Halo 2 dominates the Xbox Live scene, but it still has a ways to go before it contends with today's PC shooters. It was the biggest game to hit consoles in 2004, and now stands poised to launch as the first Windows Vista exclusive game

The Game Looks Good

PC graphics technology had long surpassed that of the Xbox when Halo 2 first launched in November, 2004. Hired Gun, the division of Microsoft Game Studios charged with bringing Halo to the PC, has updated the game with high-resolution textures and improved lighting. But it won't support DirectX 10, so it will never stand alongside Electronic Arts' Crysis, but it should be enough to compete with most shooters currently available.

Great Stories Don't Age

Almost three years separate the original launch of Halo 2 on the Xbox from the upcoming one on Vista, but those few souls who didn't catch the hit sequel now have a chance to play through the amazing story, told from two different perspectives -- both the Master Chief and a Covenant Elite soldier.

Get to Know Windows Vista

A lot of talk has been thrown around about how Windows Vista was supposed to be the premiere gaming platform for the PC. The operating system still has a lot to prove, and it will use the Master Chief to show off what it can really do. Players can jump right in and play immediately after inserting the disc. The game continues to install onto the hard drive in the background. Couple that with the Games for Windows Branding, which helps to ensure compatibility, functionality and ease of use, and gamers do something that was once thought almost impossible: A PC game that plays almost as easily as a console one.

Try Games for Windows Live

Xbox users have long enjoyed the benefits of Live services, with player match-ups, voice communications, achievements and universal buddy lists. Now those features come to the PC with Games for Windows Live on Vista, and gamers will even be able to add Xbox players onto their lists. Unfortunately, the wide technology gap won't allow PC players to compete against the Xbox version of Halo 2. However, players will be able to create dedicated Halo 2 Live servers using their own computers, a feature that Xbox users can't take advantage of. Plus, wracking up those achievements still earns bragging rights.

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