Halo 2 Walkthrough for Xbox Game Name: Halo 2 Format: Xbox Submitted By: Hannard GENERAL TACTICS: Don't get cocky – while your shield in Halo 2 may be more powerful than it was in Halo 1, be sure to duck behind cover when it gets below the halfway mark. Don't forget you can whack foes with the butt of your gun – a good way to finish off a foe you've already hurt, saving yourself some ammo. The Flood can now drive vehicles, so just because you see a vehicle from your side coming towards you, don't think it's friendly – there could be an infected Flood victim behind the wheel. Stealth won't do you much good in this game – it's true you can use the Arbiter's cloak to take out one foe before he spots you, but once you shoot an enemy, all the enemies in the area become aware. No matter how silently you dispatched them. There are no bots in Halo 2, but you can explore the multiplayer levels on your own in split-screen mode, to familiarize yourself with the placement all of the weapons. WEAPONS: There are several weapons in Halo – some are good, some are mediocre and some are plain rubbish. Here are some you should keep an eye out for: Energy Sword (Covenant): The mother of all melee weapons, this sword can kill most enemies in two hits – one if you creep up on them unawares. But it wears out, so be sure to grab a new one whenever you come across one just lying around. Shotgun (Human): This gun can take out an Elite with a single close-range blast. It's also handy for wiping out the Flood before they can tear you to shreds. But it's not much use at close range. Magnum and Submachine Gun (Human): Neither of these weapons are great by themselves but double wielded together they work a treat. Use rather inaccurate submachine gun to rake your foes with bullets, bringing down their shields, then use the magnum to finish them off with a headshot. Battle Rifle (Human): This rifle is only semi-automatic, unlike the submachine gun, but it's bursts are pretty powerful. It also has a zoom function allowing you to shoot enemies in the head, not unlike the sniper rifle. Sniper Rifle/Beam Rifle(Human/Covenant): Both of these weapons are damaging but slow at close range (one requiring frequent reloads, the other having to cool down after two shots) but are superb when zoomed in. Use these to take out foes before they can see you. Just bear in mind that enemies armed with these weapons can snipe you back too. Plasma Grenades (Covenant): These grenades are devastating enough on their own, but if you throw them at a foe, they'll attach themselves to the foe and almost always kill them outright. It's a shame you can only hold four at any one time. Needlers (Covenant): The best all around weapon in the game if you're dual wielding, Needlers are fire and forget weapons. Get one in each hand, blast away at a foe till both are empty and you're guaranteed a kill. Rinse and repeat and you can take out most foes with ease. ENEMIES: Grunts: These guys are your basic cannon fodder. They'll run like hell if they so much as get a papercut, and ban be easily dispatched with a couple of shots from a decent weapon, or by whacking them in the face with your gun. Occasionally they do throw plasma grenades, in which case clear the area then come back and shoot them in the face a few moments later. Elites: Elites each have their own personal rechargeable shields, like yours. So blast them quickly till their shields give out – when you no longer see blue electricity when you shoot them – and then blast them to kill them. If you see one with an energy blade, back off – an Elite with a blade can take you out in a couple of swipes. Don't expect these guys to run in terror like the grunts – though they will hide behind crates and the like. And they're a lot tougher than their smurf-sized counterparts, too, typically wielding energy weapons and attacking with a few grunts in tow. Jackals: These aliens are tougher than the grunts, but weaker than the Elites. They carry around physical shields, but you can deal with them by smashing their shields with a melee attack or use the sniper or battle rifle to shoot around their shields. Bugs: The bugs are pretty weak and poorly armed, but what the makes them a hazard is the fact that they attack in groups and can stick to walls and fire at you from the ceiling. The best way to deal with with them is to blast them with the sub machine gun or shotgun up close, or wait till they're perched on the ceiling and take them out with the battle or sniper rifle. Brutes: The Brutes crop up later in the game, and they're pretty tougher, stronger than the Elites, but still weaker than the Hunters and not too hard to kill. Blast them with any weapon, just don't let them get close or they'll take you out with their fists. Hunters: Run. Just run. These creatures are the big badasses of the game and will kick your head off if you get close to them. They also tote particularly nasty fuel rod guns that can obliterate you in a couple of hits. They can only be damaged or killed by hitting the exposed orange areas on their bodies – face, arms and waist. So the best way to deal with them is to use a battle rifle or sniper rifle to hit them there, or throw a few plasma grenades onto them. End Boss: Tartarus – the leader of the Brutes can be dispatched in the same manner as his cohorts. Just stay back and blast away at him, keeping clear of his hammer attack and he'll be dead meat in no time. VEHICLES: There are a variety of vehicles you can get your hands on, both Covenant and Human. Enemy vehicles can now be commandeered by climbing aboard them and knocking the enemy pilot out. Though beware - your foes can also yank you out of your vehicles, the Warthog in particular. Which means you should think carefully about mowing down foes instead of shooting them - if you miss, they're in the right position to pull you off your ride. The cream of the crop are: The Warthog (Human Jeep): Everyone's favourite vehicle from Halo 1 is back, and it's a damn sight easier to control this time round, no longer handling like you're driving on ice. It can hold up to three people - one driving, one riding shotgun - firing and throwing grenades - and one manning the rear turret. The balance of speed and firepower makes it one of the most formidable vehicles in the game. The Ghost (Covenant Bike): This souped-up speeder bike is the fastest vehicle in the game and as such is worth grabbing whenever you see one. Use its cannons to strafe enemy vehicles and soldiers and use the 'ghost boost' function to zoom off when you're in trouble. Just remember it can be hijacked in two seconds flat if you let an enemy get too near to you. The Scorpion (Human Tank) This vehicle is slow, admittedly, but with machine guns and a main turret that can be operated by one person, which is capable of taking out any vehicle except another tank in a single turret shot. Human allies can also stand on the sides, so if you're using this in multiplayer mode, have someone standing there, ready to repel boarders. Also, if you've nicked the tank from someone by boarding it, bear in mind that the drivers side hatch will be broken off, leaving you vulnerable. Don't even bother with: The Phantom (Covenant Tank) This vehicle wins the coveted Halo 2 wooden spoon award, because it's just so rubbish. Its slow, slower even than the heavy Scorpion, yet has weaker armour and a poor quality plasma ball weapon that flies in an arc. Don't even think about getting in this vehicle. FINAL THOUGHTS: Have fun with Halo 2 but remember, it's not about how you play the game. It's about how many people you mow down with a tank.