Gamerscore for Master Chief

Published January 16, 2008

Halo® 3 obliterated sales records with its September launch, countless more gamers received it this holiday season, and it remains by far the most popular game on Xbox LIVE®. As people play through the game, they may have hit a snag or two when it comes to garnering achievements. So, we offer you our guide to Halo 3 Gamerscore. Good luck.

Co-op is the only way to fly for Campaign achievements.

Please note that not every single achievement is represented here. Some, like Killing Frenzy and Two for One simply require you to be very, very good. Also, while we do touch on a couple of the Gold Skulls, listing them all here would require a lengthy walkthrough.

Campaign Bonanza

Halo 3 holds a mind-boggling 675 Gamerscore points when you add up just the Campaign mode-related achievements alone, and that's without the Metagame or Skull achievements. Clearly, if achievements are your goal, you should start your quest for Gamerscore glory with the single-player Campaign. Here are a few tips for smooth sailing in Master Chief's last hurrah:

• Legendary buddies: A romp through single-player can be accomplished in one dedicated afternoon with three friends, even on Legendary difficulty. Set aside some time for some four-player cooperative action and don't rest until the credits roll (even then, wait for the end). Playing Campaign co-op is three to four times faster than tackling it solo, so don't even consider a solitary playthrough.
• Spread offense: Your primary worry when attempting to sprint through the Campaign would be an entire party wipe, where every player dies and the whole lot is forced to respawn back at the last checkpoint. You can avoid this dilemma by spreading out your party, with each player tackling a different portion of the battlefield. This way, if one person dies, the others can back away or clear enemies for a mid-battle respawn.
• Fail safe: Take out further insurance by leaving one comrade well behind the field of battle at all times, guaranteeing a quick respawn for any player that dies. In order to avoid boredom, simply tag the "fail safe" player as the one who has most recently died. That way, everyone can get in on the action. This tactic is most crucial during the Flood-infected levels Floodgate and Cortana.
• Push through: It's really not necessary to eliminate every single enemy, so don't bother trying. Only clear away what is necessary and push forward to the next checkpoint as quickly as you can. Again, this is especially true of the Floodgate and Cortana levels.

Kill and push forward.

Metagame Tactics

The preceding tips are exclusive to a speedy run through the Campaign, which is precisely the opposite strategy you should employ when attacking any of the point-based Metagame achievements like Demon, Cavalier, Askar and the rest.

• Two player: Playing co-op will make things a shade easier when activating the Campaign scoring system, but don't play with more than one buddy. Too many players will just end up stealing points from one another, nearly guaranteeing that no one will score any of the Metagame achievements.
• Non-active: If you can find a friend willing to help you out, load up a co-op Campaign mission with the understanding that you will be the active player, scoring every kill you possibly can. Their only job is to lend a hand if you're about to die and back out of battle for a quick respawn if you do fall.
• Caution is the word: Nothing tanks your score faster than dying, so use caution in every battle and under every circumstance. You're not liable to score the time-based multiplier anyway, so treat each kill individually, always backing up to regenerate your shields and always using cover to avoid fire. Even if it takes over an hour per level to scratch and claw your way to the end, it will be worth it for all the points you save.
• Legendary skulls: Scoring enough points for the Metagame achievements requires a healthy dose of score multipliers, and you can give yourself plenty of added points by toggling on the Legendary (4x multiplier) difficulty setting along with a Golden Skull or two for some added insurance. For many, the two easiest Golden Skulls to contend with are the Famine and Tough Luck Skulls which respectively, reduces the amount of ammunition in dropped weapons, and increases the enemy's dodge attempts when you throw grenades.

Um, that's not using caution.

Prickly Skulls

While there are nine different Golden Skull achievements, most of them simply require a sharp eye and willingness to explore the level. There are however a couple that have proved exceedingly elusive for many Halo 3 gamers. They are the Famine and Fog skulls found during the Ark and Floodgate levels respectively.

• Famine: This pesky skull found high above the desert floor during the Ark level requires a higher than normal leap to a very narrow landing area. First off, you can find a Grav Lift in the indoor area immediately preceding the skull's location, which should work perfectly. If you miss out on the Grav Lift though, toss a plasma grenade at your feet and jump just before it goes off. This should give you the extra boost you need.
• Fog: This skull can be found within the first moments in the Floodgate level, only it's not lying on the ground. Instead, a Flood enemy holds it on the rooftop of the very first building you encounter on your right. The trick here is to kill the Flood as he begins his leap from one rooftop to the next. Don't shoot him before he jumps though, or he'll drop it on the roof and you won't be able to reach it. Try instead to aim a little above his head and to the left so that he jumps right into your targeting reticle. One hit ought to do it.

Spartan Status

The Graduate, UNSC Spartan and Spartan Officer achievements are tied directly to your Xbox LIVE multiplayer ranking. Other than pure skill, there is really only one way to score these achievements rapidly, and that's to team up with a great player. Find one outstanding Halo 3 gamer on your Friends List, head to the Team Doubles Playlist and rip through the rankings. Provided you can hold your own, your buddy's superior talent should take care of the rest.

Team up with greatness.

Triple/Overkill

There are a couple of variables here that get folks flustered. First and foremost, you can't score these achievements in team-based matches but only in Ranked Free for All matches. Secondly, neither achievement requires you to kill the three or four enemies simultaneously. Instead, you need only one kill every four seconds to get credit.

The quickest path to "Achievement Unlocked" here is to shoot for them early in your career when you're facing low-ranking opponents. Typically, you can score easy group kills on novice players by positioning yourself above natural chokepoints, such as the sniper perch above the center platform in Guardian, and tossing grenades down on groups of enemies clustered together and focused on one another. Then, when you've scored at least a double kill, drop down into the fray and try to mop up the rest.

Steppin' Razor

Here you need to score a triple kill using only the Energy Sword, in a Ranked Free for All match. Other than skill and a bit of luck, there are a couple tactics that can help improve your odds of scoring this tricky achievement.

First, try dropping a Bubble Shield around you while out in the open for everyone to see, but don't equip your Energy Sword. Instead, wait for more than one enemy to come running and then equip it at the last second for a couple of quick surprise kills. Secondly, hide crouched or standing still behind a doorway to cut down enemies chasing one another as they rush past you.

Turret can spell triple kill in a hurry too.

Mongoose Mowdown

Without the Ghost's signature boost, it's much more difficult to score a splatter kill with the Mongoose. Look for enemies that have spawned but aren't moving. You'd be surprised just how many folks abandon their controller mid-match. This is especially easy on High Ground with enemies spawning near the water right by the Mongoose spawn. Likewise, look for snipers who are too preoccupied to notice you bearing down on them.

Up Close and Personal

This five-point achievement requires that you Beat Down five opponents in a Ranked Free for All match, and is perhaps the easiest of all the multiplayer achievements. If you're having trouble though, try charging at enemies while unloading your Assault Rifle clip into them. Then, when you get close, tap the B button for a melee kill.

Lee R Wilson Memorial

You must score five Grenade Stick medals in a Ranked Free for All match for this achievement. While that may seem initially daunting, there are a couple of tips that should speed up the process for you. First, stop caring about your stats or winning for a moment, and get cozy with the idea of giving up a few deaths. Once your mind is right, charge your enemy until you're within melee range, aim slightly down and toss your sticky (plasma or spike) grenade. With so little room for your enemy to maneuver and some good timing, you should score a Grenade Stick nearly every time.

Two more seconds to stick!

Headshot Honcho

There has been some confusion about this achievement, but there's a sure fire way to offer both clarity and easy success. First, turn on the Campaign Scoring option. This will clear up any confusion regarding whether or not you scored a headshot (you'll see a small headshot medal appear in the lower right-hand corner). Secondly, turn the difficulty down to Easy and load the Ark level, which starts you off with a sniper rifle. After that, it's up to you to aim true and fire well.

We're In for Some Chop

This achievement asks that you destroy an enemy vehicle with a piece of equipment, and no, that doesn't mean a plasma or spike grenade. However, a trip mine will do just fine and you'll find a few of those and plenty of vehicles to blast to smithereens in the Tsavo's Highway level.

Again, it's a good idea here to toggle down the difficulty to Easy. You'll need to stand in harm's way to entice the enemy vehicle (I recommend a Brute Chopper) to drive over the trip mine as well as dish out a healthy chunk of damage beforehand to make certain the mine will finish the job.

Too Close to the Sun

Much like the Headshot Honcho achievement, this requires just a bit of forward thinking and a switch to Easy difficulty if you want it over and done with in a hurry. Load up the Covenant level for a two-fold benefit. First, you start off with a Spartan Laser, and second, you'll find several Banshees flying overhead immediately after the initial skirmish. Simply take your time, study their pattern to determine when they boost and when they slow down and line up your shot. Presto, one shattered Banshee and one sparkly new achievement.

You may have discovered different methods to accomplish these achievements but hopefully, these tips will help you add additional Gamerscore for your own Master Chief. Now, off to the Campaign.

Article by Ryan Treit