Metropolis
Beginner Goals:
Easy: ~4:30; Legendary: ~6:00
Intermediate Goals:
Easy: ~4:15; Legendary: ~4:45
World Class Goals:
Easy: ~3:55; Legendary: ~4:10
IL Records:
Easy: 3:33; Legendary: 3:52
Segmented Times:
Legendary: 3:19.466
Metropolis is the fourth playable level in Halo 2. See Metropolis (level) for general information.
HaloRuns record page: https://haloruns.com/leaderboards/h2a/solo/metro
Contents
[hide]The Bridge
Easy
Immediately after skipping the cutscene, run to the Warthog, leave the two marines behind, and drive to the end of the bridge.
Legendary
Take the rocket launcher from your ally before getting in the warthog. Make sure you take at least one marine as a passenger before to provide damage absorption.
The Tunnels
Easy
At the first barrier, after driving past a small red truck and blue bus, there is a driving maneuver you can do to get up to the ledge as quickly as possible: while driving forward, turn left then turn right. This will take some practice, but it'll be worth it. View some IL times to see the exact driving line you want to take.
Legendary
The legendary strategy is the same as the Easy strategy, but much riskier. This section will take time and practice to become consistent at.
Outside, Post-Tunnels
Easy
Drive off the ledge in front of you into the area. Drive through the water towards the exit, trying to maintain a straight line. Drive past the wraith and into the streets. Focus on keeping a tight driving line and avoiding crashing into enemies or walls.
Legendary
The route is the same as the Easy route, but more dangerous. When you initially leave the tunnels, try to splatter the jackal sniper in front of you if possible. Driving quickly is paramount in this section, as lingering will increase your odds of dying.
The Streets
Easy
Drive towards the left Wraith, hop out before getting too close and use the board-nade glitch to kill it quickly. Hop in the Wraith, adjust your position and aim at the second Wraith while the mortar is being armed. It takes four direct mortar hits to destroy it, less if the Hog assists. Looking up, boost towards the building and shoot the Phantom's turrets and Ghosts. Boost again towards the building and quickly head upstairs. Take the rocket launcher and shotgun from marines.
Legendary
The Jackal snipers will make it more difficult to get past this section.
Keeping your Hog somewhat angled to avoid being sniped out of the driver seat, hop out before getting too close to the Wraith and use the board-nade glitch to remove it's hatch, start meleeing the pilot, and then do the trick again. Get in the Wraith, turning Chief away from the snipers. Kill the snipers. Moving towards the building, target the second Wraith (about four hits is a good start) before focusing on the Phantom. Finishing off the Wraith, boost towards the building. Retrieve the pilot's plasma rifle from the wreckage.
Safe: Carrying over the sniper rifle will allow you to eliminate the snipers before proceeding. After driving past the two Ghosts that engage the Hog in this area, keep going straight and behind the building up ahead. From here, you can snipe the Jackals then attempt the yolo strat. If you carried over the sword as well, sword fly to the right Wraith.
Be sure to grab rocket launcher ammo from your ally before heading up the stairs.
Early Scarab
Method 1: Grenade Jump
You need two frags for this method. Jump onto the small cylinder, look down, crouch, throw a frag, wait for a second, and jump forward to land on the antennae. From up here, you have enough time to destroy the Scorpion to speed up the Scarab (otherwise it will always attack the Scorpion before proceeding). Position yourself in the middle of the antennae. Aim around the left corner of the wall with the Tterrab sign.
Audio cue: When Sgt. Banks pauses between 'I don't think it's stopping' and 'Keep your head down', look straight down and nade jump towards the Scarab.
Visual cue: Watch the turret marine, after he gets off and his feet touches the ground, look straight down and nade jump towards the Scarab.
Method 2: Superbouncing (H2C only)
For those who have difficulties with grenade jumps, the superbounce may be a good alternative. This method requires the player to jump back down to where the allied tank is stationed. Using the ramp upon which the tank sits, the player can store a crouch allowing for a superbounce.
Firstly, head to the left of this ramp and crouch underneath. Push against the underside of the ramp and then let go of the crouch button (from here until you are in the air make sure you do not press the crouch button). Slowly move out from under the ramp, jump onto the ramp and then make your way up it. Hold forward until you are approximately half way across the width of the bridge. At this point jump and keep holding forward. If you land along the correct line you should superbounce straight up and should be able to land upon the scarab.
The issues the player may encounter with this trick will likely be failure to bounce or bouncing too high. The former is usually caused by the player either failing to store the crouch correctly or landing too far left. The latter is usually caused by jumping too far right or jumping too late (see example below).
Method 3: Long Jump
Method 4: Moon Jump
Once you get on the Scarab, go to the front of the Scarab which will make it go down faster. The enemies will spawn when the Scarab reaches a certain point, but you must be standing at the bottom of the ramp leading to the control room to manually spawn two Elite pilots and a white Elite, which are required to end the level.
Scarab Clear
Get a checkpoint on the Scarab by being on top of its middle platform or being under the arch near its main cannon. If you were unable to execute the early Scarab trick, wait until the Scarab comes close to the bridge, jump down, and head to the back area. Throw a distraction grenade then force your way down. Head back up and to the front of the Scarab.
Easy
Wait inside the Scarab just to the left of the ramp for the enemies to spawn. Grunts will spawn close to you. Throw a grenade past them towards the pilots while jumping over the Grunts. Throw another grenade at the other side of the wall near the pilots. Then, shoot your rockets at either side of the wall. Switch to your shotgun to clean up any survivors.
Legendary
There are several methods for clearing the Scarab on Legendary.
Method 1: Plasma Rifle Clear
You should have plasma rifle + rocket launcher for this clear. Walk down to the end of the ramp into the Scarab. When the enemies spawn, quickly walk back up the ramp and towards the Scarab's head. Drop onto the side of the head and walk into the body of the Scarab. You should be able to view the 2 Major Elite pilots and the Ultra Elite from here. Use the plasma rifle to lower their shields and finish them off with the rocket launcher.
Method 2: Plasma Pistol Clear
You should have battle rifle + rocket launcher for this clear. Walk down the ramp and to the left, in front of where the Grunts will spawn. Hold out your BR. Immediately when the Grunt spawns, headshot him with the BR and pick up his plasma pistol. The timing on this is tight, and it may take some practice. Holding the plasma pistol, quickly walk back up the ramp and towards the head of the Scarab. Drop onto the side of the head and walk into the body of the Scarab. You should be able to view the 2 Major Elite pilots and the Ultra Elite from here. Use the plasma pistol to drop their shields and finish them off with the rocket launcher.
Method 3: Shotgun Boost Clear
This is the fastest yet riskiest clear and will take some practice to master. You need the shotgun + rocket launcher for this clear. Position yourself like you're doing the Plasma Pistol Clear except holding the shotgun. When the grunt spawns, wait half a second and then perform a shotgun boost to propel yourself towards the pilots. Switch weapons to your rocket launcher midair. The Ultra Elite will immediately enrage. Backsmack him during the animation. Then, holding the rocket launcher, bait the other two elites into melees, dodge the melee, and backsmack them.
Scarab Deload
If you hit the trigger at the top of the building's stairs within a certain window, the Scarab will disappear and the level cannot be completed. See the video below for a detailed explanation. Scarab Deload Explained by ImNotBrad:
Potential Strategies and Knowledge Base
Throughout the development of this level, there have been many strat discoveries that have either been lost with time or have been proven too difficult to be executed consistently across runs. The following sections is for maintaining a list of potential developments that may be referenced for a future date, and will be listed with:
- Who discovered the trick, date of discovery, and various notes
Historical Strategies
- N/A
Potential Strategies
- N/A
Knowledge Base
- N/A
