The 12 Worst Halo Games of All Time [Ranked]

Halo Online

Halo Online technically never even released, which is hilarious in and of itself. But, it did enter the Beta stage, so it technically still counts as a Halo game.

Halo Online was a planned free online multiplayer game where players would take the role of Spartans, who were honing their skills in virtual simulations. In theory, it sounded great. It was basically Halo Infinite before Halo Infinite even became a thing. But in practice, it's the most shameful stain in the Halo Franchise and its history.

Halo Spartan Assault

Halo Spartan Assault is the worst selling Halo game of all time, and that speaks volumes by itself. It, however, unlike the previous entry, was actually released to the public.

Honestly, it probably would have been better if it didn't. 343 Industries probably intended it to be one of the best Xbox 360 games, considering how few strategy games there are on consoles. In reality, the opposite happened. To this day, Halo Spartan Assault is the worst-rated Halo game of all time. Thankfully it wasn't one of the mainline Halo games.

Halo Spartan Strike

If at first, you don't succeed, just give up.

Halo Spartan Strike is the sequel to Halo Spartan Assault. It improved and addressed many of the issues that the previous game had, however, it didn't do nearly enough. It's an okay-ish experience, and hardcore Halo fans will probably find some enjoyment in the game. However, it's advised that you get it on sale, as it definitely isn't worth the full price.

Halo 5 Guardians

Most Halo fans would agree that Halo 5 Guardians isn't a bad game, however, compared to some of the other games in the Halo Franchise, it just feels lukewarm.

Although it tried, Halo 5 is a far cry from being the best Xbox One game. The main reason for its failure is that it strayed too far from the formula that made previous games good. It was set in the Halo universe, and it had Master Chief and Cortana in it, however, you barely got to play as them. Additionally, the microtransactions that were added to multiplayer really killed the game.

Halo Wars

What do you get when you design real time strategy games for consoles? You get a flop.

I actually really enjoyed Halo Wars. It was unique, at least as far as Halo titles are concerned. It didn't feel like you were playing Halo games when running through Halo Wars, and yet, it didn't matter. In my opinion, it was an interesting experience, however, according to public opinion, it's one of the worst RTS games of all time. Ah well.

Halo Wars 2

Halo Wars 2 is the sequel to Halo Wars 1, and just as with the other Halo games that we mentioned previously, it simply did not do enough to make it iconic.

In Halo Wars 2's defense, the game did do a lot to make it playable on joysticks. To the point that it was even viable and competitive with mouse and keyboard. However, its core problems remained from the previous game. You simply cannot make an RTS for consoles and expect it to work as well as it does on PCs. No matter how well you make it, PC RTSs will always be superior.

Halo 3 ODST

Halo 3 ODST isn't a bad game. I'd even go as far as to claim that it's one of the best Halo games. However, it's definitely "unique" when compared to the other Halo games.

As a Halo title, ODST faithfully sticks to the Halo formula. You have your battle rifle, you have your multiplayer mode, and you have everything else that makes first person shooters great. There's just one problem. The game's campaign is missing the iconic Master Chief. In Halo 3 ODST you play as an ODST trooper, rather than as a Spartan. A cool concept for sure, just not one that many Halo fans liked.

Halo 4

When ranking the Halo games from worst to best, Halo 4 always seems to find itself in the middle. Just as with Halo 5. It's not bad, it's just lukewarm.

There's nothing wrong with Halo 4 really. It's an excellent console shooter, any Halo fan can get dozens of hours of enjoyment out of it. However, compared to the previous entry in the series, it simply is not "it." It's a good first person shooter, and it has some of the best video game music I've ever heard. It's just not a good Halo game. The fact that it's a mainline Halo game changes nothing.

Halo Infinite

Halo Infinite is probably one of the best Halo games to come out in recent years. That being said, even it has its issues.

The Halo series is known for experimenting and trying out new things. Halo Infinite is an example of that. It's the first Halo game to be "free-to-play." At least the online multiplayer part of the game. The campaign missions were still locked behind a paywall though. The main critiques directed towards Halo Infinite were about its predatory microtransactions system, which sadly has become the MO of the modern gaming industry.

Halo 1: Combat Evolved

The first Halo game, Halo Combat Evolved. Man, what a masterpiece!

Halo Combat Evolved was the game that started it all, and arguably one of the best futuristic games of the early 2000s. It introduced us to the beloved Master Chief and his trusty assistant Cortana. It also introduced us to the equally-beloved Battle Rifle which has become a staple of the series. Frankly, the gaming world would not be the same if Halo Combat Evolved had never existed.

Halo Reach

Halo Reach. The game that introduced us to Noble Team and changed Halo history forever.

Halo Reach is probably my most memorable Halo game of the whole bunch. Lore-wise, it actually directly predates Combat Evolved. The game is just... wow! The thing that I find most interesting about Halo Reach is the fact that Bungie managed to pull off a Halo game without the Master Chief at the forefront. Everyone remembers the 3 words that made us all cry. Current objective: Survive.

Halo 3

This. This is what Halo really is all about.

Halo 3 is undeniably the best Halo game of all time. It's the epitome of what a Halo game should be and one of the best military games of all time. There aren't enough words in the English language for me to sing Halo 3's praise properly. Halo 3 concludes the original Halo trilogy that began with the first game, and oh boy, what a conclusion it was. This game is storytelling and game design at its finest.