The best Halo game is Halo: Combat Evolved, the 2001 launch title that made the original Xbox and set the template for the console shooter, closely followed by Halo 2 and Halo 3. Bungie’s original trilogy still defines the series, but later entries from 343 Industries earn their place too. This ranking covers the mainline shooters that make up the core saga.
Here’s our ranking of the best Halo games, why the top three stand apart, and where a newcomer should start.
The best Halo games ranked
Our ranking of the mainline Halo shooters, based on critical consensus and legacy.
| # | Game | Year | Why it lands here |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Halo: Combat Evolved | 2001 | Defined the console FPS; iconic campaign and sandbox |
| 2 | Halo 2 | 2004 | Metascore 95; turned Xbox Live into a phenomenon |
| 3 | Halo 3 | 2007 | The trilogy’s epic finale and multiplayer high point |
| 4 | Halo: Reach | 2010 | Bungie’s send-off; a tense, moving prequel |
| 5 | Halo Infinite | 2021 | A grappling-hook open world and a return to form |
| 6 | Halo 4 | 2012 | 343’s debut; strong campaign, divisive multiplayer |
| 7 | Halo 3: ODST | 2009 | A quieter, noir-tinged side story |
| 8 | Halo 5: Guardians | 2015 | Slick play, but a muddled story dropped it to the bottom |
How we ranked them
This list weighs Metacritic scores against each game’s impact and how the community remembers it. Bungie’s original trilogy — Combat Evolved, Halo 2 and Halo 3 — takes the top three, with Reach just behind. Halo Infinite’s strong campaign and free-to-play multiplayer lifted it above the more divisive 343 entries. We’ve focused on the mainline shooters; the strategy spin-offs Halo Wars and Halo Wars 2 sit in a separate genre. Most of these are playable today in the Master Chief Collection.
The top picks explained
Four Halo games that define the saga.
#1
Best multiplayer
Best finale
Best prequel
More shooters and ranked lists? See our best FPS games and best Xbox games guides.
Where to start
The easiest ways into the series today.
| You want… | Start with |
|---|---|
| The full saga in order | The Master Chief Collection (starts with Combat Evolved) |
| A free entry point | Halo Infinite (free-to-play multiplayer) |
| The best single campaign | Halo 3 or Halo: Reach |
