Halo 3 Legendary Advice

This writeup is for the real gamer out there, who knows what Halo is, and loves the challenge of Legendary. So far I’m nearly finished Legendary, cruising along like it’s my bitch – it’s a challenge, but when you’ve played Counter-strike in invitational leagues for years, FPS wires itself into your brain

What sets Legendary apart from some of the more current games is the developers’ knowing that their core gamers want a very hard game, unbelievably hard, where it is bragging rights just to finish the first level. Even better, we have a new scoring system, where combined with the skulls you can receive huge scores as you play on harder difficulties. Bungie.net already has the lowdown on what multiplies your scores, so we won’t do that here. What we’re going to focus on is Legendary itself; how to navigate its insane difficulty; the sort of tactics that keep you alive, when you’re on the only one left, and there are thirteen brutes bearing down with grenades, carbines and shields. This should help you get into the sort of mindset it takes to consistently headshot, dodge, and return volley the way you need to. Take the advice like a koan of war.

You’ll notice right off that every enemy and ally in the game has way more health than you (save flood spores and headshots [from some weapons] on grunts and jackals). Enemies are also very accurate, and tend to throw grenades as soon as you get into cover. The new stick-grenade type (we’ll call them “spikes” because of their features) is not so dangerous, but the old blue stickies can still kill you in splash. Your only solution to such a quick death is, essentially, to never put yourself in position to be shot. This is the general rule of Legendary: do not ever get shot. It’s tough, but if you set up a logical system of firefighting, it’s not so hard.

• Snipe the Grunts and Jackals. If you have a sniper rifle, you can also take out the Brutes. The Grunts are notorious for grenades, but if you can take them out at a distance, you gain a bonus advantage: Grunts that die sometimes drop grenades; lingering grenades explode with tampering. As you take out the Grunts, watch for the nades to fall. If they do, you can use the chain reaction to take out any foes that wander over them. Watching where the grenades fall will also help you know how many you can throw in battle; if two drop, you might want to throw two of your own out, and grab the dropped ones soon after. Knowing where the grenades are in battle is a huge help, especially because:

• You need to know your battlefield. Completing the game on Heroic is a big help, but knowing the fight is bigger than just a general knowledge of the land. As you approach a battlefield, take note of the amount of Grunts (if they’re acting brave, there’s a good chance a Brute or two is nearby), look for Jackals sniping from high ground, listen for vehicles and the types of weapons fired. As you engage from a distance, and the Grunt’s nades go down, watch how the enemy changes their position. Try to advance under as much cover as possible. If there is an open area you need to cross, try using a grenade to cover yourself (needlers and automatic fire also provide good cover). Keep in mind possible explosions: don’t put yourself overtop fallen grenades. Instead, try to lure the enemy over them. If you can drop a trip mine on some of those nades, you’ll have made a nearly impenetrable area, which can separate where your cover and fighting is done from theirs. It will also limit their flanking options.

• Remember what guns drop and where the ammo is. Often in battle, your own two guns aren’t ideal for taking all your opponents out. As you travel between battles, you’ll find snipers and rocket launchers, but their use isn’t practical all the time; you will have to drop them in the thick of it for needlers, plasma pistols (you don’t always hold on to them, do you?) and brute shots. BR and Carbine ammo can run out when you need them, so make sure to set them down for the lesser guns in the short term. This is where most of your dual wielding is going to occur, and thank heaven for it. This conservation of the important stuff is going to save your skin when you run into that Brute pack later on, who would seem impossible otherwise.

• Quietly get to the hard to reach places and use their off-kilter advantages. Using the jump-duck and a bit of momentum can put you in some very good positions. With some observation and creativity, you’ll find tons of hiding spots and shortcuts to let you zip in and out of firefights without worry of being followed. These little quirks of agility will be your bread and butter for sticking Brutes. Ambush wandering foes this way; combine these tactics with the shotgun and you’ll find that it’s still a very beautiful weapon.

• Retreat upon the first of return fire. Don’t stick around to wait until you’re hit: your shields are weak, and their use in Legendary should only be called upon when you must rely on them. Besides, getting back into cover can sometimes be much more difficult than you think, especially when the enemy decides to chase. Remember the general rule. If you’re getting shot, chances are you’re doing it wrong.

But your cover is only as good as your gun. Despite Bungie’s claim that all guns are balanced, the real deal is that no gun is good for everything – yet, some guns are good for almost everything, whereas some others are completely useless in most situations. Against the Covenant, the BR and Carbine will work will against every foe; even the Brutes, with their armor, fall fairly quickly with several headshots (the plasma pistol, once charged, can strip their armor, but this is not always the best option, or even available). So, this naturally translates to you having one of these assault rifles on you at all times. You’re also going to want a specialty weapon, such as a sniper rifle, in order to wrench yourself out of the toughest of situations. You know you’re “prepared” when you have at least one assault rifle, and one specialty weapon. As mentioned, you’ll want to drop these weapons (usually the specialty first) for less-versatile weapons in temporary situations. Choosing what to drop them for isn’t always the most luxurious choice you’ll make, but with along dual wielding, you have some options:

·        The first contact and kills will most likely be Jackals if present, then Grunts. The Grunts will have the plasma pistol, which you’ll need, and with enough of them down, the Brutes tend to retreat. Between the plasma pistol and the needler, your decision should rest on your range and the enemy’s cover. The needler can on its own defeat a Brute, but it requires about eight sticks. Since you don’t need to switch weapons, this gun is much better for on-the-fly combat, as you dash from cover to cover. The plasma pistol can provide some cover, as whatever you shoot at might try to dive away, and if you hit, you stun. The plasma also works well against brave Grunts. If you find the needler, use it at mid-range while moving between covers. Once you’ve expended the ammo, go for the plasma pistol. Even though you can no longer run in crazily against multiple foes with the plasma, you can approach a fully-armored Brute, let out a charged shot, then knock him out with your fist.

·        Against all but the Flood, the Brute Spiker automatic is terrible. I’m tempted to suggest to you not to use it otherwise, but if you’re in a clinch, and dual-wielding is your best option —- good luck. If you can instead find a Plasma Rifle to pair with a plasma pistol, you’ll be cruising while bashing Brutes and blasting other baddies ably. Just don’t abuse to trigger, if it overloads, you’ll regret it for not pausing.