Halo is well known to be one of the most popular first-person franchises, and many people are waiting eagerly for Halo: Infinite. It's odd to think that Halo: Combat Evolved was originally going to be a strategy game back when it was first being developed. Then it transitioned to a third-person shooter and eventually became what it is today, Halo: CE.
Not very many people would have thought that Halo: CE, released in 2001, would still be going strong 19 years later. Though their might have been some hits and misses in the history of the Halo series, there is no doubt that Halo: CE is one of the greatest video games of all time. Here are the best and worst maps from the title.
10 Best: Chill Out
Chill Out is by far one of the best mass of the Halo: CE. It features lots of interconnected rooms and a few teleporters, handy for people who know their way around the map. With a power weapon, the rocket launcher, above one of the main rooms of fighting, trying to claim it might just cost you your life. But claiming it might turn the tide of battle.
On a constantly changing battlefield, even if you lose control, it's possible to fight back due layout and placement of weapons and power-ups.
9 Worst: Boarding Action
Boarding Action is easily one of the worst maps on Halo. Imagine a Halo ship that is cut in half, both sides identical to each other, but are flipped. That is Boarding Action. So how do you get between the two sides, via teleporters? Unless you know the map layout exceptionally well, trying to find your way around this map is impossible.
There is minimal cover upon respawning, which causes you to die repeatedly, as you've got no chance to defend yourself, especially with the power of the pistol and the sniper. The only playable game types are FFA and team slayer snipers.
8 Best: Prisoner
Prisoner is another great map, that is very true to old arena-style (Quake) maps. Having top control of the map is vitally important, but having a good team, rotating the map is essential to claim power weapons and power-ups. Even if the top is entirely yours, if you let the rocket launcher or invisibility slip out of your hands, your control is going to disappear extremely fast.
There are even a few sniper nests, for one-side cover; however, these are rarely used, because they become filled with grenades awfully quickly.
7 Worst: Chiron TL-34
Chiron is a double-edged sword, depending on what way you look at it. Basically, this map is a teleporting maze, where they are dozens of teleports on the map and rooms are tiny, so conflict is unavoidable. However, this is if you can find anybody.
For a competitive map, Chiron is a terrible map by all means of the word. But for casual play with friends with silly game types, like invisible shotguns, or rocket launchers only, it's hilarious. But ultimately, online, it's best to avoid it.
6 Best: Sidewinder
For an eight vs. eight objective game type, Sidewinder is the best map by far to play on. Despite the love everyone has for Blood Gulch, Sidewinder does it better, with certain game types. Sidewinder is shaped like the letter U, so players have no idea what's going to be around the corner.
Playing capture the flag is the best game type, with the multitude of vehicles on each side, which ends up with mayhem and destruction, especially when the tanks appear out of nowhere. What's more critical, tank control, or getting the flag?
5 Worst: Longest
This map was a bad fit for the likes of the original Halo. Imagine two small corridors, then having one connection in-between. Now remember the power of the pistol, and that grenades travel a long way. Due to the cramped layout of this map, it's 50/50 if you'll even survive to move from your spawning point.
There is a top-level to this map, but for those that survive the initial bombardment of grenades, this is where everyone ends up fighting. And for survivors, the grenade bombardment begins anew. The map was improved massively by its remake, Elongation, in Halo 2.
4 Best: Battle Creek
Battle Creek is an excellent map for various game types, be it capture the flag or king of the hill or even just regular slayer. As the map is so small, confrontation is avoidable. Each base has a teleporter at the back that leads to each other, so players always need to be careful of a flanking maneuver.
Even though they are snipers and rockets on Battle Creek, the second you try to acquire them or fire a shot, everyone knows where you are. Good teamwork is needed to get the best out of this map, but it's rewarding when it all comes together.
3 Worst: Wizard
Once again, this map is reminiscent of the early days of Quake. Where the map is a symmetrical circle, but with different platforms to elevate yourself higher. They are four teleporters and four power-ups, one in each corner.
This would be a great map, but for one simple issue, it's impossible to spawn on the top level. This means that once a team gains control over the top, it's extremely hard to take it back. If the pistol weren't a starting weapon than taking back the top would be next to impossible. Its remake, Warlock, in Halo 2 improved upon Wizard.
2 Best: Blood Gulch
Blood Gulch, the most well known and loved Halo map. This map can play any game type, and all incredibly well, Free For All, King of the Hill. Eight vs. eight and Capture the Flag play amazingly with lots of back and forth, especially when the dead center of the map, lays the power weapon, the Rocket Launcher. The best counter to an impending tank attack.
This map is a big sniping paradise, as Blood Gulch features lots of wide-open space; however, it is possible to flank up the cliffs and push back against snipers.
1 Worst: Rat Race
Rat Race; this map can be fun in places, but due to the map layout and where the teleporters are placed, most of the fighting only happens in two rooms. And because there are no power weapons on this map, exploring is a waste of time, because you know the fighting is happening, in one of two rooms.
There are two power-ups up high, which generally are a pain to get too, but these can be shot down instead, saving the hassle and still being close to teammates. If you aren't very good with the pistol, you are in for a bad time.