Halo 2 Levels Ranked

Halo 2. The game that brought the blockbuster mentality to video games, became a cultural/global phenomenon overnight. It pushed the boundaries of storytelling, being more cinematic, offering a deeper, richer story in its universe, and of course, pioneered online multiplayer. And infamous for its development/crunch.

Its story is my favorite of the series, and one of the best in gaming. Made better through its varied levels. So let’s count them down and discuss them! (Note: won’t be ranking the first two because they’re just cutscenes/training sequence.)

13. The Sacred Icon

Playing as The Arbiter is fun, and using his invisibility to bypass Flood is cool, but this level reminds me of The Library. Tight, repetitive corridors that go on endlessly. You get jackals and grunts as allies for  bit, but you’re mostly by yourself. I was so relieved to get out of the Flood infested areas to a snowy camp, defending yourself with Elite allies. But this levels is just bleh. Using human weapons as an Elite is cool. Adding in the Sentinel Enforcer is nice, and seeing previous battles of UNSC Marines, chasing after the humans, was interesting. Too bad you couldn’t kill any humans.

12. The Oracle

The introduction to The Flood in Halo 2 is a little underwhelming, but worst of all is the slow pace of this level and its design. Staying on a slow moving elevator is of no fun, even today, and I always dread it. The gameplay is grinded to a halt, and it becomes tedious. It picks up as you chase the Heretic Leader, causing the Forerunner facility to freefall to destruction, chasing him in a banshee, avoiding the other Heretics and Flood fighting each other. And the boss fight is decent, needing to avoid the real Heretic and his two holograms. But the first half always turns me away from playing this level.

11. Uprising

Poor Arbiter. He gets a bad rep because his levels aren’t all that good. The main objective of this mission to exact revenge on the Brutes for betraying your kind, and while thematically/narratively makes sense, this level feels aimless, directionless, almost pointless. But it’s still good. The beginning, stealthy avoiding Brutes while seeing your dead brothers, the sombre music, very well done. You feel sympathy for a species that, as the Mater Chief, were your arch-rivals. Rallying scattered survivors, just killing your way through Brute after Brute, is enjoyable. But there’s really not much to this level, so it’s almost forgettable.

10. High Charity

The final level you play as Chief is decent. Not bombastic, but good. It’s the only time he fights the Flood in this game. Seeing the Flood decimate High Charity, this massive floating planet almost, with such ease, is disturbing. Covenant troops valiantly fight, but are easily consumed by the horde. Hearing Gravemind speak over the Intercom is chilly, and plays up the tense, horror atmosphere. But it’s more linear, corridor design, and a bit too short for my taste. Still, seeing the Covenant and Flood fight each other is always a win. Too bad you didn’t see Elites fighting, a three-way battle could’ve been epic.

9. Quarantine Zone

Your mission as Arbiter is to get Halo’s activation key, and you need to beat the UNSC to it. Fighting through vast open snowy areas as Flood and Sentinels kill each other (would’ve been great to fight the UNSC, missed opportunity) gives a sense of epicness to it. And having Flood pilot vehicles, wow, another evolution of this monstrosity, and adds interesting gameplay. Driving the various Covenant and UNSC vehicles is cool, but rocket-launcher flood that hone in on your vehicle is not. Fortunately there’s only a couple of them. Though you’re on a gondola ride, it’s a bit more interesting because it moves, and it’s bigger than the elevator sequence in The Oracle. Definitely a strong Arbiter mission.

8. Cairo Station

Another great opening level. The beginning of the Covenant’s invasion of Earth. Defending the station is always a blast, and looking out the window onto Earth, what a site. It’s more intense because you’re defending humanity’s home world. Oh, and there’s a bomb on the station. No big deal. Though you’re not timed, it’s still intense, and fighting through space was awesome, if short. Seeing other stations blow up adds pressure, and at the end, it’s all capped off with an incredible, jaw-dropping cutscene. It's a bombastic opening level that shows you, you’re in for an incredible, wild ride with Halo 2. 

7. Regret

This is a fun level that sees you traversing underwater a lot in Delta Halo, which was new for the series. The encounters are fun, exploration, discovery are well done, but for me, just feels a bit slow at times. But fortunately, your main objective is clear, dangerous, and fun; kill the Prophet of Regret. Riding that gondola to his tower in the middle of the lake was awesome, but just wondering what’s waiting for you there? While the boss battle itself isn’t particularly interesting, you need to mind your surroundings, as sword-wielding Elite honour guards are everywhere, thus upping the challenge. A very solid level from beginning to end.

6. The Arbiter

The first level as the Arbiter was another great twist. Using invisibility, seeing the side of the Covenant, how they function, brilliant. Having Elites and Grunts on your side was a lot of fun. Gameplay is strong in this level, needing to stealthily take out a rogue group of Covenant heretics, with a big focus on using the energy sword, a playable weapon now. Level design is a bit repetitive, but it’s not too long a level. I really enjoyed the atmosphere, using invisibility to sneak around added new gameplay. And the final part of the level, a banshee section, was great, especially when there’s so few in the series. Just a fun level I enjoy whenever I start it up.

5. The Great Journey

The final level in Halo 2 is different. Playing as Arbiter, you need to break into the control room, confront your rival, Brute Chieftain Tartarus, and stop him from activating Halo. Starting off in a wraith tank, you blast your way through Brute defenses. Then you get Hunters on your side. Awesome! Just stay behind them and let them bash and crush their way through Brutes. Then you need to rescue some UNSC marines! Then, take a banshee and escort a Scarab, protect it, so it can blow through the doors to the control room. This level provides high-octane action the entire time. Especially as it caps off with killing Tartarus. A great boss fight, seeing him use his hammer to send Elite allies flying, waiting for his shield to drain, avoid him, it was very well done. And so satisfying to kill him. While Halo 2 s controversial with its cliff-hanger ending, I don’t have a problem with it. Gameplay, and narrative wise, this is a strong final level.

4. Metropolis

Love the beginning of this level. Going along the bride, over the other side of New Mombasa, just blasting Covenant vehicles, is such a thrill. Then when you emerge from the sewers, you get to operate a Gauss turret warthog, another new vehicle. Linking up with marines, seeing a Scarab tear its way through your defenses, you knew it would be a tough vehicle to take down. And while cornering it and picking off soldiers from up above it cool, you don’t actually get to destroy it. So it’s a bit underwhelming, but the music and atmosphere make you feel bad-ass. The first half of the level really does it for me, why it ranks so high.

3. Delta Halo

A classic level in the Halo series. Arriving at another Halo, using a pod to drop right in the middle of a Covenant camp, fighting your way through ancient ruins, first with a warthog, then a tank, it’s always a blast to play through. When you link up with Marines and get a cache of weapons, I love giving my allies different types each time I play through. Going to a waterfall that leads to a valley, sniping my way through, then emerging to a lake gondola, and needing to take out sword wielding Elite honor guards; this level just has a bit of everything minus an air vehicle section, but you can destroy banshees. It’s paced very well, level design isn’t repetitive, the encounters and set pieces are different, it’s just so much fun the entire time.

2. Outskirts

The first level taking place on Earth is one of my all-time favorite of the series. The opening with the Scarab destroying your trio of pelicans was awesome. The defence section that follows is really good. Because you have a main area to stay and defend (with a 50. Cal turret), but you can move around. Covenant forces come from all sides, and up above, both on rooftops and flying Drones. A phantom dropship delvers more troops, before a pair of Hunters come after you. It’s not the elevator section in The Oracle, thus why I quite enjoy this defensive section. The making your way through the city’s streets, then gaining a warthog and taking out Covenant groups and vehicles along the beach. And it’s capped off with driving through an underground highway. If you can gather Marines in the extra warthogs, you got a full-fledged convoy at your disposal.

But what makes this level even better is the openness and ability to freely go anywhere. Well timed grenade jumps offer you the chance to skip entire sections of the level, great for speed runners. Or get the jump on Covenant. It’s a level jam packed with various encounters, set pieces, and is a top tier experience the whole time.

1. Gravemind

The level that changed Halo’s story. The start of the Covenant Civil War. As Chief, your only access for weapons are Covenant, but finally, you get to fight Brutes and use the Brute Shot. I love seeing the Covenant tear each other apart, and hearing the Prophet of Truth’s discussions over the city’s intercom adds to the atmosphere. You’re in the heart of hostile territory, made worse with the warring factions.

The view of High Charity is sight I always enjoy seeing. All enemies are present, and fortunately, level design isn’t too repetitive. This is just all out war, and I love it. The final sequence, just hang back and enjoy as the Covenant fight, made better with Breaking Benjamin’s Blow Me Away song playing. Or join in the chaos.

The added story beat is the introduction of the flood Gravemind, seeing the Flood’s evolution is made not only gross, but terrifying, especially when it takes over your ship, and starts spreading outside of Halo. And while not as present, the Arbiter’s realization of Halo, and his alliance begin in this level. His character arch/journey take an important turn.

So it’s got everything from gameplay, story, atmosphere, design, set-pieces. One of my absolute favorite’s across the entire series.

So that’s my ranking of Halo 2’s missions. Thoughts? What are yours? Comment below.