If you can’t logon to Xbox Live to open Foundation (a remake of a level from the Bungie classic Marathon), there is another way. Beat Halo 2 and start a co-op game on the last level with a new profile for the second player. Make sure that player does a barrel roll in a Banshee, then finish the game again. Now go to multiplayer and Foundation is unlocked!

Secret Weapons

Forget the missing explosives in Iraq; there are enough weapons hidden away all over New Mombasa and the rest of Halo 2 to give Hans Blix a two-foot boner. For example: Get up to the rooftops in Outskirts—see our handy how-to pic for details—to find a sniper rifle and a bunch of ammo. (As for the two mysterious numbers up there, 1 and 7, any significance to them? “There is,” says Mission Designer Tyson Green. “It’s something that’s obvious once you know what it is, but I’m not going to say...it’s just a hint that tells you the nature of something.”)

True explorers can even find an energy sword early on in that same map (at right, with stones spelling out Green’s nickname, “Rex”). “[There’s something hidden] on almost every mission,” he says.

License to Drive

Ever try driving the Warthog over the barriers and out of the tunnel in Metropolis? Or later in that same level, running down and moving the tank before it gets fried by the Covenant Scarab? How about getting out and jacking that Banshee that flies in when you cross the bridge into New Mombasa? “People think that multiplayer is where you can fool around and experiment,” says Bungie Content Manager Frank O’Connor, “but there’s plenty to try in single player, too. It’s a big playground.”

Unlock the Secret Multiplayer Level

If you can’t logon to Xbox Live to open Foundation (a remake of a level from the Bungie classic Marathon), there is another way. Beat Halo 2 and start a co-op game on the last level with a new profile for the second player. Make sure that player does a barrel roll in a Banshee, then finish the game again. Now go to multiplayer and Foundation is unlocked!

Legendary Differences

“There are all kinds of tweaks and differences in Legendary [difficulty],” says Bungie Studio Manager Pete Parsons. Give the game’s toughest setting a try; not only will you gain a new appreciation for Halo 2’s A.I. and level design, you’ll also find new encounters, altered bosses, and different cut-scenes. The key to surviving this supertough mode? Charged plasma pistol shots to take down Elite shields, followed by a bullet to the head.

Show Tartarus Who’s Boss

While the final battle boss battle is a joke on Normal difficulty, in Heroic or especially Legendary, it’s another story. Try this trick: Wait on the top platform, at the lip of the gravity lift. Peek over until you can just barely see Tartarus (see pic below). For some reason he will often freeze at the base of the beam of light. Wait until Johnson lowers his shield and then blast him in the head with whatever weapons you got. If he comes upstairs, fall back down to the lower level and immediately take the gravity lift back up top to lose him. And don’t even try to take on the honor guard brutes that show up; stay on the top level and wait for your own reinforcements (they will come eventually) to handle them. Be patient and you’ll win the day!

Free the Hunters

Don’t dirty your paws with the blood of those savage brutes—let the hunters do it for you. When you come upon the prison section of the Great Journey, free your giant brothers first by grenading the shield generator in front of their cell. They’ll take care of those big apes, then free the rest of the prisoners.

What’s with the Brutes’ Red Plasma Rifle?

Yes, there is a difference beyond just the color. “It fires a bit faster,” says Mission Designer Green, “makes it overheat faster—a bit more of a finesse weapon.” So why have a different version of the gun in the first place? “We want the brutes to have [their own] distinct weapon,” says Green. “We have the brute shot, but you can’t give that to every brute because it’s very potent. If every brute had a brute shot, you’d be in a lot of trouble.”

Outfit Your Marines

The ability to exchange guns with your fellow marines can be much more than a selfish exercise in getting the best weapon. Especially after a supply drop, take a minute to walk around and give your backup troops the best weapons for the upcoming section. (Note: They won’t trade you a weapon you already have, or accept the energy sword or brute shot.) “On the level Regret,” says Studio Manager Parsons, “I’ll go in and outfit them with the sniper rifles. As the towers come in, they’re actually tagging guys so I can run around and [do clean-up] with the shotgun, or use the battle rifle at more midrange.” While you’re swapping weapons, try grabbing the big guns from your comrades and sticking them with pea-shooters like the human pistol for some hilarious one-liners.

Take the Road Less Traveled

Try climbing up on top of levels—it’s kind of like hiking, only you don’t have to go outside or exercise! Two good ways to get where you’re not supposed to: Maneuver and/or pile up vehicles then jump up them, or play co-op and use your partner’s head as a step up to wherever you want to go. You might even find a couple easter eggs (or maybe a giant soccer ball) for your efforts.

Skull and Bones

Scattered throughout Halo 2 are mysterious skulls that can grant you special powers. The easiest to get is in Outskirts: Go through the flashing door at the very start and perform two crouch jumps (press crouch at the top of the jump) to get on top of the light and then the roof. It’s down the hall to the left; pick it up as you would any weapon. Other skulls can be found in the Banshee section of Arbiter, and in Regret, Delta Halo, and others, sometimes only in Legendary difficulty. Happy hunting!

Copyright © 2004 Ziff Davis Media Inc. All Rights Reserved. Originally appearing in Electronic Gaming Monthly.