The Library - Halo: The Master Chief Collection Guide - IGN (2024)

The Library is the seventh mission in Halo: Combat Evolved. There are two Skulls and one Terminal to find.

The monitor has transported you to the bottom of the facility when you need to be at the top, three levels up. What kind of level would it be if all you had to do was just take a few steps to the objective right? So here we go.

You start off with a shotgun and the magnum both with very little ammo. The monitor seems awfully pleased with himself and keeps forgetting you're even there as he continually says 'Oh! Hello!' throughout the level. Follow him towards the other end of this first area. You'll need to take out some squids and we are introduced to a new kind of flood. These 'pregnant' bulbous things walk up to you, lay down and explode with force releasing more squids. Their biggest threat is that explosion but careful not to underestimate the danger of the squids themselves. They occasionally reanimate downed combat forms and if a single squid catches you while your shield is down it's 'lights out' so back away from them and shoot (I suggest the assault rifle for this). You can also preemptively 'blow' the bulbous forms by shooting them with a shotgun blast or hitting them with a grenade blast. Grenade blasts make them explode after landing (slightly delayed) but the shotgun blast will cause them to explode on impact (much faster and more precise) so back up as you shoot to avoid the resulting explosion.

A bit further up you'll run into a mob of the combat forms shooting at you. Take out your shotgun and put it to good use. Once they are down (the music will stop) and you have the weapons and ammo you want head over to the two short pillars at the end and stand between them.

Black Eye Skull: As the end of the first area, you'll want to face away from the opening we head through later and grenade jump onto the pillar closest to the two vents. Once you're on the pillar jump into the right vent and turn on your flashlight. Follow it up to the top and pick up the skull. Come back out and head through the portal into the center room.

Follow the room around to the left to reach another portal heading out. As you approach another mob of combat forms attack. Wipe them out and head on through. Follow the monitor to the right taking out Flood as you go. When you get to the door in the center of this area the monitor informs you the security doors are locked an he will go access the override to open them. This happens several times during this level so get used to it. Unfortunately, this means you're stuck here waiting. But, no need to start yawning yet; this won't be boring at all. Turn around and get your shotgun ready, as you'll be fighting another mob of flood coming from the vents. Once the monitor returns; follow him through the now opened door.

Head to the right (notice the arrows on the floor go right) taking down Flood as you go. Careful as you reach the 'windows' in the floor as you would fall to your death if you misstep here. At each juncture the monitor will stop slightly ahead and wait for you to kill the Flood and catch up to him. Around the bend here is a dip in the floor at the bottom of which is an overshield. Keep following the monitor and or the arrows on the floor till you reach a huge room with an enormous circular platform. This is the elevator to the next floor so get on.

Wait, It Gets Worse!

The second and third floors are more of the same so just keep killing Flood and moving on. The part where it gets worse is that you'll run into a few combat forms that have rocket launchers so watch out. They fire from a distance so you can see the shot coming and avoid it if you're looking ahead.

But I Don't Want to Ride the Elevator!

The Library Terminal: On the third floor is a large circular room (not the elevator and not the index room) in which there are large parts of the structure that portion the room into sections. Across from where you enter this room you will see a glowing light. Jump over there and press X to access it.

From there, head further that same direction to meet back up with the monitor and go on to the final elevator.

Fourth Floor: Tools, Guns, Keys to Super Weapons

At last, the final floor. This is where you reach the index.

Eye Patch Skull: Once you reach the index room follow it all the way around to the right to pick up the skull at the end between two pillars before taking the bridge over here to the index.

Reaching the platform with the index gives you a cutscene and ends the level.