#Halo 2 missions how to
#Halo 2 missions series

#Halo 2 missions series

This series of missions caps off with the exciting debut of a massive Scarab tank, which we then proceed to hop aboard and use to quash a whole mess of Covenant soldiers.Д«ut this doesnвЂ™t end the way we thought it would. ThereвЂ™s even an extended vehicle sequence where we cruise a Warthog down a highway that has similar energy to the final mission of the original Halo. Again, the urban warfare is a familiar-but-enjoyable leap for the sequel. After his quick prologue in space, we finally get to take the fight to Earth as we attempt to liberate the African city of New Mombasa. But even this opening cutscene couldnвЂ™t prepare us for what would happen a few missions into the game.Д«ack to Master Chief. Having Halo 2 begin on this note feels like if The Empire Strikes Back had kicked off with the Emperor publicly shaming Darth Vader for failing to protect the Darth Star from the Rebellion.

ItвЂ™s a moment that shows the far-reaching consequences of your success for completing the original game.

A cinematic shows a Covenant Elite voiced by the fantastic Keith David being stripped of his rank by the three Prophets and a military tribunal for his failure to stop Master ChiefвЂ™s destruction of the Halo in the original game. ItвЂ™s comforting to be in the presence of such heroism.Д«ut thereвЂ™s one thing about Halo 2вЂ™s opening that isnвЂ™t expected, and it comes at the very start of the game, before we even reassume the role of John-117. Strangelove, it almost feels like youвЂ™re watching someone relay a tall tale set to Marty OвЂ™DonnellвЂ™s unforgettable score. When he says, вЂњPermission to leave the station вЂ¦ to give the Covenant back their bomb,вЂќ and then proceeds to ride said bomb through space the way Slim Pickens rode the atomic bomb down to Earth at the end of Dr. He delivers his wry promises the way you expect someone who has been touched by the gods would. Like his Spartan namesake, Master Chief has an almost mythological quality to him. Again, all familiar, but also very cool because thatвЂ™s what helped make Halo: Combat Evolved such an iconic launch game back in 2001. You find yourself in the middle of impressive low-gravity skirmishes in the quiet openness of space. You can dual-wield weapons, even mixing and matching human and Covenant arms. For the most part, itвЂ™s more of the same, but bigger.

The first 90 minutes of Halo 2 feel very much how youвЂ™d expect the sequel to a beloved shooter to feel, save for one thing IвЂ™ll touch on in a bit.

#Halo 2 missions how to

And for Halo 2 to be able to stand out among that cohort is a testament to the quality of BungieвЂ™s revolutionary multiplayer, as well as the audacity they had in how to tell the seriesвЂ™s sophomore story. From the end of October to the middle of November, we saw Halo 2, Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, Half-Life 2, World of Warcraft, Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater, Metroid Prime 2: Echoes, and the Nintendo DS all launched. 9, 2004, right smack dab in the middle of one of the most impressive three-week stretches for video games ever. It also helped cap off the generation on a high note as one of the last major first-party games on the original Xbox, in turn generating the momentum to give Xbox 360 a majorly successful launch a year later. It zoomed out the thematic lens and opened up the possibilities for where the video game space opera could go and the kinds of stories it could tell. With this in mind, the moment in 2004вЂ™s Halo 2 where you suddenly find yourself in control not of our hero Master Chief, but rather the Arbiter - a Covenant Elite whom you wouldвЂ™ve immediately tried to destroy in Halo: Combat Evolved - was a remarkable accomplishment for the entire Halo series. Context is key, and an appreciation of their location on the flowing spectrum of video game history is crucial. There are certain video game moments whose power and impact stem from experiencing them at that very specific instant.