I never disliked it. Despite some inconsistencies with what came before, and not completely overcoming the difficulty of making us care about the Noble Team, I love the tone, the feature set, the variety from level to level, not to mention the art and music, which were both stellar. It struck me as the most mature Halo game. The story wasn't as well executed as ODST's, but I liked the realism of the setting and characters.

Although it probably has more flaws than several other Halo games, it has many strengths in one package, and for that reason, it's the Halo I would take to a deserted island.