REMNANT
If you were like me, Relic was a map that just “represented” Halo in all its best ways. Not only did the asymmetrical make for some ridiculously epic CTF matches, but the entire environment itself resounded with the echoes of a once-vast and powerful empire, and spoke in hushed whispers of wars waged long ago. The mystery of it all made for a great example of Halo’s pervasive juxtaposition of evolved combat amidst silent serenity. For me, seeing Forerunner structures like these is made all the more intriguing when paired with the events fans have experienced throughout the Forerunner Saga by Greg Bear. So with your creative appetite hopefully sufficiently whetted, let’s take a look at the description for Remnant…
A secluded island, hidden along the coastal regions of Delta Halo, Remnant features a towering and iconic Forerunner megalith, weathered by untold millennia. Resembling other artifacts on Delta Halo, this enigmatic megalith became the site of comprehensive research by Lisbon pioneer groups. Local inscriptions catalogued by the Lisbon pioneer groups indicate that this towering megalith was constructed to pay tribute to Warrior-Servants who perished during the final siege of Forerunner colonies by ancient human invaders. After the Flood had overwhelmed key human strongholds, their incursions into Forerunner territory became violent as they attempted to contain the parasite through preemptive firebreak measures such as planetary immolation. The Forerunners struck back with devastating force, and many lives were lost on both sides.
As a War Games map environment, the site’s asymmetric layout and the artifact’s elevated, yet embedded position make it ideal for offense/defense engagements, including 1-Flag and Assault simulation objectives. Natural rock formations, outlying elements of the artifact, and a localized teleportation device offer an array of combat scenarios and infiltration methods that have been embraced by Spartans since Relic—the original version of this map—was introduced years ago.
One might imagine several of these spires scattered across the surface of Installation 05, such as the ones seen in both Relic and Remnant, perhaps with various styles and construction methods to represent different wars, different sacrifices, different ages. Keen-eyed fans will certainly begin to pick out cool little details scattered across the artificial island once the UNSC designers and engineers have finished up their checklists and flipped the switch for inclusion in the War Games simulations. I imagine we’ll have plenty of regular readers that will be looking to play equal parts Spartan and xenoarcheologist once that happens.