As I’m sure all of you know, there are four additional Halo 2 maps that have been recently released. Two of them, Containment and Warlock, are available for free, and the other two, Sanctuary and Turf, are available for purchase over Xbox Live, $5.99 for the two of them. Of course, they will all be free eventually.

Warlock

Halo 1 fans rejoice, we have Wizard again, and it’s even better than the original. The map has been redone, to match Halo 2’s weapons and game-play, and it is phenomenal. This is the kind of map that I wish was released in the first generation. It’s mid-sized, perfect for 4v4 slayer matches, multi-team assault or CTF, and any free for all you and your friends come up with. The map appears to be some sort of forerunner dwelling, probably located on Delta Halo. It is completely symmetrical, and operates on two levels, the floor and the ramps.

Bungie seems to like this map as much as I do, as it pops up in Rumble Pit more than any of the new ones. When playing it’s a great idea to grab either a Battle Rifle or Shotgun soon as possible, but both if you can. It’s easy to sneak up on your enemies and give them a healthy dose of shotty, and just as effective to hang back and use the Battle Rifle to take out further enemies. In a last ditch effort it isn’t too hard to find a combo to surprise someone with. Plasma rifles dot the corners and magnums are located in the middle. Use the teleports to your advantage, but watch out for campers, there are plenty of nooks and crannies for them to hide out.

Containment

For those players with a love of big team battles, this is a dream come true. For all the disappointment that was in Coagulation and Waterworks, this map truly makes up for it. To put it in perspective, one could say that if Blood Gulch, and Sidewinder had a lovechild, Containment would pop out. The map itself is massive, snowy, and beautiful. The first time I laid my eyes upon it, I was in awe of it, but now for the juicy stuff. The map of course focuses on big team battles, mostly assault and CTF, anything else is too hectic for live. Of course, at a LAN with a lack of sleep induced high, there are all sorts of slayer and oddball games to keep 16 people occupied, I know from experience.

The general strategy for containment is virtually identical to all other big team games, and the best advice can be summed up in one word. Communication. Know where the bomb or flag is at all times, know who is sniping, know who has the rockets, and make sure you know and the rest of your team knows where the other team’s sniper is. Make plans, use diversions, it takes tact to get the flag back, or the bomb over there. Containment has many ways to get into the enemy base, and use that to your advantage, in a big base like this confusion is your friend.

Turf

Turf is simply a lot of fun. It’s best played during games like plots or king of the hill. It’s a small map, based in downtown New Mombasa, and it gets very hectic. It’s not symmetrical and there aren’t any real clear-cut bases, which makes it somewhat unique to all the other maps in Halo 2. The map is full of alleyways which make for very interesting run-ins with opposing players. The map design is very hectic in itself, and the game-play is too. It’s a lot of running to the plots or hill. Team slayer is rare there, but free for all is a lot of fun.

The map’s real purpose was to finally have a decent place to play plots or king of the hill and it meets then exceeds that purpose to great lengths. There aren’t any real power weapons that a player can use to control the map, which also makes it unique to Halo 2 multiplayer. The only real power weapon is the sniper, which is only helps but so much due to all the barriers and close range combat. There’s also a warthog, but driving it around isn’t useful for much other than comic relief. The best you can do is hop in the turret every once in a while to provide cover for your teammates.

Sanctuary

Aesthetically this map is arguably the best one. From the waterfalls to the structures, to the walls, it’s a gorgeous place. It’s a larger mid sized symmetrical two base map, and it’s optimal for 4v4 matches. There’s a sniper at each base, and a sword directly in the center of the map. The beginning of the match usually involves one or two people from each team charging the sword suicidally throwing grenades. This map is pretty flexible with its game-types, as long as they are team 4v4, from CTF to king of the hill, Sanctuary can strike your fancy.

The sword is good to have on defense, but not vital. Having a good sniper is great too, but once again not required. Communication is more important on this map than any of the weapons. When you attack for the flag or try to get the bomb in, keep it coordinated, let your teammates know what is going on and if you see the enemy making a move, let your team know.

All in all this map-pack was a jolt of new blood that Halo 2 needed, and it’s totally worth the $5.99. This is for any gamer who may have thought that Halo 2’s multiplayer got old, or was too repetitive. If you’re a fan of Halo 2, then you’ll love these new additions.