Summary
- Paramount+ created an action-packed TV series based on Halo, following Master Chief in the war against the Covenant.
- Novel adaptations like "Fall of Reach" and "Contact Harvest" provide deep lore for fans seeking a deeper understanding of the Halo universe.
- "Halo Legends," an anime-influenced anthology, offers a unique perspective on the Halo universe through seven different stories.
The Halo franchise has been a titan of the video game industry since its first release in 2001, spawning various sequels and spin-offs. The games feature high-octane action and incredible lore for fans to dive into, with the iconic main protagonist of the series, Master Chief, being immediately recognizable to gamers worldwide. Halo is a worldwide phenomenon with incredible sales numbers and the Spartan helmets being forever linked to the success of the Xbox brand.
The Best Halo Games For Single-Player, Ranked
The Halo franchise is beloved for its multiplayer in particular, but for those wanting to play solo, these are the best games to play.
With the mass success of the game series, Halo has seen many other media products, with TV series, movies and novels all being set within the Halo universe. With so many offerings, what are the seven best Halo media products that aren't games?
7 Halo - TV Series
Developed by Paramount+, Halo Is Action-Packed
Halo
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- 1
- Streaming Service(s)
When it was announced that the streaming juggernaut Paramount+ was set to develop a TV series following Master Chief, fans were both excited and nervous by the prospect of a big budget adaptation.
Best TV Shows and Movies Based On Video Games
Screen adaptations of video games were once deemed certain failures, but not anymore.
Based on the events of the Halo games series, the TV show featured huge battles with Spartans aiming to defeat the threat of the Covenant. Series two upped the ante, introducing the Arbiter, a formidable foe that fans of the games couldn't wait to see on the screen. Halo is a great TV series, but it made changes to the source material that some fans couldn't see past. Worthy of being on this list due to its quality, but unable to place any higher when looking for the best Halo media outside the games.
6 Halo: The Fall Of Reach - TV Mini Series
The Prequel To Halo: Combat Evolved Showing Master Chief's Origin
Based on the novel of the same name, Halo: Fall of Reach was released in 2015, chronicling the creation of Master Chief. Diving deep into the lore of the Halo franchise, the world depicted is dark with humanity on the brink of war.
The animation is solid if not spectacular and shows the lengths' humanity will go to for the sake of survival. It's a dark and dramatic telling of the Spartan project's origin, and is a great jumping on point for fans. However, it is eclipsed by the book of the same name, still making it one of the best Halo products that isn't a game.
5 Halo: Nightfall - TV Mini Series
The Origin Story For Agent Locke
Halo: Nightfall
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- February 5, 2014
- Directors
- Sergio Mimica-Gezzan
- Writers
- Paul T. Scheuring
- Seasons
- 1
- Producers
- David W. Zucker, Mark Huffam, Ridley Scott, Aidan Elliott, Kiki Wolfkill, Clayton Krueger
Intended to serve as a story to bridge the gap between Halo 4 and Halo 5: Guardians, telling the story of Agent Locke, who becomes a secondary protagonist in Halo 5. The story centers on Locke and his team looking to stop a bio-terrorist threat on the planet, Sedra.
Halo: The Strongest Spartans (That Aren't Master Chief)
From members of Blue Team to Noble 6, there are plenty of Spartan-IIIs and IVs that can compare to Master Chief.
After the plan to stop the weapon fails, it is discovered to be a bio-terrorist weapon that only affects humans. This leads Locke and his team to find the origin of the weapon and attempt to destroy it before things escalate. With an engaging plot and the legendary filmmaker Ridley Scott on board for the production, Halo: Nightfall, is an excellent addition to the Halo franchise and gives extra depth to Locke's character in Halo 5: Guardians.
4 Halo: Fall Of Reach - Novel
The Novel Detailing The Creation Of Series Protagonist Master Chief
Halo: Fall of Reach by Eric S. Nylund
- Author
- Eric Nylund
- Pages
- 464
- Publication Date
- October 30, 2001
Adapted into the mini-series mentioned above, Halo: Fall Of Reach, details the origins of Master Chief in an excellent novel by Eric Nylund. The novel expands on the lore of Master Chief and the Halo franchise, wowing readers since its release in 2001.
Detailing the war efforts to fight the Covenant in harsh detail, Halo: Fall Of Reach pulls no punches with the feeling of desperation and the efforts needed to win the war. An excellent origin for Master Chief and giving readers a deeper understanding of the Spartan program, Halo: Fall Of Reach is one of the best Halo products that's not a game.
3 Halo Legends - Movie
An Anthology Of Seven Stories Within The Halo Universe
Halo Legends
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David Wald -
Luci Christian
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Emily Neves
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Shelley Calene-Black
- Release Date
- February 16, 2010
- Director
- Hiroshi Yamazaki, Daisuke Nishio, Megumi Shimizu, Tomoki Kyoda, Mamoru Oshii, Shinji Aramaki, Yasushi Muraki, Keiichi Sugiyama, Koji Sawai, Koichi Mashimo, Takahiro Tanaka, Hiroyuki Kawasaki, Hideki Futamura, Toshiyuki Kanno
Halo Legends is an anthology mini-series adapted into a full-length feature, with seven different stories set inside the Halo universe. Particular highlights come from "The Babysitter" and "Homecoming", providing a different outlook on the war stories the Halo franchise is synonymous with.
Sci-Fi Games You Might Not Know Have A Show Or Movie
Science fiction games are incredibly popular. So much so that the franchises are expanding the story through movies or television series.
With seven unique episodes in the line-up for Halo Legends, the element that shines is its anime-inspired art-style, specifically in the episodes "Odd Man Out" and "Prototype", offering a juxtaposition of a bright and colorful fight, versus a dark and gritty war. Reception to Halo Legends was mixed with some fans loving it while others despised it, but its unique depiction of the Halo universe makes it worth consideration.
2 Halo: Ghosts Of Onyx - Novel
A Battle Between The Spartans And The Covenant To Set Up Halo 2
- Author: Eric Nylund
- Release Date: October 31, 2006
- Publisher: Tor Books
The best novel to come from the Halo franchise, Halo: Ghosts of Onyx, begins with the Spartan-II project becoming public knowledge, with Team Blue aiming to recover stolen nuclear warheads.
The Best Halo Books
Halo fans who love lore dumps and super soldier action scenes should crack open one of these exciting Halo books!
Following the Spartan project becoming public knowledge, Onyx is being used by humans as a planet to begin the Spartan-III program. With crash landings, threats of both the Covenant and The Flood, and plenty of action make this novel an excellent read and a great part of the Halo franchise that's not a game.
1 Halo: Contact Harvest - Novel
A Novel Detailing Humanity's First Contact With The Covenant
- Author: Joseph Staten
- Release Date: October 30, 2007
- Publisher: Tor Books
Halo: Contact Harvest details the first meeting between humanity and the Covenant, following fan-favorite character Avery Johnson. The novel details the Covenant's first attack, initially beginning with a few raids.
The Covenant initially arrange a peaceful meeting, with Yull turning things sour by killing Private Osmo, the initial act that begins a mass evacuation and leads to an all-out war. Providing an introduction to how the war between humanity and the Covenant started, Halo: Contact Harvest is an outstanding novel and one of the best pieces of Halo media that's not a game. It was also written by Joseph Staten, who was a writer for Halo 3 and was involved in the development of every Halo game released by Bungie. As far as story outside of the games go, it doesn't get much better than when it's directly from the source.
What to Expect From the Halo Franchise in 2025
Fans of the hit Xbox exclusive game franchise Halo can expect a lot of potential new content to be released in 2025 in Halo Infinite and beyond