Like Master Chief and his battles against the Covenant and the other treacherous forces of the universe, the Halo series has faced its own hardships. With thecancelation of the Paramount+ showand little news at the time of writing about the next big entry, fans will have to wait to see where the overarching story goes.
Review: Halo Infinite
Halo Infinite concludes a good run of 2021 Microsoft exclusives and it stands up to the best of what the Halo series has offered over its run.
There’s no need to fret like a frightened Grunt, however. Whether you’re a new or returning player, there’s loads of action and fun to be found within the seven mainline games. Whether it’s exploring an enormous ring out in uncharted space, battling aliens on another planet, or trying to save the Earth from certain doom, you’ll see why this franchise is consideredone of the best FPSs ever made. However, there have been so many entries in the series that it can get complicated choosing which narrative holds up today. So, prepare to drop and see how each game’s plots stack up against each other.
Only stories from the Mainline Series will be listed. Sorry, no spin-offs.
7Halo 5: Guardians
False Promises
Halo 5: Guardians (dupe)
This title was promoted as the next blockbuster, promising a thrilling tale about the Master Chief sparking a chain of events leading to a galactic manhunt and an intense Spartan versus Spartan duel. Although it started with strong possibilities,Halo 5: Guardianspresents you with an underwhelming story, cluttered with plot points all leading to an ending of little payoff.
Master Chief shares the spotlight with a new team of Spartans and their leader, Jameson Locke. The story expects you to care about these characters, but unfortunately you’ll have trouble even remembering their names when the credits start rolling. The game also commits the unfortunate trope of turning a fan favorite into the next villain of the series, an idea that was all but dropped in the sequel. EvenXbox Game Studiosseems to have overlooked the story, as Halo 5 has yet to be ported to PC or join the Master Chief Collection.
6Halo Infinite
The Search for Closure
Halo Infinite
Trapped on Zeta Halo, Master Chief leads a resistance against the Banished, a mercenary faction with the intent of controlling the damaged ring. With an intriguing plot, interesting enemies, and the focus on a small cast of characters,Halo Infinite’s engaging worldshowed potential, only to drop the ball.
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The story’s strength comes from its character bonding and moments of development, but struggles with resolutions. Not much is explained after the game concludes, and far too much mystery is hidden behind collectible audio logs. Little info is given regarding the ring’s purpose or the whereabouts of certain characters and factions, likethe missing Prometheans.A story shouldn’t feel like it requires DLC to finish.
Under New Management
With343 Industriestaking the reins, the series heads in a new direction by focusing on the race responsible for the Halo rings: the Forerunners. The story introduces a new antagonist, the Didact, the last of his kind and a being intent on humanity’s destruction. With Earth in danger and his companion Cortana suffering from rampancy, Master Chief faces a battle on multiple fronts.
Halo 4 has a promising start and deserves credit for attempting to humanize the super soldier. While it’ll hold your attention and maybe even tug on your heartstrings, the overall story lacks the tension and weight of the previous entries for its chosen villain. Though an interesting design, the Didact makes for a bland threat. Battling a lone alien in a suit just doesn’t have the same weight as stopping aLovecraftian Flood parasiteor galaxy-ending weapon.
Dual Wielding Narratives
The Covenant are invading Earth. Armed with a new suit, Master Chief fights to repel the invaders, leading to a journey that’ll take him from the streets of New Mombasa to the depths of a second Halo ring. Meanwhile, the Covenant charges its new Arbiter with ensuring their long-awaited goal is finally achieved: the beginning of the Great Journey.
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As the second story in the series, Halo 2 does what a sequel is supposed to do: continue the narrative while developing the world as you follow Master Chief and the Arbiter’s adventures. It’s not often that a game allows the player to step into the role of the opposing side, but it was a brilliant choice that expands the lore as you learn about the Covenant’s structure and end goal. If only it didn’t end with one of the biggest cliffhangers in video game history.
3Halo: Combat Evolved
“I Think We’re Just Getting Started”
Halo: Combat Evolved
Pursued by a Covenant armada, Master Chief and the Pillar of Autumn crew crash on a mysterious ring out in space. Between searching for survivors and fending off the pursuing enemies, their search to unlock the secrets of Halo will lead to a terrifying discovery that could spell doom for all life.
Here you have the story that started everything and established the big factions of the main series: the Covenant, the Forerunners, and the Flood. Featuring a plot with war, mystery, and a dash of horror, set on the Chief’s first encounter with a Halo ring, you’ll see why Halo: Combat Evolved isknown as an Xbox classic, even if some of the writing feels dated.
Finish the Fight
The Human-Covenant War reaches its climax as the zealot alien force searches for the Ark, a powerful installation capable of activating every Halo ring and wiping out all life in the universe. With the Covenant drawing closer to their objective, and a rampant parasite on the loose, new alliances are forged as Master Chief and the Arbiter join forces to end this war once and for all.
Halo 3 has almost everything you can ask for in a conclusion to an original trilogy. Consideredthe fan favoritewith a plot spanning from Earth to the ends of the galaxy, featuring large battles from ground to air, armored Brutes and abominable parasites, it’s guaranteed the story will get your heart pumping before it breaks.
1Halo Reach
Witness the Fall
Halo Reach
This is Bungie’s swan song, their last installment focusing on the downfall of the planet Reach. Noble Team must band together to combat the largest invading Covenant force humanity has ever faced. Sacrifices will be made, lives shall be lost, and tissues will be spent by the time you reach the end credits.
Halo Reach represents the pinnacle of sci-fi writing, combining the best elements from each mainline story, all while serving as a prequel that any new fan can jump into without knowing the lore. What sets this one apart, however, is while the other installments tell the story of an unstoppable hero, Reach is about a team of heroes who unfortunately are not. There will be victories and losses. The plot has the perfect atmosphere of tension, despair, and looming doom, leading to a finale the newer stories have yet to top.
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