As one of the most iconic franchises in history,Haloset the standard for many first-person shooter (FPS) norms in console gaming since its inception in 2001 on the original Xbox. Online multiplayer, radiant enemy AI, FPS campaigns. WhileHaloisn’t at the top of its game these days, one thing remains that puts the franchise forever above all its competition over the past 20+ years: its soundtracks.
With tracks that bring out a range of emotions, from sadness, to exhilaration, to wonderment and awe,Halohas consistently crafted excellent soundtracks to coupletheir excellent storytelling. It is almost impossible to rank the tracks without bringing a scourge of frustration down, but which track is the greatest?
10Halo 4: Arrival (Neil Davidge)
Cortana splits her rampant personalityThe Didact must be stopped. At the end ofHalo 4’semotional campaign, the Master Chief pushes on alone against countless Prometheans to prevent The Didact from Composing all of Earth with this track blasting in the background.
With the slow, somber build up of Cortana’s rampancy expanding, to the hordes of Promethean Crawlers, Knights and Watchers barreling down onto the player, Arrival brings out that desperate last bit of heroism from the Master Chief to save Earth once again. The track symbolizes Cortana and Master Chief’s journey throughoutHalo 4. One of dire straits, sheer determination and a never-say-die attitude that elevates the track to one of the franchises best.
9Halo 5: The Trials (Kazuma Jinnouchi)
There was only one way to reveal Master Chief and introduce Blue Team intoHalo 5and that was through a track that was a culmination of other iconicHalotracks. From 117, to One Final Effort, theHalotheme itself, The Trials is Kazuma Jinnouchi’s greatest track ofHalo 5’sstrong soundtrack.
Coupling the track itself with the epic introduction cutscene ofMaster Chiefand Blue Team boosting through space to assault the UNSC research station Argent Moon that has been occupied by Storm Covenant forces, Jinnouchi perfectly displays Blue Teams expertise, despite their age, and why they are still the greatest Spartan team around.
8Halo Reach: Winter Contingency (Marty O’Donnell and Michael Salvatori)
Everyone’s introduction toBungie’s finalHalogame. Winter Contingency is an epic twelve-minute suite that takes the player through a journey across humanity’s last stronghold before Earth, Reach.
With an emphasis on mystery, the introduction to the track establishes the planet of Reach. Noble teams investigation of a sabotaged communications relay and missing troopers leads them to an encounter with the formidable Covenant. A threat they were unaware knew of Reach’s location. The track then directs the listener and player through a journey deep into the relay where deadly Covenant Zealots seek to prevent humanity being warned of their arrival. This culminates with an epic guitar section when the Covenant is engaged inside the tight corridors of the communications relay.
7Halo Wars: Insignificantia (All Sloppy/No Joe) (Stephen Rippy)
A beautiful mix of acoustic guitars, to the traditionalHalovocals and piano iconic of the series, Insignificantia is the jazzy end credits song to put the player in a good mood after the desperate battle and bittersweet ending toHalo’sfirst divergence from FPS games with this legendary real-time-strategy game.
Halo Wars, the strategy game developed by Ensemble Studios has many excellent tracks, but none hold the listeners' attention quite like Insignificantia. A beautiful track accompanied by a beautiful message from the development team thanking their fans as the ship, The Spirit of Fire, flies off into the sunset as the credits roll.
6Halo 2: Epilogue (Marty O’Donnell and Michael Salvatori)
Like returning home after a long time away,Halo 2’scredits song, Epilogue, bottles that feeling of nostalgia up nice and tight. Once that smooth guitar comes inthe clock rolls back to 2004once again and all is good.
The homecoming feel of this track wasn’t lost on Bungie either, as it was reused somewhat at the end ofHalo 3when The Arbiter and Rtas ‘Vadum (Shipmaster) leave Earth to return to their own home world.
Even with this melancholy feeling O’Donnell and Salvatori made sure to remind players to ‘Finish the Fight’ with a little Flood themed crescendo at the end.
5Halo Theme Mjolnir Mix (Marty O’Donnell and Michael Salvatori)
The metal remix of the classic. TheHalo 2theme takes everything from the first games theme and amplifies it up to eleven! The track perfectly summarized the gaming industry duringHalo 2’slaunch. Heavy guitar riffs and the absolute hype behind the release ofHalo 2.
While the originalHalotheme feels more grounded with its boots on the ground aesthetic, Salvatori’s guitar solos make it a theme song for all FPS gamers from 2004 onwards. An iconic re-imagining that earns it spot within the top five of the franchises best. Makes hopping on a Scarab, killing everything onboard and slowly walking away that much cooler.
4Halo 3: ODST: Deference for Darkness (Marty O’Donnell and Michael Salvatori)
The firstHaloFPS to take the player out of the Master Chief’s shoes puts them firmly in those of anOrbital Drop Shock Trooper(ODST). Deference for Darkness goes all in on the jazz style of music with a smooth piano and a gorgeously soft saxophone section.
The tracks latter stage add a more boots on the ground feeling and ends with a mysterious, Forerunner-esque synth melody. Foreshadowing the plot point with the Engineer and reminding the player that they have a job to do: Find their squad and get out of the city of New Mombasa.
3Halo 2: Blow Me Away (Breaking Benjamin)
The first time a band external from Bungie studios added their talent to the making of aHalosoundtrack. Blow Me Away by the rock bandBreaking Benjaminappears instrumentally during the penultimate Master Chief mission inHalo 2’scampaign, Gravemind. Entering the Mausoleum of the Arbiter to witness a free-for-all between the Brutes and Hunters against the Elites, Cortana suggests to the Master Chief (and the player) to “sit this one out.”
Doing so welcomes the aforementioned track.Breaking Benjamin’sepic guitar work and heavy drums makes it almost impossible not to jump into the deluge of violence unfolding before the players eyes. Truly cementing its spot as one ofHalo’smost iconic tracks.
2Halo 3: One Final Effort (Marty O’Donnell and Michael Salvatori)
The greatestHalomission of all time needs an equally great track. One Final Effort falls just short of top spot, however, this phenomenal track is coupled with one of the greatest opening cutscenes to a mission ever.
Master Chief, Sergeant Johnson and the Elites. Each with their own objective take on the Prophet of Truths forces at theend of the Human-Covenant warand this track starts off that great final assault. One Final Effort was so good they threw it in at the end of the Warthog run at the end ofHalo 3for added tension in those final moments. This track was why so many decided to learn piano.
1Halo Combat Evolved: Halo (Marty O’Donnell and Michael Salvatori)
Marty O’Donnell and Michael Salvatori have swept this list and for good reason. Their compositions have created a legacy that may never be topped. Soundtracks that have transcended video games into other forms of media.
TheHalotheme is everything theHalofranchise is, was, and forever will be. Fast-paced, boots on the ground action, wonderful bewilderment at alien architecture, high octane vehicle sections escaping exploding Halo rings. They even sprinkled in a little Marathon Easter egg at the end with “The Siege of Madrigal”. TheHalotheme is the pinnacle of the franchises musical genius and, arguably, of gaming itself.
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