Halo is a franchise that has been ongoing for decades at this point. It originally came out in 2001, and the series has since spawned a variety of video games, books, and so much more. The Halo universe has expanded to gaไrgantuan proportions, but we're not complaining.

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Since the first game𒅌, Master Chief was positioned as a key SPARTAN in the Halo games. But even genetically enhanced super-soldiers have weaknesses.

168澳洲幸运5开奖网:Due to the long, sprawling lore that surrounds the franchise, it can be hard to determine where the story starts firs🍌t. In order to rectify this, we have organized Halo games in chronological order regarding where each lies on the timeline. Whether you are a long-standing fan of Master Chief's a🐭dventures or a newcomer wondering where to begin, read on and find out the chronology of Halo's universe.

Updated February 10, 2025 By Ben Jessey: Halo remains an iconic video game series. However, it's easy to get confused about the chronological order of the titles. This list is designed to make it clear when things happened and in what order. Yet, it was a bit disorganized, so we've returned to the piece to edit it and make it easier to understand.

13 Halo Wars

Set In 2531

Gameplay screenshot of Halo Wars snowy map battle between two armies.
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Your Rating

Halo Wars
Real-Time Strategy
Tactical
Systems
Released
March 3, 2009
ESRB
T For Teen D💧ue To Mild Blood, Mild Language, Violence
Developer(s)
﷽ Ensemble Studios, Robot Entertainment
Publisher(s)
ꦗ🌃 Microsoft Game Studios
Engine
Phoenix engine
Multiplayer
ꦆ Lo🅷cal Multiplayer, Online Multiplayer
Franchise
Halo

WHERE TO PLAY

SUBSCRIPTION
DIGITAL

Platform(s)
PC, Xbox 360, Xbox One

Designed as a real-time strategy game, Halo Wars is considered the earliest game e🐈ntry in terms of Halo lore. However, when considering the many books that comprise Halo's expanded universe, The Forerunner Saga definitely takes the cake in terms of earliest entry overall.

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Taking place roughly 21 years before🅠 the events of the original game, Halo Wars focuses on a group of UNSC soldiers and scientists aboard the Spirit of Fire as they stop the Covenant from getting their hands on an armada of ancient Forerunner ships.

12 𝔍 🌸 Halo: Reach

Set In 2552

Halo Reach cover art featuring Noble Team.
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168澳洲幸运5开奖网: Halo: Reach
Systems
Released
September 14, 2010
ESRB
m
Developer(s)
Bungie
Publisher(s)
𝕴 Microsoft Game Studios
Engine
Blam engine
Multiplayer
Online Multiplayer, Local Multiplayer 💫 🌱
Franchise
Halo

WHERE TO PLAY

DIGITAL
PHYSICAL

The end m꧒ission of Halo: Reach takes place just a few moments before the original Halo: Combat Evolved, so it's not hard to tell where this falls on the Halo timeline. The game tells the tragic story of a team of Spartans attempting to defend the doomed planet Reach from an overhwleming force of Covenant invaders.

Fans of the series knew from the get-go that it would be a losing fight. The campaign possesses a somber tone, but it introduces 168澳洲幸运5开奖网:robust gameplay through its multiplayer compoﷺnent.

11 🧔 Halo: Combat Evolved

Set In 2552

Halo: Combat Evolved promotional image of Master Chief aiming rifle at the camera.
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Your Rating

Halo: Combat Evolved
Systems
8.0/10
Released
November 15, 2001
ESRB
🎐 M For Mature 17+ due to Blood and Gore, Violence 🌄
Publisher(s)
🌌🍌 Microsoft Game Studios
Engine
Blam Engine
Franchise
Halo

WHERE TO PLAY

DIGITAL

The original title that started it all, Halo: Combat Evolved is the first game where pla𝓰yers control Master Chief. With an excellent weapon sandbox and other phenomenal gameplay elements that have remained fundamental staples for the rest of the franchise, Halo: Combat Evolved focuses on the Chief's journey across the titular Halo ring.

Not only does he learn about the gigantic ringworld's true purpose, but he also has to defend himself and others𒊎 against Covenant forces and the grotesque Flood. This is the game that kickstarted all lore for the franchise, and we have it to thank for the hours we've spent learning and wondering about this universe.

10 🌳 Halo: Fireteam Raven

Set In 2552

Screenshot of Halo Fireteam Raven arcade game combat scenario.

Halo: Fireteam Raven takes place durin🅷g the events of Halo: Combat Evolved and follows a group of ODST soldiers battling the Covenant on a Hꦇalo ring. Fireteam Raven is unique among the Halo games due to being a cooperative arcade shooter that originally debuted at Dave & Buster's.

However, fighting to protect the Pil🍰lar of Autumn against waves of Grunts and Elites still feels like a familiar experience to any Halo fan.

9 Halo 2

Set In 2552

Halo 2 Anniversary cover art of Master Chief holding two SMGs.
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168澳洲幸运5开奖网: Halo 2
Shooter
Systems
Released
September 4, 2004
ESRB
ꦐ ღ M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Language, Violence
Developer(s)
Bungie
Publisher(s)
Microsoft🍸 Game Studios ✃
Engine
havok
Multiplayer
🅷 ღ Local Multiplayer
Franchise
Halo

WHERE TO PLAY

DIGITAL

Halo 2 is often considered one of the greatest first-person shooters ever made, with some even considering it better than the original. It directly continues the adventures of Master Chief, while also adding brand-new gameplay element🌜s that took the series to new heights.

The story takes place after the events of Combat Evolved as the Covenant makes a play for another Halo ring, and humanity has to muster its forces to stop them. From an expanded weapon sandbox to double-wielding, Halo 2 was full of surprises for fans. This includes the famously ambitious ﷺmultiplayer and a new playable character in the form of the Arbiter.

8 Hal𒅌o 3: ODST

Set In 2552

Halo 3 ODST Cover of ODST soldier on a rainy night.
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Your Rating

Halo 3 ODST
First-Person Shooter
Systems
Released
September 22, 2009
ESRB
ꦦ M For Mature 17+ due to Blood, Language, Violence
Developer(s)
Bungie
Engine
Halo 3 Engine
Multiplayer
ꦜ Online Multiplayer
Franchise
Halo

WHERE TO PLAY

DIGITAL
PHYSICAL

Platform(s)
Xbox 360

Originally thought of𒆙 as a small side project by Bungie that merely supported the story of Halo 3, ODST eventually grew to become a full-fledged game that is able to stand tall among its brethren Halo titles. Playing as a lone ODST roaming 💯the ruins of New Mombasa was an incredibly engrossing experience that no one saw coming.

The quiet streets in the dead of night, the jazz overtones courtesy of Martin O'Donnell and 𒅌Mich📖ael Salvatori, and the unique plot progression make ODST a darling jewel in the collection of Halo games we've played. Halo 3: ODST takes place during the events of Halo 2.

7 Halo 3

Set Between 2552 And 2553

The ending of Halo 3, in which John looks to Cortana as the Halo ring detonates.
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168澳洲幸运5开奖网: Halo 3
Shooter
Systems
Released
September 25, 2007
ESRB
M for M𒐪ature: Blood and Gore, M🤡ild Language, Violence
Developer(s)
Bungie
Publisher(s)
🐟 Microsoft Game Studios 🧔
Engine
havok, blam engine
Multiplayer
💦 Local Multiplayer
Franchise
Halo

WHERE TO PLAY

DIGITAL

Halo 3 concဣludes the story started by the original Halo, before the later events of the Reclaimer Saga. Due to being the grand finale of a trilogy, the game was designed to be bigger and better than what came before.

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Master Chief must deal with the entirety of the Covenant under the Prophet of Truth and eradicate the Flood from the face of the universe, all while trying to rescue his AI companion, Cortana. Many gameplay additions were presented toꦚ players, including the Forge Map Editor, which allowed you to modify multiplayer maps.

6 💛 Halo: Spartan Assault

Set In 2554

Halo Spartan Assault promo image of Spartan.
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Your Rating

Halo: Spartan Assault
Twin-Stick Shooter
Systems
Top Critic Avg: 61/100 Critics Rec: 14%
Released
July 18, 2018
ESRB
Tꦦ For Teen Due To Violence, Blood ♉
Publisher(s)
♑ Microsoft Studios
Engine
unity
Multiplayer
Online Multiplayeᩚᩚ𒐪ᩚᩚᩚᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ𒀱ᩚᩚᩚr
Franchise
Halo

WHERE TO PLAY

SUBSCRIPTION
DIGITAL

Platform(s)
PC, Xbox 360, Xbox One
Developer
343 Indus༒tries, Vanguard Entertainment

Halo: Spartan Assault is a twin-stick shooter that original🤪ly came out for mobile platforms. When it comes to placing Halo games in order, this one sits roughly between the events of Halo 3 and ജ4.

It gives players the chance to control Spartan Sarah Palmer as she fights against the Covenant. Even though the game was released after Halo 4, lore-wise, its events occurred before. Pa꧂lmer is an interesting character in the Halo universe, and it's nifty to be able to experience a part of her story. Although the game had fairly mixed reviews, it garnered enough attention to eventually create a sequel.

5 Halo 4

Set In 2557

Halo 4 screenshot of Cortana looking into the camera.
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168澳洲幸运5开奖网: Halo 4
Systems
Released
November 6, 2012
ESRB
ᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ⁤⁤⁤⁤ᩚ𒀱ᩚᩚᩚ ꦺ M for Mature: Blood, Violence
Publisher(s)
ꦐ Microsoft Game Studios
Engine
Blam engine
Multiplayer
♉ Local Multiplayer, Online Multiplayer, Local Co-Op
Franchise
Halo

WHERE TO PLAY

DIGITAL
PHYSICAL

Halo 4 is the first game in the Reclaimer Saga and is also the first mainline Halo title to be solely created by 343 Industries. The story picks ꧟up four years after the events of Halo 3. Master Chief and Cortana are pitted against the F🍬orerunner known as the Didact, as well as a splinter faction of the Covenant.

The threat of the Didact pales in comparison to 168澳洲幸运🧜5开奖网:the tragedy of Cortana's on🐼set of AI rampancy. As she and the Chief struggle to undo the Didact's plans, they have to contend with her deteriorating condition. Halo 4 put extra focus on the relationship between Master Chief and Cortana throughout the campaign, anꦺd the multiplayer unde𝕴rwent massive changes as well, incorporating loadouts as an integral part of the experience.

4 🐻 💯 Halo: Spartan Strike

Set In 2552 And 2557

Halo Spartan Strike promo image of orange spartan looking into camera with warthog behind them.
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Your Rating

Halo: Spartan Strike
Twin-Stick Shooter
Systems
Released
April 16, 2015
ESRB
t
Developer(s)
168澳洲幸运5开奖网:343 Industries, Vanguard Entertainment
Publisher(s)
🍌 𓆉 Microsoft Studios
Engine
The blam! Engine
Franchise
Halo

WHERE TO PLAY

DIGITAL

Platform(s)
iOS, PC

The sequel to Spartan Assault, Halo: Sparta𓄧n Strike is a twin-stick shooter game in the same vein. This game technically takes place during two time periods: partially during Halo 2 and partially during events after Halo 4.

The game primarily focuses on the player hunting down an artifact called the Conduit. This artifact was first located in the ruins of New Mombasa, but it was transported to a Halo🐻 ring. The struggle to obtain it is the main objective of the narrative. Story takes a back seat to gameplay in this arcade-style title. This short entry in the Halo franchise barely whets the appetite of lore-hungry fans.