Halo - Legendary Discussion

[marcus]

This is a topic for discussion on the Legendary setting in Halo. A few quick things before we start -

I dont care if you prefer MP to Halo, nor do I care if you dont like Halo or dont think its a 10/10 game. If you have anything to say with regards to any of these things, dont bother it will be removed.

Now the formalities are out of the way, lets begin.

Im currently working my way through Legendary mode, and am on Level 5. So far the hardest parts of the game for me have been the begininng are on level 3, where you first beam onto the Covenant ship. The place is swarming with covenant, and notable yellow Elites that not only move faster than you but kill you with one swipe of their sword. I found the way to beat this was to retain the sniper rifle, and use the cloaking device to silently sneak around planting plasma grenades on each elite. This probably took me over 20 goes to finally do. Im sure there is worse to come.

The enemies I have most trouble with are the guys with the sheilds, they are just so frustrating. Best way I deal with them is to use a charged pistol, first shot destroys their sheild, the second takes them out as they are pathetic without the sheild. The bulky armoured covenant are simple so long as you have the pistol, one shot in the back is all thats needed to take one out. Other times Ive found the best tactic is to simply run, it sounds pussy but with little health you do get absolutly cained if you hang about to fight. The AI seems to improve, as does the accuracy and determination of the enemies on Legendary to take you out. Often running is the best, and only option.

Im currently reached the first snow area on level 5, where the almighty battle is taking place. Let me know your progress, difficult areas and tactics, and general comments on this mode.

[Tom Salter]

I've only just started playing through this, and I love the fact that an enemy encounter is no more just a simple case of blasting away at the enemy any more, to beat them Elites you really have to look at the environments for any possible advantage that you can get over them, here's my favourite part so far:

Pillar of Autumn, you have to get up a staircase, which is guarded by about 4/5 Elites. You've got a bunch of marines with you, but they are pretty much useless, as the height and cover advantage that the Elites have over you makes them cannon fodder within minutes. I had to spend about 20 minutes sneaking around, taking potshots, yet this is pretty futile. The way that the shields work means that taking a few potshots at the enemy will never actually harm them, you need a constant stream of bullets to kill them, which makes it all the more satisfying when you finally kill one.

First time through I thought it was average, now it's my most played game

[Roost]

Legendary is awesome me and my mate play thorugh the whole game or just a few levels every few weeks. Attack/Assault on the control room is amazing with all the big battles and using all the different vehicles. Never has a difficulty level improved a game and the whole experience so much.

[PeteJ]

In my opinion, the Human Pistol dominates the game when on harder difficulties. The shield guys can be a real pain, but can be taken out in one or two shots with good aim.
I'd say the best combo of guns would be the Human Pistol for at a distance, and Plasma cannon (whatever it is) for close up fighting.

Tactics wise, I like to stay back as much as possible, but you need to be careful not to let them approach you in a pincer movement.

I'd say that level 5 on Legendary is the highlight of the game, especially in coop. I also like level 3 when you first beam up, though the initial battle up there is bloody difficult.

Think I'll start this game again actually, not played single player for months.

[Silent T]

Wait till you get to Two Betryals on Legendary one of my favorate levels on any game ever!

[sithlordx]

The ending on Legendary is great

[Dark_soldier]

the maw is the best level to do on Legendary. simply superb . i love halo and it is soooooooooooo much better playing it on Legendary.

oh another good level is Halo. when the 2 covenant drop ships come down - on Legendary it is crazy.

one problem - once u play halo on Legendary you will never go back to pussy heroric.

[Corrupt Rose]

I do wish they'd given the Marines a little bit of a reaction boost on that level, though. They're just the equivilent of those Space Invader 'shields' on legendary. Especially since I feel guilty letting the Marines die (a hangover from my Marathon 'BoB' saving says), even though I know that playing on the self professed 'Suicide' difficulty level, I ought to be worrying about my own skin first and foremost.

I can save most of the Marines on Normal/Heroic... but that just seems to make it even worse.

Even though I know, having finished the game, that it doesn't really matter in the end. At all.

But really, I doubt it would have screwed up the difficulty level too much. After all, given the same AI, a Marine is never ever going to be able to go toe to toe with an Elite... it's just that I'd like to see the Marines make a concerted attempt to get out of the way of a grenade, rather than admiring the pretty glowing blue... heh.

Plus, I wish they'd get into unsued Ghosts a little more often. I know they can do that. I've seen it. And I'm pretty sure that they ought to be able to use Turrets. Anything to give them a bit of a foothold.

On the other hand, I guess it really does simulate fighting a war against a technologically advanced Alien race with a defense force that got pretty much shredded from the word go. Apparently Halo 2 will see the Marines doing a bit more to take cover, and try and get into a war of attrition.

They're still doomed, naturally, but it gives me more time to try and save them...



@))-------------
The Corrupt Rose

[charlesr]

The shield dudes (the ones that carry shields)... You can plast the shield with the pistol and then instead of having to wait for the recharge to wipe them out, just run up to them while they are stile reeling from the pistol charge and bash them with the gun. If you get them square, they go down with one hit.

The taller guys that have a similar shield to you, use the pistol charge to drain the body shield away and swap to the blaster thingy or whatever to finish them off. Swapping between weapons instead of reloading is key I find.

[Dark_soldier]

Swapping between weapons instead of reloading is key I find.

damn right, i find the best combos are: Plasmer rifle and shotgun - use the plasmer rifle to deplete the sheald of Elites then one or 2 good shots with the shotgun is usually enough to wipe out any Elites on Legendary.

also the plasmer pistol and the human pistol are a very good combo.

[Popo]

Swapping between weapons instead of reloading is key I find.

damn right, i find the best combos are: Plasmer rifle and shotgun - use the plasmer rifle to deplete the sheald of Elites then one or 2 good shots with the shotgun is usually enough to wipe out any Elites on Legendary.

also the plasmer pistol and the human pistol are a very good combo.

I'm not a fan of the shotgun against Elites - they usually either have backup or go berserk and unload a fully charged plasma rifle on you if you try to get close, so the shotgun is a pretty hard gun to use against them.

I find a combination of plasma pistol and human pistol best against Elites: drain their shields and switch to regular pistol while they're still reeling and pump 'em full of lead. Winning combination every time.

Also, it's a bit cheap, but if you know were the Covenant are going to come from (eg a drop ship or through a door, etc.), it's a good idea to lob a grenade and try to tag them while they can't react (this works especially well for drop ship Covenant - the bay doors open a full second before they jump out, giving you ample time to chuck one onto the middle one and maybe even take out all 3!).

[Commander Marklar]

Hehe, it wound me up so...

Grunts... the little fecks who scream bloody murder ("bloody murder!" ) when you get 'em.
Jackles... the bird-like creatures with the portable shields.
Elite... Commanding officers - of varying rank and skill - they're the bad ass version of you.
Hunters... slow, cumbersome buggers that go down way to easily.

So, there you go

Anyhoo, some areas of Halo are surprisingly hard on legendary but then you have to start thinking differently. marcus, for example, highlighted that running is often the only option. Well, often not running but doing something unexpected often catches the covenant off guard, especially Elites. Take the staircase on the Pillar of Autumn - running up the stairs, taking out that Elite right in front of you is a far better tactic than hanging back, taking pot shots. Elites will also run if you advance, especially when there are one or two and they too will get frustrated at your constant aggressiveness and make mistakes of their own.

It is well worth experimenting and you'd be surprised at just what the Covenant get up to half the time, in a normal fire fight. Don't forget that stealth plays an important part in some of the later sections and always use the terrain effectively and vary the weapons - i.e. another good tactic, besides swoppin' weapons is to pick up another as you're firing, usually good for those "RAGH-/\/\m1NG 5P3eD!1!!!" moments of insanity (usually when that Elite's shield just flashed-off)! Also, Elite shields are more vulnerable from the back and the assault rifle isn't as useless as most people believe, proving lethal at close-to-medium range and can easily knock over Jackles.

Think quick and smart, think on your feet and like one of them and they'll all go down screaming.

[TommyG]

As far as weapon selection goes, the pistol is my favorite. But there are obvious combos that work well against certain enemies.

Elites – Needler – or combo of pistol and rifle/plasma

Grunts – Anything. But the most satisfactory has to be hitting them with the butt of your gun (best move and most certainly the most pleasing in the game)

Jackles – As it’s already been said charge gun first then any other weapon to finish off

Hunters – I love ****ing around with these guys – If you close in on them to a certain distance they only run at you with a swipe and don’t fire. It’s really easy to avoid, just back peddle as they start the run and side step/strafe around them when they swipe. If your really good you can kill them just by using this technique and hitting them from behind with the butt of your gun once they miss you.

Pillar of Autumn is my favourite lvl. Those open snow landscapes are amazing. I found I nifty little trick out the other day as well.

You know where you first get your tank on the snow lvl. Well go straight on (don’t take the cave entrance on the right) and when you come out into the open section where there’s loads going on turn around and look up. Just after you go through the tunnel bit if you look up and behind you there is a ledge high up the cliff face. On this ledge is a banshee. You can’t see it because the ledge is obscuring your view. Take the rocket launcher out and fire a shot at the ledge towards the front, this causes the banshee to fly up into the air and fall off the ledge. It will land on the soft snow and be unharmed. You can them progress through the rest of the whole lvl using it ^ ^

[marcus]

Hey nice one Ill keep an eye out

To despatch Elites, I normally cain them with the plasma until it runs out, by which time their sheilds are depleted, then finish them off with thr Assault Rifle, which is a weapon I rarely lose throughout the game.

Cant say I ever use the melee attack, I tend not to get too close on legendary ^_^

[Plow King]

There's a nice shortcut on Assault on the Control Room to get another Banshee and miss out a good bit of the level. It's the bit where you come out onto the rock bridge and to your left you see the control tower building. There are 2 banshees on this rock bridge and when you first come out the door and start shooting, 2 red Elites jump in and take off, leaving you stranded.

Here's the cool part, If you switch to human grenades and throw one as soon as the door to the bridge opens, if aimed properly it will explode and turn over a Banshee which the Elite in unable to upright. Just mop up the Covenant and then jump in and you can start having fun making bombing runs on the tank below. Hella fun