Every Halo game feels rushed out the door because they were
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The first half of CE is all-time great. If I were to pick five levels I’d pick those five. The back half asks a lot of your patience and establishes a litany of Bungie worst practices. Better with a friend, but still trying at times
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Reach is a good greatest hits album, especially if you’re playing solo. Several levels are similar in design to previous games but leaner. The art direction is a matter of taste – it’s literally proto-Destiny in that it’s the first game in that engine and the environmental art is a step up but this comes to mind:
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2 and 3 are both designed to be foremost co-op romps.
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2 has some very poor pacing and lots of ymmv alien politics, an ancient alien that speaks in iambic pentameter, etc…
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3 is better paced but really only shines with 2-4 players coordinating. 3 has my second favorite checkpoint to load into for a taste of Halo
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ODST is dear to me as a contractually-obligated gaiden but I would play it after 2 and 3 if at all or its distinctness will be lost
The 343 ones are not worth your time unless you play all five Bungie games, go back and play Marathon, and then can’t stomach Destiny but still want more Halo in particular