Ranking Every Single Halo Map

Community General Discussion
1

After seeing IGN’s list, I thought why the hell not? Strap yourselves in, folks - it’s gonna be a long one. Two things to point out: a) I haven’t been playing Halo for ages, and as such, there are some omissions - find 'em at the bottom of the page. and b) This list does not contain any maps from Halo 5, as I haven’t had much experience with that game yet. Without further ado:

Exceptional:

  1. Ivory Tower - Halo 2 *****
  2. Zanzibar - Halo 2 *****
  3. Blood Gulch - Combat Evolved *****
  4. Sword Base - Reach *****
  5. Hang ‘Em High - Combat Evolved *****
  6. Valhalla - Halo 3 *****
  7. Powerhouse - Reach *****
  8. Timberland - Combat Evolved PC *****

Awesome:
9. Sandtrap - Halo 3 **** ½
10. Battle Creek - Combat Evolved **** ½
11. High Ground - Halo 3 **** ½
12. Countdown - Reach **** ½
13. Last Resort - Halo 3 **** ½
14. Boneyard - Reach **** ½
15. Exile - Halo 4 **** ½

Great:
16. The Pit - Halo 3 ****
17. Longest - Combat Evolved ****
18. Guardian - Halo 3 ****
19. Spire - Reach ****
20. Terminal - Halo 2 (Maptacular Pack) ****
21. Shrine - Halo 2: Anniversary ****
22. Ravine - Halo 4 ****
23. Ragnarok - Halo 4 ****
24. Complex - Halo 4 ****

Good:
25. Construct - Halo 3 *** ½
26. Boardwalk - Reach *** ½
27. Reflection - Reach *** ½
28. Longbow - Halo 4 *** ½
29. Prisoner - Combat Evolved *** ½
30. Snowbound - Halo 3 *** ½
31. Warlock - Halo 2 (Bonus Pack) *** ½
32. Epitaph - Halo 3 *** ½
33. Forge World Pinnacle - Reach *** ½
34. Avalanche - Halo 3 (Legendary Pack) *** ½
35. Turf - Halo 2 (Maptacular Pack) *** ½
36. Rat’s Nest - Halo 3 (Heroic Pack) *** ½
37. Foundry - Halo 3 (Heroic Pack) *** ½
38. Skyline - Halo 4 (Majestic Pack) *** 1/2
39. Sanctuary - Halo 2 (Killtacular Pack) *** ½
40. Abandon - Halo 4 *** ½

Alright:
41. Damnation - Combat Evolved ***
42. Heretic - Halo 3 (Mythic Pack) ** ½
43. Longshore - Halo 3 (Mythic Pack) ***
44. Ghost Town - Halo 3 ***
45. Meltdown - Halo 4 ***
46. Containment - Halo 2 (Bonus Pack) ***
47. Forge World Paradiso - Reach ***
48. Pitfall - Halo 4 (Bullseye Pack) ***
49. Forge World The Cage - Reach ***
50. Standoff - Halo 3 (Heroic Pack) ***
51. Blackout - Halo 3 (Legendary Pack) ***
52. Derelict - Combat Evolved ***
53. Haven - Halo 4 ***
54. Wizard - Combat Evolved ***
55. Citadel - Halo 3 (Mythic Pack) ***
56. Sandbox - Halo 3 (Mythic Pack) ***

Relatively bad:
57. Adrift - Halo 4 ** 1/2
58. Solace - Halo 4 ** ½
59. Monolith - Halo 4 (Majestic Pack) ** ½
60. Landfall - Halo 4 (Majestic Pack) ** ½
61. Cold Storage - Halo 3 ** ½
62. Assembly - Halo 3 (Mythic Pack) ** ½
63. Wreckage - Halo 4 (Crimson Pack) ** 1/2

Bad:
64. Chill Out - Combat Evolved **
65. Zealot - Reach **
66. Forge World Asylum - Reach **
67. District - Halo 2 Vista **
68. Isolation - Halo 3 **
69. Orbital - Halo 3 (Mythic Pack) **
70. Erosion - Halo 4 **
71. Rat Race - Combat Evolved **
72. Impact - Halo 4 **

Awful:
73. Tombstone - Halo 2 (Blastacular Pack) *
74. Chiron TL-34 - Combat Evolved *

Haven’t played:
Sidewinder - Combat Evolved
Boarding Action - Combat Evolved
Infinity - Combat Evolved PC
Ice Fields - Combat Evolved PC
Gephyrophobia - Combat Evolved PC
Danger Canyon - Combat Evolved PC
Death Island - Combat Evolved PC
Burial Mounds - Halo 2
Beaver Creek - Halo 2
Coagulation - Halo 2
Waterworks - Halo 2
Foundation - Halo 2
Ascension - Halo 2
Headlong - Halo 2
Colossus - Halo 2
Midship - Halo 2
Lockout - Halo 2
Uplift - Halo 2 Vista
Desolation - Halo 2 (Blastacular Pack)
Relic - Halo 2 (Maptacular Pack)
Elongation - Halo 2 (Maptacular Pack)
Gemini - Halo 2 (Maptacular Pack)
Backwash - Halo 2 (Maptacular Pack)
Narrows - Halo 3
Forge World Hemorrhage - Reach
Battle Canyon - Reach (Anniversary Pack)
Penance - Reach (Anniversary Pack)
High Noon - Reach (Anniversary Pack)
Ridgeline - Reach (Anniversary Pack)
Solitary - Reach (Anniversary Pack)
Breakneck - Reach (Anniversary Pack)
Condemned - Reach (Defiant Pack)
Highlands - Reach (Defiant Pack)
Breakpoint - Reach (Noble Pack)
Anchor 9 - Reach (Noble Pack)
Tempest - Reach (Noble Pack)
Outcast - Halo 4 (Castle Pack)
Perdition - Halo 4 (Castle Pack)
Daybreak - Halo 4 (Castle Pack)
Shatter - Halo 4 (Majestic Pack)
Vertigo - Halo 4 (Bullseye Pack)
Vortex - Halo 4 (Bullseye Pack)
Harvest - Halo 4 (Crimson Pack)
Stonetown - Halo 2: Anniversary
Bloodline - Halo 2: Anniversary
Stonetown - Halo 2: Anniversary
Warlord - Halo 2: Anniversary
Zenith - Halo 2: Anniversary
Remnant - Halo 2: Anniversary
Lockdown - Halo 2: Anniversary

Thoughts? Recommendations on ones I haven’t played?

2

You rated Valhalla as exceptional but Ragnarok as great. Why?

3

> 2533274815444731;2:
> You rated Valhalla as exceptional but Ragnarok as great. Why?

Been a while since I’ve played Ragnarok, but as I remember, several of the changes (particularly the addition of the Mantis) as well as the different overall feel of Halo 4 brought it down a notch or two. Still a great map tho

4

Are these rated based on Matchmaking and/or Custom Games? Because some maps play very differently depending on the situation. For example, Chiron TL-40 is a fantastic Custom Game map, especially if you haven’t played the map a lot. On the other hand, most of the large CE maps are fantastic in MM, but tend to play poorly in Customs.

5

I disagree with a lot of these, don’t see how Elephant wars on sand trap didn’t get the full 5 stars.

6

> 2533274950478805;4:
> Are these rated based on Matchmaking and/or Custom Games? Because some maps play very differently depending on the situation. For example, Chiron TL-40 is a fantastic Custom Game map, especially if you haven’t played the map a lot. On the other hand, most of the large CE maps are fantastic in MM, but tend to play poorly in Customs.

Depends. I’m leading somewhat of an “I’ll take what I can get” approach, so I’d say you’re looking at about a 50-50 ratio. Chiron was one that I played on custom, and I’m afraid to say that map just doesn’t do anything for me. I’m a fan of the big, open maps that give me a lot of freedom and that one’s map design completely negates that. It’s just too scattershot, too random.

> 2533274891841289;5:
> I disagree with a lot of these, don’t see how Elephant wars on sand trap didn’t get the full 5 stars.

From a pragmatic standpoint, Sandtrap should be my favorite - that’s the “go-to” map for my buddies and me - but in the end I just don’t get as much out of it as I do the top ranked. Still an awesome map tho

7

Some of Reach’s dlc was actually pretty good. A shame few people ever played those maps.

8

Chill out is bad, my favorite map.

9

I’m just gonna say that I love Avalanche, Guardian, Lockout and Highground.

10

If you’ve never played lockout on Halo 2 how can I take you seriously?

11

> 2535437098025824;7:
> Some of Reach’s dlc was actually pretty good. A shame few people ever played those maps.

I intend on getting them at some point, if I can ever get Reach to work on my One. :frowning:

> 2535450453445225;8:
> Chill out is bad, my favorite map.

Yeah, sorry, not a fan. The type of close-quarters combat Chill Out presents is the bane of my existence, and beyond that, it’s pretty dang confusing. I can’t help but get turned around over and over again every time I play it.

> 2533274810945725;9:
> I’m just gonna say that I love Avalanche, Guardian, Lockout and Highground.

Likewise buddy.

> 2628440139686205;10:
> If you’ve never played lockout on Halo 2 how can I take you seriously?

Hey, I’m working on it!

12

I’m kind of surprised that Lockout/Blackout (basically the same) aren’t near the top of the list. They’re perfect, IMO.