Of all the mainline installments in theHalofranchise,Halo 2is one that holds a special place in the hearts and minds of manyHalofans. WhileHalo 2introduced several new gameplay mechanics, weapons, and vehicles, it also added greater depth and complexity to the narrative with the inclusion of the Arbiter. For how much players loveHalo 2, there is a part of the game that no one has actually played.
Following themassive success ofHalo: Combat Evolved,the bar had been set incredibly high forHalo 2, but what initially drew a lot of excitement for the sequel was a gameplay demo Bungie showed off during E3 2003. Similar to the gameplay demonstration forHalo Infinitethat was released a year before the game’s release,Halo 2’sdemo, titled Earthcity, was never made playable but captivated fans nonetheless. Though, now it seems, that the Earthcity demo will actually be playable.
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Over on Halo Waypoint, a new article outlined how 343 Industries is currently in the process of restoring a multitude of oldHalorelics and even cut content from some older installments. One of which being a playable version of the Earthcity demo forHalo 2that players will be able to experience viaHalo: The Master Chief Collection.
For many fans, this is quite exciting news, but based on the information detailed in the Halo Waypoint article, the process of actually restoring the Earthcity demo certainly sounds rather intimidating. Given thatBungienever intended Earthcity to be playable, and that the original demo was built on an engine that no longer exists, recreating the demo forHalo 2will definitely be a difficult undertaking.
However, for longtimeHalofans, being able to play the Earthcity demo will be quite surreal, especially given how much spectacle the demo provided when it was first revealed at E3 2003. In addition,343 Industriesis also restoring a lot of cut content forHalo: Combat Evolved,such as previously unseen weapons, vehicles, NPCs, levels, and character models.
In any case, it will be interesting to see what else 343 Industries will bring to the table whereHalois concerned. While a lot of time and attention is needed whereHalo Infiniteis concerned, the studio is also spending a lot ofdevelopment time onHalo: The Master Chief Collection, where the Earthcity demo, along with all the additional cut content, will be made available.
Halo 2is available to play on PC, Xbox, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
