History YMMV / Halo2

** The missed opportunity to flip the series' formula on its head and have you fight Marines as the Arbiter; beyond a brief tease of the idea in Sacred Icon (in which you can encounter a group of hostile Marines that very quickly get overwhelmed by the Flood), this never happens.

* {{Woolseyism}}: In the Spanish dub, the Arbiter receives a DubNameChange to 'Inquisidor'. This works out quite well, as the more literal translation of 'Arbiter' ('Árbitro') is generally associated with sports referees rather than someone who moderates disputes.

* DemonicSpiders: '''JACKAL SNIPERS'''! Sharpshooters armed with [[EnergyWeapon Beam Rifles]]. Somewhat annoying on [[GoddamnedBats Heroic and lower]], [[TheComputerIsACheatingBastard highly accurate]] and are capable of [[OneHitKO one-shotting]] a ''Spartan'', on [[HarderThanHard Legendary]], appearing in random numbers in random locations, and there are just so freaking many of them. Bungie ended up [[AuthorsSavingThrow nerfing them]] in ''Halo 3'' by adding a headlight so you can spot them more easily, programmed them so they took more than half a second to shoot you, and only showed up in set locations in far fewer numbers.

* PortingDisaster: ''Halo 2 Vista'', which likely killed the idea of ''Halo'' games receiving PC ports for well over a decade. For starters, the PC version forces people to use Windows Vista or later to play it by checking to see if you have [=DirectX=] 10 installed, even though it was designed for the original Xbox, which uses [=DirectX=] '''''8.1'''''. A hack soon popped up that disabled this check, and it proved to work just fine on XP. Other problems include that many keys are hardcoded to be bound to Games for Windows Live (screwing anybody who prefers a non-WASD keymap), network connectivity was patchy (GFWL again), and the modding toolset was crap (basically impossible to create new single-player content). The game is also not future-proof, as it does not support resolutions over 1080p nor frame-rates above 60 Hz (while the original ''Halo: Combat Evolved'' can be run at 4k at 120hz with no problems).
** Thankfully, all of these issues were resolved with the ''Master Chief Collection'''s PC release, which supports up to 4K at 240 FPS, only requires a one-time sign-in with a Microsoft account, and has full modding tools (though 343 warned that they were effectively developer tools and were provided more or less as-is). A later update to the game restored many of the graphical effects that had been lost in the original PC port.

* TheyChangedItNowItSucks: Fans of the original weren't happy with the Mausoleum fight in "Gravemind" changing to music from the instrumental of Music/BreakingBenjamin's "Blow Me Away" to more generic riffs in the remastered edition, presumably due to licensing issues. Fortunately, changing the graphics back to classic also changes the music back - which, of course, debunks the "rights issues" thing entirely. They did the same with the rest of the licensed music, including all four Movements of the Odyssey that Music/{{Incubus}} wrote for the game. However, [[UnintentionalPeriodPiece both bands also scream "2004"]], so it may have been an ill-advised attempt to remove a "dated" element.

* FunnyAneurysmMoment:
** One of Johnson's battle quotes is "In ''Halo 4'', I get a woman." [[spoiler: Johnson dies in ''Halo 3'']].
** [[spoiler:One of Cortana's line in the mission Delta Halo, "If I were a megalomaniac - and I'm ''not''...", takes on new significance with the main reveal in ''VideoGame/Halo5Guardians''.]]

* HarsherInHindsight: Killing the heretic Leader (Sesa 'Refumee) becomes more tragic in the Anniversary edition with the added terminals revealing how much Sesa respected Thel 'Vadamee and trusted he would do what is right had he not been fooled by the Prophets.

* AuthorsSavingThrow:
** The remade graphics in the 10th anniversary edition of ''VideoGame/HaloCombatEvolved'' were criticized for making drastic changes to the game's art style, which led many players to prefer the original graphics in spite of their technical inferiority. ''Halo 2 Anniversary'' strove to be much more faithful to the art direction of the original in its updated graphics, which were much better received by the fanbase.
** Much like its predecessor, ''Halo 2'''s original PC port (which served as the basis for the MCC port) downgraded, altered, or eliminated many graphical effects from the original Xbox version. An update to the MCC restored most of these effects when using Halo 2's classic graphics mode, allowing the game's original look to be preserved.

* VindicatedByHistory: Reception to ''Halo 2'' upon release was polarizing, and Bungie themselves admitted their dissatisfaction with the final product, which had tons of great features cut and many rough edges to the levels and AI. Despite this, ''Halo 2'' managed to gain a loyal following for its efforts at a deeper story and very fun multiplayer, to the point that [[https://www.bungie.net/en/Forum/Post/2139032/0/0 a faithful few managed to keep]] its Live servers active for almost a full month after its scheduled shutdown. Since then, ''Halo 2'' getting a 10th anniversary rerelease was met with cheers all across the fandom, and Bungie veterans Joe Staten and David Candland have admitted that, despite its very TroubledProduction, it is the game they're the proudest of in the end.

** The Gravemind's design in the original ''Halo 2''[[note]]thought to have been unfinished due to time constraints[[/note]] was widely decried as something from ''Theatre/LittleShopOfHorrors''. His terrifying appearance in ''Anniversary'' was far better received.

** When the Arbiter catches up the Heretic Leader, the latter appears to give the Arbiter a chance to hear the truth from Guilty Spark only to immediately begin shooting him. The Terminals in the Anniversary edition explain this course of action better: 'Refumee had come to believe that his former Shipmaster becoming Arbiter would permanently indoctrinate him to the Prophets' lies.

* AuthorsSavingThrow: Much like its predecessor, ''Halo 2'''s original PC port (which served as the basis for the MCC port) downgraded, altered, or eliminated many graphical effects from the original Xbox version. An update to the MCC restored most of these effects when using Halo 2's classic graphics mode, allowing the game's original look to be preserved.

* AuthorsSavingThrow: Much like its predecessor, ''Halo 2'''s original PC port (which served as the basis for the MCC port) downgraded, altered, or eliminated many of the graphical effects from the original Xbox version. An update to the MCC restored most of these effects when using Halo 2's classic graphics mode, allowing the game's original look to be preserved.

* UncannyValley: In the remastered cutscenes, the Prophets have teeth that look very human. The effect is remarkably unsettling.

** His fanaticism and devotion to the Prophets' cause are such that nothing will deter him, not even these sudden revelations about what he's about to do. It could be that he even believes that it is [[spoiler:''Arbiter and Spark'']] who are telling lies, not the Prophets, and that they are merely attempting to make him stray from the path and postpone the inevitable.

** In Amber Clad spreading the Flood to High Charity. Developer comments have clarified that the Flood infected it while Keyes and Johnson were in the Library, and it made a pinpoint slipspace jump to the inside of High Charity to use Pelicans to maximise the spread. Nonetheless, this is never shown in-game (we never even see Flood take In Amber Clad), nor is it explained exactly how this happened (especially as pinpoint slipspace jumps are beyond typical UNSC technology, and High Charity is incredibly well-defended).

* UnderusedGameMechanic: The game made non-playable allies able to drive vehicles, when previously only human players could take the wheel. The multitude of internet videos of [=NPCs=] failing miserably to drive anywhere, not crash, or not kill any of their own allies shows just how useful allowing that was.

* ContestedSequel: While ''Halo 2'' is often considered [[EvenBetterSequel the peak of the franchise]], revolutionizing Xbox Live while crafting a more in-depth look at the Covenant and expanding on ''Halo's'' mythos and mechanics, it was never without its detractors. While it's praised heavily for its musically-diverse soundtrack, visuals, and for being a staple on the online console experience, the game was, and still is, criticized for its rushed development, cliffhanger ending, it's never released E3 Demo that [[NeverTrustATrailer bore little resemblence to the final product]], and its unbalanced gameplay, both from its weapon sandbox, and the A.I. in the harder difficulty settings.

* ContestedSequel: While ''Halo 2'' is often considered [[EvenBetterSequel the peak of the franchise]], revolutionizing Xbox Live while crafting a more in-depth look at the Covenant and expanding on ''Halo's'' mythos and mechanics, it was never without its detractors]. While it's praised heavily for its musically-diverse soundtrack, visuals, and for being a staple on the online console experience, the game was, and still is, criticized for its rushed development, cliffhanger ending, it's never released E3 Demo that [[NeverTrustATrailer bore little resemblence to the final product]], and its unbalanced gameplay, both from its weapon sandbox, and the A.I. in the harder difficulty settings.

* Extremely Resilient, which is used to parody how easy it is to die on Halo 2 Legendary despite the Chief getting new armor.

* AuthorsSavingThrow: Much like it's predecessor, Halo 2's original PC port (which served as the basis for the MCC port) downgraded, altered, or eliminated many of the graphical effects from the original Xbox version. An update to the MCC restored most of these effects when using Halo 2's classic graphics mode, allowing the game's original look to be preserved.

* BrokenBase: While ''Halo 2'' is often considered [[EvenBetterSequel the peak of the franchise]], revolutionizing Xbox Live while crafting a more in-depth look at the Covenant and expanding on ''Halo's'' mythos and mechanics, [[ContestedSequel it was never without its detractors]]. While it's praised heavily for its musically-diverse soundtrack, visuals, and for being a staple on the online console experience, the game was, and still is, criticized for its rushed development, cliffhanger ending, it's never released E3 Demo that [[NeverTrustATrailer bore little resemblence to the final product]], and its unbalanced gameplay, both from its weapon sandbox, and the A.I. in the harder difficulty settings.

* AuthorsSavingThrow: Much like it's predecessor, Halo 2's PC port (which served as the basis for the MCC port) downgraded, altered, or eliminated many of the graphical effects from the original Xbox version. An update to the MCC restored most of these effects when using Halo 2's classic graphics mode, allowing the game's original look to be preserved.

** Thankfully, all of these issues were resolved with the ''Master Chief Collection'''s PC release, which supports up to 4K at 240 FPS, only requires a one-time sign-in with a Microsoft account, and has full modding tools (though 343 warned that they were effectively developer tools and were provided more or less as-is).

** Thankfully, all of these issues (save the lack of mod support) were resolved by the 2020 Master Chief Collection port of ''Halo 2 Anniversary'', which runs at 4k 120hz no problem and has full support for keybinding and FOV customization.

* BrokenBase: While ''Halo 2'' is often considered [[EvenBetterSequel the peak of the franchise]], revolutionizing Xbox Live while crafting a more in-depth look at the Covenant and expanding on ''Halo's'' mythos and mechanics, [[ContestedSequel it was never without its detractors]]. While it's praised heavily for its musically-diverse soundtrack, visuals, and for being a staple on the online console experience, the game was, and still is, criticized for its rushed development, cliffhanger ending, and its unbalanced gameplay, both from its weapon sandbox, and the A.I. in the harder difficulty settings.
* DemonicSpiders: '''Jackal snipers'''. Sharpshooters armed with [[EnergyWeapon Beam Rifles]]. Somewhat annoying on [[GoddamnedBats Heroic and lower]], [[TheComputerIsACheatingBastard highly accurate]] and are capable of [[OneHitKO one-shotting]] a ''Spartan'', on [[HarderThanHard Legendary]]. Bungie ended up [[AuthorsSavingThrow nerfing them]] in ''Halo 3'' by adding a headlight so you can spot them more easily, and programmed them so they took more than half a second to shoot you.

* MemeticMutation: Several phrases have become memetic on their own, sometimes found attached to image macros.

** When the Arbiter catches up the Heretic Leader, the latter appears to give the Arbiter a chance to hear the truth from Guilty Spark only to immediately begin shooting him. The Terminals in the Anniversary edition explain this course of action better: 'Refumee had come to believe that his former Shipmaster becoming Arbiter would permanently indoctrinate him to the Prophets' lies.