Halo is a science fiction media franchise published by Xbox Game Studios. This is a first-person shooter game for a console gaming experience. With time, the Halo franchise has developed a lot and won the hearts of lots of gamers. No doubt, Master Chief is one of the most renowned characters in the gaming world today.
Are you interested in diving into the Halo franchise? Then, you should know all the Halo games in order of release date and chronology. You can also try out Halo on your PC with the Xbox game pass.
Let’s get started with existing Halo games in release date and chronological order.
Halo Games in Order of Release: A Brief Introduction to every Title
Halo Infinite earned a huge reputation within a few days of its release. However, this is a title from the legendary Halo franchise. If you have started with Halo Infinite, then you must be curious about all the Halo games in order of release date.
Here’s what you need to know about particular Halo titles and corresponding release years:
2001一Halo: Combat Evolved
Halo: Combat Evolved is the first game of the franchise. According to the storyline, this title takes place right after the title Halo: Reach. Here players will come across the famous Master Chief. The mission of the Master Chief is to fight against Covenant forces and the Flood. The Master Chief is after the Halo ring.
2004一Halo 2
Halo 2 is also chronologically set after the Halo: Combat Evolved finishes. The game has 2 stories to tell. Players will get to learn the story of a Covenant Sangheili known as Thel ‘Vadam or The Arbiter. Additionally, the journey of Master Chief’s continued against the Flood and Covenant. Users will come across more challenging missions in this Halo title. Undoubtedly, Halo 2 is one of the favourite titles among Halo fans.
2007一Halo 3
Halo 3 introduces gamers to the original trilogy of Master Chief-based storyline. The hero in Halo 3 tries to rescue AI Cortana. AI Cortana is Master Chief’s trusted friend and she has been kidnapped by the opponent. Additionally, the hero keeps fighting against the Covenant and the Flood for the greater good of the Universe.
2009一Halo Wars
This is a real-time strategy title of the Halo franchise, and it takes us 21 years ago before the timeline of Halo: Combat Evolved. The timeline of Halo: Wars depicts the era when the conflict between Humans and Covenant started. The title follows the activities of United Nations Space Command forces and the Spirit of Fire along with the Red Team of Spartan-II supersoldiers.
2009一Halo 3: ODST
In this title, players are allowed to play as one member of the ODST as the Master Chief is busy fighting for his life. The story revolves around a group of 6 ODSTs, or Orbital Drop Shock Troopers. The player will have to own the character named Rookie. The mission of Rookie is to encounter Covenant forces within the territory of New Mombasa. Halo 3 is one of the most compelling titles among all the Halo games in order of release.
2010一Halo: Reach
Covenant invaders are now getting ready to attack the planet, Reach. As a hero of the game, you and your team have to prevent Covenant invaders from attacking Reach. This title becomes a tragic tale in the Halo universe. The game ends in a stunningly bleak, and the closing credits demand a unique reference to the Halo universe.
2012一Halo 4
Things get complicated for Master Chief as players get to come across Halo 4. The title announces the Reclaimer Saga. Master Chief and Cortana are the 2 main characters in Halo 4. They pair up to go against the Didact, the Forerunner. Meanwhile, Covenant tries its best to cause complications in the way of Master Chief and Cortana.
2013一Halo: Spartan Assault
Players will interact with the Halo: Spartan Assault title as Spartan Sarah Palmer. This title was actually designed for mobile devices. The timeline of the title is set prior to Halo 4, and it happens after Halo 3 has been completed. The title is fun, but it’s not an essential game in the saga.
2015一Halo: Spartan Strike
This is a sequel game to the Spartan Assault of the Halo saga. The timeline of Halo: Spartan Strike was set around the time of Halo 4 and Halo 2. The title might tear down the confusion that you might have encountered during attending Halo 4. The narrative of the game revolves around the consequences of Spartan Strike. The UNSC forces keep fighting the Covenant and tracking down the Conduit, a Forerunner artefact.
2015一Halo 5: Guardians
The story starts with the enemies taking up Cortana again. However, Halo 5 doesn’t depict Cortana’s kidnapping story all along. The title adds up more about her journey in the title. Not to mention, Master Chief tries his best to find out and rescue Cortana. He has to fight off many missions against his enemies. His journey gets tougher with the interference of Spartan Locke and his team.
2017一Halo Wars 2
Halo Wars 2 is a successful sequel to Halo Wars. The title brings back the Spirit of Fire crew. This time, the crew is against The Banished. Additionally, the Spirit of Fire has woken up after 28 years of cryosleep. However, the title is not a compliment to the entire Halo series. You can still discover fun elements and challenges to enjoy the Halo story.
2021一Halo Infinite
This title is the latest release from the Halo developers. Well, Halo Infinite is the latest game in terms of chronology as well. The limelight is back on Master Chief. In addition, the players will be introduced to the first open world of the series on Zeta Halo.
Infinite welcomes the Banished from Halo wars 2. That means that another threat is available in the Endless. A new character called the Harbinger debuted in the Halo Infinite title.
An AI replica of Cortana appears in Halo Infinite. Apart from Artroix and the Harbinger, players will get to see the Sangheili Spartan killer Jega and the Banished War Chief Escharum.
Halo Games in Chronological Order
We have mentioned Halo games in order of release dates. Here, we would like to mention them in chronological order and the year the corresponding games are set in.
Let’s check them out:
- 2531- Halo Wars
- 2552- Halo Reach
- 2552- Halo: Combat Evolved
- 2552- Halo 2
- 2552- Halo 3
- 2552- Halo 3: ODST
- 2554- Halo: Spartan Assault
- 2557- Halo 4
- 2557- Halo: Spartan Strike
- 2558- Halo 5: Guardians
- 2559- Halo Wars 2
- 2560- Halo Infinite
Conclusion
Hopefully, the guide helps you to play Halo games in order of release and chronologically. Halo Infinite is keeping gamers engaged. However, you can discover all the storylines behind every Halo game by discovering and playing them. Check out Halo movies, books, and more to learn more about the Halo universe.