Is anyone else finding that almost every single H2 game ends up being voted as BR's? If I wanted to play team battle rifles all the time I wouldn't be playing Halo 2.... maybe I'm just nostalgic for the original H2 days a decade ago.

Any favourite H2 mp moments?

Surprisingly nobody replied to this, but goddamn the constant Team BR's is just ANNOYING. I miss classic Team Slayer.

Back when Halo 2 was the big thing, I had a custom playlist my friends and I would play: Lockout, no shields, only weapons were swords and shotguns. First time ever getting a killamanjaro lol.

Yes, this is the case. Kind of like back when Halo 3 came out everyone wanted to play Snipers only.

No real favorite Halo 2 moments for me. I never really clicked with Halo 2 and its my least favorite of the online Halos. I am OK with playing it occassionally.

I don't understand the complaints. The BR keeps everyone on a competitive level. ARs and SMGs have always been close to useless. Every other gun is better than those guns. The AR in Halo 4 fixed the problem, but then made it useless by letting you choose a loadout. Of course everyone would pick a BR and use range to their advantage.

It's been a problem ever since Halo 3.

Because AR and SMG starts suck.

I don't know if they're the same thing (I've only ever played Halo 2 a handful of times) but I totally felt the same way about DMRs in Reach.

I was never a big fan of BR/DMR starts. It stops being about controlling the map/power weapons and is instead just "see guy, shoot guy." Why even have teams at that point? I like at least some larger strategery. Maybe that's why I mostly play Big Team Battle.

@drewbert: I tend to disagree, especially in the case of Halo 2 where the starting weapon (the SMG) is so bad that it's literally almost impossible to get back into the game against a solid team once they get an early lead and all have a Battlerifles/Snipers in hand you're simply doing that thing of trying to close distance with them wielding your awful little popcorn gun so that you can hopefully kill them and maybe get a handle on the map with real weapons once again, more often then not getting spawn trapped. And to that point Halo is still about the team shot, and though the Battlerifle has range, it's still not a game of point and click like many other FPS games now as it's still a solid four bursts to the head to kill a player.

That said, Halo 5 had a really good place with AR/Pistol starts I think, I still relied on the Battlerifle as often as possible maintaining good sight lines to maintain distance from other players and using grenades at choke points for the quick shot to the head when they round a corner, but the weapons you were spawning with were actually usable, (Maybe too much so in some peoples opinion).

Is it terrible I thought you meant Brazilians ?

@drewbert: Big team battle is the way to play Halo multiplayer, but man a part of me LOVES Swat. It's the only time I wanna use the BR/DMR. The suspense of 1 shot 1 kill in the head is super thrilling to me. And I love modes with no mini-maps. I would adore a Big Team Battle mode with no radar. Something about relying on your own perception and awareness of the map resonates with me.

I am one of those people that always vote for Team Slayer BR. I just think it's the most balanced and competitive. I get how it might be less fun, like taking items out of Super Smash, but it just stuck with the player base.

I tend to agree with @drewbert on this. BR starts change the basic Halo combat formula too much for my liking. Halo combat has always revolved around controlling power weapons, locations and vehicles, but when everyone starts with a BR there's really no need to go out and look for better weapons. The AR and SMG are perfectly good starting weapons in my opinion, especially when they're combined with a pistol. Also when everyone starts with a BR/DMR the battles devolve into sniping and there's hardly any melee combat.

Something, something, the good old days and damn kids these days....

I can totally understand that stance, controlling the map/power weapons has always been a great part of Halo, but I never really felt that I lost that experience when Battle Rifles (and the DMR in Reach, which I loved) became the default. I guess I can see where the Battle Rifle's accuracy and increased effectiveness impact on that pure experience but it still very much felt like I was playing a game where it was important to control the sniper rifle/shotgun/sword/rocket launcher and certain parts of the map. (Ignore this if Team Slayer BR removes power weapons from the map - I don't have the Master Chief Collection - in that case that sucks if that's all anyone chooses)

When I got into firefights with other players I would still regularly get into a dance that involved melees, even with battle rifles in the mix.

Admittedly, I am also a person who came to love the straight up "see guy, shoot guy" play of Team SWAT for a change of pace in Halo 3.