Gameplay

H4:Forerunner

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Requiem

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Infinity

Forerunner
H4 Forerunner Loadscreen.png

Game:

Halo 4

File name (?):

m30_cryptum[1]

Player:

Master Chief

Date:

July 21, 2557

Location:

Core of Requiem

Objective(s):

Disable the two relay pylons, reach the satellite, and warn the UNSC Infinity.

Par Time:

00:20:00 (Master Chief Collection-only)

Par Score:

25,000 (Master Chief Collection-only)

Main-Legendary.png

Halopedia has a walkthrough guide for this level; see H4:Forerunner/Walkthrough.

 
“ Master Chief tracks the Infinity's signal to Requiem's core in the hopes of returning Cortana to Earth to address her rampancy. ”

Forerunner is the fourth campaign level of Halo 4, and the third one with actual gameplay.[2]

Completing the level earns the player the "Forerunner" achievement, worth 10 Gamerscore points. The level-exclusive achievement "This is my Rifle, This is my Gun" is awarded for carrying a UNSC weapon all the way through the level on Heroic or Legendary, worth 20 Gamerscore points.[3]

In Halo: The Master Chief Collection, "Forerunner" and "This is my Rifle, this is my Gun", unlockable with the same respective criteria, are now worth 10 Gamerscore points. "Lord of Admirals", worth 5 Gamerscore points, is awarded for finding and accessing the terminal in the level. Beating the level's 20 minute par time and 22,000 point par score unlocks "Raging in the Dark" and "Shadow of Sundered Star", respectively, each worth 10 Gamerscore points.

Summary[edit]

The level is mainly set in a rocky region under the habitable surface of the shield world Requiem, as well as a series of Forerunner structures, including two relay pylons and a satellite station inside the shell enveloping the shield world. The prototype UNSC warship UNSC Infinity has arrived near Requiem to investigate Cortana's distress beacon, and the Master Chief must disable two beam towers that are causing communications interference preventing Cortana from contacting the Infinity in order to warn the ship about Requiem's defenses. During the level, the player faces opposition from both the Prometheans occupying the shield world as well as Covenant remnant forces. The assault on the first pylon primarily involves combat on foot, while the second one is more vehicle-focused. After deactivating the second beam tower, the Chief uses a series of translocation portals to reach what Cortana assumes to be a relay satellite, while Covenant remnant warships converge on the same location; instead of a communications relay, however, the satellite turns out to house a Cryptum.[4] The finale of the level introduces the primary antagonist of the game,[5] the Promethean leader known as the Didact.[2] With Requiem's core collapsing, the Master Chief flees to a portal back to the surface on a Ghost, arriving in time to witness the Infinity, out of control, coming through Requiem's atmosphere broadcasting a distress signal. With the Didact's Cryptum chasing the Infinity, the Master Chief sets out to help the stricken ship.

Transcript[edit]

{Gameplay}

The slipspace portal delivers John into a small Forerunner room. Four autosentry units line the walls.

  • Cortana: "Some sort of advanced defense AIs. Related to the Sentinels, I'm guessing, but it's hard to say without a closer look. C'mon, let's figure out where that transit system dumped us."

John-117 leaves the room and enters a platform inside Requiem's core - a hollow sphere of gigantic proportions.

BURIED AND FORGOTTEN[edit]

Halo 4 press kit image featuring the campaign level Forerunner.
Cortana observing the core of Requiem.
  • Cortana: "Put me in the console."

John approaches a console at the end of the platform and inserts Cortana's data crystal chip into it.

{Cutscene}

John and Cortana observe the area. A distant purple sphere hovers in an otherwise empty expanse, with two energy beams anchoring it to the core's inner surface.

  • John-117: "Where's Infinity?"
  • Cortana: "This is Requiem's core, all right, but Infinity is definitely not here."

Cortana brings up a holographic panel in front of her.

  • Cortana: "That satellite in the center is amplifying the ship's broadcasts like a relay."
  • John-117: "Maybe we can use it to respond."
  • Cortana: "Perhaps."

Cortana access several other options on the screen.

  • Cortana: "Those beams coming off of it are creating the interference we've been experiencing. We'd have to take them out to contact Infinity."
  • John-117: "Can you get us there?"

Cortana presses a final prompt, opening a nearby translocation portal.

  • Cortana: "Opening a gate to the first beam pylon. Pull me, and let's go."

John retrieves Cortana from the terminal and readies his rifle.

{Gameplay}

John enters the portal and arrives at a small hallway.

  • John-117: "This is the first pylon?"

The Chief exits into a tight canyon. A schematic is displayed on his HUD, showing the path to the pylon.

  • Cortana: "Negative, this is as close as I could get us. Hope you don't mind hoofing it a little."
The first pylon, looming over the cliffs.

The Chief exits into a small valley, where mechanical quadrupeds are crawling over the rocks. The nearby skyline is dominated by the pylon.

  • Cortana: "Contacts!"

The automatons hastily retreat as John approaches. He continues on, encountering more of them in the next valley.

  • Cortana: "And they're back! Coming down the walls!"

John quickly defeats the Crawlers and resumes his journey.

  • John-117: "Those weren't the same things we saw in the Terminus."
  • Cortana: "Similar cortical footprints as the tower AIs... They're connected, all right."

John activates a hard light bridge. Crossing the bridge, he enters another valley.

  • Cortana: "Look out!"

{Cutscene}

John looks up just in time to see a Promethean Knight crashing down from above. The Knight knocks John on the ground, emptying his shields, and screams; its faceplate splits open, revealing a glowing blue skull that is disturbingly human. John punches the Knight's head and then kicks its abdomen, knocking the machine off him. Snarling, the Knight quickly teleports away.

  • Cortana: "Well he's just a ray of sunshine, isn't he?"

{Gameplay}

  • Cortana: "From that peek under the hood, I'd say these constructs must be mimetic in nature."
Halo 4 press kit image featuring the campaign level Forerunner.
Multiple Knights observe the Chief's progress from the cliffs.

John arrives at a cliff edge. Knights are seen phasing away from the opposite rocks.

  • John-117: "More of them?"
  • Cortana: "Similar phasing activity at the edge of our sensors. We're about to get busy!"

John enters another small valley. A Knight teleports into the area as Crawlers come into view. The Knight releases a Promethean Watcher from its back and attacks the Chief, as several other Knights observe from atop the canyon. John eventually eliminates all hostiles, causing the observing Knights to teleport away. The Chief enters a doorway on the far side of the valley, which leads into a hallway stocked with Forerunner ordnance.

  • Cortana: "I've discovered something interesting about our new friends. When the big ones explode, that momentary flash we're seeing is actually a data purge."

A schematic of a Knight is displayed. As the Knight dissolves, a data stream is extracted and translated by Cortana.

  • John-117: "Can you tap into it?"
  • Cortana: "So far, I've pulled multiple strings referring to the big ones as "Promethean Knights". Beyond that, though, things get a bit dense."

The Chief exits into a large cavern, disposing of more Knights and Crawlers along the way. As he approaches a raised platform