The sequel to Halo: Combat Evolved brings Master Chief to Windows Vista allowing PC gamers to play the critically acclaimed Halo phenomenon against others for the first time. Halo 2 for Windows Vista is a first person action shooter that takes place in the same science fiction universe as Halo, where humans have occupied numerous worlds due to the development of superluminal travel. More than 32 years before the beginning of Halo 2, the outer colony world of Harvest was destroyed by a collection of alien races, called the Covenant. Since then, the humans and covenant have been locked into a bloody war. Shortly before the events of Halo 2, the Master Chief heads to Earth after destroying a covenant fleet to warn of an impending covenant attack on humanity's home planet.

The game features an expanded range of vehicles as well as other gameplay changes to its predecessor. For example, in Halo 2 for Windows Vista the health bar is no longer visible on-screen. Instead, health regenerates slowly, if the player is not taking a beating!

Halo 2 for Windows Vista also features more than 14 human and alien weapons with players allowed to carry two weapons at a time, each weapon having advantages and disadvantages in different combat situations.