Poll: Your favorite Halo game

[skywolfblue]

Reach for me.

Halo 3 has better tank sections (which are my favorite), and a pretty cinematic (memorable) story.

But Reach had:
- Armor abilities
- Balanced Guns
- Better AI
- The more personal focus of the story was a lot better
- The brief but awesome-looking space fighter combat

 

[Trivun]

I reckon every single one is awesome, even Halo Wars. Yes, I am going to be 'that guy'. Halo Wars was one of a very small number of RTSs that actually plays well on a console, and that was because it was designed from the ground up with a console in mind. Yes, PC RTSs are better, I am a big RTS fan. But Halo Wars was definitely a good game.

That being said, my favourite is Halo Reach. I'm a Halo fanboy in general, I admit that, and Reach certainly had a great story and probably dove the most into the backstory and expanded universe more than any other game so far. Halo 4 does seem likely to take that title itself soon, but that's only because of the existence of the books Glasslands/Cryptum/Primordium, which will all have resonant connections plot-wise to the story of Halo 4. Not to mention, the multiplayer in Reach is better than any other game in the series so far, and I'm also a sucker for the DMR (being the type of player who tends to favour long-range shooting yet recognises a requirement for mid-range in smaller battlefields and whatnot)...

EDIT: Also, Long Night Of Solace was an amazing level. I want more Halo space combat!!!!!

 

[smearyllama]

I'm not a huge fan of the Halo series, but for me it's either the first or Reach. While I may not be a huge fan, I do admire the series for a couple of reasons. The first is their storytelling. Yes, it may not be the best story to tell, but it's well done and creates a good overall feel. The conflict may not be super fleshed out, but it's better than "OMG TEH EVUL RUSSIANS BE BOMBIN' AMERICA!!!!" (Exaggeration, of course, but still...). In addition, the expanded universe isn't all that bad. The novelizations and other such things are consistently written and don't feel like complete cash grabs.
Another thing I like is, of course, the multiplayer. It may not feel as chaotic as Perfect Dark, or have as epic a feel as Battlefield, but it fits a niche between the two. It's got good pacing, and it's just a blast to play, although I haven't played online in a long time, since I've got no XBL subscription anymore.

 

[Awexsome]

Halo 2 always had my favorite story. The Arbiter's storyline and the whole inner workings of the Covenant always kept my interest and had far more potential IMO. The books do a very good job of making the UNSC side interesting but the games only do a pretty average job from their side.

For multiplayer I firmly believe Bungie has only made each iteration better and better when it comes to both balance and from a technical standpoint. The only blemish on Halo's multiplayer to me is how badly quitters hurt the game. From a networking standpoint Halo Reach's matchmaking has given me the smoothest experience of any game on any platform, PC included.

So Halo 2 has my favorite story but Reach has the best multiplayer/forge/firefight/theatre.

 

[Skin]

CE Master Race.

Halo 2 repeated the same mistakes as Halo:CE but forgot to add in the good parts. Was a complete mess and if it was not for Live capabilities, it wouldn't even be a contender.

Halo 3 was good. Levels were more open than the tight shooting galleries that were in Halo 2. Cortana was a terrible level though.

ODST was also really damn good.

Reach is complete garbage, and almost worse than Halo 2 (Halo 2 however ruined Halo for me, forever). The multiplayer did pander to the CoD crowd of casuals and it is still not as fun to play as Halo 3 MP. Campaign was a forgettable chore with a really cool ending ruined by a stupid epilogue. There is good reason the Halo community hates Reach.

CE has the best multiplayer of the Halo games by far. If it had Live capabilities, Halo 2 would have been considered a total disgrace.

 

[king_katchit]

I prefer Reach, purely from a singleplayer perspective. Each Halo improved on the last, and I think it culminates with Reach. I loved the story, characters and setting. I loved the bitter sweet ending, in my opinion it was a masterpiece.

It also doesn't hurt that I have a bizarre man crush on Jorge. Which I guess is odd for a straight male...

 

[ChupathingyX]

Well, although I don't own any of them (or an Xbox), Halo 2 and 3 are the ones I had the most fun with while playing with friends so I'll go with those two.

 

[Nouw]

Reach for the Multiplayer. It has been the best gaming investment for me.

 

[Gorilla Gunk]

Reach because it didn't have Cortana who I always thought was annoying.

 

[CaseClosed343]

I'm going to have to say CEA.
I first played Reach and thought the multiplayer and forge were awesome, but I always thought the single player was kind of boring to play through(except for the the New Alexandria mission.)
I heard that Halo 3 was the best in the franchise, so I played that one too. I thought the single player was really good but I hated the multiplayer. I started to like the series a lot so I got CEA. I really think CEA got the best of both worlds. It had an awesome campaign and an awesome multiplayer and that's what made it stand out for me.

 

[kingthrall]

Myth II is a far better game than Halo, Halo 1 was great but now they just keep beating this franchise like a dead horse.

 

[Korten12]

Yes, it may not be the best story to tell, but it's well done and creates a good overall feel. The conflict may not be super fleshed out, but it's better than .

It's conflict IS VERY FLESHED OUT.

http://www.halopedian.com/Human-Covenant_War

Just look at that.

 

[Soviet Heavy]

Another reason I like Halo 2 the best is because of the Brutes. They really felt unique in that game. I felt they were much tougher than the 3 or Reach variants, who just felt like a poor man's Elite.

The Brutes in 2 were fucking dangerous when they went berserk, and they were more visually unique. Again, the armored Brutes in 3 and Reach just look like the retard cousin of the Elites. Halo 2 Brutes were fearless gorilla monsters who charged into battle with a metal skull cap and a shoulder guard and nothing else.

 

[smearyllama]

Yes, it may not be the best story to tell, but it's well done and creates a good overall feel. The conflict may not be super fleshed out, but it's better than .

It's conflict IS VERY FLESHED OUT.

http://www.halopedian.com/Human-Covenant_War

Just look at that.

Oh, yeah. The expanded universe fleshes it out a lot (I read a several of the books), but in-game there's not a whole lot explained about why, exactly, we're at war with them aliens. They did a good job of just throwing you in there in the first game, though. In just the opening cutscene they did a good job of establishing the world in only a few minutes.

 

[ZehMadScientist]

Halo 3 gets my vote.

It was the very first game I got for my 360, and the first game I really played online competitive multiplayer in. I don't know how many hours I poured into that game, but is is the most I've put in any game by a far margin.

I also enjoyed Reach very much. Damn, that ending is one I will remember for a long time.

 

[Terminate421]

All of them, but I'd have to say Reach due to the most bang for your buck

 

[Chester Rabbit]

Halo 2

It was my intro game to the series. I was 16 when I played it, and I also really enjoyed the Arbiter missions.

 

[gmaverick019_v1legacy]

Another reason I like Halo 2 the best is because of the Brutes. They really felt unique in that game. I felt they were much tougher than the 3 or Reach variants, who just felt like a poor man's Elite.

The Brutes in 2 were fucking dangerous when they went berserk, and they were more visually unique. Again, the armored Brutes in 3 and Reach just look like the retard cousin of the Elites. Halo 2 Brutes were fearless gorilla monsters who charged into battle with a metal skull cap and a shoulder guard and nothing else.

I never got the hate for the Brutes. Sure, they acted a bit like bullet sponges, but get a couple of shotgun rounds into 'em, and they go down just like anything else. And the Brute Shot is still one of the best grenade launchers I've ever seen in a game, if only because you can actually bounce grenades round corners.

I really dug the Brute/Elite rivalry in 2 as well. They never really outright state it, but you can tell that both sides hate the sight of each other. Which makes it so satisfying when you team up with a bunch of Elites and Hunters at the end to take down the furry bastards.

would like to agree on both of these, I remember at the end of halo 2 having a very big grin on my face teaming up with elites and hunters and beating the piss out of so many damn big ass gorillas. Not to mention halo 2 had an awesome scarab level, i replayed that part probably 100 times.

halo 2 for the campaign is probably my favorite, and reach for the multiplayer, i think the shield + health combo it has is the perfect combo i've played in any game ever online, absolutely love it, and the abilities added JUST enough to make it that much better (although i really do wish the sprint ability worked in reverse, it was incredibly annoying trying to get away from a sword or shotty person if you had to turn around then use the ability.)

after playing reach's multiplayer, it was a train wreck going back to what the other halo's had to offer IMO

 

[Dansen]

Another reason I like Halo 2 the best is because of the Brutes. They really felt unique in that game. I felt they were much tougher than the 3 or Reach variants, who just felt like a poor man's Elite.

The Brutes in 2 were fucking dangerous when they went berserk, and they were more visually unique. Again, the armored Brutes in 3 and Reach just look like the retard cousin of the Elites. Halo 2 Brutes were fearless gorilla monsters who charged into battle with a metal skull cap and a shoulder guard and nothing else.

Don't forget their bandoliers and grenade belts...come to think of it, they didn't wear any clothing.

I think ODST is the best. The potential for that game is incredibly strong. I thought the way they set up the story was great. If only Bungie had the time or the budget to fully flesh out that game, I'm sure it would have been GOTY.

I'm surprised to see a lot of Reach fans. I thought the campaign was complete shit, they spend way to much time focusing on the boring spartan squad only the kill them off in boring and predictable ways. Multiplayer was a no go for me as well, it just didn't have the magic Halo 2 and 3 had. I blame it in part in the reduced mobility, but there was also a lack of strong release day maps, and the game felt generally easier. Its an okay game but to a long time halo fan the game felt rather empty and lack luster.