Halo 2 impressions so far, what'cha think? Options

[unitself]

TEN-HUT space marines!

How is everyone liking the new Halo 2?
How far along are you in the solo campaign?
How are the multiplayer online matches going?
Did you buy the "Special Edition" tin box?
So, without spoiling too much for the people who haven't purchased the new game or the ones who aren't very far along yet, what does everyone think about it?

Me...
So far, I love it. The new enemy is really cool... the new(er) weapons are cool... the new(er) vehicles are cool... everything you love about the first Halo done more!
I haven't progressed very far yet. I have made it just past the tank bridge run. I can say that I like the way the levels / area are laid out. I especially liked the opening on ship battle at the very beginning. Small, tight spaces... stairs... actual glass(!!)... I love the whole blastin the aliens off of my own star ship scenario. The (really) long, winding tunnel part was pretty cool although I thought it went on for a bit too long. It brought back memories of hauling ass in the last sequence of Halo 1. I can only imagine this new tunnel playing a big part in Halo 2's final sequence as well.


Weird stuff -
I am noticing ALOT of textures that draw on the models a split second after each new scene comes up. Is anyone else getting this? I guess it's not the worst thing, but I just find it odd that after three years of development that this is happening.
I am also not sure that I like the Covenant speaking english. I think I would have prefered their "language" being spoken with english subtitles. I did like the way the little dudes would shout english words at me in the first game, but I just chalked that up to something like me not knowing a lick of spanish but being about to say words like cerveza and other important words like that.

[unitself]

Ok. I completed Halo 2 last night and now I understand (completely) what everyone is bitching about. The ending was more Hollywood than... Hollywood! Damn them! At least the first game had that run your ass off and blow up the whole place kinda ending. This was like... hardcore shit getting ready to happen and ... BAM! Nothing. Even Master Cheif's last words were a set up!
The game as a whole still rocked, and I will most likely make another run thru in a few months but it didn't have the same impact on me as the first Halo did. There were parts in the first Halo where I was like, "Holy hell! How am I gonna make it out of this!!!" Flood everywhere... blood, parts flying, ammo running low, ACK! There were only like one or two places like that in Halo 2 and they were mostly because some huge Brute or something was just hard to hit, not that the entire room was filled with crazy shit all pointed at you.
I just realized that I was ranting...
Halo 2 still kicks ass and everyone should play it.