(Tartarus) *Holds up marketable elite plushie* (Arbiter) "If the prophets find out about this, they will surely turn you into a marketable plushie too!" (Tartarus) "Hahaha! Fool. They ordered me to make a marketable elite plushie." (Arbiter) "NOOOOOOO! *Jumps down a hole to commit suicide* (DISCLAIMER: Do not try that at home.)
@@tech7581 i really like Halo 4/5 elites gameplay wise, but they just look like shit. They ARE acrobatic like they should be but they don’t look like they should be lol they look really heavy and “Brutish”. They just feel like squishy Brutes. I’d just change the art style and make them more agile. It’s more a visual thing in 4/5 that’s the issue (and the trash AI in 4)
343 dosent care about halo Just our money! 343 made the elites ugly and terrible because why???? They don't care!!!! Just consume the product and move on....dont ask why they ruined the elites cuzz they don't care
@@Nolongerhereanymore they’ve solved multiple problems the series had before infinite and listened to fans about the sound effects and art design, yet you really think they don’t care?
@@airconditioningunit9777 Yeah I think they just tried to be cool or something, but made a mistake. I really hope they fix grunts, jackals and elites. Elites are supposed to be graceful and cunning, not clunky and brutish. And they just fucked the jackals over big time. I hope they write it off as some other species or just retcon the whole appearance to fit Halo 2's appearance.
definitely! Halo 2 made me love the elites, their armor, their ranks, and their unquestionable loyalty to a cause, Halo reach are the toughest ones, but H2 are my favorite.
@@crimsondynamo615 protoss, because they have technological and biological advantage, yes they might have the same spirit and weapons, but toss are just built different
I think the problem with the Halo 3 elites boils down to the fact that they were designed to never be encountered as enemies in the campaign, and thus Bungie went for a friendly-ppearance than an intimidating enemy. I still really enjoy the elites in Halo 3 and I always hated losing them as allies in H2 and H3, especially to the flood (the live mutation effect in Halo 3 was painful to witness). But yes seeing the fall of the elites after Halo Reach (which I didn't even love their design in that game, though their armour was really cool) is one of the reasons I stopped keeping up with Halo.
You likely don’t notice it when you aren’t looking behind them when you shoot. It’s a minor detail that can be easily overlooked. It’s pretty cool though
I think the elites in Halo: Reach were probably the best elites. Faster, Stronger, smarter (sometimes). I really think it captured the whole "planetary invasion" scene, and then the detail and facelifts made them look exactly how I imagined them, playing CE as a kid.
I still play reach to this day but cant play online unless its on the MCC and i dont want to reinstall the chief collection and it was so fun playing the reach custom games or just any mode but invasion was probably one of the best but i agree reach was the best
As much as people harp on them for having a powerful melee, I might argue that is a sign of their strength and to keep away. I don’t like how their rangers act more like jump pack brutes from Halo 3 than rangers from Halo 2. I also wish they used other armor abilities than just armor lock and camouflage.
Invasion was lit, that, added on top of what Alex said is why I think Reach was great. There was a strength difference between and Humans and Elites. Our bodies can only handle so many augmentations and even in our suits, its barely enough to handle the warrior race. Even in invasion you're faster and more resilient than a Spartan. If the Halo events didn't happen we would've lost, the war, no doubttt.
Agreed. However, I think Halo 3 Elites are stupid because they might have similar AI to the marines since they’re your allies now. That maybe the reason.
I love the Reach elites. The combination of their intimidating appearance, intelligent AI, and speaking the Sangheili language makes them feel alien and frightening to fight. But their armor designs also retain that noble grace.
@@Void_Wars Wow, you do know how much of an insult that is? Idk if you’re just Fukin around or you actually believe that I’m a totalitarian socialist that wants to exterminate all Jews just because my profile pic is a mix between the Republican Party and libertarian party.
I think it goes to show there are three pillars when it comes to making the Elites good. 1. Have a very fast movement speed with a lot of strafing. 2. Take cover intelligently when shields are low or the odds are against them, especially for higher ranks. 3. Aggressively fire at and rush the player when they get close, or are vulnerable, especially for higher ranks.
#1 in particular is sooooooo important. The elites being so agile, effective at dodging shots, and so aggressive in their movement gives Halo CE a very high level of replayability, especially combined with CE sandbox.
@@srikrishnasrivatsan199 They're not really all that more evasive than Halo 2's though, (both evade less than Reach,) and the aggression often works against them more than anything. -Zealots with swords often just charge you head on, which in most scenarios can give you time to just rip into them. -When Minors go berserk and try to melee you it's more of a benefit to you than anything, since their melee range is very short and the damage is poor. Like on average they will duck into cover more frequently than Halo 2's as an example, but it also doesn't mean as much because Halo CE's Elites have shields that regenerate very slowly (taking 10 seconds to recharge fully and taking 12 seconds of no damage to even begin recharging,) meaning their attempts to hide when empty on shields will only work out if the player doesn't try to approach them to kill them. It's also worth noting that even disregarding Legendary bullshit, Halo 2 Elites are generally more aggressive in how they fire too, because whereas Halo CE's pretty much limit themselves to small 4 rounds of burst fire with the Plasma Rifle (their most common weapon by far,) Halo 2's will shoot in larger bursts and will tear through your shields much quicker.
That behavior probably isn't as advanced as you might think. It's not really intending to cut off the player, it's more a case of pathfinding. It's choosing the shortest path to the player. At that point, the player has outrun the elite (after it got stuck on the wall for a second) and the other direction back has now become the shorter option
@@merlith4650 I know why it did that. I'm just sayin that stuff doesn't happen in other games. Ai normally decide to stand and shoot so you normally never see that pathfinding behavior. So it may be something simple. But that doesn't mean it ain't affective
EBR: Reach Elites can be a little tough to kill. Meanwhile* You: Fires 2 rockets at point blank range at a Field Marshall. Field Marshall appears out of the smoke, shields not even broken: All of that for a drop of blood. *proceeds to draw Concussion rifle and blast you in 2 to 3 shots.
yeah I think it's way overdone. they're COMICALLY agile; they look like they're fuckin wavedashing as opposed to combat dodging or evading. They buzz around like mosquitoes instead of moving like the strong warriors they should be (their movement conveys almost zero weight)
I love how in CE all of the enemy AI behaviors fit their characteristics as a species. Grunts are cowardly and run away if they aren't being commanded. Jackals are devious agile, rolling out of the way of the player and ambushing them with charged plasma pistol shots. The flood.... floods you. The Hunters are always in a group of two. Finally, the Elites are noble and zealous and care for victory over their own lives. Once when I was on legendary, I took down an Elite's shields at the same moment it took out mine. We both ran for cover, I waited for my shields to recharge. I was shocked that before my shields were recharged and while it's shields were still down and vulnerable, it charged around a corner and meleed me to finish me off. That gameplay loop perfectly fit the narrative the game was trying to push about them.
Same about every other halo game, even in infinite elites are honorful, fast, agile and smart, the grunts are cowards, the jackals are poopy faces and they act all toguh when they have their shields but without them they more scared than grunts, brutes are brutes, and berserk are especially brutish, and the hunters are the ones hunting you now, I swear those mofos are really fun but hard in the game.
@@paperclip6377 They are, I know it is hard to acknowledge, because they really messed up a lot but that's just how it is. You don't suppose Bungie today is the same as Bungie of old, do you? Even if Bungie came back as Halo's devs, their own implementations would also differ. A key figure like Joseph Staten isn't part of both. We've got to show enough amount of love, even if it's tough love just to show that we're still gonna bite if they do it right because we're also in a relationship of businesses and consumers, apathy will ruin things. I think it's best to look at things less... emotionally. I learned that after hearing the news that 343 got massive layoffs and roles were shuffled earlier on because come to think of it, who would I be angry at? Even if it's the same face, the people who made the mistakes have been replaced, I'm just whinging and clamouring at nothing or the new people. It's not really fair so I judge on a case by case basis now, and even if it seems tedious that's just how life is, isn't it? If you want a case of apathy, that's Blizzard. It's not the same people anymore, it's a walking corpse wearing the face of your beloved. Warcraft 3 Reforged launch was a sad sad day...
@@117oddlink-9 For Halo 2 Anniversary, I've got two campaign mods (MJOLNIR Edition and De-Evolved) I'm working on, and I've made it almost half way through the game with Anniversary MJOLNIR, but I'm waiting until I've gotten all of the levels completed before releasing the mod. I'm also taking my time because of how MCC is still being updated, and I'm unsure of whether or not the next season of updated content will contain newer builds of Halo 1 or 2 that might force me to start all over again. I am, however starting on another Custom Edition campaign mod, and I will being work on Halo 2 Vista De-Evolved as well (De-Evolved is basically Halo 2 without dual-wielding and EVERYTHING being set to match Combat Evolved's difficulty balancing, including AI health and shields, AI behavior, etc...). So... I've got my work cut out for me. Gamercheat has said that 343i are planning to release mod tools that will be on the same level as what was available for Custom Edition and Halo 2 PC when they were first released (although since both of those games had their editing kits locked and severely limited in terms of what people could actually do with them when first released, I'm not sure if I should celebrate just yet. It was only after Kornman unlocked the CE editing kit that people could really start doing crazy things, and the H2EK has only recently been unlocked with many features still stripped of functionality, and only a few dedicated modders like General 101 have been able to slowly restore the H2EK to its true glory). In either case, I will most likely finish my new Custom Edition campaign mod and the Halo 2 Vista MJOLNIR Edition 1.5 and Halo 2 De-Evolved before I finish work on Halo 2 Anniversary MJOLNIR and De-Evolved. Either way, I do appreciate your interest, and I hope that whichever version of Halo 2 for PC you use, you'll find yourself enjoying whatever mods I release.
I always found it interesting that there were actually 3 helmet designs in Combat Evolved for the elites 1. The curled headpiece 2. The traditional finned helmet we've come to know 3. A finned helmet used by spec ops and zealots where the fins on the sides and top shoot out much more dramatically
I've definitely been flanked by Elites in Reach, especially on Heroic and Legendary. This could be a coincidence if their constant mobility and good pathfinding but it always felt intentional. Their ducking and weaving to dodge grenades and headshots also looks very natural.
reach elites are also my favourite, i find that if you learn the melee attacks of the elites they can be easily dodged giving you an easy assassination which is rewarding given the fact you took the time to learn how to beat this superior enemy in close quarters also generals make me feel a good
One of my favorite lines and scenes from the entire halo franchise, “brute ships, staggered line, ship master they outnumber us three to one” “then it is a even fight . all cruisers fire at will, BURN THEIR MONGERAL HIDES !!”
0:01 - intro 0:46 - Wort Wort Wort... (Halo: CE) 5:26 - Quite A Few Elites... (Halo 2) 11:26 - An Even Fight... (Halo 3) 14:41 - The Elites, Tell me more about them... (Halo Reach) 20:17 - Wort Wort Wort & Quite A Few Elites... Anniversary (Anniversary editions) 23:50 - Not Outfitted Like Standard Military... (Halo 4) 28:37 - (Halo 5) 29:41 - outro
I’ll never forget fighting Reach Elites for the first time on Legendary. Jesus. Shout out to the Arbiter and Rtas, though, for their incredible voices. Made me love the elites.
My personal favorite elites are the H2A elite since their designs are pretty good and the writing the elites got in that game is amazing in my opinion.
I like the overall texture of the elite armour in H2A, it looks simple yet advanced and isn't too flashy in my opinion. I feel like the Reach Elites armour is especially on higher ranks quite flashy but generally it looks great. The 4 and 5 armours are also flashy but are generally ugly, the Elites themselves are very ugly in both of those games. In terms of A.I. a combination of Reach A.I. with any good aspects of earlier Elite A.I. is preferred, in terms of visuals for the Elites themselves I prefer that they stand tall and prould like in Reach, that their heads follow the basic design of Halo 2 and that their armour be found somewhere between H2A, H3, and Halo Reach's.
@@bernardcornellisvanmeijere4375 I agree with you however I have a question. Have you considered that perhaps the H4/5 elites are ugly on purpose to give off the look of a more feral dishonorable faction?
@@theAverageJoe25 I have considered that, and it's probably the reason why, but it still doesn't make it a good design, Halo Reach's Elites looked plenty scary without being expressly ugly, I suppose that their armour could've looked more worn out but the Elites themselves didn't have to be ugly to successfully send their message.
My favorite is definitely halo: reach’s elites, they feel intimidating, scary, imposing, and almost feel like they are stronger than you are at times. The halo reach elites are undoubtedly the most frightening looking in the franchise, and their behavior reflects it very well, they act aggressively at all times and don’t give you any slack on higher difficulty’s. They always make me think twice about my tactics and may outsmart me on occasion, even dodging my grenades and returning the favor with one of their own grenades, which usually sticks me because I don’t expect it. The elites in reach are possibly the best fighters in the franchise on LASO and are so hard to fight against I genuinely get mad at them for being so OP, the reach elites do have a ridiculous melee I will admit, but you deserve it if you got that close to begin with. Reach elites hold a special place in my heart for many reasons, mostly because they are so good looking and fun to fight, but that’s just my opinion.
@Twisted Sister the faces are what make them scary, no pupils, sharper design, jagged teeth, grey skin, and overall, for the setting and what bungie was going for (making them fearsome) perfect.
@Twisted Sisterdude I’m being nice, no need to be salty that I have an opinion. Also no they aren’t graphically better in 3 they are about the same if not slightly less good, also CE elites were weird. I liked fighting them in CE but they definitely feel more fearsome and scary in reach. Reach was supposed to make the elites fearsome and intimidating, they did that very well.
Hell yes. So many people think that H2A Elites are the epitome of Elite design, but I agree with the video. Reach had the best armor and behavior, along with a wonderful posture.
@@bean1an143 yep, I do think the melee can be a slight problem every now and then but I’ve only had the problem once or twice, when I play on heroic or legendary they feel like my superior, like I’m at their mercy and that they could kill me faster than I could blink. And they are, I am, and they do.
I found it so cool to have some council elite fighting along side us in halo 2, after not really supporting the future arbiter during his trial and now they are fighting along side him and respect him, that's so cool
Classic Halo 2 elites are my favorites. The amount of ranks and variations you encounter throughout the campaign have always fascinated me, and I think their design is just perfect.
to be fair the halo 3 elites were not designed to be enemies so it makes sense why their ai werent as good. and elite charisma has never been lost, lets be fair here
I think their charisma did take a hit, their voices sound more comical and less imposing than those in halo 2. Arbiter and shitmaster were handled well though
Yeah if you play the entire halo 2 campaign after the mission quarantine zone Tarturus betrayed the Arbiter and his fellow elites you'll see why the Arbiter and elites serve as allies in halo 3. It would of be cool that the grunts spec ops with jet black armor and hunters with green armor so they can serve as allies with humans and always fight along side with the elites just like halo 2.
I think that H2A elites are the best attempt at a detailed modern design of the elites. Their faces look awkward in gameplay since the models are overlayed onto the old h2 hitbox, but they look freaking amazing in cutscenes
3 things about HALO2A One don't look into the mouth of a dead elite You'll notice somthing sticking through their insides 2 Miranda Keys looks like a new person 3 the phantom that's flying to the start of sacred icon is moving backwards To my opinion Halo 2A was a great experiment And I love the terminals about Sasa Rafumae and 343 talking Explains how the heretics started in halo 2 And i think the halo 2A Elites were cool
@@alduinfr Nah it was obviously a mistake. I don't really care though cause blur did such an amazing job at creating that movie like cutscenes. The cinematics even hold up to day and blow a lot of other games cutscenes out of the water.
I absolutely LOVE the wrecklessness and design of the Halo 3 Elites. I truly have fun and it is never boring with those guys. I love the designs of the Reach Elites as well. But if i want to have a good laugh, I always queue up on Halo 3 on any mission with Elite Friendlies present
Halo 1 elites were the best. They never came close to that design perfection ever again. That bright glossy armour, their gait when running and walking, the reverse English language, they were so perfectly alien.
CE has got to be my favourite. They seem so distinguished and proud in their mannerisms. They are fun to fight, and the only real drawback I have is the lack of verity (not really an issue as it was the first game, but if you have the CE elites with some 2 and reach armour then it would be fantastic). Further, I love how the mandible guards and helmet cam together to give them an intimidating glare when the mouth was closed.
i actually think that halo 4 and 5s zealot armour is the coolest armour. Not the elites themselves, but the design of the armour. i like how angular it is
For CE you have to enable the blind skull, play SC and right before you get to the map room, there's a hidden active camo. Activate it, quickly go up to the elite you want to examine and there you go, homemade theater mode. It doesn't last forever though, so you'll have to restart the checkpoint a couple times. As for Halo 2, just enable the blind skull and play on missions where the elites are your allies. Hope that helps
Reach elites were easily the best for me. Their aggressive strategy and high damage output really showcased how brutal and ruthless the Covenant were during the Fall of Reach.
Reach elites have and always will be my favourite, they're as fearsome to fight as they are to look and their armour is my favourite out of the entire series especially the spec ops harness
Same, CE ones kick my butt. But I like the challenge. 2 are my favorite aesthetically speaking. 3's are too squatty. Reach's ai is horrid and 4 and 5 don't count
The halo 2 anniversary, halo ce, and halo reach. The halo 2 anniversary design is beautiful and sleek and is a blast to play against, the ce are fun to play against because they're very smart and makes it feel like an actual battle. The reach are good because they're absolutely murder to go against but when I'm feeling like a fight I go to them for some fun in when I'm feeling masochistic.
@@joe_mmamaa I think the problem have the Halo 4 Elites designs is that they are less recognizable than the elites from the Bungie games. They are overloaded with details and their figures became too complex.
@@abrahamlizarraga10 They also just look huge and clumsy, when their gameplay still implies that they are graceful and skilled. It’s not bad because it’s different, it’s bad because it doesn’t fit whatsoever.
I really like reaches elites because they look so intimidating and alien, my one disappointment was how little camo is used in Reach, they definitely could've incorporated something like silent shadow into Reach and they'd fit in perfectly.
CE elites sat the standard for the series, thin, muscular, graceful, and aggressive. The armor was simple, but looked good I can’t say much about Halo 2 as it was a transitional phase for elites, but it did improve on CE Halo 3 elites, I can’t tell if they were shorter, more muscular, or fatter. Perhaps just fat. Even in Bungie’s games, they went though metabolic changes Reach was great, the faces were mean, the agility was good, and the armor ranged from badass to AEUHHH?!? (Looking at you, General). I also found it interesting that Reach elites are the only ones to have actual toes instead of hooves Halo 4 and 5 elites, one word: F. U. B. A. R. (Fucked Up Beyond All Recognition) In Infinite, I see the slimness of CE/2 elites, short posture of 3, and the aggressiveness of Reach. And not a brute/dino lovechild in sight
Halo Reach always had my favorite Elites the first mission with the zealots and how they drop in accompanied with some of the best music Ive heard its so cool
There are 2 instances of encountering a white colored field marshals(?) elites that have either dual wield plasma rifles or a plasma launcher/fuel rod (depending on difficulty) based on the legendary difficulty. One can be spotted outside Sword Base before entering the building to the hunter fight and another is on the top floor raining fire down on the cat walks as you try to reach up to the top. Another type of elite you seemed to have missed was the BOB elites, though they go into active camo once you have a small scuffle with them, they have the same shields as the Ultras but their aim is like a zealots. They wear the ranger armor but sporting the same golden color as the generals.
Halo CE and Halo Reach elites were my favorite, they were so mysterious and menacing as well as having the best AI, also liked how they didn’t speak English 🔥🔥🔥💪🏾💪🏾💪🏾
Is it possible that they gave H2A Elites more human-like faces so we would be able to relate to the Arbiter better? His emotions are clearly visible on his face during the cutscenes, like the surprise he has when Sesa 'Refumee throws his pokeballs. Though I do have to agree, the lithe look of the Elites from Halo 2 sorta disappeared with H2A, though I find the art style gorgeous. Also, I think Halo 4 Elites were pushovers because of the fact that the game was pushing the 360 to its limits and the AI suffered because of it.
For something that large, they had to give realistic proportions, and make them look more alive than the H2 counterparts. They look like they actually have brain cases and are definitely more expressive.
I like the CE elites, maybe it's because I relate to their mostly fast, agile, stealthy and tactical approach to combat, and their smooth sleek look and movement style, it's similar to my playstyle in most videogames I play and they feel like an equal formidable foe
Reach are my favorite, strongest hardest, best looking and both more easy and harder to kill, you really are encouraged to get in close where you can force a melee, dodge and stick a knife in them. No elite was immune to the noob combo which was good when you found out the hard way that some of them were immune to knifing
H4 and H5 elites tried so hard to be scary that it's goofy Halo 1, 2 and Reach elites are scary especially when they are chasing you with an energy sword.
Halo reach was the most memorable. The behavioural patterns of the CE elites and Reach elites are fantastic too. Reach is also good because of its solid ranking system similar to Halo CE and Halo 2.
Yes, finally! Halo CE elites were definitely the best! They had the best ai and looked the best. Heck, CE is still my favorite art style. The anniversary design was a sin.
Having just played through Reach on Legendary, I actually don't think the Elites in that game are particularly challenging to fight; you just spam noob combos and respawn 2 minutes back whenever you die. They have strong shields, move fast and have some really dangerous weapons (notably, the concussion rifle) but in isolation they are often too easy to kill with a plasma pistol and precision weapon, and compensate for those weaknesses by being a bit too tanky when engaged with other weapons; the main problems are: 1. They get stunned almost every time you break their shield (Legendary Solo). 2. The high level ones are tanky to a ridiculous degree, but still die in one precision weapon headshot once their shield pops. 3. PP is OP. (it melts through the shields of even high level Elites with ease, and projectile speed is very good) 4. The Reach weapon sandbox in general is poorly balanced for campaign. (Plasma pistol+DMR/Needle Rifle>everything) I found myself constantly dropping power weapons for precision weapons and Plasma Pistols. (or in brute levels, precision weapons and Needlers) because everything else feels redundant and often even underpowered. All in all, the Reach Elites are really good at everything but suffer from a poorly optimised sandbox and, I suspect, Bungie's attempt to compensate for that by increasing their HP. (leading to Elites that can tank power weapon hits like they're nothing but will fold the second you bring a plasma pistol). Ir also doesn't help that at the same time something like the Plasma Rifle in Reach is about as bad as the H3 one (despite the removal of dual wielding)
I very recently did a full solo Legendary playthrough of Reach after I picked up the MCC in a Steam sale, and my thoughts on the Elites are pretty similar. Honestly, the DMR just breaks Reach's difficulty in half. Grunts? Free oneshots. Jackals? Tap the hand, tap the head. Skirmishers? Little harder to get a bead on, but they still go down in one headshot. Brutes can take a few headshots to knock their helmet off, but once it's off - tap the head. And of course, Elites. Plasma Pistol Overcharge into DMR Headshot, every time. The only enemy the DMR doesn't completely crush is the Hunter, and there's plenty of ways to beat Hunters in Reach anyway.
@Mister Majestic The high power of the short-range precision weapons (Magnum, BR, DMR, Covenant Carbine) absolutely makes them far more valuable in the sandbox. Any low-damage rapid-firing weapon is, on the other hand, usually close to useless unless it's the Needler. You're right that it's an inherent flaw with Halo as a series, but I honestly don't even know how they could fix it without making rapid fire weapons *too* powerful.
I like the Halo Reach elites most. They have really good designs, act, I dunno, ELITE, and on top of it all, bring more lore with the different armors and types of elites you see. Plus they look more like dinosaurs while also looking like an alien
I think there are two specific problems with how 343 handled the elites. The first is that they hired almost exclusively people who outright did not like Halo, and weren't fans. While that can go on to explain a lot of the problems with 343's games, I specifically want to point out that they hired Gears of War's main designer for the Covenant, and he took his specific approach to it despite there being a pre-existing canon to work from. The second, and likely more obvious issue, is that 343 specifically wanted to establish Halo as their *own* franchise instead of one that they were adopting and adding to. They didn't consider that fans expected them to respect the Bungie art style and maintain consistency. It took them nine years to do that right, and I pray Infinite is as good a game as it seems like it's going to be. Please, we don't need a repeat of Halo 5.
Thel Vadamee and Rtas ‘Vadum are probably my faviroute elites because of the way they are, Vadum is literally just your average bladesmaster and does not care about the alliance meanwhile the arbiter DOES and will be with chief if not fighting covenant with other elites. Another one is Fal ‘Chavamee (a lesser known arbiter), he was the first DISGRACED arbiter, the one that made the arbiter rank a disgrace, he single handedly fought a covenant army (that’s what I saw in I think legends) before dying to a bladesmaster, he was disgraced because he was the one to question the prophets word. All in all, three very different but very cool elites.
have to say i do like the Halo 4 elite Zealots they are extremely intimidating and arguably look the most like the originals since their face is completely covered. you didn't mention that in Halo 4 All elite Ranks seem to carry energy swords, although its inconsistent. i think what hurt the 343 elites was that the gap between them and the player increased. in Halo 4 Spartans can use Armour abilities the same as reach but the elites can't, this is even worse in 5 because of 'Spartan Abilities' which the elites have no counter to.
What I liked about Halo CE and Halo 2 Elites was the fact that their mouths still made some amount of sense since they could technically close their mouths and have a full seal. Their lower jaws met at the bottom. Whereas later versions seem to have the mandibles at the side of the mouths and just a bit hole in the bottom.
I like how is you turn on subtitles when you say “some changes were questionable to say the least” the word “gross” pops up even though it isn’t spoken. Haha
This is a great video. I personally love when the elites splatter the player in Halo CE and laugh it gets me every time. Also somethings I noticed: - The Halo CE Minor & Major variants have an alternative shoulder piece (It's more rounded then) as well as helmets which also doesn't appear in Halo 2. - In halo 2 Minor & Major variants have different colour variations the minor having a deeper blue that's almost purple variation and the Major having a orange variation. These two grades were supposed to be slightly different ranks I believe.
My favorite has to be Reach. I remember how blown away I was seeing how different they where yet still nailing it especially when they first appeared, I mean one alone was capable of giving Noble Team a hell of a fight. Larger and bulkier and deadlier, capable standing toe to toe with a Spartan. Especially when they would swarm you. They look like Spartan killers alright and boy did they live up to it on killing many of them(you included) I have yet to find an elite I like as much as Reach Elites
Visually, I have to go with Halo Reach. I really love the armor designs as they look decorative and or sleek looking, as well as the elites body features like the face (Halo 2 Anniversary, while visually pleasing, the mandibles could've been better handled). Gameplay wise, I also have to say Halo Reach as they make designs based on who has the upper hand or not, along with that broken melee hit.
Gonna have to say my fav elites are CE’s. Well balanced and fun to fight. 2’s can be quite tedious or just dumb. Halo 3’s are a joke. Reach’s can be quite tedious at times, but can be fun to fight when it comes to their challenge. 4 and 5 I’m not a fan either of their design. I mean I’m okay with seeing a different outfits for the covies based on faction and lore. But their anatomy I agree with. Their gameplay is wayyy too tuned down. I mean I like H4 but not the biggest fan on certain aspects. I look forward to seeing mods that modify and bring back the classic art style and giving the covie ai a tune up and balance for the Prometheans. Would like to see you cover the Flood in the next video.
Can we all agree the absolute fact that the Sangheili are one of the more interesting aspects of Halo and that we all wanted to play them ever since 2, 3, and reach.
I have a theory that the Halo 4 Eites are a subspecies of Sangheili because their changes are so stark. Granted, they are some of the few Elites to support the old Covenant ideals and that may stem from geographic or ethnic divides from mainstream Elite culture.
This is a great analysis, but I feel that it should have included a section on how the Elites (or other races you discuss in the future) scale with each difficulty. For example, Halo CE Elites on legendary are your equal and are a challenge but are manageable. While Halo Reach Elites on Legendary are genuinely threatening. And Halo 2 Elites on Legendary are ridiculously overpowered and are stronger than the player.
The Elites always kinda looked the same to me. Similarly to the Hunters, even in H4 and H5, they pretty much always retained their overall appearance, unlike the Grunts and Jackals, with the latter looking fairly ok and like dinosaurs and the poor, unfortunate former looking as though they were on some of the bad kinds of gases. Great vid. 😁👍
I swear in Halo 2 there was a secret elite on the first mission that had the fanned out helmet that they could have in CE, then again, I seen this when I was really young so I could be wrong on it, but I swore I could've seen it
What's your favorite Elite and why? I want to know! What Covenant species should I cover next? Thanks for watching :)
Halo 2 Anniversary and 3 for me. I love how natural and practical their body and armor look
Do the Grunts!
I like the halo 3 elites
@@lanternguy same
My reach an ce
"Noble hierarchs, surely you will not turn me into marketable plushies."
(Tartarus) *Holds up marketable elite plushie*
(Arbiter) "If the prophets find out about this, they will surely turn you into a marketable plushie too!"
(Tartarus) "Hahaha! Fool. They ordered me to make a marketable elite plushie."
(Arbiter) "NOOOOOOO! *Jumps down a hole to commit suicide* (DISCLAIMER: Do not try that at home.)
**gets turned into a plushie** *"WAAAAAAUUUUUGGGHHH"*
LMAO
@@reddracen2193 just the image of a marketable elite plushie in tartarus' hand made me laugh so hard...
Grunt Plush when
A zealot running towards you in CE while you're reloading is absolutely terrifying.
You can feel your whole body clench
In ce when you spot the red elites, you know they will almost always break your shields
Wort wort wort
add invisibility
@Mikkonen bro replying to my almost a year old comment 😐. Not to mention wtf do you mean "tiring". Like how bout you go tire out some bitches.
I love the Reach and Ce elites. Intelligent, cunning, aggressive, and fun to fight.
Reach elites would spartan kick u every time, I actually hated them but they're designed well
Same here very fun
Personally I think reach elites are the best (well behind ce) but I don't like some of their armor, their not bad but they do look a bit blocky
@@tech7581 You're just not good at the game. Very easy to dodge the melee attacks of Reach Elites.
@@tech7581 i really like Halo 4/5 elites gameplay wise, but they just look like shit. They ARE acrobatic like they should be but they don’t look like they should be lol they look really heavy and “Brutish”. They just feel like squishy Brutes. I’d just change the art style and make them more agile. It’s more a visual thing in 4/5 that’s the issue (and the trash AI in 4)
Bungie Elites : Nobility made manifest
343 Elites : "These are the brutes right?"
100% agree with this comment, 343 really dropped the ball on them.
343 dosent care about halo
Just our money!
343 made the elites ugly and terrible because why????
They don't care!!!! Just consume the product and move on....dont ask why they ruined the elites cuzz they don't care
@@Nolongerhereanymore they’ve solved multiple problems the series had before infinite and listened to fans about the sound effects and art design, yet you really think they don’t care?
@@airconditioningunit9777 Yeah I think they just tried to be cool or something, but made a mistake. I really hope they fix grunts, jackals and elites. Elites are supposed to be graceful and cunning, not clunky and brutish. And they just fucked the jackals over big time. I hope they write it off as some other species or just retcon the whole appearance to fit Halo 2's appearance.
I’m suprised he didn’t mention the creepy bellybutton on their armor 🤮
“They have shed our brother blood and for that they must die!” That line always so hard.
definitely! Halo 2 made me love the elites, their armor, their ranks, and their unquestionable loyalty to a cause, Halo reach are the toughest ones, but H2 are my favorite.
I see no similarity between halo and starcraft at all
@@filipbitala2624 who would you say would win a fight between elites and protoss
@@crimsondynamo615 protoss, because they have technological and biological advantage, yes they might have the same spirit and weapons, but toss are just built different
I think the problem with the Halo 3 elites boils down to the fact that they were designed to never be encountered as enemies in the campaign, and thus Bungie went for a friendly-ppearance than an intimidating enemy. I still really enjoy the elites in Halo 3 and I always hated losing them as allies in H2 and H3, especially to the flood (the live mutation effect in Halo 3 was painful to witness). But yes seeing the fall of the elites after Halo Reach (which I didn't even love their design in that game, though their armour was really cool) is one of the reasons I stopped keeping up with Halo.
Wait.
*Halo 2 Elite’s glowing orange bits are shield indicators?!*
You likely don’t notice it when you aren’t looking behind them when you shoot. It’s a minor detail that can be easily overlooked. It’s pretty cool though
I actually had no idea this was a thing until this video, I just thought they were there to add to the aesthetics of the Elites
Pretty much same reaction.
According to the lore, they are shield projects. Same with the lights on Spartan armor.
Great detail, but easily missed, since elites rarely show you their backs and elite missions don't help since the halo games pace...
I think the elites in Halo: Reach were probably the best elites. Faster, Stronger, smarter (sometimes). I really think it captured the whole "planetary invasion" scene, and then the detail and facelifts made them look exactly how I imagined them, playing CE as a kid.
I still play reach to this day but cant play online unless its on the MCC and i dont want to reinstall the chief collection and it was so fun playing the reach custom games or just any mode but invasion was probably one of the best but i agree reach was the best
As much as people harp on them for having a powerful melee, I might argue that is a sign of their strength and to keep away. I don’t like how their rangers act more like jump pack brutes from Halo 3 than rangers from Halo 2. I also wish they used other armor abilities than just armor lock and camouflage.
Invasion was lit, that, added on top of what Alex said is why I think Reach was great. There was a strength difference between and Humans and Elites. Our bodies can only handle so many augmentations and even in our suits, its barely enough to handle the warrior race. Even in invasion you're faster and more resilient than a Spartan.
If the Halo events didn't happen we would've lost, the war, no doubttt.
@@swordart7729 for me, reach elites had the best design of all halo games
Gameplay wise I sort of agree but some of their designs are very weak
My favorite design was the H2 classic design and favorite behavior was definitely CE :) They are some of gaming's most interesting and unique aliens
Hello, Early Morning Reading
Always nice to see big names still watch and or support the little guys
I would like Halo 2 Elites more if they stood tall like in CE.
@@lividgrain4002 same, I don't like it when they are hunched over
Agreed. However, I think Halo 3 Elites are stupid because they might have similar AI to the marines since they’re your allies now. That maybe the reason.
I love the Reach elites. The combination of their intimidating appearance, intelligent AI, and speaking the Sangheili language makes them feel alien and frightening to fight. But their armor designs also retain that noble grace.
Eh! Tabooey!!
The sexiest in the series
having 2 variants of wort wort wort too
"WORT! WORT!! WORT!!!"
"WorWorWort?"
@@wumbosaurus9121AAAHHHHGGGG WODODA
"I think you're cute too" I was 9yo when I heard that for the first time... I'll never forget that elite...
@@Void_Wars Wow, you do know how much of an insult that is? Idk if you’re just Fukin around or you actually believe that I’m a totalitarian socialist that wants to exterminate all Jews just because my profile pic is a mix between the Republican Party and libertarian party.
Nah bro had an awakening
I think it goes to show there are three pillars when it comes to making the Elites good. 1. Have a very fast movement speed with a lot of strafing. 2. Take cover intelligently when shields are low or the odds are against them, especially for higher ranks. 3. Aggressively fire at and rush the player when they get close, or are vulnerable, especially for higher ranks.
#1 in particular is sooooooo important. The elites being so agile, effective at dodging shots, and so aggressive in their movement gives Halo CE a very high level of replayability, especially combined with CE sandbox.
So Elites are OG fps players
Speed strength and smarts
@@srikrishnasrivatsan199 They're not really all that more evasive than Halo 2's though, (both evade less than Reach,) and the aggression often works against them more than anything.
-Zealots with swords often just charge you head on, which in most scenarios can give you time to just rip into them.
-When Minors go berserk and try to melee you it's more of a benefit to you than anything, since their melee range is very short and the damage is poor.
Like on average they will duck into cover more frequently than Halo 2's as an example, but it also doesn't mean as much because Halo CE's Elites have shields that regenerate very slowly (taking 10 seconds to recharge fully and taking 12 seconds of no damage to even begin recharging,) meaning their attempts to hide when empty on shields will only work out if the player doesn't try to approach them to kill them. It's also worth noting that even disregarding Legendary bullshit, Halo 2 Elites are generally more aggressive in how they fire too, because whereas Halo CE's pretty much limit themselves to small 4 rounds of burst fire with the Plasma Rifle (their most common weapon by far,) Halo 2's will shoot in larger bursts and will tear through your shields much quicker.
4: having a good design like the halo 2 elite
3:59 can we just appreciate the fact that the elite didnt just chase after him, and instead went the opposite direction to cut him off
That what I loved about ce was just how ahead of it’s time the ai was, and how some games even today lack such intelligence in their ai compared to ce
That behavior probably isn't as advanced as you might think. It's not really intending to cut off the player, it's more a case of pathfinding. It's choosing the shortest path to the player. At that point, the player has outrun the elite (after it got stuck on the wall for a second) and the other direction back has now become the shorter option
@@merlith4650 I know why it did that. I'm just sayin that stuff doesn't happen in other games. Ai normally decide to stand and shoot so you normally never see that pathfinding behavior.
So it may be something simple. But that doesn't mean it ain't affective
The first Fear game has really good AI enemies
No
EBR: Reach Elites can be a little tough to kill.
Meanwhile*
You: Fires 2 rockets at point blank range at a Field Marshall.
Field Marshall appears out of the smoke, shields not even broken: All of that for a drop of blood.
*proceeds to draw Concussion rifle and blast you in 2 to 3 shots.
*Balanced as all things should be*
the elite: *I AM BULLETPROOF!*
I took the gravity hammer that the brutes in the previous firefight dropped and gave him 2 mighty whacks.
Still got sliced.
Halo 2 Legendary Jackal Sniper: "What about you fight with someone of your size."
Halo 2 elite ultras on legendary can shrug off a plasma grenade stuck to them.
The halo reach elites are so much more difficult to land shots on because they are constantly evading from side to side
Which makes them so much more scary and fun to fight
Which makes them fun to fight
yeah I think it's way overdone. they're COMICALLY agile; they look like they're fuckin wavedashing as opposed to combat dodging or evading. They buzz around like mosquitoes instead of moving like the strong warriors they should be (their movement conveys almost zero weight)
Even on easy those pieces of crap can kill you easily
@@anson2389 for how strong they are they would seem weightless cuh
I love how in CE all of the enemy AI behaviors fit their characteristics as a species. Grunts are cowardly and run away if they aren't being commanded. Jackals are devious agile, rolling out of the way of the player and ambushing them with charged plasma pistol shots. The flood.... floods you. The Hunters are always in a group of two.
Finally, the Elites are noble and zealous and care for victory over their own lives. Once when I was on legendary, I took down an Elite's shields at the same moment it took out mine. We both ran for cover, I waited for my shields to recharge. I was shocked that before my shields were recharged and while it's shields were still down and vulnerable, it charged around a corner and meleed me to finish me off. That gameplay loop perfectly fit the narrative the game was trying to push about them.
It feels like the Elites are seriously inspired by Imperial Japanese soldiers of WW2.
Same about every other halo game, even in infinite elites are honorful, fast, agile and smart, the grunts are cowards, the jackals are poopy faces and they act all toguh when they have their shields but without them they more scared than grunts, brutes are brutes, and berserk are especially brutish, and the hunters are the ones hunting you now, I swear those mofos are really fun but hard in the game.
@@impairedtrout6917 bro thinks 343 games are halo 🗿
@@paperclip6377 They are, I know it is hard to acknowledge, because they really messed up a lot but that's just how it is. You don't suppose Bungie today is the same as Bungie of old, do you? Even if Bungie came back as Halo's devs, their own implementations would also differ. A key figure like Joseph Staten isn't part of both. We've got to show enough amount of love, even if it's tough love just to show that we're still gonna bite if they do it right because we're also in a relationship of businesses and consumers, apathy will ruin things. I think it's best to look at things less... emotionally. I learned that after hearing the news that 343 got massive layoffs and roles were shuffled earlier on because come to think of it, who would I be angry at? Even if it's the same face, the people who made the mistakes have been replaced, I'm just whinging and clamouring at nothing or the new people. It's not really fair so I judge on a case by case basis now, and even if it seems tedious that's just how life is, isn't it? If you want a case of apathy, that's Blizzard. It's not the same people anymore, it's a walking corpse wearing the face of your beloved. Warcraft 3 Reforged launch was a sad sad day...
Hunter watching their bond-brother get one by a f#cking pistol: Oh no, not again...
Halo 3’s Elites were by far the weakest. Hell, I even saw a Major die just by opening a door.
Nah, ODST's Elties were the weakest. They all died before the player even encountered them.
@@BioGoji-zm5ph Haha, that’s right. Also, how’s your mod coming along?
@@117oddlink-9 Which one?
@@BioGoji-zm5ph the Halo 2 one.
@@117oddlink-9 For Halo 2 Anniversary, I've got two campaign mods (MJOLNIR Edition and De-Evolved) I'm working on, and I've made it almost half way through the game with Anniversary MJOLNIR, but I'm waiting until I've gotten all of the levels completed before releasing the mod. I'm also taking my time because of how MCC is still being updated, and I'm unsure of whether or not the next season of updated content will contain newer builds of Halo 1 or 2 that might force me to start all over again. I am, however starting on another Custom Edition campaign mod, and I will being work on Halo 2 Vista De-Evolved as well (De-Evolved is basically Halo 2 without dual-wielding and EVERYTHING being set to match Combat Evolved's difficulty balancing, including AI health and shields, AI behavior, etc...).
So... I've got my work cut out for me. Gamercheat has said that 343i are planning to release mod tools that will be on the same level as what was available for Custom Edition and Halo 2 PC when they were first released (although since both of those games had their editing kits locked and severely limited in terms of what people could actually do with them when first released, I'm not sure if I should celebrate just yet. It was only after Kornman unlocked the CE editing kit that people could really start doing crazy things, and the H2EK has only recently been unlocked with many features still stripped of functionality, and only a few dedicated modders like General 101 have been able to slowly restore the H2EK to its true glory). In either case, I will most likely finish my new Custom Edition campaign mod and the Halo 2 Vista MJOLNIR Edition 1.5 and Halo 2 De-Evolved before I finish work on Halo 2 Anniversary MJOLNIR and De-Evolved.
Either way, I do appreciate your interest, and I hope that whichever version of Halo 2 for PC you use, you'll find yourself enjoying whatever mods I release.
Grunts. Do them next, they deserve it.
Big crunchy thirst!
@@xxbublebee123 Grunty. Grunty thirst.
@@BioGoji-zm5ph yum yum 😋
@@xxbublebee123 food nipple
@@mxb3ar69 roof shingle blesssss
Halo 3 Elites were domesticated
I mean, they were on humanity’s side in 3, right? (I haven’t played any of the Halo games, regrettably...)
@@TheActualMrLink Yes and you should play the Halo games.
@@TheActualMrLinkalso near the halo 2 campaign end the elites have gottem into humanitys side
this comment should be pinned
@@TheActualMrLink Give us an update you played them yet?
I always found it interesting that there were actually 3 helmet designs in Combat Evolved for the elites
1. The curled headpiece
2. The traditional finned helmet we've come to know
3. A finned helmet used by spec ops and zealots where the fins on the sides and top shoot out much more dramatically
ITs a crime they never got upscaled. The curled and finned ones that is. Really wish we had high res models of them.
I've definitely been flanked by Elites in Reach, especially on Heroic and Legendary. This could be a coincidence if their constant mobility and good pathfinding but it always felt intentional. Their ducking and weaving to dodge grenades and headshots also looks very natural.
I never noticed that the orange sections in halo 2 elites were shield indicators!
I actually didn't know the elite ranks in halo:CE had matching eye colors
reach elites are also my favourite, i find that if you learn the melee attacks of the elites they can be easily dodged giving you an easy assassination which is rewarding given the fact you took the time to learn how to beat this superior enemy in close quarters also generals make me feel a good
One of my favorite lines and scenes from the entire halo franchise,
“brute ships, staggered line, ship master they outnumber us three to one”
“then it is a even fight . all cruisers fire at will, BURN THEIR MONGERAL HIDES !!”
Spelled Mongrel
Man, I've played so much Halo 3 I heard these lines in their voices and the cutscene played in my mind's eye. Such a good game
0:01 - intro
0:46 - Wort Wort Wort... (Halo: CE)
5:26 - Quite A Few Elites... (Halo 2)
11:26 - An Even Fight... (Halo 3)
14:41 - The Elites, Tell me more about them... (Halo Reach)
20:17 - Wort Wort Wort & Quite A Few Elites... Anniversary (Anniversary editions)
23:50 - Not Outfitted Like Standard Military... (Halo 4)
28:37 - (Halo 5)
29:41 - outro
Halo five elites are (Halo five) Indeed!
I’ll never forget fighting Reach Elites for the first time on Legendary. Jesus.
Shout out to the Arbiter and Rtas, though, for their incredible voices. Made me love the elites.
My personal favorite elites are the H2A elite since their designs are pretty good and the writing the elites got in that game is amazing in my opinion.
H2 Elite writing and game dialog is god tier
I like the overall texture of the elite armour in H2A, it looks simple yet advanced and isn't too flashy in my opinion.
I feel like the Reach Elites armour is especially on higher ranks quite flashy but generally it looks great.
The 4 and 5 armours are also flashy but are generally ugly, the Elites themselves are very ugly in both of those games.
In terms of A.I. a combination of Reach A.I. with any good aspects of earlier Elite A.I. is preferred, in terms of visuals for the Elites themselves I prefer that they stand tall and prould like in Reach, that their heads follow the basic design of Halo 2 and that their armour be found somewhere between H2A, H3, and Halo Reach's.
@@bernardcornellisvanmeijere4375 I agree with you .
@@bernardcornellisvanmeijere4375 I agree with you however I have a question. Have you considered that perhaps the H4/5 elites are ugly on purpose to give off the look of a more feral dishonorable faction?
@@theAverageJoe25 I have considered that, and it's probably the reason why, but it still doesn't make it a good design, Halo Reach's Elites looked plenty scary without being expressly ugly, I suppose that their armour could've looked more worn out but the Elites themselves didn't have to be ugly to successfully send their message.
My favorite is definitely halo: reach’s elites, they feel intimidating, scary, imposing, and almost feel like they are stronger than you are at times. The halo reach elites are undoubtedly the most frightening looking in the franchise, and their behavior reflects it very well, they act aggressively at all times and don’t give you any slack on higher difficulty’s. They always make me think twice about my tactics and may outsmart me on occasion, even dodging my grenades and returning the favor with one of their own grenades, which usually sticks me because I don’t expect it. The elites in reach are possibly the best fighters in the franchise on LASO and are so hard to fight against I genuinely get mad at them for being so OP, the reach elites do have a ridiculous melee I will admit, but you deserve it if you got that close to begin with. Reach elites hold a special place in my heart for many reasons, mostly because they are so good looking and fun to fight, but that’s just my opinion.
@Twisted Sister the faces are what make them scary, no pupils, sharper design, jagged teeth, grey skin, and overall, for the setting and what bungie was going for (making them fearsome) perfect.
@Twisted Sisterdude I’m being nice, no need to be salty that I have an opinion. Also no they aren’t graphically better in 3 they are about the same if not slightly less good, also CE elites were weird. I liked fighting them in CE but they definitely feel more fearsome and scary in reach. Reach was supposed to make the elites fearsome and intimidating, they did that very well.
CE's elites are my favourite
Hell yes. So many people think that H2A Elites are the epitome of Elite design, but I agree with the video. Reach had the best armor and behavior, along with a wonderful posture.
@@bean1an143 yep, I do think the melee can be a slight problem every now and then but I’ve only had the problem once or twice, when I play on heroic or legendary they feel like my superior, like I’m at their mercy and that they could kill me faster than I could blink. And they are, I am, and they do.
In halo reach he forgot one rank: BOB
Its not a rank Its just a Different Color Ranger that has the Same amount of Shield Health as Generals
@@nexemisroguelikes234 It was meant as a joke.
@@nexemisroguelikes234 you must be fun at parties
@@nexemisroguelikes234 🖕🏻🖕🏻
@@yougotaknife 🖕🖕🖕🖕
I found it so cool to have some council elite fighting along side us in halo 2, after not really supporting the future arbiter during his trial and now they are fighting along side him and respect him, that's so cool
Classic Halo 2 elites are my favorites. The amount of ranks and variations you encounter throughout the campaign have always fascinated me, and I think their design is just perfect.
I bet whenever everyone saw "Wort wort wort" they instantly said it like the Elites do in CE
Don't lie, you did it ;)
You got me! Hahaha
I didn’t. I said “kill everything”
HOW DID YOU KNOW
wort wort wort
Got me man 😂
1:45 elite: Yea I'm here for my interview
camera guy: Oh yea red elite, let's get starte-
Grunt in the back: KILL THE DEMON
That was hilarious
to be fair the halo 3 elites were not designed to be enemies so it makes sense why their ai werent as good. and elite charisma has never been lost, lets be fair here
I think their charisma did take a hit, their voices sound more comical and less imposing than those in halo 2. Arbiter and shitmaster were handled well though
Yeah if you play the entire halo 2 campaign after the mission quarantine zone Tarturus betrayed the Arbiter and his fellow elites you'll see why the Arbiter and elites serve as allies in halo 3.
It would of be cool that the grunts spec ops with jet black armor and hunters with green armor so they can serve as allies with humans and always fight along side with the elites just like halo 2.
Idk I was playing halo 3 and a major was shooting a dead brute and was yelling”the breath has left”
@@zaymac117 in that case I think you would love Ruby's Rebalanced Halo 3
@@Pringles58 I'm aware already watched ruby's rebalanced of halo 3
Watching reminds me how much I like CE. I love the look of the elite's colors, and they felt so intimidating and scary and alien
They look so majestic in CE and as a kid I was sooo fascinated by the different types of helmets they had
The halo elites went from screaming to normal talking to funny talking back to screaming then to screaming again then back to talking normally.
They still scream in Halo 3. Just give them a sword or make them weaponless and they'll battle cry whenever they see an enemy
EBR : elites are honorable
Me when playing ce : an elite shot me and laughed at 117 on the floor
And shows a clip of CE Gold Elite commiting suicide at Assault On The Control Room.
I think that H2A elites are the best attempt at a detailed modern design of the elites. Their faces look awkward in gameplay since the models are overlayed onto the old h2 hitbox, but they look freaking amazing in cutscenes
3 things about HALO2A
One don't look into the mouth of a dead elite
You'll notice somthing sticking through their insides
2 Miranda Keys looks like a new person
3 the phantom that's flying to the start of sacred icon is moving backwards
To my opinion
Halo 2A was a great experiment
And I love the terminals about Sasa Rafumae and 343 talking
Explains how the heretics started in halo 2
And i think the halo 2A Elites were cool
True, they look amazing in cutscenes. Especially arbiter and Rtas
@@Nolongerhereanymore well phantom can always fly backwards, and miranda just look more pretty and good(no simp)
@@alduinfr Nah it was obviously a mistake. I don't really care though cause blur did such an amazing job at creating that movie like cutscenes. The cinematics even hold up to day and blow a lot of other games cutscenes out of the water.
@@rushpatriot2866 well Blur was an movie cgi creator. no wonder why they did such a good job
I absolutely LOVE the wrecklessness and design of the Halo 3 Elites. I truly have fun and it is never boring with those guys. I love the designs of the Reach Elites as well. But if i want to have a good laugh, I always queue up on Halo 3 on any mission with Elite Friendlies present
same here i am currently getting all the skulls
Me too. I find Halo 3 elites as cute lizards.
Halo 1 elites were the best. They never came close to that design perfection ever again. That bright glossy armour, their gait when running and walking, the reverse English language, they were so perfectly alien.
CE has got to be my favourite. They seem so distinguished and proud in their mannerisms. They are fun to fight, and the only real drawback I have is the lack of verity (not really an issue as it was the first game, but if you have the CE elites with some 2 and reach armour then it would be fantastic). Further, I love how the mandible guards and helmet cam together to give them an intimidating glare when the mouth was closed.
i actually think that halo 4 and 5s zealot armour is the coolest armour. Not the elites themselves, but the design of the armour. i like how angular it is
I agree, its defiantly the best looking elite armor in H4 and 5
Wort wort wort
@@ebr8308 also how did you get the close up footage of the elites in CE and 2?
For CE you have to enable the blind skull, play SC and right before you get to the map room, there's a hidden active camo. Activate it, quickly go up to the elite you want to examine and there you go, homemade theater mode. It doesn't last forever though, so you'll have to restart the checkpoint a couple times. As for Halo 2, just enable the blind skull and play on missions where the elites are your allies. Hope that helps
No
I personally like both the halo 2 and reach elites, they're pretty fun to fight against atleast in my standard.
yeah same
Reach elites BULL SHIT
Reach elites were easily the best for me.
Their aggressive strategy and high damage output really showcased how brutal and ruthless the Covenant were during the Fall of Reach.
My two favorites:
Halo Reach was peak design and gameplay.
Halo Wars is how you do a complete redesign without it looking terrible.
Reach elites have and always will be my favourite, they're as fearsome to fight as they are to look and their armour is my favourite out of the entire series especially the spec ops harness
CE Elites are my favorite to fight, while Halo 2 Elites have my favorite designs, animations, and dialogue.
I couldn't agree more, that's exactly how I feel lol
Same, CE ones kick my butt. But I like the challenge. 2 are my favorite aesthetically speaking. 3's are too squatty. Reach's ai is horrid and 4 and 5 don't count
same
@@evansutton6760 You only think the Reach AI is bad cause you can’t get past the first 3 ultras in winter contingency
Elites also used turrets and warthogs in Reach :)
I did notice that too
Elites could use them in halo 2 and 3 also
21:31 made me laugh so hard it's like the Elites like:"Oh, MaStEr ChIef I'm GoInG tO kIlL yOu!!!!1!!!!1"
The halo 2 anniversary, halo ce, and halo reach. The halo 2 anniversary design is beautiful and sleek and is a blast to play against, the ce are fun to play against because they're very smart and makes it feel like an actual battle. The reach are good because they're absolutely murder to go against but when I'm feeling like a fight I go to them for some fun in when I'm feeling masochistic.
Halo 4 elites aren't real they can't hurt me
On legendary they kicked my ass
@@myyoutubechannel7912 I think he meant that the Halo 4 Elites look nothing like they did before.
@@joe_mmamaa
I think the problem have the Halo 4 Elites designs is that they are less recognizable than the elites from the Bungie games. They are overloaded with details and their figures became too complex.
@@abrahamlizarraga10 They also just look huge and clumsy, when their gameplay still implies that they are graceful and skilled. It’s not bad because it’s different, it’s bad because it doesn’t fit whatsoever.
@@thebigyes8482
Agreed.
I've completed halo 2 like 4 times and I've never heard an elite say that 😭 9:51
Stare at their faces for entirely no reason for a while with IWHBYD skull.
I am now an expert in Elite anatomy and design and will add this to my resume, thank you 🙏🏾
I really like reaches elites because they look so intimidating and alien, my one disappointment was how little camo is used in Reach, they definitely could've incorporated something like silent shadow into Reach and they'd fit in perfectly.
20:40 That elite finally had enough of your tomfoolery.
Halo 3 Elites always were so hunched over, looking like they had back pain.
Would explain why their combat AI isn’t so good.
Nah their awesome
@@Dwyer-nl9fz ?
L U M B A G O
@@yougotaknife now that explains everything
@@Dwyer-nl9fz To laugh at, yes
I do kinda like 3's elites as their design kinda feels more friendly, kinda helps them feel more like allies imo
CE elites sat the standard for the series, thin, muscular, graceful, and aggressive. The armor was simple, but looked good
I can’t say much about Halo 2 as it was a transitional phase for elites, but it did improve on CE
Halo 3 elites, I can’t tell if they were shorter, more muscular, or fatter. Perhaps just fat. Even in Bungie’s games, they went though metabolic changes
Reach was great, the faces were mean, the agility was good, and the armor ranged from badass to AEUHHH?!? (Looking at you, General). I also found it interesting that Reach elites are the only ones to have actual toes instead of hooves
Halo 4 and 5 elites, one word: F. U. B. A. R.
(Fucked Up Beyond All Recognition)
In Infinite, I see the slimness of CE/2 elites, short posture of 3, and the aggressiveness of Reach. And not a brute/dino lovechild in sight
Halo 2 was not an improvement at all. They were weaker cause you as a player was weaker.
Slower too but atleast had more details in their face.
You : tries to punch an reach elite
The elite: (drop kicks you)
You : (perishes)
I’ve watched this at least 8-9 times, I just love how casually funny your vids are
When he talks about the armors he sounds like a salesman
I love how when you play as an elite or encounter them in reach's campaign, when they pull out a energy sword they hunch over in a very scary pose
They go into that "Alright that's it you're getting the sword" pose
The Halo 2: A’s Elites look like their mouths are suffering from animation problems.
That’s probably exactly what’s happening lol
I think they might have fixed that at some point but yeah it was really bad at launch where only half of an elites mouth would move.
Halo Reach was the first Halo I played and the elites on legendary were fun to play against
Halo Reach always had my favorite Elites the first mission with the zealots and how they drop in accompanied with some of the best music Ive heard its so cool
There are 2 instances of encountering a white colored field marshals(?) elites that have either dual wield plasma rifles or a plasma launcher/fuel rod (depending on difficulty) based on the legendary difficulty. One can be spotted outside Sword Base before entering the building to the hunter fight and another is on the top floor raining fire down on the cat walks as you try to reach up to the top. Another type of elite you seemed to have missed was the BOB elites, though they go into active camo once you have a small scuffle with them, they have the same shields as the Ultras but their aim is like a zealots. They wear the ranger armor but sporting the same golden color as the generals.
Halo CE and Halo Reach elites were my favorite, they were so mysterious and menacing as well as having the best AI, also liked how they didn’t speak English 🔥🔥🔥💪🏾💪🏾💪🏾
Is it possible that they gave H2A Elites more human-like faces so we would be able to relate to the Arbiter better? His emotions are clearly visible on his face during the cutscenes, like the surprise he has when Sesa 'Refumee throws his pokeballs. Though I do have to agree, the lithe look of the Elites from Halo 2 sorta disappeared with H2A, though I find the art style gorgeous. Also, I think Halo 4 Elites were pushovers because of the fact that the game was pushing the 360 to its limits and the AI suffered because of it.
For something that large, they had to give realistic proportions, and make them look more alive than the H2 counterparts. They look like they actually have brain cases and are definitely more expressive.
I like the CE elites, maybe it's because I relate to their mostly fast, agile, stealthy and tactical approach to combat, and their smooth sleek look and movement style, it's similar to my playstyle in most videogames I play and they feel like an equal formidable foe
Reach are my favorite, strongest hardest, best looking and both more easy and harder to kill, you really are encouraged to get in close where you can force a melee, dodge and stick a knife in them. No elite was immune to the noob combo which was good when you found out the hard way that some of them were immune to knifing
God H4 rangers are so goofy with their humungous helmets
H4 and H5 elites tried so hard to be scary that it's goofy Halo 1, 2 and Reach elites are scary especially when they are chasing you with an energy sword.
@@Highrollinhunter I agree, let’s hope the best for Infinite elites
(Edit: spelling error fixed)
Well to me, the reach rangers look a bit too bulky
Halo reach was the most memorable. The behavioural patterns of the CE elites and Reach elites are fantastic too. Reach is also good because of its solid ranking system similar to Halo CE and Halo 2.
Yes, finally! Halo CE elites were definitely the best! They had the best ai and looked the best.
Heck, CE is still my favorite art style.
The anniversary design was a sin.
Your videos will forever remain a favorite of mine on UA-cam as a whole. Great job man
Having just played through Reach on Legendary, I actually don't think the Elites in that game are particularly challenging to fight; you just spam noob combos and respawn 2 minutes back whenever you die.
They have strong shields, move fast and have some really dangerous weapons (notably, the concussion rifle) but in isolation they are often too easy to kill with a plasma pistol and precision weapon, and compensate for those weaknesses by being a bit too tanky when engaged with other weapons; the main problems are:
1. They get stunned almost every time you break their shield (Legendary Solo).
2. The high level ones are tanky to a ridiculous degree, but still die in one precision weapon headshot once their shield pops.
3. PP is OP. (it melts through the shields of even high level Elites with ease, and projectile speed is very good)
4. The Reach weapon sandbox in general is poorly balanced for campaign. (Plasma pistol+DMR/Needle Rifle>everything) I found myself constantly dropping power weapons for precision weapons and Plasma Pistols. (or in brute levels, precision weapons and Needlers) because everything else feels redundant and often even underpowered.
All in all, the Reach Elites are really good at everything but suffer from a poorly optimised sandbox and, I suspect, Bungie's attempt to compensate for that by increasing their HP. (leading to Elites that can tank power weapon hits like they're nothing but will fold the second you bring a plasma pistol). Ir also doesn't help that at the same time something like the Plasma Rifle in Reach is about as bad as the H3 one (despite the removal of dual wielding)
I very recently did a full solo Legendary playthrough of Reach after I picked up the MCC in a Steam sale, and my thoughts on the Elites are pretty similar.
Honestly, the DMR just breaks Reach's difficulty in half. Grunts? Free oneshots. Jackals? Tap the hand, tap the head. Skirmishers? Little harder to get a bead on, but they still go down in one headshot. Brutes can take a few headshots to knock their helmet off, but once it's off - tap the head.
And of course, Elites. Plasma Pistol Overcharge into DMR Headshot, every time.
The only enemy the DMR doesn't completely crush is the Hunter, and there's plenty of ways to beat Hunters in Reach anyway.
@Mister Majestic The high power of the short-range precision weapons (Magnum, BR, DMR, Covenant Carbine) absolutely makes them far more valuable in the sandbox. Any low-damage rapid-firing weapon is, on the other hand, usually close to useless unless it's the Needler.
You're right that it's an inherent flaw with Halo as a series, but I honestly don't even know how they could fix it without making rapid fire weapons *too* powerful.
I like the Halo Reach elites most. They have really good designs, act, I dunno, ELITE, and on top of it all, bring more lore with the different armors and types of elites you see. Plus they look more like dinosaurs while also looking like an alien
Wow, you pointed out details that I had absolutely no idea existed, and I’ve played the s*** out of this game! Good job, well done.
I think there are two specific problems with how 343 handled the elites.
The first is that they hired almost exclusively people who outright did not like Halo, and weren't fans. While that can go on to explain a lot of the problems with 343's games, I specifically want to point out that they hired Gears of War's main designer for the Covenant, and he took his specific approach to it despite there being a pre-existing canon to work from.
The second, and likely more obvious issue, is that 343 specifically wanted to establish Halo as their *own* franchise instead of one that they were adopting and adding to. They didn't consider that fans expected them to respect the Bungie art style and maintain consistency. It took them nine years to do that right, and I pray Infinite is as good a game as it seems like it's going to be. Please, we don't need a repeat of Halo 5.
so that's why the Grunts looked like one of the enemies from Gears of War.
Thel Vadamee and Rtas ‘Vadum are probably my faviroute elites because of the way they are, Vadum is literally just your average bladesmaster and does not care about the alliance meanwhile the arbiter DOES and will be with chief if not fighting covenant with other elites.
Another one is Fal ‘Chavamee (a lesser known arbiter), he was the first DISGRACED arbiter, the one that made the arbiter rank a disgrace, he single handedly fought a covenant army (that’s what I saw in I think legends) before dying to a bladesmaster, he was disgraced because he was the one to question the prophets word. All in all, three very different but very cool elites.
Could you do the grunts? The grunts are my favorite in the games. 😊
💜
Favorite Smaller Content creator! Can’t wait to watch this!
have to say i do like the Halo 4 elite Zealots they are extremely intimidating and arguably look the most like the originals since their face is completely covered. you didn't mention that in Halo 4 All elite Ranks seem to carry energy swords, although its inconsistent.
i think what hurt the 343 elites was that the gap between them and the player increased. in Halo 4 Spartans can use Armour abilities the same as reach but the elites can't, this is even worse in 5 because of 'Spartan Abilities' which the elites have no counter to.
What I liked about Halo CE and Halo 2 Elites was the fact that their mouths still made some amount of sense since they could technically close their mouths and have a full seal. Their lower jaws met at the bottom.
Whereas later versions seem to have the mandibles at the side of the mouths and just a bit hole in the bottom.
I like how is you turn on subtitles when you say “some changes were questionable to say the least” the word “gross” pops up even though it isn’t spoken. Haha
The Halo 2 Anniversary Honors Guards though🥵😫👌
Ben Tennyson comes to the Halo universe. "Uncatalogued Elite DNA detected. Elite DNA acquired and available!" - Omnitrix
I love the sleek design of HCE/H2 Elites. Their Alien/Predator inspiration was lost in the sequels...
This is a great video. I personally love when the elites splatter the player in Halo CE and laugh it gets me every time.
Also somethings I noticed:
- The Halo CE Minor & Major variants have an alternative shoulder piece (It's more rounded then) as well as helmets which also doesn't appear in Halo 2.
- In halo 2 Minor & Major variants have different colour variations the minor having a deeper blue that's almost purple variation and the Major having a orange variation. These two grades were supposed to be slightly different ranks I believe.
My favorite has to be Reach.
I remember how blown away I was seeing how different they where yet still nailing it especially when they first appeared, I mean one alone was capable of giving Noble Team a hell of a fight.
Larger and bulkier and deadlier, capable standing toe to toe with a Spartan. Especially when they would swarm you.
They look like Spartan killers alright and boy did they live up to it on killing many of them(you included)
I have yet to find an elite I like as much as Reach Elites
Couldn’t agree with you more ✊🏻
The elites are so unique, mysterious, and they come in different colors
Just like Skittles
Visually, I have to go with Halo Reach. I really love the armor designs as they look decorative and or sleek looking, as well as the elites body features like the face (Halo 2 Anniversary, while visually pleasing, the mandibles could've been better handled). Gameplay wise, I also have to say Halo Reach as they make designs based on who has the upper hand or not, along with that broken melee hit.
Gonna have to say my fav elites are CE’s. Well balanced and fun to fight. 2’s can be quite tedious or just dumb. Halo 3’s are a joke. Reach’s can be quite tedious at times, but can be fun to fight when it comes to their challenge. 4 and 5 I’m not a fan either of their design. I mean I’m okay with seeing a different outfits for the covies based on faction and lore. But their anatomy I agree with. Their gameplay is wayyy too tuned down. I mean I like H4 but not the biggest fan on certain aspects. I look forward to seeing mods that modify and bring back the classic art style and giving the covie ai a tune up and balance for the Prometheans.
Would like to see you cover the Flood in the next video.
Can we all agree the absolute fact that the Sangheili are one of the more interesting aspects of Halo and that we all wanted to play them ever since 2, 3, and reach.
I have a theory that the Halo 4 Eites are a subspecies of Sangheili because their changes are so stark. Granted, they are some of the few Elites to support the old Covenant ideals and that may stem from geographic or ethnic divides from mainstream Elite culture.
Mom: dont stare at the screen you’ll go blind!
Me: 18:43
Nice.
Monke
This is a great analysis, but I feel that it should have included a section on how the Elites (or other races you discuss in the future) scale with each difficulty. For example, Halo CE Elites on legendary are your equal and are a challenge but are manageable. While Halo Reach Elites on Legendary are genuinely threatening. And Halo 2 Elites on Legendary are ridiculously overpowered and are stronger than the player.
Luke Thenotable says halo 2 leg elites arent that hard, as long as you have your noob combo by your side
Reach's ultras with concussion canons or field Marshall with fuel rod
On legendary
The Elites always kinda looked the same to me. Similarly to the Hunters, even in H4 and H5, they pretty much always retained their overall appearance, unlike the Grunts and Jackals, with the latter looking fairly ok and like dinosaurs and the poor, unfortunate former looking as though they were on some of the bad kinds of gases. Great vid. 😁👍
“Goofy, my least favorite elites”
*Introduced them with the hardest line in all of Halo*
I swear in Halo 2 there was a secret elite on the first mission that had the fanned out helmet that they could have in CE, then again, I seen this when I was really young so I could be wrong on it, but I swore I could've seen it