resisted the urge. We have PS2 at home (never gets used), and they have XBox (rarely gets used).

I bought it Friday night, and played whenever my wife would let me over the weekend

It's pretty nice, although I didn't play the original Halo all that much. I don't have XBox live (or any friends), so I haven't tried any of the multiplayer modes.

As far as campaign mode, I've made it as far as a novice player can expect to after putting in only four hours or so.

About 4 hours further than I

It'll probably be after my wife gets through with school before we get one... don't want her flunking trying to beat me

I'm am FPS gamer, quake 3's fast pace speed has spoiled me as the original Halo was like Unreal Tournament 2003 style. Sluggish and slow. I can tolerate Doom 3, however.

People around the office here are saying not so kind words about Halo 2. But I know someone who bought it and plan to try it out, to at least give it a chance.

I'm reading good things about Half Life 2, have you tried it?

Had the opportunity to play a little deathmatch action this past weekend with one of my nephews. Only played the classic deathmatch "Slayer" mode, did not play teams, juggernaught, cpature/flag, etc.

It was pretty fun as he's a better player than me. My wife also played, but since she never played before, was little more than a target for the 2 of us.

I liked the maps which included vehicles, which can dominate players on foot (although car jacking a vehicle is fun) and add a different element. In the maps without vehicles, the energy sword just plain dominates.

All-in-all, I've been having fun playing, and am looking forward to the holiday weekend to hopefully get to play some 4 player matches and try some of the other multiplayer modes.

Will an hdtv work well with these gameboxes? How about connecting the sound to a nice stereo too?

Halo2 can be watched/played in High Def. One of the tv's I played on is an HDTV, but the XBox was not connected via component video, so it was in standard def.

The other tv isn't HDTV, and I don't have it at home to try on my HD set.

The graphics are pretty nice in standard def, but I could only imagine the detail in 1080i.

I'd like to try out one of those microphone headsets for multiplayer games. I might have to give XBox live a try - of course I'd need to find a clan to join. Maybe I can be an old geezer....do the old geezers play halo? Stilgar?

I could join too if you need target practice

I heard far cry was nice and less linear than half life 2

Less linear in meaning you get to choose your own beginning and end?

well not really choosing the end but different ways of achieving your objectives and no restrictions in where you have can go. For example in doom 3 you will end up in miles of corridor with only one way in and one way out and tons of monsters you have to blast in the middle so in the end it can get rather boring.

Truly linear games are like the old Street Fighter for Sega, where you move from left to right on the screen, encounter the same gang members as well as the boss at the end of the stage. Then move on to the next stage, again moving from left to right, or right to left.

In the case of more modern games, you might not be moving horizontally, but the sequence of the game still follows a set pattern of events, and your ability to deviate from it is limited.

I haven't played either Doom 3, Half Life 2 or Far Cry

Spike TV has a launch party for Halo 2 on right now