Weapon balance is why I always liked the Halo sandbox. Every weapon is balanced so that you don't end up with the god like powers, and each weapon has their pros and cons. This is why I hate the Modern Warfare 2 sandbox. They just give you a bunch of guns, you chose what you want, and then you run around shoot each other in 3-4 hit kills. Then after you get a bunch of cheap kills, you can call in UAVs, helicopters, and harriers. Then you can totally own the map for like 2 minutes. If someone on your team gets a harrier and you have a helicopter, the two of you can totally own the map for the entire game. To me, this is unbalanced and unfair. But in the Halo multiplayer sandbox, each and every weapon gives you an advantage, but something is taken away in exchange. So then the game becomes more about skill and some luck, rather than a bunch of cheap kills, who saw who first, and what gun each player is carrying and then not being able to own the map for large portions of the games with your harriers. It also helps that Halo has what's called matchmaking. Unlike MW2 where you get thrown into a random party and ranks are not a factor of who you play against. Then you end up with a team of higher ranking players vs a team of lower ranks making the match one sided and unfun. Halo always matches you up with people of a similar rank, thus giving you a more fun and balanced experience. If you love being spawn killed, campers, 4-hit kills, stacked teams, players being able to have god like powers for large portions of the match, and crappy gun sandbox then MW2 is for you. Halo takes a more balanced approach and requires more skill.