the halo series blows. the only semi-desent game in it would be original, and even then only have a half baked storyline. ANYONE who justifies a game that justifies a crap storyline with its online gameplay should eat a shotgun blast, only a few FPS games can do that because they are built around the online. these are games that use the single player as a single player training ground. the ones that come most to mind are TF2, CSsource, and UT3(most resent, and shit at that. UT2004 Editors choice was better). COD games have a real storyline, so they do not count, while BattleField doesnt even have a true single player. Halo 2's storyline is shit, while 3's is a Shizno (watch Red Vs Blue: The Blood Gulch Chronicles to understand what i mean). Halo Wars im not even going to touch because that game should never have fucking been made, and the entire sane gaming comunity (those who played something else good in the strategy field before wars, or are not Microsoft's legion of asskissers)understands that game is crap
Gears of War you need to have played both games and read the book, which as a full story that is told from beginning to end fully explains itself, while leaving the questions that can be left unanswered (dont bring up the Siege of Anvil Gate, that needs some explanation, i know), such as where did Myrrah go? how large a force of the locust is left? where does the COG relocate since Jacinto has been destroyed? does the COG hunt down the remaining locust or rebuild human civilization?