Halo 2 on Legendary - For Real Master Chiefs Only!

[JFo]

So, who else is like me? Who else is going to start playing Halo 2 on November 9 on legendary difficulty and never look back? As much as I liked Halo on the Normal, I don't think I got the true experience of playing it until I tried it on legendary. Not only did you have to be quick on the draw and a good aim, you had to think your way through situations to be successful. It took a great FPS that I thought was quite repetitive towards the end and made it and engaging shooter the whole way through. You can tell that Bungie really made it with legendary in mind. I suspect the same will hold true for the sequel; hence, I'd like to do the same for Halo 2

 

After reading Snakefish's post, it sounds as if the normal difficulty may be ramped up quite a bit from the first one. Still, it sounds as if the strategy of taking cover, moving slowly, and not running into the middle of a room full of Covenant bastards will still apply.

 

Of course, the biggest disadvantage I foresee with playing it on legendary from the start is I won't always be able to anticipate what's just around the corner. Going through the first game a couple of times on Normal helped because I knew what I would face and often times which weapons to use. Something tells me my ass is going to feel very sore by the time I'm done with this challenge.

 

So, who's with me on this?

[Dan B.]

I'll play through it on Normal, then heroic, then legendary...as I did with the first game.

 

It's definitely a different game on legendary, which is why I want to play it on multiple difficulties. They're both enjoyable in different ways, & as you said the normal difficulty helps prepare you for legendary.

 

I don't want the frustration of completing legendary (especially as it's been beefed up for the sequel) to interfere with my enjoyment of the game the first time through.

[ColdForged]

Interesting, I just asked myself this very question. I'm doing it Dan's way for the same reasons and one additional reason: it gives me more playtime! If I play it through on Legendary the very first time -- as I was seriously considering doing after a lot of thought -- then there's nothing to do after that in the single player game, really. No additional challenge, unless you start putting "no deaths" restrictions on. But if I start at Normal, work through Heroic, and finally complete Legendary, that's a whole load of ramped up challenging gaming to be had.

[merlot]

Assuming it has the same difficulty levels, I'll probably start on Heroic, like I did with the original title, then do Legendary later on.

[Saurav]

I'll probably start with Heroic too. I played half the original game in Normal, then re-started in Heroic and finished it, and then finished it on Legendary much later. But if Heroic turns out to be much harder in this game, I may go back to Normal

[Carlucci]

I'll definitely start on Normal. I want to savor the game over and over again, and it was amazing fun to play Halo on Normal, then Heroic, and finally Legendary. Each time the game changed, becoming more and more intense and strategic.

 

I will probably play this way:

 

-Single-player Normal

-Single-player Co-op system link Normal, with my two sons playing "Die, give it" (taking turns)

-Single-player Heroic

--Single player Legendary. (which will probably take me months)

 

and of course, there will be plenty of LIVE play after my first play-through on normal.

 

If we only get system link co-op, I'm hoping Xbox Connect will work, because I would love to team up with one of you guys for legendary co-op, especially because it appears that teamwork will be absolutely essential for that difficulty, since there will be no "leapfrogging".

 

Carlos.

[Covak]

I'm thinking Heroic too.

 

Legendary can come later when there's nobody to play with on Live (hah!).

[matt]

I?ll do normal for sure. Although I enjoy a good challenge, I?d rather play through this game once without it taking forever so that I don?t need to worry about plot spoiler too much. I?m not going as far as Carlucci, I will play online before I finish single player if the occasion arises.

 

I never finished Halo on Heroic, let alone Legendary, so maybe I just suck and that?s the reason?

[General Zot]

After playing some on just normal, I suspect Legendary H2 will seriously be in the realm of Ninja Gaiden's Hurricane Packs.

 

I would highly suspect that they would at first just eliminate most of the marines that help you out (if nothing else by going ahead and getting worked so you figure out, "hey, there's a tank around that corner!") and upgrade the baddies you face.

 

But the killer would be when you are forced to leave cover and play a certain way. Sometimes they make you use a vehicle or a banshee to get somewhere (or obtain an objective.) This stuff can be challenging on normal, on legendary it could be brutal. The enemies dogfight well and if facing 2-3 of them at once and ground fire, where can you hide? Even on Normal these enemies play smart and shoot very well.

 

I'm betting it can be done by the dedicated, but seriously prepare for a Ninja Gaiden ass-whoopin' on every damn level.

 

PS - Normal difficulty is NOT as hard as normal in NG, so no worries for the meat puppets out there (like me :green:).

[Derrik Draven]

I've thought about this subject numerous times. Pretty much, I'm going to give it a go a Heroic.

 

Heroic on Halo 1 is a pretty enjoyable time for me. I never get stuck and, the covenant aren't too shabby when it comes to fighting. Legendary was fun but, there were too many frustrating moments for me to get through. "Truth and Reconcilliation" was damn near a controller smasher!

 

Frustration isn't fun for me.

 

So...all that said, and after reading that guys play through of the single player game, I'm definitely set on Heroic. From what he said, I'm guessing that Heroic is going to be damn near the same as Legendary is on Halo 1.

 

Legendary on Halo 2 sounds absolutely friggin assinine!!!! I think the frustration level will be too high for me and, I'll get pissed and quit!

 

Halo 2 = Heroic, for me.

[JFo]

Oh, great! It looks like I'll be the only one going up against the forces of Halo 2 on legendary then (unless one of you brave soldiers would like to step up to the plate).

 

I assume then that you all won't mind if I come in here abraggin' about my victory once it does occur, right?

[scobeto]

I will be unable to resist starting off on Legendary the minute I pop the disc in. If they have ramped up the difficulty, I will probably get frustrated and shift into Heroic.

 

That will probably make me angry as well, then another shift to Normal.

 

That is how I played the first: Normal, Heroic, Legendary. Things seemed to work well that way, a natural progression of sorts.

[Beer Monkey]

I'll play on Normal first, as I do with most games.

 

I probably will largely ignore the offline game for the first couple of weeks.

[Calvin]

I'm doing Dan's way. What stinks is that when my XBox crashed,it took most of my playthrough on Legendary with it.

[JFo]

And the pain has begun!

 

So, I started up the first level tonight and all was going pretty good. I got through a few firefights with those Covenant bastards, was enjoying the hell out of the new-found ability to dual wield, and it seemed like my quest to beat the game on Legendary was going to go rather smoothly (or at least as smoothly as one would expect on Legendary).

 

All that changed the moment I got to the first Covenant boarding ship. For those of you who have played the first level, you know what I'm talking about. It's that large, open room where a ship has drilled a hole into the glass window of the ship for the Covenant forces to enter the craft. This is also the place where you first get grenades. Anyway, I figured all I had to do was lob some well-placed grenades down onto the bad guys from above, and eventually I'd blow them all away and move on. Not so, I'm afraid. Every time I killed a wave of Covenant forces, more baddies would emerge from the ship. Eventually, I used up all my grenades and ammo, died countless times, and never seemed to even come close to beating these bastards.

 

Eventually, the sergeant told me via radio transmission that I had to take out the ship itself, otherwise they would just continue to send reinforcements. All right, I thought, let's try this out. The only thing is, I can't seem to figure out how to do it. I've lobbed every grenade I have at it, shot countless rounds at it, but to no avail. Any ideas? What's this part like on Normal and what do you have to do to get past it?

[ColdForged]

On Heroic you actually have to clear them out because only then do the doors that are in the floor open. Good hunting .

[PoisonJam]

I started on Heroic and then shifted to normal after about an hour or so. I wish there was a level in between the two (Heroic Lite? ), because while Heroic was a bit too frustrating for me, Normal is too easy. I think I'm going to continue through on Normal, then ramp up to Heroic.

 

Jeff, I don't think there is a way to get to those ships, at least not on Normal. When I cleared each room out (i.e. no more waves came in), the next objective pretty much presented itself, whether it was arrows on the floor, a door opening, or verbal instructions. Sounds like it's different on Legendary, though...good luck to you, my man!

[ColdForged]

I stopped by home at lunch today and tried out that area on Legendary. I think you just have to slog through and empty it, unless I missed something. I don't claim it'll be easy... I eventually had to get back to work, but that area was my first single-player death in the game . And second, and third, and...

[Derrik Draven]

JFo - you're insane, dude!!!! :shock:

 

I'm on level 12, playing on Heroic, and I can attest to the fact that playing certain areas over and over and over, just to get through them, is DEFINITELY just starting for ya!

 

There's been MANY places where, even on Heroic, it was one nas-tay mother to get through!!!

 

The stuff you're seeing right now? Just appetizers....

 

...main course coming right up!

[JFo]

Try as I might, I still can't get past that one section on Legendary. The furthest I've gotten is killing all but one Elite. The doors below me opened, and some more Covenant forces poured into the hangar. Unfortunately, because I didn't kill that last Elite, they wouldn't give me a new checkpoint. I was also so low on ammo that I could hardly do anything to him. Long story short, I died and had to start all over. I haven't gotten that far since. :x

 

Out of frustration, I started another game on Normal, just to see what it was like. First of all, I can't believe how much easier it is. I got to that part in question with almost no trouble at all. This section on Normal mode is literally a joke. I cut through the Covenant like a chainsaw through butter. Before I knew it, the doors to the hangar had opened, and I was well on my way to the rest of the level.

 

I think one of the major differences between this section on Normal and Legendary is that there are a lot more bad guys on the latter. Since they're also stronger and more aggressive, it's harder to get a good, clean shot at the Elites. They'll pin you down with a constant barrage of blaster fire (who told them that they could dual wield weapons too?) and the occasional grenade. In short, it's as tough as any section on "The Truth and Reconciliation" from Halo, if not harder.

 

At this point, Halo 2 on Legendary pwns me. On the first level. God help me as I play through the rest of it (if I ever get that far).

[JFo]

SUCCESS!!!

 

Okay, so I decided to take a slightly different approach than I was used to. Instead of being real timid, and hiding behind all sorts of cover, I decided to try a more aggressive approach I kept moving around, trying to find any Elites that I could stick a plasma grenade to. I picked off the Grunts with my SMG, and whenever possible, I lobbed a grenade at the soldies as they were coming out of the boarding craft. After many tries, I finally saw the words that anyone who is playing a Halo game on Legendary difficulty longs to see... "Checkpoint... done."

 

So, the rest of the game is a real cinch, right? :green:

[Dan B.]

Damn, if you're stuck that early in the game, it's gonna be a long hard battle to conquer the Legendary difficulty! (and I'm speaking for myself there, not just you)

 

After hearing how much easier Normal apparently is, I started my game tonight on Heroic, which has been tough already in a couple of places...and I'm still on the first level. :tu:

 

It's _most_enjoyable.

[merlot]

Started playing through the first level last on Herioc. I died multiple times then hit LIVE. My brief expeirence says Herioc is indeed tougher than the originals.

[HellzViolator]

I have also started playin this game on legendary and well... It's harder then what I thought. I'm still in the beginnin where you have to stop the convoy. It's a headache but IF/WHEN you beat this in LEGENDARY... You have all the rights to BRAG! GOOD LUCK!

[Dan B.]

After checking my save points this morning I noticed that I was on the 3rd level, not the 1st as I thought!