There are many games in the famous Halo Franchise that are stellar titles and need to be revered. And some that do not.

These games stand out from the crowd and deluge of colossal Halo games. Games that made Halo great. We do need to iron out what qualifies the game for this list. They have to be in the Halo franchise… Obviously.

Secondly, the remasters do not count so Halo: The Master Chief Collection and Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary do not qualify for this list.

Other than that, the games qualify for this list. These are the 10 Best Halo Games.

10. Halo 5: Guardians

Starting with Halo 5: Guardians was a pretty simple choice. It is quite simply the worst of the mainline Halo games. While some of the missions where you actually play as the Chief could be considered a little fun, they are too few and far between, instead of forcing you to play as Spartan Locke, a thoroughly uninteresting character that no one liked.

The game had a very fun multiplayer which was kind of its saving grace as the game’s fun, fast and frenetic gameplay worked far better on the multiplayer, the modes were very fun and the various gameplay additions like the stomp were very well received.

9. Halo Wars

The game that no one asked for, that Bungie didn’t really want, and all other kinds of insanity. Halo Wars is a strategy game in the vein of games like Total War. Creative Assembly knocked this out of the park with their attention to detail and creativity, making an incredibly fun experience that players have remembered for years since the game's initial release.

8. Halo 4

Halo 4 was 343 Industries' first foray into the Halo universe. It was met with rather mixed results, but overall I think the time has helped this title. The gameplay is still that fun and stellar Halo feel though with a few added caveats like sprinting and such. Many of the ‘new’ weapons that had never been seen before in Halo were on the whole very fun to use and the game probably had the deepest character based story for the Master Chief.

It had a few issues, like the design changes. The elites, grunts, and jackals all look odd in this game (and in Halo 5: Guardians) this in addition to a few of the other unpopular art decisions make Halo 4 not as good as it perhaps could have been.

7. Halo 3: ODST

Halo 3: ODST was a game that I completely underestimated and consistently underrated. Over the years I have constantly expressed how Halo 3: ODST has not held up to the standards of the other mainline Halo games.

I can happily say that I was very very wrong. After having replayed the game numerous times, my mind quickly changed. The smooth jazz, combined with the completely unique atmosphere makes this game incredible. Oddly enough, the missions that feel the most ‘Halo’ are arguably missions that detract from Halo 3: ODST’s overall experience. It is a stellar game that deserves its spot on this list.

The game may lose points for its slightly contrived non-linear story, but it is still overall a very fun experience.

6. Halo Wars 2

The sequel to Creative Assembly's well-received title Halo Wars. Halo Wars 2 was a game that took everything the previous game did and ran with it. The gameplay was superb and leads to some of the most fun and easy-to-understand strategy-based combat in any game.

It also possessed one of the best stories of the 343 Halo era, featuring stellar characters like Jerome and Atriox (Who will pop up again later) Halo Wars 2 is a phenomenal entry and I for one am praying that we see the third entry to this fantastic series.

5. Halo: Combat Evolved

The one that started it all. Halo Combat Evolved was Bungie's first step into what would become their famous legacy. The first game innovated the FPS genre in such a way that it defined a generation. Halo Combat Evolved stood as this shining beacon to the rest of the industry.

The fantastic music, the stellar gameplay, and the story that focused more on a ‘cool alien plot’ while dated, still remains to be superbly entertaining.

4. Halo: Infinite

I bet you were wondering when Halo: Infinite was going to show up, well here it is. It is undoubtedly the best Halo game of the 343 era and beyond that has probably the best gameplay in the entire series. It is fast, fun and energetic. The game has a simple, yet very interesting story (with maybe a few too many monologues from Escherum) and also has some of the best cutscenes in the series, no doubt taking a page from the God of War no-cut camera book.

The game's multiplayer is very fun and will only improve as 343 have released season 2: Lone Wolves featuring an absolute deluge of brand new content.

3. Halo Reach

Speaking of Lone Wolves… Halo Reach has one of the more tragic stories in Halo. Playing as Noble 6 is an emotional roller coaster as you play through Bungies best story in Halo. The game features that classic stellar Halo gameplay with a few extras like jetpacks, armor lock, and more.

In addition to this, Halo Reach also features the best multiplayer of the series, with the best Forge meaning that everything from Bungie created maps, to Community created maps are all fantastic. The introduction of Forge World definitely assisted in the community's creativity. Halo Reach easily takes the number 3 spot.

2. Halo 2

Halo 2 is the beacon to which Xbox Live owes its existence to. Without Halo 2 the modern multiplayer landscape would be forever changed. This alone is enough to put it this high on the list but other than its stellar multiplayer, Halo 2 has something else…

Arbiter.

One of the best decisions Bungie made for Halo 2 was introducing a second protagonist. A character that adds more depth to the ‘enemy’ and almost ‘humanises’ the covenant, in an ironic sense. The Arbiter, voiced by legendary actor Keith David, is that exact character.

Plus the Arbiter missions are some of the best in the entire series featuring some of the most fun sequences found in any single Halo game.

1. Halo 3

This game is the pinnacle of Halo. The apex to which all other Halo’s should reach. Halo 3 is one of those games that feels almost perfect. It is in my opinion the greatest first-person shooter ever made.

Almost every mission in this game is the best in the series, with each successive mission seeming to set the bar higher and higher. I think most people will recall “Two Scarabs! I repeat, two scarabs!” as one of the best moments in Halo ever.

In addition to this, Martin O'Donnell and Michael Salvatori, two people who impacted Halos’ legacy forever, were on their A-Game for Halo 3. Almost every piece of music in this game is exceptional and elevates Halo 3 to even greater heights.

While Halo 3 may also feature one of the more… Irritating missions in Halo (looking at you Cortana) it still manages to be the best entry in the series and a game that every Halo fan will be diving back into and playing for a very very long time.

Joshua Burt (@JoshuaBurt123),
Senior Editor, NoobFeed