This is a walkthrough for level Data Hive. There are also tips while playing on Legendary.
Level starts (Sub-Level 07)
You start this level in a small Anteroom that has grenades and Shotguns. If you've made it this far hopefully you've still got your SMG and Pistol as they're going to be the most helpful in this level. If you're comfortable with the shotgun you can swap it out for your pistol but keep your SMG, it's going to be a lot of help in a little bit. Good Skulls for this level are Catch, Cowbell and Grunt Birthday Party. Proceed through the doors and follow the winding path down, you'll run into grunts and jackals, but they're easily handled with the pistol and a few melees.
First rooms.
Once you've passed the long hall you enter the first set of rooms, they all look the same and there are some twists so use your VISR map to get a good look of what's ahead of you. Proceed slowly through the rooms clearing out with your pistol the jackals and grunts and luring the Brutes into the confining hallways and sticking them with Grenades. If you aren't judicious with your Magnum ammo, pick up one of the may carbines as there's lots of Ammo for them and with a steady hand it's just as accurate as a pistol (and it comes in handy killing Brutes). When you get to the end and meet the NMPD guy drop the carbine and run back to find a spiker or needler before you open the Stack. When you do open it, take cover and let the drones fly up, your NPC will help but your better off using him as a distraction and killing the drones with the Spiker.
Sub-level 08
Before you drop down, swap out for your carbine again. Once you've dropped, creep through the doors and kill the two drones quickly. The NMPD guy goes straight for the tunnel on the right and you can follow him, but you're better off picking off the two grunts at the other end. The brute down there will point and growl but won't move up. Once you've gotten rid of the Grunts, follow the NMPD guy through the side tunnel, when you come out the other end stick the Brute with a plasma or spike grenade. Continue forward slowly, letting the NMPD guy distract the throngs of Brutes, and letting you pick them off with assasin melees and grenades. Occasionally you have to stand up fight the brutes and if you run out of Carbine ammo, you'll be tempted to use your SMG. DON'T. Pick up anything else, spiker and needlers and Maulers are around as well as human shotguns, so save the SMG. Kill them quickly and move on to the second set of rooms. In here is more of the same, snipe out the jackals and grunts and lure the Brutes and grenade 'em to death. It's made all the much easier (or annoying) by your NMPD buddy who distracts them enough but can't seem to kill anything. Once you reach the second drop, take a minute, run back, pick up any grenades you can from the rooms if you're short and make sure you have your main weapon (preferably the carbine, as there's enough ammo about) loaded up with as much ammo as you can find.
Damn Dirty Apes.
Once you drop down to Sub-Level 09 you'll notice it's mighty cold, let your buddy distract the Brutes, there are between six and eight depending on difficulty and on legendary they're harder to kill so take your time and clear them out. There's a Chieftain here, with his infinite and portable plasma battery. Kill him quickly with an incendiary grenade and headshot from the carbine, or plink away at range until he charges and then hit him with an incendiary. Either way with this cheiftain your best bet is an incendiary grenade, because of the close quarters and the plasma battery. Once you've cleared out these Brutes, you're buddy is going to open an extra door (if you have all the audiologs) and you're going to have to kill him. Bring the Plasma Battery, it's quick and it doesn't waste any ammo you're going to need later.
Bar-B-Que
Leave the little room and go to the end of the alcove to your left. You'll find a flamethrower. This is the best weapon for the next part. Be Careful, the flamethrower, can hurt you as much as the enemy and a little goes a long way. Go down and through the door and follow the hallway, you'll run into a mess of Grunts, shield Jackals, Drones and a few Brutes. Quick controlled bursts from the Flamethrower and it doesn't matter what difficulty you're on, the only way you can screw it up is if you flame broil yourself. You should have a about half your ammo left in the flamethrower when you run into Dare.
The Hive
Once you're done with the cutscene, use your 'thrower in the next section to quickly clear out the baddies. There's only a few, but they can drain ammo dodging in the large room, so use the 'thrower and drop it. After you come out into the first hive section, before the elevator, look to the right and swap out whatever you're carrying for the beam rifle, you're other weapon should be the SMG, and here's where it comes in handy. Follow Dare over to the elevator and bring up your SMG. Follow Dare around the hive. The pesky Drones are everywhere, Keep Moving! Short bursts from the SMG will drop drones quickly and accurately. There's a lot of them, but a combination of running and shooting keeps you alive. If you get to the end of the hive and see the door, just go through. Dare will magicly appear. She will have gone to the left of the tunnel. You should go right. Drop down, and bring up the beam rifle. Zoom in and you should get a good look at the Chieftain and one of the minor Brutes. Don't go down yet. Use two shots on the Chieftain and get him to bring up his invincibility. While he's untouchable, Snipe out the other Brute you can see, if you can get both, so much the better. When the Chieftain's invincibility drops, Snipe him to death. Drop in and swap out both your weapons for a full bruteshot and the Gravity Hammer.
The Best Defense is to Hit everything as Hard as you can.
After the cutscene, your job is to kill everything that moves and keep Vergil alive. Come out swinging, Gravity hammer and grenades. Kill the Jump Brutes the minute they touchdown and throw lots of grenades, swap in your bruteshot and kill the grunts and jackals. Wade in further with the Gravity Hammer and grenades and finish off the stragglers. After you clear out that room before you move on, make sure you reload your bruteshot and grab a new beam rifle from the weapon crate, for later. Be swift and silent through the next area heading quickly through the door on the left and avoid a fight with the Drones, then once Vergil opens the door stealthily pass through the next drone filled hallway without a fight. Once you and Vergil are on the elevator you are done, Keep your full Bruteshot and Beam Rifle to get you started in Coastal Highway.
Legendary Tips
- Use your NMPD buddy as a distraction. He doesn't kill much but he's good for keeping the Covenant's attention
- Grenades are your best friend. Love 'em and use 'em a lot.
- It's hard in the confined space but kill at range when you can, and from behind when you can't.
- For the love of all thats holey (like donuts) save your SMG for the drones, it's invaluable.