Get ready for Geek’d Con with these best Halo games!

This August will see the return of the Shreveport Comic Convention, Geek’d Con, and this year comes a guest that the 11-year-old in me can’t wait to meet. If you remember the heyday of the original Xbox console or Xbox 360, you’ll definitely recognize the green-armored space soldier Master Chief from the video game franchise. Halo. Well, this August Geek’d Con welcomes Steve Downes, the legendary voice behind the character, and in preparation I plan to sit down and play each of the best Halo games, but that begs the question of which one Halo games if you play before August.

“I think we’re just getting started.” | 3) Halo: Combat Evolved

In the late 90s, the game studio Bungie had started working on a new game they named Blam! and after more than 5 years, the game became a first person shooter Halo: Combat Evolved which was released for the Xbox console on November 15, 2001.

Combat Evolved is on this list for many reasons, the first being that even more than 20 years later, this game is as good as a brand new Xbox game. This game would launch a story that would captivate players with grandiose sci-fi action. In this game, you will discover the antagonists of the series, The Covenant, a coalition of aliens determined to destroy humanity. A man stands in their way, you, well not you, but rather you play the man who stands in their way, Master Chief Petty Officer John-117. Although the gameplay is simple compared to something like Fortnite or modern Call of Duty games, there is no shortage of powerful action in destroying armies of aliens that call to you with so much love The demon.

The story is pretty easy to follow once you get into the game, Master Chief wakes up from Cryo-Sleep to find that he has discovered an ancient weapon known as the Halo Ring, capable of destroying all living matter of the universe. Your job as Master Chief is to stop the Covenant from activating that ring, oh, and fight the ancient space parasite known as the Flood. You got this!

Oh and of course the multiplayer still holds up, I highly recommend getting some friends together with your old Xbox consoles and having a LAN party.

“Sir, I’m finishing this fight.” | 2) Halo 2

The sequel that does everything the first game did, but better. Production on Halo 2 started in 2002 and it only took 2 years to create a game that people today covet as one of the best video games ever made, and for good reason. This game required so much development that they couldn’t fit it all into the game. Fans took some of this cut content and created a cult following in an effort to learn about the team’s ambitious plans. Halo 2.

The story of Halo 2 is unforgettable, especially if you play the Halo 2 Remastered Anniversary Edition with all-new movie-like cutscenes between the action. Once again, the Master Chief comes face to face with the Covenant, this time on humanity’s turf as they have found Earth. It’s your job as Master Chief to stop the Covenant from activating the Ark, a massive factory that can activate even more Halo rings to destroy everything in the known universe. Once again the Floods appear, this time they are even more powerful than before. Something is different in Halo 2 though, instead of playing solely as Master Chief, you’ll have a few missions as Arbiter, a former Covenant soldier ready to defeat the Covenant. So much happened in this game that I can’t do it justice here, you just have to play this game to understand.

This game still has a passionate multiplayer base and is even known in gaming communities for the dedication players have always had for Halo 2. In 2010, Microsoft shut down the original multiplayer servers for the second game in the Halo franchise, but 14 players earned the nickname Noble 14 after managing to stay on a server for 3 weeks after the servers should have been unplugged.

“Wake me up…When you need me.” | 1) Halo 3

This list seems pretty predictable so far, we’ve gone through the first 3 games in order but that’s not for nothing. This video game trilogy deserves the gaming equivalent of an Oscar, and if you don’t believe that, then you’ve clearly never played the story mode of Halo 3. By abandoning the third match of the Halo the series sold over $300 million in just one week after its release.

This game’s story mode is still considered by many to be the best in the entire 23-year-old franchise. Pick up where Halo 2 Post-release, we once again play the role of Master Chief and his new ally in the Arbiter. The usual suspects, the Flood and the Covenant, once again compete to end humanity. Specifically, you fight the Covenant left on Earth, before the Flood makes its way aboard a spaceship and arrives on Earth, creating even more problems for the leader and Arbiter. The story of this game is huge, to put it lightly, everything I have gone through is only the first few missions of the game. The story of this game should be a must play for any gamer.

The multiplayer of Halo 3 is probably best known for being the place where esports really took off, with organizations like MLG focusing heavily on fostering a competitive scene with Halo 3. Halo E-Sports continues to hold a loyal fan base today with the Halo Championship Series taking place every year with massive prize pools for those with deft thumbs.

Honorable mentions

Halo 3: ODST is an amazing game with a unique playstyle, but since we’re excited about Steve Downes coming to Shreveport, ODST isn’t making the cut for the simple reason of not having Master Chief in the game.

Halo Infinite was the 6th game in the main series, but for the sake of brevity it was not included on this list. There’s a lot to say about the latest addition to the franchise, but we’re at 1,000 words, so I’ll keep it brief. Infinity has one of the most visually stunning story modes in any game, and the story tells a story that has fans clamoring for more since the game’s release in 2021. It also has some of the most voice acting plenty for Master Chief, so if you want to hear the incredible vocal talent of Steve Downes before Geek’d Con, then I’d give this one a play.