Here are some quotes:

Is anyone else on the same boat? I’m most pissed at the mines. The mines totally kill the warthog, which is one of the games major flagships.

Then the shield, takes all skill away from the game, are you -blam!- kidding me? Just a mistake waiting to happen

I agree with the OP. The mines take no skill and the bubble shield is cheap.

Click this link for more goodness.

How about we all wait to try the actual game before we whine about it and critique it. I feel for the Bungie team.

Here is Desolation (Click to enlarge):

Here is Tombstone (Click to enlarge):

Microsoft Game Studios and Bungie Studios today confirmed the upcoming release of two new, eagerly awaited downloadable maps for “Halo® 2.� The maps will be available as premium downloadable content for Xbox® and Xbox 360™ on April 17.

Fans of the original “Halo� have long requested the addition of some of their favorite maps to the critically acclaimed multiplayer experience of “Halo 2.� These re-creations, developed by Bungie and Certain Affinity Inc., are a perfect way to thank fans for their support as they surpass 800 million hours of “Halo 2� gaming on Xbox LIVE®.

The two maps will bring new life to ancient battlefields and legendary skirmishes, as both are new, improved and redesigned remakes of fan favorites from the original “Halo: Combat Evolved.� For the price of $4 for the pair, these maps bring a fresh burst of action to the seminal “Halo 2� online multiplayer experience. Both of the maps will be available through the “Halo 2� in-game content downloader for both Xbox and Xbox 360.*

The king of “Halo� maps has returned at last. Hang ’Em High, arguably the most popular multiplayer map for the original title, has been reimagined for “Halo 2� as Tombstone, with all-new graphics, features and a few hidden surprises. Now fans will enjoy the dangerous catwalks and trenches that made this the most requested “Halo� multiplayer map ever, with a modernized “Halo 2� flavor.

The second map, Desolation, is a symmetrical, Deathmatch-oriented map and a beautiful remake of the original Derelict. With new graphics and effects and a massive gameplay overhaul, the old favorite is now faster-paced and more balanced than ever — perfect for intense “Halo 2� combat.

“Halo 2� is the sequel to the highly successful and critically acclaimed “Halo: Combat Evolved� and represents the second chapter in the epic “Halo� trilogy. Since its launch in fall 2004, “Halo 2� has maintained its place as the most popular Xbox LIVE title ever. To date, gamers have logged more than 800 million hours of “Halo� multiplayer action on Xbox LIVE, and they are eagerly awaiting “Halo 3,� slated for release this fall. The “Halo� franchise is among the biggest worldwide entertainment properties in history and continues to change the way people think about interactive entertainment.

#1 – Play a lot of Halo 2. Play at least 3 hours of Halo 2 multiplayer between Feb. 1, 2007, at 12:01 a.m. EST and Feb. 3, 2007, at 11:59 p.m. EST. You also need to be among the first 13,333 to register at http://www.halo3.com.

#2 – Purchase “Crackdownâ€? when it hits store shelves. Once the Halo 3 multiplayer beta is available, you just need to use your “Crackdown” disc as a key to be able to download Halo 3 and join in the beta.

Official Press Release:

Jan. 3, 2007

Microsoft Announces Two Additional Paths of Entry to “Halo 3� Multiplayer Beta

Gamers are invited to join the fight when the beta goes live this spring with Xbox Live and “Crackdown� providing the final two paths.

Microsoft Game Studios and Bungie Studios are ringing in the year with a proverbial bang, as they announced today two new ways for gamers to receive an invitation to participate in the “Halo® 3� multiplayer beta program coming this spring through Xbox Live® Marketplace.

Specifically, gamers will be able to receive an invitation by doing one of the following:

· Qualifying over Xbox Live and then being one of the first 13,333 “Halo 2� gamers to register for the “Rule of Three� program at http://www.halo3.com in early February

· Purchasing the upcoming game “Crackdown™,� which hits store shelves in the U.S. on Feb. 20

The “Halo 3� multiplayer beta, which is a pre-release version of the multiplayer experience of “Halo 3,� is scheduled for availability in spring 2007 exclusively on Xbox 360™. The beta also represents an opportunity for gamers to participate in the testing and refinement of the multiplayer gameplay of “Halo 3,� the most anticipated game of 2007. Through the resulting feedback, Bungie Studios will be able to further hone the end result of “Halo 3.�

Beginning Thursday, Feb. 1, 2007, at 12:01 a.m. EST, all gamers need to do is participate in at least three hours of “Halo 2� multiplayer sessions, via Xbox Live, before Feb. 3, 2007, at 11:59 p.m. EST and then be among the first 13,333 to register at http://www.halo3.com. The “Rule of Three� program is currently planned for gamers in the 50 United States (includes District of Columbia) age 17 years and older who have access to an Xbox 360 Pro console or an Xbox 360 Core console with hard drive, a valid Xbox Live Gold subscription and the “Halo 2� game. Gamers around the world are encouraged to visit http://www.halo3.com in the coming weeks for more information on the “Rule of Three� program in their region.

As well, when “Crackdown� hits store shelves, gamers eager to take home a copy of the highly anticipated exclusive action title for Xbox 360 will find marked boxes of “Crackdown� that include an invite to participate in the coveted “Halo 3� multiplayer beta program when it becomes available. When the “Halo 3� multiplayer beta surfaces in spring 2007, owners of “Crackdown� with access to an Xbox 360 Pro console or an Xbox 360 Core console with hard drive and a valid Xbox Live Gold subscription simply need to load their copy of “Crackdown� into Xbox 360 and use the disc as a key to download the beta from Xbox Live Marketplace and join the battle in “Halo 3� multiplayer. “Crackdown� will be available in the U.S. on Feb. 20, Asian territories on Feb. 22 and European markets on Feb. 23.

In December, Microsoft Game Studios and Bungie Studios completed the first of three ways for North American gamers to participate in the “Halo 3� multiplayer beta, by registering at http://www.halo3.com. Gamers who were selected from this initial opportunity will be contacted in January.

From Realtime Worlds, “Crackdown� pushes the action-driving hybrid genre into the next generation with a rich and immersive 3-D playground. Gamers level up their Agent’s strength, agility, firearms, explosives and driving skills while scaling the fully vertical world of “Crackdown.� This M-rated game incorporates revolutionary co-op gameplay throughout the entire free-form campaign. Creating a volatile cocktail of judicial oppression, players will clean up the streets of a truly interactive world when “Crackdown� hits store shelves at an estimated retail price of $59.99.