So, about those Halo games...

[Feathers]

I've heard a lot about the Halo series pretty much everywhere. Work, internet, in other games, even on Big Bang Theory. My friends call it "bringer of the FPS era". I even heard there is a lovable AI called Cortana. I'm surprised there has never been a topic about it here honestly. So what''s the big deal? What makes Halo so legendary?

So I ask any Halo fans- As a noob, what do you think would be the best game for me to pick up first? I really want to learn what it's all about, but I heard starting with the wrong game can kill initial impressions. Now I'm unsure what to throw money at first. ^^;

P.S. I'm fine learning about the good or bad of the series.

[AdventDestiny]

Generally speaking, the best choice for the definitive Halo experience would the Halo Master Chief Collection, which has the entire central game collection on one disc! That's assuming you have the Xbox One...

If you don't, then my suggestion as to where to begin would be with Halo: Combat Evolved 25th Anniversary Edition, a visually improved version of where everything began! Available on the 360, along with all the games except for Halo 2.

[Flare]

For me, the biggest draw was it's story. It had a lot of backstory behind it, and the characters themselves were quite interesting if you ask me. It's also spawned a number of books as well.

[Feathers]

Ah no, I don't have an XBOXONE. I just splurged on a Wii U too, so I'm broke heh.. ^^;

Yeah, I heard the story is pretty great, had no idea there was even books about it though. O_O

The game's popularity really hit me when a 25 year old friend of mine was fussing over all the Halo toys. Legos, action figures, games, wow. What have I been missing?" I wondered, hehe.

[Observer]

If it's popular enough, expect an Expanded Universe.

I only watched the walkthroughs for most of them. I'm actually curious where the story will go following Halo 4.

[Flare]

Yeah, for the books, I'd suggest "The Fall of Reach", which really goes into it's backstory a lot, and tells how they all came about.

Oh, and they also made a live-action movie that's on Netflix if you can watch it. "Forward Unto Dawn", which ties into Halo 4.

[Feathers]

Sweet, a movie. That's a perfect start for me, I need some backstory. Then I'll move on to Halo 4! Thanks Flare! ^_^

[DogKama]

Sweet, a movie. That's a perfect start for me, I need some backstory. Then I'll move on to Halo 4! Thanks Flare! ^_^

and if you're interested as well, there are a number of comics taking place between games and/or during some games as well.

[Pierce]

While I don't play the Halo games for a multitude of reasons (Introduction of Teabagging and a competitive/immature community on par with Call of Duty). The only things I've ever had interest in related to this was "Red vs Blue." by Roosterteeth, The aforementioned movie Flare said and a Newgrounds parody "There's Something About Halo."

Of course, I think I remember a particular fighting game that used a Female Master Chief as a Cameo character with her own backstory.... Dunno what the game was called.

[lv27_robothero]

When I was younger it was the 2nd/3rd Xbox game I owned after JSRF/SGT'02 disk. Loved the game and bought the special Halo 2 preorder and was disappointed in Halo 3/ODST. I liked halo for it's gameplay and it's campaign, but many games now have lackluster campaigns.

[Klobbert]

Of course, I think I remember a particular fighting game that used a Female Master Chief as a Cameo character with her own backstory.... Dunno what the game was called.

That would be Dead or Alive 4.

As for the Halo games, 2 and Reach are both my favorites in the series, but if you're able to play them, it would only be natural to start with Halo 1, then go onto 2 and 3. Reach serves as a bit of a prequel of sorts to the trilogy, focusing on a different character from the one you play as in 1 through 3, so it might not make a bad starting point for the series. I personally do not like 4 (the most recent one), so I would't recommend it. There's also Halo: ODST, which serves as a bit of a sidestory to the events to 2, but you don't really need to play it unless you become a fan of the series, or want to play as someone other than a super soldier.

[Feathers]

A friend of mine let me borrow Halo 3 and 4. I tried 3 first, but got bored pretty quick, probably because I was lost. 4 sucked me in quick though, and having some backstory made a huge difference. I heard 4 was made by different devs, and that a lot of people don't like it. But..I like it a lot so far. ^^;

My main complaint so far is probably the gun system. Switching them so many times is kind of a chore. I need to get used to it. The weapons themselves run out of ammo really fast, especially my favorite one- the Needler.

Cortana is interesting so far, an AI built from human tissue huh? Very cool idea.

[Flare]

Yeah, that's always been the challenge, though in 2 and 3, you were able to dual-wield some weapons. (You could in fact dual-wield the needler in 2. )

[Feathers]

My friends at work really seem to not like Halo 4 for some reason. Every time I say I like it more than 3, I get a lot of groans. As usual I'm the odd man out.

I see the Halo 5 posters already arrived as well, it must be on the way this winter?

[Flare]

There's no set release date yet as far as I'm aware.

[L337 m4n]

Most folks who go Halo I know usually enjoy the online play and barely touch the story mode.

[SIERRA-116]

HALO 4's issue, mainly from what I've seen, is that it's multiplayer wasn't what people wanted. As far as the Campaign went I loved it, though I think the story introduced a lot of things very quickly, things you wouldn't understand without first having read the Forerunner Saga books.

But if you want to get into HALO, look no further than the first HALO game. It may seem chunky and old, but that's because it is; it came out 14 years ago. And it did indeed bring FPS games to the console. Everyone thought it wouldn't work. In fact, it wasn't even a major launch title for the first XBOX when it came out, because nobody at Microsoft had high expectations for it BECAUSE it was an FPS on a console. Yet, the major launch titles were meh and HALO: Combat Evolved saw more copies of its disc bought than the actual number of damn XBOX's at one point.

Plus, the game can be hard, and sometimes punishingly so... try the 'Library' in the anniversary edition with all skulls on sans the bandanna skull.

[Flare]

And it did indeed bring FPS games to the console.

*Looks at Doom and Wolfenstein 3D for the SNES, Sega 32X, and Playstation 1... Also, Goldeneye for the N64....*