Sierra 117

Damn that’s a big H3 – it runs off the screen. The Bungie logo comes up non- decrepitly and then dissolves. What a vast improvement over the Halo 2 splash screen that seemed to promise world-wide bubonic infections in the name of Bungie and Steve Vai.

The scene opens on a dark sky populated with stars. A female voice, easily identifiable as Cortana, says that MC was special because he is lucky? Being lucky is the whole crux of MC’s Power? That would work if he were some sort of super space-gambler but not if he is Master Chief, the walking gun-ship.  During the voice-over we see a shooting star approach and then split up as it comes crashing to Earth. Having been part of that crashed space junk, Master Chief lies stunned on the forest bed in a locked position. The suit seems to have updated for Halo 3. MC has a little more armor along his arms, the color is right. He appears a bit more zaftig, but thank god Bungie didn't do a Joel Schumacher and add nipples to it. When he does come to, he takes a quick run for the Arbiter who is watching from afar.

Walk it Off 

The game starts not in the starkness of a spaceship or with technicians calibrating Master Chief’s armor, which was standard for the last two games, but in a lush forest. Johnson directs the squad to head on through the canyon. Follow the squad as they run a steeplechase over the logs, through the trees, up over cliff faces and around pools.

Around the last corner a phantom flies overhead and everyone stops at a water fall fed lagoon. You would think with the beauty of the water-fall, the brilliant blue, and the fact that half of your squad climbs the rocks, that you should climb up there. But don’t. The proper path is a hard right over a log and into your first firefight. That phantom drop ship deposits a clutch of Covenant troops into another lagoon.

• Use your altitude to your advantage and shoot them as they slosh around below.
• Target the brute as he stands on the rock above.
• As opposed to the regenerative shields that the Elites had in the previous Halo games, the Brutes have a Ghosts N’ Goblins style armor in which a good blast will knock them down to their underwear. 
• When the brute is dead, work your way around the edge of the little encampment to take out the remaining, and now leaderless, grunts.
• Don’t move too far into the firefight because another Brute is just a bit further.
• Make sure the little grunts are dead before pressing on so that you can fight the gold colored Brute Captain Major without them nipping at you.

The rest of the path winds around and over to a cliff that is overlooking a small canyon. One of the squad mates says ”Jackals on the ridge, stay back it looks like the have Carbines.” He is right, the place is swarming with snipers.

• The best approach is to get a hold of a range weapon such as a Battle Riffle or a Carbine.
• Take this area slowly and stand on the highest point to pick off each Jackal who is standing around the perimeters of this gorge.
• Don’t jump down into the middle area, instead stay on the rocks that line the canyon.
• Doing so will allow you to stay far away from the grunts and the brutes. At the far end of the gorge are several fusion cores which have the potential to take out several at the same time if it.

Johnson says “Pelicans are en route.” Around the next corner, a gold-clad Brute stands high on a log holding a small man. The brute asks for the location of the base and guy replies, “kiss my ass.” The guy is pummeled and tossed to the ground. This key moment in Brute character development as it is used to show that they are mean and brutal.

• There are Jackals above ready to snipe you so don’t go rushing right into battle. Instead, focus on the brutes and the jackals from afar using the carbine.
  
• Continue past to fight off more resistance

The path leads into a cave and while in there, MC starts getting flashbacks or psychic nag-backs from Cortana. She appears to be lying down hurt or trying to imitate that little mermaid statue and says  “Could you sacrifice me to complete your mission”, “Could you watch me die.”

Johnson urges “Chief, the Pelicans are at the river, so hustle up.” There are two Pelicans hovering over a river and the marines inside are shooting down to the covenant forces below. Covenant Banshees blitz them and the pelicans do what they do best which is to get shot down. One of them explodes with that multi-headed explosion that I think was invented in the Vietnam War. The other Pelican barely escapes.

• First, shoot off the light resistance at the beach. The real fight will be in the human structures that are along the cliff face.
• There is a portable machine gun turret hidden in the Pelican wreckage but it is too slow and inaccurate to use in this firefight.
• Creep along the left side of the large boulder and pick off the jackals before flinging yourself into the melee of Grunts and Brutes.
• If you are having too much trouble up close, head into the high ground of the boulders and the high wall that runs around the rear perimeter of the base.
• A combo of carbines and plasma pistols will work well against most of the armored attackers in this area.
• When the main area of the base is cleared, round the corer to find a gold brute and some more snipers.

Charlie Foxtrot

The Arbiter recommends heading back into the jungle and Johnson radios in that he and his pelican were shot down. He sends the MC his coordinates in anticipation of a rescue.

• This next area has even more Jackal snipers than before. Pick up one of the covenant sniper rifles (called Beam Rifles) that one of the Jackals dropped back at the last base.
• You will use it extensively throughout this next portion.
• Note that the covenant beam rifle does not have a clip, you will have to drop the whole gun when it is low of ammo so ask you kill the jackals swap out your rifle for their fully loaded one.

Overlooking the next ridge, Johnson will say “Come on you big dumb apes, if you want breakfast, your going to have to catch it.” Weapon Suggestion: Sniper/Carbine | Brute Shot

• Pick off the jackals on the ridge.
• Then, secure a close range weapon such as a Brute Shot because there will be heavy Brute presence in the ravine below.
• The path winds around from the ravine up towards a small bridge. It is best to keep one ranged weapon here because there will be jackals on that bridge.

When you reach the top, you can see that Johnson’s pelican didn’t make if far from the beach.
Weapon Suggestion: Human Sniper Rifle | Brute Shot

• The path through the mountain ridge will be guarded by the brutes and grunts. Attack them with the brute shot
• Save your sniper rifle bullets for the next area.

Quid Pro Quo

The path opens up to a deep canyon that was created by the dammed river. If this were a Tom Clancy book, this is where the separatist’s would be manufacturing their cocaine. Instead, as the Arbiter points out, this base is being used by the brutes to use Johnson and his crew as bait.

• There are Jackal snipers around the entire perimeter of this base. Take them out with your rifle.
• When the threat of snipers is gone, jump off the cliff and fight in close combat below.
• Use the needler here because it is in abundant supply and you will want to save your brute shot for the encounter on the top of the dam.

Climb up to the top of the dam and turn the corner. The brutes come in full force here.

• When the brutes see you, all of them will come running towards you. Stay back and out of range of the jackals above.
• Focus your sniping on the brute leader (his hammer will come in handy soon)
• The lesser brutes will fall easily with the brute shot.
• Pick off the Jackals and then use the hammer on the grunts.
• Once the brutes are out of the way, the rest of this fight is quite simple.

Work your way around the dam and follow the navigation icon to find the imprisoned Johnson. Free him by clicking on the force field.

The Pelicans start the approach to free Johnson and his men. However, more Covenant ships drop in. Here you will need to kill the covenant while surviving until extraction.
Weapons: Dual Wield Spikers | Brute Shot.

• Stay close to the troops as they will provide some much needed fire support and will absorb bullets that were meant for you.
• Backtrack around the U again and up onto the dam.
• There is shield regenerator equipment hiding around there. Use it.
• Just hunker down for the remainder of the fight, the story will progress not when you kill everything but once the pelicans get there.

The pelican “goes hot” and fires a barrage of missiles at the covenant drop ship destroying it instantly. Damn! Where was all of this in the last two Halo games. If someone would have just equipped them with these missiles a long time ago we probably could have skipped through the Two Betrayals level in 10 minutes.

TIME: 53 Min | Rating ******