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Halo [R]Evolved - Level 2: Halo
Posted By: SonGoharotto <SonGoharotto@gmail.com>Date: 4/25/11 4:40 p.m.


Time for the second level of my proposed "wish list" version of a Halo: Combat Evolved remake!

Halo

Flawless Cowboy

{Cutscene}

• Cortana: "We're coming in too fast!"

[The Bumblebee's pilot has lost control of the pod and it crashes near a cliff.]

{Gameplay}

• Cortana: "Chief? Chief! Can you hear me? At last! Are you all right? Can you move?"

Master Chief exits the escape pod, surrounded by the bodies of Marines who could not withstand the hard landing. Cortana alerts the Chief to incoming Covenant drop ships, so he moves past a scenic waterfall and into the hills, traversing what seems to be both wilderness and curious artificial structures.

The Covenant expeditionary force deploys from a Spirit troop carrier, a tuning fork-shaped craft that can transport both infantry and vehicles. Defended by a heavy plasma autocannon, the Spirit can easily harass ground troops, but will instead retreat, replaced by its escort of Banshee assault aircraft. These can be destroyed with precise fire from most any weapon, but attempts to disable or hijack will result in them also withdrawing from combat.

After dealing with them and/or another squad of Elites and Grunts, Cortana will place a navigation beacon on the player's heads-up display.

• Cortana: "I'm reading a lifeboat beacon over the next hill. We should check to see if there are any survivors."

Master Chief exits the hills and enters a basin dotted with trees, but the most prominent feature is a structure of iridescent silver metal. A group of survivors from the Pillar of Autumn have taken up defensive positions around this structure and are attempting to fend off Covenant patrols. Helping to clear out the aggressors, the Chief encounters some familiar faces.

• Private Bisenti: "Thank God you're here, Master Chief! I thought we were in real trouble."
• Sgt. Johnson: (sighs) "It's a mess, sir. We're scattered all over this valley. We called in for evac, but until you showed up, I thought we were cooked."
• Cortana: "Don't worry, Sergeant. We'll stay here until evac arrives."
• Private Mendozza (COM): "Head's up! I got a Covenant drop ship headin' in over here!"

Master Chief and the Marines fend off waves of Spirit drop ships. Included in these forces are a third species employed by the Covenant: Kig-yar. Somewhat resembling large carrion birds, these opportunistic privateers mostly act as scouts and snipers for Covenant ground forces. However, they are also known to provide infantry support, crouched behind arm-mounted energy shields.

At any time during this sequence, Master Chief may swap weapons with Marine allies. This is also the player's first chance to wield a Designated Marksmen Rifle and the Covenant Needler. After a successful defense is mounted, Cortana picks up a signal from an incoming friendly drop ship.

• Foehammer (COM): "This is Pelican Echo 419. Anybody read me? Repeat: any UNSC personnel, please respond."
• Sgt. Johnson: "Roger, Echo 419. This is Fire Team Charlie. We read you. Is that you, Foehammer?"
• Foehammer (COM): "Roger, Fire Team Charlie. I knew you'd make it, Johnson!"
• Sgt. Johnson: "Oh, I'd never disappoint a lady."
• Cortana: "If you're not too busy, Foehammer, we could use a lift. We have survivors to transport to the Command Shuttle."
• Foehammer (COM): "No word from Command, but I hear those crazy Helljumpers have already secured a base-ops camp."
• Sgt. Johnson: "Orbital Drop Shock Troopers. Those boys sure do work fast."
• Cortana: "Look, more lifeboats! They're coming in fast. If those lifeboats make it down, the Covenant are going to be right on top of them. (COM) Foehammer, we need you to disengage your Warthog. The Master Chief and I are going to see if we can save some troops."
• Foehammer (COM): "Roger, Cortana. Okay, Charlie Team, Warthog deployed. Saddle up and give 'em hell!"
• Cortana: "Roger, Foehammer. Stand by to evac survivors and transport them to safety."
• Foehammer (COM): "That's affirmative. Echo 419 staying on station. Foehammer out."
• Cortana: "Sergeant, the Master Chief and I need some backup, can you spare a few men?"
• Sgt. Johnson: "Hell, I'll roll with you myself! See the universe, shoot aliens! It's what I signed up for. Bisenti, get these swabbies loaded up and be careful not to offend their delicate sensibilities."
• Pvt. Bisenti: "Sir! I am the model of decorum, sir! Let's go, ladies!"

Foehammer's Pelican drops the requested M12 Light Reconnaissance Vehicle from its cradle behind the troop transport bay. Johnson immediately climbs into the back, admiring the tenacious off-roader's mounted heavy machine gun turret.

• Sgt. Johnson: "Mm-hm! Now that's what I'm talking about!"

At this point, Johnson will not relinquish the turret to player control, so Master Chief must drive. (Depending upon difficulty level, a second Marine may occupy the passenger seat.) Driving deeper into the basin, an enormous artificial tunnel leads under the hills.

• Cortana: "Preliminary analysis of these materials and architecture do not match any known method of manufacture employed by the Covenant. Curious."

The Chief drives into the tunnel. Cortana marvels at the ease with which she can hack into the Covenant's command network, as if they arrogantly believe themselves immune to eavesdropping. She can detect enemy transmissions from all over this ring world.

The tunnels expand into a massive underground chamber, bisected by a deliberately cut chasm that descends into darkness. Johnson easily wipes out a Covenant scouting party. An Elite Minor crouched at a holographic display abandons his efforts to operate the device and fires his Plasma Rifle at it, disabling it in a shower of sparks before being cut down himself by the Warthog's turret.

[Johnson is an invincible AI-controlled companion, but can still be felled in combat. After this encounter ends, he will get his second wind and rejoin Master Chief in the Warthog.]

• Cortana: "This seem to be the control for a bridge that spans this chasm. Or it was, anyway. Hold on, I'm detecting a faint signal... it's a handshake protocol from these alien systems. I think I've found a backup control panel. Laying down a nav beacon."

Master Chief must park the Warthog and navigate through and up a structure that overlooks the chasm, dispatching an Elite Major who had hastily attempted an ambush. Crossing a catwalk, the Chief finds an intact holographic display that immediate warms to life at his approach.

{Cutscene}

• Cortana: "These symbols look tantalizingly familiar. There, that one. Give it a go, Chief."

Master Chief reaches out and at his touch, a portion of the holographic display rearranges. A mechanism extends from either end of the chasm and emits what seems to be a bridge of solid light.

• Cortana: "Remarkable! The Covenant make use of energy shield technology, but nothing of this nature. I wish we could spend more time analyzing these systems."

There is the sound of plasma fire from below. Johnson swears and the Warthog peels out.

• Sgt. Johnson (COM): "Damn, squid-lips! They must have been on the other side of the bridge. I got to pull out, Chief."

Looking over the railing, Master Chief spots a squad of Covenant rushing his position. It is a crested Elite Ultra leading two Majors and a quartet of Grunt Heavies. The Grunts open fire on the structure with Fuel Rod Guns, whose glowing green bolts detonate bone-jarringly around the Chief. He takes cover.

{Gameplay}

• Sgt. Johnson (COM): "I'm clear, Chief. They're closing in on you, but if you can drive these ugly mike foxtrots back into the open, I'll light 'em up with the turret!"
• Cortana: "Wait, Chief, look!"

As the Chief moves down the catwalk, an alcove lights up and opens. Perhaps intended for emergency supplies, it reveals a glowing cube covered in alien runes.

• Cortana: "The readings I'm getting from this are similar to the wave resonance of Covenant shield systems as well as what was backwards engineered for your suit. I suggest you take it, it might come in handy."

[What passes for a power-up system in this remake lies somewhere between Halo 3 Equipment and Halo: Reach Armor Abilities. In campaign and multiplayer, SPARTANs have Sprint by default and Elites have Evade by default. As in the classic Halo: Combat Evolved, Overshield and Active Camo can be equipped by picking up the cube and pyramid power-ups respectively. They are now activated manually as one-time use items, but the tradeoff is that they replace the player's Sprint/Evade function.]

The player is prompted to use the Overshield now, but may choose to keep it in reserve. The Ultra will lie in wait until the two Majors are killed, then rush with his Energy Sword. If all three Elites are dispatched first, any remaining Grunts will flee and be cut down by Johnson. He then drives the Warthog back up to the Chief's position and the player may either man the turret or resume control of the vehicle.

Crossing the bridge leads to more tunnels.

• Cortana: "New traffic on the Covenant battlenet... A lot more crew made it off the Autumn than I had predicted -- the Captain really gave them hell! If we can find Captain Keyes and link up with the ODSTs, we have a chance to coordinate an effective resistance."

Reunion Tour

There are three crash sites that the Chief can explore in any order, finding UNSC forces that must be defended from waves of Covenant drop ships. The nearest to the tunnel exit is a box canyon where some Marines are holed up atop enormous boulders. The next closest is a verdant ravine with another alien structure at the center, which is already held by Covenant, while Autumn crewmen hide in the trees. A Sniper Rifle may be found at either of these locations.

Afterward, Cortana will get in touch with Foehammer and arrange for evac of any surviving troops. Johnson will take the first Pelican out.

• Sgt. Johnson: "It's been fun, Chief. But someone's got to make sure our base camp is neat and tidy for your triumphant arrival. Happy hunting!"

If your Warthog was destroyed, a fresh one will be dropped off with a pair of Marines as backup. These replacements have a chance of being the M12G1 variant with a Gauss Cannon turret in place of the Light Anti-Aircraft Gun.

If forgoing the use of a Warthog, the player may now take advantage of the vehicle hijacking mechanic, as patrols of Covenant Ghosts and Banshees will now roam the interconnected valleys.

After rescuing the second group of survivors:

• Cortana: "Warning! I've picked up reports that the Covenant have located and secured the Pillar of Autumn's crash site. The good news is the Captain's still alive. The bad news is that the Covenant have captured the entire surviving command crew. Let's hurry and find the final lifeboat, so we can link up with the rest of the survivors."

The third site is furthest away and will likely be visited last. Here, a squad of ODSTs have penetrated the subcomplex of a sprawling structure and dug in, only to be trapped inside by Covenant. The Covenant can be dealt with first or the ODSTs can be rescued and lead topside for extra help. Either way, they are the least enthusiastic about being rescued by a SPARTAN.

• Corporal Locklear: "Well, shit! Ass to the wind, halfway across the galaxy, and I get to be rescued by the big green freak. Here I was hoping my guardian angel would be one of them Navy pilot beauties."
• ODST Private: "Don't get your hopes up, Locklear. I hear those types prefer to wax the wings, if you know what I mean."
• Cpl. Locklear: "Aww! What do you know?"
• Cortana: "I trust there won't be a problem, Corporal?"
• Cpl. Locklear: "No, ma'am! Just tell the Tin Man here to save me some bugs. My trigger finger's getting itchy again."

After the third group is rescued:

• Cortana (COM): "Foehammer, we've rounded up the last of the survivors here."
• Foehammer (COM): "Roger that, Cortana. I'm on my way."
• Cortana: "More good news from the Covenant battlenet, Chief. I've found the Captain! He's being held on a Covenant cruiser the I disabled before we abandoned the Autumn. The Truth and Reconciliation, as it's called, touched down on a desert plateau roughly three hundred kilometers up-spin. It's also where most of these Covenant troops are being deployed from."

Pelican Echo 419 arrives and Master Chief joins the evacuees in boarding the drop ship. Cortana directs Foehammer to the ODST base camp, in hopes of organizing a rescue mission.

Fade to black.

Level ends.

Halo Reach Service Record


Message Index



Replies:

Halo [R]Evolved - Level 2: HaloSonGoharotto 4/25/11 4:40 p.m.
     Btw thanks for the news post, Wu! *NM*SonGoharotto 4/25/11 4:41 p.m.
     Re: Halo [R]Evolved - Level 2: HaloPkmnrulz240 4/25/11 6:28 p.m.
           Re: Halo [R]Evolved - Level 2: HaloSonGoharotto 4/25/11 8:03 p.m.
                 Re: Halo [R]Evolved - Level 2: HaloPkmnrulz240 4/25/11 8:58 p.m.
                       Re: Halo [R]Evolved - Level 2: HaloSonGoharotto 4/25/11 9:27 p.m.
                             Re: Halo [R]Evolved - Level 2: HaloPkmnrulz240 4/26/11 1:32 a.m.
                                   Re: Halo [R]Evolved - Level 2: HaloSonGoharotto 4/26/11 3:51 p.m.
                             Re: Halo [R]Evolved - Level 2: HaloDocument 4/26/11 2:03 a.m.
                                   Re: Halo [R]Evolved - Level 2: HaloJaydee 4/26/11 4:02 a.m.
                                         Re: Halo [R]Evolved - Level 2: HaloPkmnrulz240 4/26/11 9:53 a.m.
     Level 2 RevisionSonGoharotto 4/25/11 9:51 p.m.
           Re: Level 2 RevisionPkmnrulz240 4/26/11 1:37 a.m.
                 Re: Level 2 RevisionSonGoharotto 4/26/11 3:53 p.m.
           Re: Level 2 RevisionDocument 4/26/11 2:02 a.m.
                 Re: Level 2 RevisionPkmnrulz240 4/26/11 9:46 a.m.
                 Re: Level 2 RevisionSonGoharotto 4/26/11 3:58 p.m.
     I'm skeptical of.uberfoop 4/25/11 9:57 p.m.
           Re: I'm skeptical of.Pkmnrulz240 4/26/11 1:39 a.m.
                 Re: I'm skeptical of.uberfoop 4/26/11 1:43 a.m.
           Seems to me...Louis Wu 4/26/11 8:28 a.m.
                 ^ThisKermit 4/26/11 9:06 a.m.
                 Re: Seems to me...Pkmnrulz240 4/26/11 9:50 a.m.
                       Re: Seems to me...NsU Soldier 4/26/11 10:01 a.m.
                 Re: Seems to me...SonGoharotto 4/26/11 4:13 p.m.
           Re: I'm skeptical of.SonGoharotto 4/26/11 4:05 p.m.
                 Re: I'm skeptical of.uberfoop 4/26/11 4:33 p.m.
                       Re: I'm skeptical of.SonGoharotto 4/26/11 5:06 p.m.
                             Re: I'm skeptical of.uberfoop 4/26/11 6:08 p.m.
                                   Re: I'm skeptical of.SonGoharotto 4/26/11 7:49 p.m.
     Re: Halo [R]Evolved - Level 2: HaloHerr Zrbo 4/26/11 2:37 p.m.
           To War? *NM*scarab 4/26/11 3:39 p.m.
           Re: Halo [R]Evolved - Level 2: HaloSonGoharotto 4/26/11 4:09 p.m.
                 Adding elements from Halo: Crytumrobofin117 4/26/11 10:52 p.m.
                       Re: Adding elements from Halo: CrytumSonGoharotto 4/27/11 1:07 p.m.



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