Secrets of Halo 2 transports readers to ground zero in the Halo universe. By exploring the game's origin and the titles that inspired it, Secrets of Halo 2 takes an in-depth look at the creation of the most compelling and popular video game series ever.

Become Halo's Master Chief Survive a two-on-one battle against Hunters, assist the Marines at the assault on the control room, thwart the Covenant, and successfully capture the flag on Blood Gulch. Halo, the world's best action game, blasts onto the PC, and this book is your indispensable guide to every aspect of the vast Halo universe. Written with the full collaboration of Bungie Studios, Gearbox, and Microsoft Game Studios, this guide is packed with invaluable strategies, behind-the-scenes information, and winning tactics straight from the experts. Inside you'll find: * Complete single-player walkthrough so you can survive Legendary difficulty * Analysis of every weapon, vehicle, and enemy in the game * Powerful strategies from hardcore Halo veterans around the world * Exclusive Halo Story Bible excerpts that have never been published anywhere * Tips and level design notes from the Bungie and Gearbox development teams * Detailed maps of every single multiplayer level * Essential tactics for dominating every multiplayer map and game mode * Full compilation of Halo Easter eggs!

An original full-length novel set in the Halo universe and based on the New York Times bestselling video game series! August 2558. Rion Forge was once defined by her relentless quest for hope amidst the refuse and wreckage of a post-Covenant War galaxy—years spent searching for family as much as fortune. But that was before Rion and the crew of her salvager ship Ace of Spades encountered a powerful yet tragic being who forever altered their lives. This remnant from eons past, when the Forerunners once thrived, brought with it a revelation of ancient machinations and a shocking, brutal history. Unfortunately, the Ace crew also made dire enemies of the Office of Naval Intelligence in the process, with the constant threat of capture and incarceration a very real possibility. Now with tensions mounting and ONI forces closing in, Rion and her companions commit to this being’s very personal mission, unlocking untold secrets and even deadlier threats that have been hidden away for centuries from an unsuspecting universe....

Even if you've finished Halo 2 in Legendary Mode, you're not done with this game. Not by a long shot. You know there's a lot more you can squeeze out of Halo 2, and with the clever hacks we have in store, you'll turn the game into a whole new experience. Halo 2 Hacks is the creation of consummate gamer and Microsoft insider Stephen Cawood, an original member of the Halo 2 beta test team. He's got it all, whether you're into single or multiplayer games, a level 25 or above, or even a complete n00b. If you are a beginner, you may not yet appreciate that Halo 2 for Xbox is the biggest game to hit the galaxy. Ten million copies have already sold, including 2.4 million on the first day it hit the shelf. So you're in good company, even if you've never played its predecessor, Halo: Combat Evolved. Pick up this book and you'll be able to fully appreciate the Halo 2 universe. Halo 2 Hacks is packed with a horde of great hacks for weapons, levels, vehicles, game play and mods. You'll learn how to perform expert tricks, exploit glitches and find Halo 2 Easter Eggs - including the famous skulls. And discover all the nooks and crannies you didn't even suspect were there. Each hack has a thermometer icon to indicate its relative complexity, whether it's a beginner, moderate, or expert hack. Each one stands on its own, so you can either read the book from cover to cover, or jump around until you see a hack you want to try. This title was created with the help of numerous gamers from the Halo community. Whether it was a trick, a glitch or a mod, Cawood went straight to the source and gathered all of the necessary information to help you complete the hack. The mod section of the book features contributions from Grenadiac, MrMurder, Iron_Forge, GTJuggler, The Swamp Fox, and many more. Halo 2 Hacks also features a foreword by Ducain (the admin for HighImpactHalo.org), Louis Wu (the admin for Halo.Bungie.org) and Grenadiac (the admin for HaloMods.com). For all the brave souls who want to learn how to trick Halo 2 into running the hacks and mods of their choice, Halo 2 Hacks is a must read. Roughly half of this title is dedicated to creating your own Halo 2 mods. If you're a fan of tricking, glitching or modding, then this is the book for you. But only for gamers who think they're worthy of the distinction.

USA TODAY BESTSELLER A Master Chief story and original full-length novel set in the Halo universe—based on the New York Times bestselling video game series! October 2559. It has been a year since the renegade artificial intelligence Cortana issued a galaxy-wide ultimatum, subjecting many worlds to martial law under the indomitable grip of her Forerunner weapons. Outside her view, the members of Blue Team—John-117, the Master Chief; Fred-104; Kelly-087; and Linda-058—are assigned from the UNSC Infinity to make a covert insertion onto the ravaged planet Reach. Their former home and training ground—and the site of humanity’s most cataclysmic military defeat near the end of the Covenant War—Reach still hides myriad secrets after all these years. Blue Team’s mission is to penetrate the rubble-filled depths of CASTLE Base and recover top-secret assets locked away in Dr. Catherine Halsey’s abandoned laboratory—assets which may prove to be humanity’s last hope against Cortana. But Reach has been invaded by a powerful and ruthless alien faction, who have their own reasons for being there. Establishing themselves as a vicious occupying force on the devastated planet, this enemy will soon transform Blue Team’s simple retrieval operation into a full-blown crisis. And with the fate of the galaxy hanging in the balance, mission failure is not an option…

The universe of Halo is remarkably vast in scale and astonishingly elaborate in detail, telling rich stories filled with bold characters, breathtaking worlds, and thrilling conflicts. In celebration of the 20th anniversary of Halo, Dark Horse and 343 Industries have teamed up to deliver the most definitive guide to the universe thus far. The Halo Encyclopedia­ Deluxe Edition holds some of the Halo universe’s greatest secrets, which is why it is contained within a Forerunner cylix—a device that holds their civilization’s greatest secrets! The Deluxe Edition also comes with a cover exclusive to this edition, as well as a lithograph not found anywhere else.

In Swim Speed Secrets, 4-time Olympian, gold medalist, and triathlon world champion Sheila Taormina reveals the swim technique used by the world’s fastest swimmers. Over the course of 4 Olympic Games and throughout her career as a world champion triathlete, Taormina refined her exceptional technique as a student of the sport, studying the world’s best swimmers using underwater photographs and video analysis. From Johnny Weissmuller to Michael Phelps, the world’s fastest swimmers share two common elements: high stroke rate and a high-elbow underwater pull. Many swimmers and triathletes neglect the underwater pull, distracted by stroke count or perfecting less critical details like body position, streamlining, and roll. Swim Speed Secrets focuses on producing power—the most crucial element of swimming—to help triathletes and swimmers overhaul their swim stroke and find the speed that’s been eluding them. With a commonsense approach that comes from decades of practice and years of hands-on coaching experience, Taormina shows swimmers how to transition to faster swimming. Swim Speed Secrets includes: The best drills to cultivate a more sensitive feel for the water Dryland and strength building exercises to develop arm position and upper body musculature Crisp photos of Olympic swimmers and variations in their high-elbow underwater pull Clear descriptions of the key moments of the underwater pull Tips that helped her perform at a world-class level for two decades Sheila Taormina’s Swim Speed Secrets brings the focus back where it belongs—to a powerful underwater stroke. With this approach, triathletes and swimmers can stop swimming for survival and break through to new levels of speed and confidence in the water.