Co-Op Basis

Co-Op Basics

Setting up co-op games (in split-screen mode, or via a LAN or Xbox LIVE) is extremely simple, so we’re not going to waste words on explaining what the Halo 3 user interface (and, as a second port of call, your manual) already tells you. However, if you haven’t played co-op Campaign in a Halo game before, you’ll definitely benefit by reading this short introduction.

Even though you might notice certain sporadic differences, missions played in co-op mode are functionally identical to those enjoyed in solo Campaign sessions. For this reason, it’s worth turning up the difficulty level to create a more worthwhile challenge. You should aim to play on Heroic at very least, but co-op is also a great way to get firmly acquainted with Legendary. Even with a companion to watch your back, you’ll need an impeccable understanding of Halo strategy to win battles convincingly, and to cooperate fully to survive for more than a minute at a time. If you charge headlong into battle as if playing on Normal, you’ll be lucky to have the time to remark “This isn’t Kansas anymore, Toto!” before the corpses of the Master Chief and the Arbiter are swarmed by souvenir-hunting Grunts.

When you play split-screen co-op, you suffer the obvious drawback of a reduced viewing area, and less audio clarity – is the Grunt you can hear chattering away baiting you, or your companion? That said, you have the benefit of being able to see exactly what your allies are up to at any moment. Via System Link or Xbox LIVE, the opposite applies: you have the luxury of a full screen and speakers to yourself, but it’s perhaps harder to keep track of what your teammates are doing.

Co-Op Strategy

The key to succeeding in and enjoying co-op Campaign to its fullest is communication – so important, you’ll notice, that we felt obliged to break out the bold font for extra-special emphasis. If you plan ahead, playing to your respective strengths, you’ll find that your team is greater than the sum of its parts. It pays to take a more tactical approach to your choice of weapons, rather than simply grabbing favorites as and when they appear. On the first mission, for example, one player can focus on Brutes, dual wielding a Plasma Pistol and a Magnum with a Needler in reserve, while a second player can use a Battle Rifle, Brute Shot and grenades to deal with Grunts and Jackals.

Ideally, each player should have a specific role, and be ready to adapt to the circumstances at hand. The following list illustrates a selection of tactics and techniques that you can use in co-op games.

Get into the habit of immediately pulling back a safe distance from enemies when a partner is killed, thus forcing a fast respawn (and reducing the likelihood of being kicked back to a checkpoint).
In large areas, or if there is more than one floor, players can take different routes in order to divide the enemy forces.
When you have access to transport, you can have one player act as a gunner (especially if the vehicle has a turret), while another drives. However, it’s often more effective to choose individual vehicles to maximize your firepower, particularly when you have the support of nearby Marines.
One player can seek to draw enemy fire, while another flanks the enemy position with grenades at the ready.
When you face particularly strong opponents, you can have one player act as “bait” while a second stealthily moves around to attack from behind.
One player can flush enemies from behind cover while another acts as a sniper from a safe distance.
A player who specializes in the use of the Plasma Pistol and Magnum combo can act as a pack mule, using his reserve weapon slot to, for instance, carry Battle Rifle ammunition for a teammate.
This is merely a small list of tactical decisions you can make during combat, but – to hammer the point home – all require regular communication to succeed. Even if you’re playing with people you don’t know well on Xbox LIVE, don’t be bashful. Make suggestions, warn teammates if they’re in imminent danger, and be ready to listen to advice from more skilled players. You’ll soon find that, no matter how shy you may think you are, there’s a common (and often inventively expletive-laden) language that comes naturally to all Halo players in co-op sessions.

The Campaign chapter features assorted tips and tactics for co-op games, but we could not hope to document every possibility – nor do we attempt to. Halo 3 offers boundless opportunities for experimentation and creativity, and the biggest part of the fun is devising unique strategies with friends. More often than not, a crazy, convoluted plan that goes spectacularly, explosively wrong is more enjoyable than a dozen simple tactics that work like a charm…