Look, the Halo timeline is a mess. If you just jump in blindly, you’re going to be hopelessly confused by why a certain gravel-voiced super-soldier is suddenly young again, or why the universe is ending for the third time in a row. It’s a lot.
Most people just want to know how to sit down on a Friday night and actually understand the story of Master Chief. But here is the thing: the order of the Halo games isn't just one list. You have to decide if you want to see the technology evolve as the developers at Bungie and 343 Industries grew, or if you want the narrative to flow like a history book.
I’ve spent thousands of hours in these games, from the LAN party days of the early 2000s to the open-world experiment of Infinite. Honestly, there is no "wrong" way to play, but there is definitely a "confusing" way. Let’s break down the reality of this timeline without the fluff.
The Release Date Path: How we all lived it
If you want to experience Halo the way the world did, you start in 2001. This is the "Release Date" order. It’s usually what I recommend for newcomers because the jump in graphics and gameplay mechanics feels natural. Going from a modern game like Halo 5 back to the original Combat Evolved can feel like a punch in the face to your muscle memory.
First, you’ve got Halo: Combat Evolved (2001). It’s the foundation. You land on a ring, you shoot some aliens, and you realize the ring is a weapon. Simple. Then comes Halo 2 (2004), which basically broke the internet back in the day with its cliffhanger ending. Halo 3 (2007) finished that original fight.
But then things got weird.
Bungie released Halo Wars in 2009, which is a real-time strategy game. Then came Halo 3: ODST (2009), which takes place during the events of Halo 2. It’s a noir-style detective story in a rainy city. It’s moody. It’s different. After that, we got Halo: Reach in 2010. This was Bungie’s swan song, a prequel that everyone knew would end badly because, well, we already knew Reach fell.
When 343 Industries took over, the "Reclaimer Saga" began. That’s Halo 4 (2012), Halo 5: Guardians (2015), and eventually Halo Infinite (2021). Sprinkled in there is Halo Wars 2 (2017), which—surprise—is actually pretty vital if you want to know who the bad guys are in Infinite.
The Chronological Order: Living the history
Maybe you don't care about "evolution." Maybe you just want the story to make sense from start to finish. If that's you, the order of the Halo games starts way before the Master Chief ever woke up from cryosleep.
Halo Wars This takes place in 2531, roughly 20 years before the first main game. You’re commanding the crew of the Spirit of Fire. It sets the stage for the conflict with the Covenant.
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Halo: Reach
Set in 2552. This is the beginning of the end. You play as Noble Six. It’s gritty, it’s hopeless, and it ends right as Combat Evolved begins. Literally. The final cutscene leads directly into the next game.Halo: Combat Evolved
The year is still 2552. Master Chief wakes up. The Pillar of Autumn is under fire. You know the rest.Halo 2
Starts shortly after the first game. This is where we see the perspective of the Arbiter. Halfway through this game, the timeline splits slightly to accommodate the next entry.Halo 3: ODST
While Chief is off on Delta Halo during the middle of Halo 2, a group of Orbital Drop Shock Troopers is stuck in New Mombasa. It’s a side story, but it’s a great one.Halo 3
The end of the original trilogy. The war with the Covenant reaches its climax. 2552 was a very busy year for the Master Chief.Halo 4
We jump forward to 2557. Chief has been drifting in space. He finds a new threat called the Prometheans. The tone shifts here—it’s much more about the relationship between Chief and his AI, Cortana.Halo 5: Guardians
Set in 2558. This one is controversial. You play as Chief for only a few missions, spending the rest of the time as Spartan Locke. It sets up a massive galactic conflict that... well, it gets complicated.Halo Wars 2
This happens in 2559. It introduces the Banished, led by a Brute named Atriox. If you skip this, you will be very confused when you start the next game.Halo Infinite
The current end of the road, starting in 2560. Chief is back on a new Halo ring (Zeta Halo), fighting the Banished and trying to figure out what happened to Cortana.🔗 Read more: The Combat Hatchet Helldivers 2 Dilemma: Is It Actually Better Than the G-50?
Why Halo: Reach is the ultimate "Toss Up"
There is a massive debate in the community about where Reach fits for a first-time player. If you play it first, the ending of Combat Evolved feels more earned. You understand the stakes. You know what was lost.
But there’s a catch.
Reach has mechanics like armor abilities (sprinting, jetpacks) that Combat Evolved doesn't have. If you play Reach first, going into the original game feels like driving a Ferrari and then being told you have to drive a tractor. The tractor is a classic, and it's built like a tank, but it's slow.
I usually tell people to play the original trilogy first. Build that nostalgia. Then, go back and play Reach as a "historical look back." It hits harder when you know the legacy of the Spartan-IIs.
The Master Chief Collection: A blessing and a curse
If you are looking at the order of the Halo games today, you are likely looking at the Master Chief Collection (MCC). It’s a masterpiece of a bundle, but the menu layout is actually chronological, not release-based.
If you just hit "start" on the first game in the list, you're playing Reach. For some, that’s fine. For purists, it’s heresy.
Also, don't sleep on the "Anniversary" editions. Both Halo 1 and Halo 2 have remastered graphics. In Halo 2: Anniversary, the cutscenes were redone by Blur Studio. They look like a high-budget Hollywood movie. Honestly, they are some of the most beautiful cinematics in gaming history. You can toggle between old and new graphics with a single button press. It’s a trip to see how far we've come.
The Spartan Ops and Spin-off Confusion
Wait, what about Spartan Assault and Spartan Strike?
These are top-down twin-stick shooters. Are they "essential" for the order of the Halo games? Not really. They fill in some gaps about Spartan-IV training and minor skirmishes, but you won't lose the plot if you skip them.
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Spartan Ops, however, is a different story. It’s a series of episodic missions inside Halo 4. It’s basically "Season 2" of the story. It introduces characters like Sarah Palmer and Catherine Halsey’s darker side. If you plan on playing Halo 5, you should at least watch the cutscenes for Spartan Ops. It explains why certain characters are where they are.
The Narrative Shift of 343 Industries
It’s worth noting that the "vibe" changes significantly after Halo: Reach.
Bungie’s games were about "The Great War." You were a faceless super-soldier saving humanity. It was space opera at its finest. When 343 took over with Halo 4, the story became much more personal. It became a character study of John-117.
Some fans hated this. They wanted the stoic soldier. Others loved the depth. When you're playing through the games in order, prepare yourself for that tonal whiplash between Reach and Halo 4. It’s a different kind of storytelling.
Halo Infinite tries to bridge that gap. It feels like the old games but keeps the emotional weight of the new ones. It’s a "spiritual reboot," as the devs called it.
What most people get wrong about Halo Wars
"It's an RTS, I can skip it."
Don't. Or at least, don't skip the story. Halo Wars 2 is essentially Halo 5.5. It introduces the Banished, who are the primary antagonists of Halo Infinite. If you go straight from Halo 5 to Infinite, you will have no idea who Atriox is or why the Covenant has been replaced by these angry Brutes with red armor.
The Banished are arguably the coolest villains Halo has had in a decade. They aren't religious zealots like the Covenant; they are mercenaries and raiders. It changes the dynamic of the fights.
Actionable Next Steps for Your Playthrough
If you are ready to start this journey, don't just buy them all at once and get overwhelmed. Here is how to actually handle the order of the Halo games without burning out:
- Download the Master Chief Collection (MCC) first. It contains almost everything you need in one launcher. It’s the most cost-effective way to play.
- Decide your "Prequel Policy." If you want to see the "Legend" grow, start with Halo: Combat Evolved. If you want the "History" start to finish, start with Halo: Reach.
- Don't skip Halo 3: ODST. A lot of people think it’s just DLC. It’s not. It’s one of the best atmospheres in the series and the soundtrack is incredible.
- Watch a "Halo Wars" story summary. If you aren't into strategy games, don't force yourself to play them. Watch the cinematics on YouTube. They are vital for the context of Infinite.
- Play Halo Infinite last. No matter which path you choose, Infinite is the destination. It’s designed to be played after you’ve seen the journey of the Chief and Cortana.
The Halo universe is vast, spanning books, comics, and even a (divisive) TV show. But the games are the heart of it. Whether you're playing for the lore or just to stick a plasma grenade to a Grunt's face, following the right order makes the experience ten times better. Just remember: finish the fight.