Summary
Halo. Possibly the biggest name in sci-fi gaming, andinstantly recognizable to many gamers. Whether they grew up withHalo 3LAN parties, the overwhelming terror of The Flood inHalo: Combat Evolved, or started a little later withHalo 4or one of 343’s other entries, most gamers will admit that the single-player experience of Halo as a franchise has always been iconic.
This list looks at games from the series, both mainline and spinoff, that have single-player experiences worth getting stuck into. Even if a gamer doesn’t like the standard first-person shooter gameplay of the mainline games, there are entries here for all, both Halo veterans and brand-new recruits.
Many people, even those most familiar with Halo, will not have heard of, let alone played,Halo: Spartan AssaultandSpartan Strike, and there is a pretty good reason for that. These games were originally developed as mobile games, played as twin-stick shooters that allow someone to play with two joysticks on a touchscreen.
While both games are relatively poorly received, they are a surprisingly fun time, offering a unique Halo experience that is cheaper than any of the mainline games and will only require a 4-5 hour time investment to complete. They are far from the perfect experience for fans of the franchise, but they have a definitive charm that is at least worth checking out.
Another duo entry,Halo Warsand its sequel are real-time strategy gamesthat allow the player to experience events before the mainline franchise’s timeline. In terms of gameplay, both games are played from a birds-eye view, surveying the battlefield and commanding troops, managing resources, and building up a base.
Many fans of theWarhammerfranchise will be familiar with this format, andHalo’s additions to the RTS catalog are serviceable. It may take some getting used to for fans of the faster-paced actionHalois famous for, but the strategic gameplay style is surprisingly addictive, and the story modes of both games have plenty to enjoy.
Halo 4is both the first mainline entry on this list and the first gamedeveloped by 343 Industriesafter Bungie split with Microsoft. While many fans will cry for the end of the Bungie era, 343’s first attempt at aHalogame has so much to offer a solo player, with a well-written (albeit mildly formulaic) narrative that fits right in with Master Chief’s previous adventures.
The plot explores a few of the concepts set up in prior games, fleshing out a whole new race for Master Chief to shoot, and bringing Master Chief’s story into the 2010s with a bang. The gameplay is still quintessentialHalo, with new weapons to play with thanks to the Forerunner race, making for a generally enjoyable experience.
It is hard to imagine telling someone in 2009 that there would be aHalogame where the player isn’t a Spartan, yetHalo 3: ODSTis an incredible addition to the franchise’s roster.Playing as an ODST, un-enhanced soldiers of the UNSC, the player is forced to fight their way back to the rest of their squad while dealing with enemies that Master Chief could tear through with ease.
ODSThumanizes the franchise, putting the player in the shoes of someone who (while very capable by regular human standards) is a regular person, armed with a gun, and sent to fight alien invaders wielding laser weaponry. It is fun, gritty, and doesn’t take too long to beat, culminating in an unforgettable time.
The final part inHalo’s original trilogy,Halo 3ups the stakes once again by placing Master Chief and his Elite ally, the Arbiter, against forces attempting to activate all of the Halo rings at once, destroying all known life in the universe. It takes all the forces of the UNSC and the Arbiter’s loyal Elites to overcome the overwhelming odds against them, with both the Covenant and the Flood vying for control of the rings.
While the ending of the game does set up for the beginning ofHalo 4,Halo 3feels like a fitting end to the franchise chronology, with Master Chief sacrificing himself to save humanity, and drifting into space in cryo sleep, with the UNSC and the Arbiter able to get away and rebuild.WhileHalo 3isn’t as critically acclaimed as the first two games, the difference in scores is so minimal, there is no reason not to pick up and play all three.
Despite having lower stakes thanHalo 3, Halo 2is the perfect middle game betweenHalo 3andHalo: Combat Evolved.The game takes whatCombat Evolvedbegan and simply continues, exploring the story of Master Chief, the Covenant, andthe Floodsoon after the events of the first game, with Master Chief being commended for destroying the Halo ring, and the Arbiter being stripped of his ranks for his failure to stop said destruction.
While the gameplay does feel somewhat dated now, as is the case with a majority of the older entries in the series, this doesn’t detract at all from the excellent experience the campaign offers. It’s incredibly fun, and the narrative is a satisfying continuation of the story fromCombat Evolvedand perfectly lays the foundation for the story inHalo 3.
It all began in 2001 withHalo: Combat Evolved, when gamers were first introduced to the world of Halo, Master Chief, all the enemies of humanity, and the grand concept of the Halo rings.Combat Evolvedis widely regarded as one of the greatest sci-fi games of all timeand has been an inspiration to many ever since its initial release.
Even over 20 years later,Combat Evolvedhas a narrative experience that has stood the test of time and is still worth playing to this day. Through theMaster Chief Collection,players can access both the original and anniversary editions of the game, which each have their own unique charm, and are surprisingly playable on modern hardware.
No fan of theHalofranchise will be surprised to seeHalo: Reachat this spot on the list, and even those unfamiliar with the game will most likely have heard of it, or at the very least, seen the “Current Objective: Survive” screenshot in memes over the years. 15 years after it was released,Halo: Reachis still the best single-playerHalogame, for both gameplay and narrative reasons.
As the final game in the franchise made by Bungie, the game has a bitter-sweet feeling to it, a farewell from the devs, and this is reflected in the narrative conclusion, in which the player must hold off a never-ending swarm of Covenant soldiers as Reach falls. They will fail, and Reach will fall, and it will sit with any player who has the fortune of playing through it. Just don’t get too attached to anyone in Noble Team, it’ll only make the game hurt that much more.
