Ex-Halo artist shows off storyboards for Halo 2 and Halo 3

Source: Lee Wilson / Bungie

On the website ArtStation where game developers frequently post the work they’ve done on games, Lee Wilson, an ex-Halo developer, has recently posted never-before seen screenshots of storyboards that he worked on from both Halo 2 and Halo 3. Interestingly, the Halo 2 boards are drawn in a style that resembles comic books; Wilson stated that this style was chosen because the script for Halo 2 was going through many revisions and that as a result, a storyboard style that could be done quickly was necessary. Meanwhile, the Halo 3 boards are presented in a variety of styles, ranging from quick sketches to fully-detailed and colored scenes with lighting. According to Wilson, his approach to Halo 3’s storyboards varied based on how they were going to be used. Here’s a look at some of the storyboards in no particular order:

I think it’s fascinating to get a looks such as these at the creative process behind game stories — particularly the cutscenes. These storyboards are filled to the brim with little notes about how the camera is supposed to move or numerous different angles of the same scene, showing that every second of footage had countless hours of thought put into it. It’s amazing to think that the games fans have come to know and love started out as nothing more than rough drafts and quick sketches, slowly developing into award-winning titles as the creative minds at Bungie built upon the foundations they created.

Also, it’s interesting to see how certain elements of Halo 2’s story changed. Based on these storyboards, Arbiter was once referred to as “The Dervish,” Arbiter killed the Prophet of Truth by snapping his neck instead of stabbing him with his Energy Sword, and the ending of Halo 2 was a cut down version of the plot of Halo 3. Also, it looks like at one point in the story’s development, Master Chief and the Arbiter were going to encounter one another on the battlefield. Weird, huh?

If you’d like to follow the incredibly talented Lee Wilson, you can do so by checking out his ArtStation and his Twitter. Also, if you’re interested in playing the games that these storyboards are from, don’t miss the Master Chief Collection, which is available for $40 on Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One consoles, and Windows 10 PCs. It’s the perfect thing to play while you wait for Halo Infinite.