The Halo series is known for its fascinating lore and engrossing narrative. Since 2001, there have been nine significant releases in this iconic series. Still, the story that carries from game to game can vary quite heavily in terms of quality depending on the game. Across these nine games, different developers and writers tell these stories, meaning that each one is distinct.
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The series is known for helping to advance narrative design for first-person shooters, even though not all of the games fall under this genre. Even those that don't, though, still have their own stories that connect with the other games. Across the entire series and the genres it spans, fans continue to debate which of the games boasts the strongest narrative.
9 Halo 5: Guardians
Halo 5 has the illustrious (yet dubious) reputation of featuring the worst story of any Halo game. Fans were quick to point out their issues with the story upon the game's release. The biggest offenders include Cortana's new villainous persona and the sidelining of Chief for most of the game. Still, the list extends further than just these issues.
Halo 5's advertisement campaign certainly didn't do it any favors either, as it promoted a story that arguably did not exist. Overall, it speaks volumes that Halo Infinite is acting as a soft reboot of the narrative direction, after the cold reception Halo 5 received from fans.
8 Halo Wars 2
While it doesn't necessarily have a bad story, Halo Wars 2 does feature a rather odd narrative to some extent. It continues the story of the Spirit of Fire crew after they were last seen adrift in unknown space at the end of Halo Wars.
In addition to introducing the Banished faction, it takes the player back to the Ark from Halo 3, which seems to be in decent shape for some reason. On top of that, it also seems to be setting the stage for future stories in the Halo universe — most fans expected that responsibility to rest on the shoulders of Halo 5. In the end, it's less of a story filled with interesting characters and more of a lore dump for the sake of setup.
7 Halo 4
Halo 4 was unique in that it was a soft reboot of the story after the events of Halo 3. It did, however, continue Master Chief's journey along with Cortana. The game's story is notably more character focused than its predecessors, as Master Chief and Cortana have a much more fleshed out relationship compared to prior games. This ends up being the best aspect by far of the game's story.
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Unfortunately, the game relies heavily on lore found in the expanded universe, which makes everything other then the aforementioned character dynamic hard to understand or relate to. This is especially true for the game's main villain, The Didact. Many fans have argued that he was wasted potential.
6 Halo Wars
The first Halo Wars functions as a solid, self-contained story. Rather than attempting to act as a stepping stone to future games, Halo Wars is a prequel/spin off. Set in the year 2531, the game makes use of existing lore for the most part, making it accessible to fans.
The story mostly features new characters such as John Forge and Captain Cutter, but also brings back returning concepts such as the Prophets, the Arbiter and the Flood. Ultimately the story is a short and tightly written affair that expands on the existing world without asking too much of the player. It is simple, but as a spin off it's perfectly adequate.
5 Halo 3
While many fans would expect Halo 3 to be higher on the list of best stories in the series, others have argued that it doesn't quite measure up. This isn't to say its a bad story; in fact, it's quite well-written. The overall plot is good, and the atmosphere and emotional resonance are among the strongest in the franchise. The pacing is more straightforward than its predecessor as well.
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Its failings amount to certain elements feeling more contrived than they would if properly explained. The story also features odd character moments such as Miranda Keyes' suicide run, and Cortana's lack of agency upon her return towards the end. Overall, its a worthy finale to the trilogy, featuring both high peaks and lower valleys at times.
4 Halo Reach
As far as self-contained stories go, Halo: Reach is among the better ones in the series. Putting the player in a spartan squad during the fall of Reach made for an epic, tragic sendoff for the franchise at the time. Each member of the squad has a distinct personality, simplistic as they are.
The game details the gradual fall of the Human fortress world, Reach, to the invading Covenant. This provided a backdrop for a very human story of sacrifice and survival. The music and atmosphere are incredible as well. While the game does contradict the book, Halo: The Fall of Reach, the game does a fantastic job of telling a self-contained story that meshes well with the games as opposed to the novels.
3 Halo: Combat Evolved
This is the game that started it all. Halo CE Functions as a perfect gateway into the universe. It establishes the status quo of Humanity engaging in open warfare with the alien hegemony known as the Covenant; it introduces the Forerunner mystery, the Flood, and the Halo array. The fundamental building blocks for the rest of the series all appear in this game.
While it lacks the complexity of later games, the characters are all well written and the narrative is tightly constructed. Certain mysteries go unexplained; however, most, if not all, receive closure in the sequels and expanded universe. For an introductory experience, there is very little that Halo CE doesn't do right.
2 Halo 2
The fanbase once derided this game as hard to understand and too ridiculous as a follow up to Halo CE. However, Halo 2's story has become a fan favorite over time. From its excellent characters to its amazing world building and set pieces, Halo 2 builds upon the world that Halo CE introduced.
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It does make some mistakes, but they are few and far between, nor do they really break the lore or anything so dramatic as that. The narrative does sideline Master Chief at times, narrative but not as egregiously as in Halo 5. In this game, the Arbiter takes the spotlight as main character. Seeing his journey from a disgraced military leader to enlightened hero is a worthwhile trade-off for a less prominent Master Chief.
1 Halo 3: ODST
Halo is no stranger to spin-off stories. The developers and writers realized that the Halo universe is a goldmine of lore, and nowhere is that better demonstrated than in Halo 3: ODST. This self-contained story follows a group of ODSTs stuck in the middle of occupied New Mombasa.
The player takes control of a faceless, voiceless protagonist by the name of Rookie. Through his eyes the player experiences the dark and damp streets of a city devoid of life, but overflowing with soul. The setting is perfectly constructed and the atmosphere, bolstered by an incredible score, is utterly unique in the series. Each character has a distinct personality, and their relationships with other squad members are expertly realized. ODST is everything wonderful about Halo's narrative design.