Myth II: Soulblighter.

Halo was not the first Bungie game to have a level with "library" in the title, although the Myth version certainly deserves its titular "great", which the Halo version probably doesn't (apologies to Ferrex). A single journeyman must venture inside the Great Library while the player defends the entrance from all comers until he returns; a real challenge on Legendary difficulty.

The spot of white in the lower left hand corner of this shot is a bit of the "ambient life" advertised-- in this case, a chicken. Early Halo movies, such as the one from E3 of 2000, showed that game with different kinds of ambient life: dinosaurs and a flock of small, scaly horned ponies. They were all removed from the game prior to publication. Chickens became a favorite target of dwarves for many players, as the spray of feathers produced by the explosion is particularly satisfying.

Many Myth levels feature bridges or other narrow spaces as killing grounds, where the player can lure-- or be lured-- into a dangerous area. This level is also special because at certain viewing angles, the reflection in the stream beneath the bridge reveals the Myth engine's true nature as 2.5d rather than fully 3d. In the strict sense, Oni was Bungie's first game that utilized fully 3d geometry.

Levels in Myth and Myth 2 often had objectives that went beyond merely killing all the enemy units in order to advance to the next stage. In this level, the player has to escort King Alric across a town being invaded by the ruthless Myrkridia to reach a ship docked at the opposite side.

One of the advertised features of Myth 2 was its use of "indoor environments". One part of the Myth 2 scenario featured a siege level to gain access to a keep, and then an indoor level, pursuing a Baron who attempted to escape. Later indoor levels occurred inside the Tain, a mysterious and ancient artifact.

This shot shows more units new in the sequel to Myth- wolves. Here doggy, here doggy... now where's that rock?

Siege levels, whether attacking or defending, were always among my favorites. This one featured an homage to the British comedy series "Blackadder", as the player had to sneak a dwarf in a side entrance, past guards talking about saving up to buy a huge turnip.

Another of the many defensive levels, here the player had to contend with units trying to advance to bridge and blow it up.