As the gaming community waits for the arrival of Halo's newest game, Halo Infinite, some fans are finding excuses to replay the entire Halo franchise from scratch. It's also never been easier, considering that all the games are packaged into the Master Chief Collection.
Since they're replaying the games anyway, players are, unsurprisingly, considering playing each game through on its hardest difficulty: legendary. The campaigns are notoriously difficult on this mode, especially when playing alone (since there's no chance to be respawned or revived by your teammate, with the exception Halo 5's questionable AI companions). This is what you can expect from every legendary campaign in the franchise.
7 Halo 4
Halo 4 finally came to PC late last year, to the delight of many fans. Unfortunately, they may have been sad to discover that the campaign wasn't as challenging as they remember. It's debated among fans how difficult Halo 4 actually is; some people found it to be a bit challenging, while others found it lacking compared to other series entries. The general consensus seems to be that Halo 4 is easy but boring. It can feel like a real slog to complete when Chief runs out of ammo so easily and the Promethean Knights are sponges for bullets.
6 Halo 3: ODST
Halo 3: ODST was a spin-off of Halo: 3's massive success that starred a team of Orbital Drop Shock Troopers in lieu of the conventional super-soldier Spartans. If a ranking separates ODST from Halo 3 (occasionally they're bunched together as one game with one difficulty), Halo 3: ODST usually ranks as easier. This might be a little skewed since Halo 3 was so tough (especially due to the flood levels, to which there's no equivalent in ODST) it may have just seemed easier by comparison. Regardless, this game is generally not thought to be as daunting as the others.
5 Halo 5: Guardians
Long-time fans will remember the debate surrounding Halo 5 when it came out. Arguments about its difficulty still spin around the internet to this day. It divided fans so thoroughly largely because of how it deviated from what Halo had done in the past. While some players enjoyed a fresh experience, others didn't like the changes.
It earns a lower place on this list since it can feel more unbalanced and poorly constructed than truly difficult a lot of the time. The AI troops seem to have unbalanced armor and weapons, and players often complain that the Spartan allies are entirely unhelpful on account of their wonky movement patterns and terrible aim.
4 Halo: Reach
Halo: Reach is beloved by many fans of the series, as it featured thoroughly engaging missions and a customizable player character. It's also one of the tougher entries into the series — most players would rank its legendary campaign as among the hardest. However, the game's design mistakes plant a seed of doubt in player's minds concerning whether it's tough or just unfair. At the very least, players often complain about the game's unpredictable AI and their inability to drive a Warthog in a straight line.
3 Halo 3
Halo 3's release was one that will affect the gaming community for years to come. The franchise was put on the map among the best FPS games of all time and earned attention from even the mainstream media.
A lot of time and effort when into the game to ensure there were no mistakes on their final, polished product. Unsurprisingly, Halo 3 is widely considered to be the most balanced in the series. The legendary campaign is tough but fair.
2 Halo: Combat Evolved
Whether Halo: Combat Evolved or Halo 2 should be considered the most challenging game is up for heavy debate. It usually comes down to a player's preference and their level of tolerance for seeing the same hallway over and over and over again (which Halo: Combat Evolved was undoubtedly guilty of).
Like Halo 3, players praise Halo: Combat Evolved for its balanced campaign. The game pushes players to the point of irritation but never makes them feel that their task is impossible to complete. Except, perhaps, during The Library, a notoriously difficult mission that sends wave after wave of flood forms at the player(s). Cheats do exist to exploit the level and complete it much easier. But for players won't aren't aware or who want the cred of completing it honestly, The Library is a true nightmare.
1 Halo 2
Those who argue that Halo 2 is the hardest Halo game will argue that point to their grave. One user on a Halo forum likened the experience to when he'd finished basic training for the army: "I felt good, but I wouldn't do it again." And they do have a point — Halo 2's campaign is unrelentingly difficult. The Jackal snipers that appear during certain segments absolutely bear special mention as the bane of many playthroughs. Indeed, many of the enemies end up with aiming skills and reflexes that truly deserve the title of "Legendary," if not just flatly overpowered.