Top 10 Best Halo 2 Levels

This is a list I made of my favorite levels from my favorite game.

The Top Ten

  1. Metropolis

    This level begins in the city of New Mombasa, where the Master Chief defends against Covenant forces invading through the city's suspension bridge and tunnels. Players encounter Scorpion tanks and Banshees in large-scale urban combat. The mission concludes with the destruction of a Scarab walker on the city bridge.

    Not to confuse people with the anime movie, this is the mission where you fight your way through a big Covenant force to take down the huge Scarab causing all sorts of havoc. You start off with a tank, killing everything in sight. Eventually, though, try to make the best you can with all the vehicles you come across, knowing you will need them. Once you have the best weapons at your disposal, it's time to board the Scarab and take down all who pilot the beast itself.

    This is a great level in the city of New Mombasa. It feels sort of like Halo 3: ODST, except with a giant Scarab. I love the Scarab. It's way better than the ones on the other Halos. I just wish the Scarab would have a weaker weapon that it could use to shoot at you, but it's still a great level.

  2. Quarantine Zone

    Set within a massive Forerunner installation on Delta Halo, this level takes place in a snow-covered area overrun by the Flood. The Arbiter navigates battles between Covenant forces, the Flood, and Sentinels. Vehicle combat dominates as players fight through chaotic crossfire toward the Library.

    This level is really amazing. You have to push through walls of Flood, and you get to drive a tank for a lot of it. The last part on the gondola is awesome (until all the humans die). Overall, my favorite level for now.

    The fact that it is so chaotic, with the amazing track featuring Steve Vai blaring in the background, makes this level amazing! Not to mention the Arbiter is super awesome.

  3. Gravemind

    This level opens with the Master Chief and the Arbiter captured by the Gravemind, the central intelligence of the Flood. It alternates between both characters' perspectives as they are teleported into separate battle zones on High Charity and Delta Halo. The mission marks the first meeting of the two protagonists.

    This may surprise some, but I actually like this level a lot. The hardest mission ever? No contest. Just something about it makes this level cool. The civil war breaking down between the Elites and the Brutes was interesting to see in the gameplay sequence, especially towards the end with the cool music inserted.

    You must find a way to live to get past the locked door. They pull out every single force here. Chief knew he was in a fight all by himself. Little did he know he got set up when the Flood makes their way to High Charity.

    This level is probably the longest Halo level, while High Charity (the second part to this battle) is probably the shortest. I like watching the Elites and Brutes fight each other and just watching.

    Sometimes I'd be right near a Brute and Elite shooting at each other, and they wouldn't even look at me. One time I killed a Brute in front of an Elite, and the Elite congratulated me but then started shooting at me. Overall, a good level.

  4. Delta Halo

    The Master Chief lands on the surface of Delta Halo with Marines to secure a Covenant artifact site. The level features diverse terrain, from beaches to ancient ruins, with both ground and vehicle combat. It ends with the Chief infiltrating a Covenant temple complex.

    After defeating the Covenant's big superweapon in Mombasa, you follow them through a portal to the next Halo ring. You are to stop the Prophet of Regret as he was cited to have an icon of his own. In the midst of it all, you have a cool opening of dropping down your pod and making noise with a rocket launcher for your troubles.

    This one also tests your sniping skills at one point with Jackals. It's not as bad as the other levels, though, as the placement of enemies isn't as unforgiving, avoiding trial and error. At the very end of this section, you have a fight with three high guard Elites before being greeted with a hologram of Regret.

  5. The Great Journey

    In the game's final mission, the Arbiter leads a charge to stop Tartarus from activating the Halo ring. Players ally with human forces and pilot a Scarab to breach the control room. The level concludes with the defeat of Tartarus and the deactivation of the Halo ring.

    The final mission in the game ends on a high note. Arbiter settles the score with Tartarus once and for all. Once again, you fight your way through many Brutes trying to stop you. You also realize that this is the only time you ally yourself with Hunters. Sadly, they didn't join forces in Halo 3 for whatever reason.

    After busting your way on top of a pillar, you are greeted by Sgt. Johnson, who isn't taken captive and is controlling a scarab. There's an easier way of getting into the control room without fighting the last remaining Brutes by carefully doing an infamous glitch. Tartarus being the final boss is very fitting since everything else that was thrown at you was alright or wasn't exactly done right. Still, it was the right call to end like this, setting up the final battle in the next game of the trilogy.

  6. Uprising

    This level follows the Arbiter as he battles through Covenant forces loyal to the Brutes after the Sangheili are betrayed. Set across a series of canyons and Forerunner structures, the Arbiter pushes toward the Control Room. The mission highlights the internal civil war within the Covenant.

    This level is just so important to the story. It shows the beginning of the Great Schism and shows the Brutes starting to murder the Elites. I love the outside part when you get to drive the Ghost down the river. It's just a really great level.

    Uprising is not that bad. If you know how to use Arbiter the right way, you can easily get past the hard parts of the level. You manage to link back up with Rtas, convincing him that the Brutes were never to be trusted.

  7. Outskirts

    The mission starts immediately after the Covenant attack on Earth, with the Master Chief fighting through the streets of Old Mombasa. The level includes close-quarters combat through buildings and across rooftops. It ends with the player escaping to the next section of the city.

    Great opening cutscene where you're immediately interested in this new Covenant superweapon that took down your Pelican. The part most didn't like too much was the defend this area section against endless waves of Covenant forces. Once the Hunters came down, the coast was clear... until you got owned by the Jackal snipers. Things get intense. Watch your head at all times on this level. This and Regret will make you rage with these snipers, let me tell you.

    This is a great level. I love the ending when you go through the tunnels past groups of Buggers and little bases along the way. Then you drive up to a Shadow that you have to kill. Then there's another Shadow, and another. (I think there are 7 total.)

  8. Cairo Station

    Set aboard a defense platform in Earth's orbit, this opening level introduces players to Halo 2's upgraded gameplay mechanics. The Master Chief repels a Covenant boarding assault and prevents the destruction of the orbital defense system. It ends with him boarding a Covenant ship heading toward Earth.

    Cool throwback to how things started with the original game. For a first mission, they throw almost every Elite type at you right away. You also find out you can dual-wield weapons for more ammo. The choice is yours how you wanna dive in headfirst. Towards the end, you have to disable a bomb guarded by all Elites. If you're able to get past that, you get the best cutscene in the entire game showing how awesome Master Chief is. Taking chances like this was epic.

    You just leave an award ceremony and then go to war. I like when you get outside and have to kill the guys guarding the door to the MAC gun. Then you fight piles of guys guarding a bomb, which you disarm and then fire at the Covenant cruiser that dropped it there.

  9. Regret

    The Master Chief tracks and confronts one of the Covenant Hierarchs on Delta Halo. The level combines underwater travel, temple exploration, and large-scale battles against Covenant forces. It ends with the Chief killing Regret before being captured by the Gravemind.

    The longest level is also one of the hardest too. Regret could have been a memorable, cool, enduring experience, but it's just not. You fight through a never-ending tunnel of gondola rides, Jackal snipers with pinpoint accuracy, and the high-ranked Elite guards with swords, all having you taken out in front of Regret. No wonder at the ending cutscene Chief runs for his life. I would too after that act of torment you went through to take down one of the three Prophets.

    I love when you get to kill Regret and ride on the gondola to the place where he's hiding. Then watching Master Chief jump into a lake and get picked up by the Gravemind.

  10. The Arbiter

    This level introduces players to the Arbiter, an Elite warrior tasked with retrieving a Heretic leader. Set in a Forerunner gas mine, it establishes the Arbiter's perspective within the Covenant hierarchy. The mission emphasizes stealth and aerial combat with Banshees.

    This is an alright first mission to play as an Elite (The Arbiter) for the first time. It was a cool idea at the time. This part of chasing a Heretic has you following a Phantom with a Banshee as support for the latter portion.

    This level introduces the Arbiter (Thel 'Vadam), who recently was sentenced to be hung by his entrails but instead became the Arbiter to go on a suicide mission, which he survives. Anyway, the level is pretty good. You get to fly in a Banshee and kill lots of Heretic Banshees.

    11. The Newcomers
  11. ?

    The Heretic

    This level serves as a short prologue introducing the Arbiter's storyline. It includes cinematic sequences of the High Council and the Arbiter's branding ceremony. Player control begins afterward during The Arbiter level.

  12. ?

    The Armory

    The game's introductory mission takes place on the UNSC space station Cairo Station. It functions as a tutorial where players calibrate weapons and shields before the Covenant assault begins. The mission transitions directly into Cairo Station.

    13. The Contenders

  13. High Charity

    This level takes place inside the Covenant capital city orbiting Delta Halo. The Master Chief battles both Covenant and Flood forces as civil war erupts following Regret's death. It ends with the Chief pursuing the Prophet of Truth.

    The terrifying experience that is High Charity has the player fight or flee from horde after horde of Flood.

    With a couple of eerie, bird-like notes playing once every few minutes, making up the entire soundtrack to the level, along with the now fully exposed howls of the parasites, it makes for a heart-stopping chapter. The player stares down charging Flood or tries to find a way to sneak past the undead, lest a scream from a Combat Form alert the local horde.

  14. The Oracle

    Continuing from The Arbiter, this level follows the Arbiter as he pursues the Heretic Leader inside a Forerunner gas facility. The mission features vertical combat zones and encounters with Sentinels. It ends with the Arbiter executing the Heretic and escaping the collapsing station.

    At least The Oracle had a boss fight that had something to the Heretic leader, unlike the fight with Regret which was a joke. Most of the level, though, is super tedious.

    You have to take down a majority of the Flood to proceed after the chase to the Heretic leader first.

  15. Sacred Icon

    The Arbiter descends into a vast Forerunner structure on Delta Halo to retrieve the Index. Players face heavy resistance from Sentinels and the Flood. The level transitions directly into Quarantine Zone upon completion.

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