Halo (Halo: Combat Evolved level)

For other uses of the word Halo, see here.

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Halo
Game:	Halo: Combat Evolved (Anniversary)
File name (?):	a30
Player:	Master Chief
Date:	September 19, 2552
Location:	On the surface of Installation 04
Objective(s):	Search for other lifeboats and protect the survivors until extraction arrives
Par Time:	00:20:00 (Master Chief Collection-only)
Par Score:	12,000 (Master Chief Collection-only)
	Halopedia has a walkthrough guide for this level; see CE:Halo/Walkthrough.

“

Seek out surviving Marines and help them fight the Covenant.

”

Halo is the second campaign level in Halo: Combat Evolved. Set on the morning of September 19, 2552, it gives the player the first "on the ground" view of Installation 04. As the only survivor from the Bumblebee escape pod crash, John-117 fights against the marauding Covenant forces, while searching for and rescuing other survivors from the Pillar of Autumn. This is the first level in the game in which Kig-yar and Banshees are encountered.

In 2026 the level was remade entirely for inclusion in Halo: Campaign Evolved.

Transcript

Flawless Cowboy

{Original Cutscene} {Anniversary Cutscene}

Bumblebee lifeboat LFA-43, moments before crashing.

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

The Bumblebee flies over a cliff, trailing smoke. Switch to John-117's point of view as he watches from inside as the craft heads towards the ground at an alarming rate.

• Taylor: "Damn! Air brake failure! They blew too early! I'm losin' her. Brace for impact!"

A violent crash is heard. Fade to white.

{Gameplay}

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

John-117 on the surface of the ring.

All of the Marines sit dead on their chairs. A few of the bodies rest outside of the lifepod. Weapons and ammunition scatter around the pod's exit. The Master Chief exits the lifepod.

• Cortana: (quietly) "The others...the impact. There's nothing we can do."

If the player heads to the waterfall's direction:

• Cortana: "I'm reading thousands of types of flora. The ring's ecosystem is incredibly sophisticated."

The Chief approaches the bridge, the only way deeper into the valley:

• Cortana: "Warning! I've detected multiple Covenant drop ships on approach. I recommend moving into those hills. If we're lucky, the Covenant will believe that everyone aboard this lifeboat died in the crash."

As the Chief reach the other side of the bridge, a Spirit dropship flies over him.

• Cortana: "Alert! Covenant Dropship inbound! They must be looking for survivors. I recommend immediate evasion!"

If the player lingers near the crashed lifepod:

• Cortana: "Alert! Covenant dropship has detected us, here they come."

A Covenant Spirit dropship lands and drops off a Covenant lance. Two Banshee fighters patrol the area. The Chief either eliminates or evades the dropped Covenant troops and proceeds through a canyon.

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

The Chief approaches a large structure where a group of stranded Marines are battling the Covenant. He assists the struggling Marines and eliminates the Covenant troops. Two Marines approach him.

• Private Bisenti: "Good to see you, sir! Welcome to the party!"

or

• Private Bisenti: "Good to see you, sir! I thought we were the only ones to make it off of the Pillar of Autumn!"

or

• Private Bisenti: "Thank God you're here, Master Chief. I thought we were in real trouble."

• Staff Sergeant Avery Junior Johnson: (sighs) "It's a mess, sir. We're scattered all over this valley. We called 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 Manuel Mendoza (COM): "Heads up! I got a Covenant dropship headin' in, over here!"

The Chief heads behind the structure to deal with the Covenant forces.

• Mendoza (COM): "Look sharp! Covenant dropship on approach! I could use some help over here!"

The UNSC forces deal with the next wave.

• Mendoza (COM): "Uh-oh, another bandit droppin' in behind us! They're tryin' to flank us!"

If all of the Marines are dead:

• Cortana: "We couldn't save them... I recommend to stay here and wait for extraction."

If the player begin to leave the area:

• Cortana: "Where are you going? The lifeboat beacon is our only chance to getting reunited with the rest of the crew, we need to stay with it."

After a few more waves of Covenant, a Pelican dropship appears from the cliffs.

• Flight Captain Carol Rawley (COM): "This is Pelican Echo 419. Anybody read me? Repeat: any UNSC personnel, respond."

• Marine or Cortana (COM): "Roger, Echo 419. This is Fire Team Charlie. We read you. Is that you, Foehammer?"

Or

• Johnson (COM): "Roger, Echo 419. This is Fire Team Charlie. We read you, five by five. Is that you, Foehammer?"

• Rawley (COM): "Roger, Fire Team Charlie. Good to hear from ya!"

• Marine or Johnson (COM): "If you're not too busy, Foehammer, we could use a lift. We have survivors to transport to the Command Shuttle."

Or

• Cortana (COM): "Foehammer, we need transportation to the Command Shuttle."

• Rawley (COM): "I'm on my way."

• 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 soldiers."

The Pelican deploys its Warthog.

• Rawley (COM): "Roger, Cortana. Okay, Charlie Team, Warthog deployed. Saddle up and give 'em hell!"

• Cortana (COM): "Roger, Foehammer. Stand by to evac survivors and transport them to safety."

• Rawley (COM): "That's affirmative. Echo 419 staying on station. Foehammer out."

• Cortana: "The Master Chief and I need some backup, can you spare a few men?"

• Johnson: "Sure, Cortana. All right ladies, volunteers step up on the double! The rest of you, get to the dropship."

Or

• PFC M. Fitzgerald: "Sure, Cortana. All right, who's in? Volunteers step up on the double! The rest of you, get to the dropship."

One marine stays behind to accompany the Chief. The other survivors get aboard the Pelican which takes off.

If the player walks away from the dropped Warthog towards the distant cave:

• Cortana: "We'll need that Warthog if we want to get to the other lifeboats in time."

If the player explores the area on foot or delays for more than five minutes:

• Cortana: "Survivors would probably stick close to their emergency beacons."

A Navigation point appears on the distant cave.

• Cortana: "We need to find where each lifeboat has landed."

The Chief's Warthog approaches a large cave structure.

• Cortana: "This cave is not a natural formation. Someone built it, so it must lead somewhere."

The Chief drives into the cave.

• Cortana: "I've hacked into the Covenant battlenet. They're actually broadcasting tactical data on unencrypted channels! We should show them who they're dealing with. Master Chief, I'm going to use your suit's transponder system to monitor their chatter."

After navigating the tunnels, the Chief emerges in a large cavern, with a chasm dividing the floor into two halves. There is no visible way to cross. Covenant forces occupy his side of the cavern. He kills all the Covenant present.

• Cortana: "There