- last post: 01.01.0001 12:00 AM PDT
And if you didn't like the Flood then you might be interested in this:
Although I think that a close second is the stealth-shielded Flood combat form. There's only one in the entire game - in the armoury in the final level - but I always forget he's there, and he scares me to death. You're so preoccupied getting a rocket launcher that you're not paying any attention and then he just jumps out. I also like him because he indicates that the Flood are intelligent, and know how to use equipment, and aren't just dumb alien monsters."
Which is a surprise. Playing Halo gives the impression that The Flood are dim automatons, shotgun fodder whose biggest strength is their movement in relentless straight lines and overwhelming numbers. "The Flood AI was originally intended to be every bit as complicated as the Covenant, but we ran out of time implementing behaviours and they ended up being a lot simpler and straight forward," Griesemer explains. "We definitely wanted it to be different. We never intended them to take cover or throw grenades, but we didn't get a chance to develop all of the characteristics of the Flood that was going to make them not only different and very interesting to fight."
Which puts Bungie in a sticky situation for Halo 2. Does it implement its intended artificial-intelligence routines, or does it keep the Flood deliberately handicapped because that's what players have now become used to? All Griesemer will say is: "the AI in Halo 2 is going to be much improved."
That site can be viewed here.