Halo is probably one of the most popular games across the world. With a compelling storyline, expansive universe that leaves you wanting more and an unbeatable multiplayer experience, this is a game for the casual and hardcore gamer. Following the very successful Halo: Combat Evolved, Bungie released four more Halo games and Ensemble Studios released an RTS set in the Halo universe. Later, 343 Studios would release Halo 4, kick-starting the new trilogy and era of Halo. But which Halo game was the best? Read on to find out this writer’s opinion.
#5 – Halo CE
I can already hear the defiant and angry chants calling for my hanging. How can the original game be the worst? It was awesome! It started this franchise, it revolutionised gaming… it deserves a higher rank! I am by no means denying that this game wasn’t fantastic in almost all regards. It is by no means the worst, as there are Halo games that aren’t discussed as part of the top 5. Nor am I suggesting that the subsequent Halo games were better in every respect. I simply feel that the Halo franchise continued to improve and evolve with the improvements outshining the defects. The original game comes in at 5th place because, while it was great, I enjoyed subsequent instalments more.
#4 – Halo Reach
This game’s campaign wasn’t great, but I loved the multiplayer. Countless hours were spent with friends, killing each other, tea-bagging, capturing flags, chasing juggernauts, driving warthogs and a million other things. Forge was incredibly huge and offered an arena for creativity that would result in many more hours of fun. The campaign was, to paraphrase Ben “Yahtzee” Croshaw, a competition between the Spartans as to who had the most heroic death. Knowing the fate of the plant Reach wasn’t enough to make me feel anything: it didn’t quite hit the mark for me in feeling the helplessness and inevitable doom I should have felt. I didn’t fear the Covenant or feel any real sympathy for the humans. Nonetheless, it was a great game to end Bungie’s chapter.
#3 – Halo 2
I hated the pistols in this game. Everything else though, I pretty much loved. Playing as the Arbiter and learning about the Covenant through their eyes, the very real threat to Earth and humanity and the great gameplay made the campaign one of my favourites. This campaign made me feel genuinely distressed, scared, ecstatic and intrigued. Perhaps it’s because I was only a kid when I played it, but the story was totally captivating. Heroism, rebellion, betrayal, the imminent threat of extinction…all these themes and more were explored with great success. I usually hate cliff-hangers, but the ending and lead up to Halo 3 was truly exciting. The multiplayer was the cherry on top of a great game.
#2 – Halo 4
Perhaps it’s a little too early to judge this game fairly. Perhaps the excitement from its release not long ago is still fresh and this game actually pales in comparison to past games. But at the moment of this writing, this has to be one of the greatest games ever made. The campaign’s gameplay was probably the most fun of all the halo games. I won’t include spoilers because it was released not long ago. But what I will tell you is that the gameplay is varied and challenging. The new enemies, and the old, are fearsome, startling me on more than one occasion. Though I have some issues with it, I loved it. The introduction of episodic downloadable instalments is perhaps the next step in gaming and in my opinion, very clever and a great way to keep the plot relevant for long after you’ve finished the campaign. While I haven’t had much time to review the multiplayer, it looks promising. But I’ll reserve my more detailed opinion for later.
#1 – Halo 3
This game is definitely the best in my opinion. The multiplayer was flawless, the introduction of Forge and Theatre modes were inventive and the campaign was the best I’ve ever played. The threat to Earth, and even the universe, was palpable. The final instalment of the original trilogy effectively tied the loose ends of the previous games. Visually stunning (at the time at least), this game was remarkable in every respect. The multiplayer was smooth, balanced and incredibly fun. This is the only Halo game whose multiplayer I revisit time and time again even 5 years after its release because it was so perfect.
Adrian Rodriguez is a freelance writer and university student who promotes land for sale in WA has great investment opportunities, and great homes for you to enjoy playing Halo in. Visit the Stockland website to learn more.
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