Halo 2 [Original Xbox]

Jul 15
11 min read

Truly creative artists draw inspiration from history, and incorporate those ancient lessons into one's art. Human forebears tell of one such feat in the first decade of the second millennia. The galactic Forerunner civilization in Halo lore bears a striking resemblance to the slow death of the terrestrial Roman empire. Historical science fiction with absolute creativity.

Consider the year 500 Anno Domini on Planet Earth: well before the arrival of Norse warriors on the shores of the British Isles, the Britons and Anglo-Saxons walked in the shadows of once great architectures. From the barrier walls of Antonine and Hadrian to the Londinium garrison on the River Thames, these defensive structures were abandoned by their Roman creators. Originally built upon strategic hills and waterfronts, these old strongholds continued to be fought over for control by the inhabitants that remained... but, without the advanced masonry techniques of the Romans, the crumbling stones were merely reinforced with fragile lumber. Indeed, not dissimilar to Challenging Hardest AI in Age of Empires II Skirmishes, the esteemed Alfred the Great defended his land from Vikings upon such ramparts.

Scale this paradigm into the science fiction cosmos, and what emerges is a vastly older and more advanced interstellar civilization known as the Forerunners. Similar to the inheritors of bygone Roman influence, the faded Forerunner technology sets the stage for the climactic drama between Humans and the Covenant armada. Artifacts will be fought for and many shall perish on the Difficult Crusade.

The Challenge? Complete the Legendary Difficulty campaign on Halo 2 for the original Xbox.

Is this a worthy Challenge? Let's find out.

Gameplay

Halo defined modern first-person shooting on console video games. The weaving of alien technologies into digital battlefields set this unique franchise on a much envied, perhaps untouchable pedestal. All Halo campaigns are well known to be Challenging in this setting, and Halo 2 has an infamous reputation that continues to attract the most skilled of Difficulty seekers.

In Halo 1, Master Chief destroyed the Forerunner super-weapon known as Alpha Halo. An act highlighted by this warning from a wise Artificial Intelligence:

If activated, this ring will cause destruction on a galactic scale. - Cortana, Level VIII: Delta Halo

Super-weapons come in a variety of fictional and non-fictional forms. Back on Planet Earth, Humans may assure mutual destruction with nuclear war heads, such as in the dramatic events of Red Alert 2 on Hard Mode. In a different corner of the Milky Way Galaxy, another Halo is being activated and Master Chief must again fulfill his duty. He is a Spartan, a super-weapon in and of Himself, that confidently greets the alien Challengers.

Heavily armed with an array of human-supplied terrestrial guns, Master Chief thirsts for the blue and purple bloods of his enemies...

Early in the campaign, additional ammunition is provided from Pelican drop pods by Master Chief's superior officer, Commander Miranda Keyes. These typically include half a dozen weapons ranging from submachine guns, shotguns, battle rifles, and snipers. The later two are generally the weapons of choice, especially where long range ballistics are more necessary on Levels such as Metropolis, Delta Halo, and Regret.

During these early bountiful times, even more valuable are the UNSC marines that often accompany Pelican supply ships. Whether supporting Master Chief on foot or as passengers in Scorpion tanks and Warthog vehicles, the added teamwork is surprisingly beneficial. The majority of the Halo 2 campaign is a solitary expedition, and the covering fire from fellow Marines is a welcome change of pace.

Thus, keeping brave allies alive is its own highly worthwhile Difficult Challenge:

UNSC marines are not Spartans, yet each one of these soldiers are leaders. Regardless of rank or status, simply being a role model for others is leadership in its purest form. Even against regularly extreme odds against the Covenant, these disciplined warriors consistently maintain positive attitudes.

Prioritize marine survival and embrace the subtle motivation from their comedic relief through comments such as:

You are like a God to me. - UNSC Marine, Level IX: Regret

Alas, it is devastating when these fragile Humans meet their demise. Devastating because of the moral investment mentioned, but because Marines provide covering fire with infinite ammunition! Advantageous under normal circumstances, and even more so when Master Chief is low on his own ammo.

Consider the amount of long-range shooting on Level IX: Regret. By the time Master Chief and any surviving marines have tackled the floating gondolas, there may be little to no rifle or sniper ammunition.

It is thus time to take advantage of a unique teammate ammo feature: for example, if Master Chief's Human sniper is nearly expended, simply exchange it with a marine's Covenant beam rifle. The marine will now fire infinitely regardless of inherited ammo, and Master Chief can return to his own targets at better strength. Note that neither empty weapons or identical weapon types can be traded in this manner.

Much like navigating weapon stocks on Hard Mode in Civil War: A Nation Divided, proactive inventory management may soften the high demands of Difficult campaign Levels on Halo 2. And then, with effective planning, Jackal snipers might get sniped in the face first. Might.

After much necessary Trial-and-Error, of course. Highly renowned to be a major factor in Halo 2's Difficulty, those Kig-Yar aliens are profound marksman and anything to reduce their killing sprees must be harnessed. Aside from wading through red waves of one's own death, there is little else to be said on how to overcome these menaces. The player simply must just learn where the Jackals are located through incessant dying, and then return as a revived demigod with more knowledge than before.

Easier said than done, especially if the enemy sniper is at an absurdly long range such as on Level IX, Regret, and Level XII, Gravemind. Honorable mention is also awarded to Level XV, The Great Journey, where Jackal snipers arrive alongside fierce Covenant groups, and must be prioritized accordingly. Patience, perspective, and sheer luck are the basic variables to success against Jackal snipers on Halo 2.

Throughout the campaign, Human ammunition is swiftly depleted and Master Chief is often forced to utilize the tools of his enemies. This cross-species variation truly sets the Halo franchise apart from all other first-person shooters. The availability of such a vast arsenal of Human and Covenant weaponry allows the player to approach a relatively linear storyline with a wealth of combat options.

The close quarter firefights on the first Level, Cairo Station, is a superb introduction to useful Covenant weapons that excel at short range.

The Arbiter

Early plasma mastery shall prepare the player for duty as the Sangheili warlord, Thel 'Vadam.

Failing to halt Master Chief's ruination of Alpha Halo on Halo 1, Tel 'Vadam was held accountable for his transgressions by the Covenant religious leaders. This ultimately includes assuming the mantle of the famed Arbiter, a heroic title designed to send its rank wearer into certain death when the Covenant empire is under threat.

The Arbiter is the true Lone Wolf of this saga. Uniquely empowered to continue the fight, the Arbiter is immediately thrust into battle with the Flood... the very same abominations encountered on the original Alpha Halo have reemerged on this Delta Halo. When the Flood virus reanimates the recently departed, the revived corpse utilizes its victim's weapon. If there are only Covenant aliens available to devour, the Flood subsequently only attacks with Covenant weapons because there aren't Humans. Yet.

The interstellar Halo object is a Forerunner weapon originally designed to eliminate the Flood, which is only possible if all surrounding life is extinguished in the process. As cited in Halo Mythos: A Guide to the Story of Halo:

During the Covenant's search for Halo's secrets, they had unwittingly released Flood specimens, previously locked away for research on the installation. The parasite's escape now placed the entire galaxy in peril. (Easterling p. 98)

Fortunately, Covenant weapons are arguably more effective against the vile onslaught. Shots to the head with human ballistics are useless against the headless. Expending plasma into torsos is instead typically more sufficient. Alternatively, the energy beams from the hovering Sentinels add yet another combat dynamic that provides the player even further weapon options.

Aptly named Aggressor Sentinels, these common silver colored machines have gold energy attack beams. However, the golden colored Aggressor Sentinel Eliminators have blue energy beams that are vastly superior and must be sought after. It is a shame that these Forerunner weapons aren't available on Level XII, Gravemind, when Master Chief assaults the Covenant Holy City of High Charity, which is filled to the brim with Flood.

Sentinels are Forerunner machinations meant to contain the Flood during an outbreak, and it is often best to let them do so. Especially considering the fact that Sentinels attack any type of intruder, whether that be Human, Covenant, or Flood.

A prime example is on Level X, Sacred Icon, where mutual combat between Sentinels and Flood will reduce the Arbiter's workload, time permitting. Whilst observing the carnage, the wall outlets that the Sentinels infinitely spawn from must be methodically destroyed too. Or else face ultimate incineration:

Since Thel 'Vadam is attempting to halt the Covenant's ignorant mission, he receives significantly less reinforcements compared to his Spartan counterpart. However, there are still courageous instances that the fellow Sangheili warlord, Rtas 'Vadumee, and his soldiers rise to the bleak occasion. Truly, honor still exists across varying species and creeds.

Fortunately, the Arbiter has a camouflage tool to make the difference. Flood and Sentinel alike simply don't have enough sentient intelligence to hunt an intermittently disappearing Sangheili:

Legendary Difficulty

A single logistic defines Legendary Difficulty on Halo 2 for the original Xbox: Trial-and-Error.

This concept should simultaneously inspire both skepticism and motivation for Difficulty seekers, and demands delicate fine tuning by video game developers. As Lord Rigor has meditated on in many other Hard Mode Crusades, formulating a suitable time investment takes the work of master craftsmen. For example, although Lord Rigor failed to destroy Xizor's skyhook space station on Jedi Mode in Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire, the only barrier preventing further time investment was a set amount of player lives.

In contrast, there are no Game Overs in Halo 2 because it is not based upon the traditional lives-based survival system. Instead, there are just checkpoints that players can continually return to upon death. A pivotal development decision that encourages self-inflicted bloodshed through Trial-and-Error. With one additional incentive: if the player dies six times in a row, the player is reverted to the previous checkpoint.

This is a fundamental safeguard that keeps the pain interesting in Legendary Difficulty on Halo 2 campaigns for the original Xbox. Not only for player sanity, but also for any poorly timed checkpoints that contain immediate dangers. Without this unique survival system in place, the back-to-back campaigns of Level IX, Quarantine Zone, and Level XII, Gravemind, would be insurmountable for many players.

By not having to restart Hard Levels entirely, hope remains. Moreover, even if the original Xbox is powered off, checkpoint progress is retained if saved prior to shut down.

Halo 2 is dynamic. Campaign objectives are straightforward yet can be accomplished in a variety of ways. From a multitude of weapon choices, to unexpected teamwork, to the sheer randomness of firefights, these dynamic components support the player's diligent dying.

When evaluating Master Chief or the Arbiter's survival on Legendary Difficulty, dual-wield weaponry must be considered in the winning formula. In particular, the Halo 2 magnum is now a dual-weapon and is arguably as powerful as the single-wielded Halo 1 model. When used strategically, a single well placed pistol bullet can take down any enemy when accompanied with a wise second weapon.

In the frequent event an enemy needs to be punched whilst dual-wielding, the secondary of the two dual weapons must be dropped. Both the Arbiter and Master Chief are right-handed, making it critically important to decide which primary dual weapon should be held in the right hand. Because, all weapons melee differently with unique advantages and disadvantages to master.

For example, the SMG or plasma rifle swings slow but appears to have a more reliable surface area to smack upon. Alternatively, the magnum exhibits a much faster melee response time albeit with slightly less accurate smackability. Throughout the course of the Halo 2 campaign on Legendary Difficulty, minor nuances like these consistently determine the fate of the death defying heroes.

Throwing grenades are, of course, another variable to accommodate when dual-wielding. Once the weapon in the left hand is dropped, grenades may then be slung forth while the right hand remains trigger ready. Aside from utilizing the cowardly "noob combo" (i.e. the unskillful utilization of the Covenant plasma pistol with a non-dual wield rifle), Covenant plasma grenades are the next best skillful option to instantly kill opponents. The later is effective against the nefarious Brutes, who would pummel any peon to dust that even considers the former.

To, first, drop a dual weapon, and then, second, accurately stick a blue orb on the face of the enemy is a highly advanced art. The button sequence for this execution can be fumbled and takes practice. Lord Rigor prefers the "Boxer" button mapping as a dual-wield warrior, which swaps the left trigger with the red "B" button. In turn, all of this finger movement occurs on the button pad with the right thumb and removes the left hand from the equation. With triggers dedicated to melee and firing, grenade throwing dual wielders can swiftly adjust battle styles on demand.

Whether of Human or Covenant origin, all grenades are valuable and are often worth backtracking through Levels to scavenge for. Because, having four of both grenade types when entering the toughest firefights of Halo 2 is essential. In Halo 3, the player may only hold two of each grenade type which is incentive enough to take advantage of in Halo 2. If the player is low on ammo and doesn't have UNSC marine support on Legendary Difficulty, a grenade arsenal shall preserve thy life.

The last few Levels of the Halo 2 campaign primarily only include Covenant plasma grenades due to the lack of Human presence. And thus, an increase of permanent blinding by aerial blue fire orbs.

Numerous factors affect survivability on Legendary Difficulty for Halo 2, and Lord Rigor does not provide nor offer comprehensive guidance. Dual weapons and grenades are His primary weapons of choice, and it is the responsibility of the player to similarly determine the best method of one's attack.

Indeed, this is the cornerstone to True Rigor and is the energetic fountain of power that Lord Rigor quenches His thirst upon.

Lastly, attempting the Legendary Difficulty campaign cooperatively must be cited. Yet again, Halo 2 is unique in its checkpoint system. Teamwork is paramount because, if one player dies, both players immediately return to the previous checkpoint... a cooperative feature that not present in either Halo 1 or Halo 3.

Lord Rigor bids luck to any pair of willing Humans that undertake such a Challenge, and will consider bringing memorial wreaths to the gravestones.

Conclusion

Is this a worthy Challenge? Yes.

Halo 2 held the bloody banner high at the dawn of globally computer networked multiplay. As a testament to its fledgling legacy, the disconnected network capabilities of this digital battlefield garnered a near equivalent attention to its online multiplayer counterpart. An incredibly accessible momentum that enticed many a countless science fiction warrior to pursue digital glory, in a material society otherwise devoid of such intrinsic primal opportunities.

Even as the decrepit decades pass on Planet Earth, both varieties of these noble deaths continue to this very day. When network connected, the benevolent reincarnation of the original Xbox Live service, Insignia, continues to host the ancient online war games. When network disconnected, the Legendary Difficulty campaign awaits the return of new and old Challengers alike.

The war must go on. And, because Halo 2 was beautifully engineered to incentivize infinite death, it shall. To humbly quote the esteemed George Orwell out of context, the martial spirit of Spartan psychology will prevail over modern automatons in the video game industry. For now.

But when war becomes literally continuous, it also ceases to be dangerous . . . it is like the battles between certain rudiment animals whose horns are set at such an angle that they are incapable of hurting one another. (Orwell p. 163-164)