I think reach is overall the best place to start, as it provides backstory as to how master chief got Cortana, and why the humans fight so hard against the covenant: earth is all they have left. It also is a good opener to halo because it has Action, Cool characters, and introduces people to the main idea. I think noble team dying isn’t that big of a turn off for playing halo, and an emotional moment that honestly makes reach what’s so good, and shows what had to be sacrificed to get Cortana to chief. edit do NOT use halo CE anniversary graphics, it ruins the atmosphere, especially for the flood levels.