- last post: 01.01.0001 12:00 AM PDT
Posted by: Botolf
Posted by: Chaotic Fiasco
Yes, I suppose that's true. However, I doubt anyone is going to defend the Library. It's just one of those aspects in a game that anyone who's ever played it universally hates (akin to Planet Zebes in Super Smash Brothers). But there were only 3 levels that I can remember having a reptitive level design in the campaign: The Library, AOTCR, and Two Betrayals. Neither of the latter two were entirely indoors; even when they were, in my opinion, rooms were distinctive enough. And both levels featured some of the most exciting, gigantic, outdoor battles I have ever seen in any video game. Furthermore, Two Betrayals is essentially going back the way you came in from AOTCR, so it doesn't really count as a second instance of repetitive level design.
Having an entire level dedicated to backtracking is extremely repetitive in my eyes (same scenery you saw in the previous level, etc), it would have been better just to have a unique level in its place. My main problem with Halo 1's campaign is its penchant for rehashing pieces of levels and scenery so blatantly. The game was a hell of a good time, but the level design certainly was a really weak area.
By my counting, there's six levels that borrow heavily from each other:
Pillar of Autumn -> The Maw
The Truth and Reconciliation -> Keyes
Assault on The Control Room -> Two Betrayals
Add to that the Library, and you have 7 out of 10 levels that could be viewed as repetitive. Halo, The Silent Cartographer, and 343 Guilty Spark are my favourite levels in the game, in large part thanks to the recycled natures of the others.
The Maw and Pillar of Autumn could hardly be considered the same level. You may be in the same ship, but you follow two entirely different paths and encounter different enemies. I'd say the same for T&R and Keyes as well. In half of both levels, you're on the ground in two entirely different canyons that feel nothing alike, and the reason the ships look the same on the inside is to make them feel larger. With all the corridors, bays, and doors looking the same it feels like you get lost in a maze of a Covenant ship. I never felt like I was playing the same level twice in either of those examples.
Like I said before, AOTCR and Two Betrayals, yes, reptitive, However, it fit in so well with the story that it didn't bother me in the slightest. And they still had their differences.
And your two favorite levels happen to feature quite a bit of backtracking I might add.