I’ve always been a PlayStation boy through and through. This has granted me a bounty of wonderful experiences, but equally, it has ensured that some remained tantalizingly out of reach. Gears of War, Forza, heck, even Sunset Overdrive.
Recently, almost all those candies on the top shelf have been reached down for us PlayStation players. But I thought that one would always remain sacred. I had assumed that Master Chief would forever live on Xbox alone. But in the year of Asha Sharma, 2026, nothing is more sacred than cash.
So, in a freak turn of events, a lovingly crafted remake of the original Halo campaign has made its way to Sony’s flagship console. An unlikely opportunity I wasn’t about to pass on.
I was ready to one-shot Hunters, cram vehicles into areas they don’t belong, and abuse the power of the Plasma Pistol all over again. Which, with this new coat of paint, was a joy to behold.
Visuals That’ll Blow You Away
I know that Breaking Benjamin’s hit ‘Blow Me Away’ was actually the anthem of Halo 2, but allow me this flimsy link, as the visuals here quite literally did blow me away. For a game that first burst onto our screens over two decades ago, it’s surreal to see these missions presented in a new and shiny fashion befitting of 2026.
By far the visual upgrade is the most tangible and eye-catching change in this remake, and practically serves as the only reason for veterans who have played this campaign hundreds of times over to return for another lap. But, even still, the upheaval in terms of presentation is probably worth the price of admission alone.
Staring out upon the horizon as Halo curves toward the sky. Carving out a path and drifting around corners in your Warthog along the coastline. Even the little things like reloading your Needler and watching the spikes pop up. Everything looks incredible, and that goes double for the cutscenes that punctuate the action.
You wouldn’t think an FPS campaign from 2001, even with a modern remake, would have the scope to offer a truly cinematic campaign today. But credit where it’s due. Thanks to the awe-inspiring character models and the genuinely cinema-quality scenes present, it’s easy to forget that you’re playing a certified gaming relic.
The obvious downside to the upgrade is that a lot of that initial ‘wow factor’ subsides when you get into the meat and potatoes of the campaign. A lot of the action has you travelling through narrow, repetitive corridors, which simply don’t get the most out of the visual tech on show.
If you can get past this, you’ll enjoy the iconic campaign in its most sparkling, dazzling form. But all that we have described is what a remaster generally delivers. This is supposed to be a remake, so let’s talk about what has actually changed beyond the visuals.
It All Comes Flooding Back
Before we talk about what you’re not getting from this remake, let me enlighten you as to what changes have actually been made to enhance the experience of yesteryear.
First and foremost, there have been a lot of QOL changes, and almost all of them are changes for the better.
Most notably, health Kits have been exchanged for a regenerative shield which leads to far less hopeless checkpoints. You have the addition of more weapons and pilot-able vehicles to the campaign, offering more, albeit not loads, of room for creativity. Plus you have power-ups that can be stored and triggered rather than being an instant use pick-up.
These all seem like small things on paper, but in action, you’ll feel the benefits immediately as you endure the pesky shields and armor plating of The Covenant, or the weight of numbers of The Flood. But the game also makes some changes that aren’t bad per se. But they aren’t exactly made with your well-being in mind either.
There is the addition of enemy hijacking, allowing enemies to toss you from a vehicle like an NPC in GTA. Plus, another change that I cursed aloud with every death was the inclusion of Jackal Snipers.
All these QOL changes make for a more solid experience across the board. To the point that, if this was your first Halo experience ever, you would likely assume that this was the way it always was. Showing that this upheaval isn’t something that has changed the fabric of the game entirely, just tweaking what was already superb.
The only QOL gripe that I have is that the navigation throughout missions is still very poor. This is remedied somewhat by the waypoints being turned on by default. But my gripe is that, without them, it would be nearly impossible for a newbie to the series to make heads or tails of things. But, as I say, it’s a small gripe about what is otherwise a very welcome set of tweaks.
Less Remade, More Repackaged
The reality is that, while this is a superb way to experience the first Halo campaign, and a very pretty, polished version of said campaign. I can’t really say with any conviction that this is, beyond the visuals, a monumental improvement over the original. Mainly because a lot of what’s good about the campaign was there before. Plus, a lot of what isn’t persists as well.
As mentioned, the abundance of repetitive corridors showcases the limitations of a game made twenty-plus years ago. The game still mainly consists of one-note missions where you clear waves of enemies to kick the can further down the lane. The Library, even with some changes to proceedings, still remains as painfully monotonous as before.
Vehicle controls remain as slippery as ever. We aren’t talking Mako controls, but they certainly aren’t as tight as you would like.
Friendly AI is pretty abysmal, which means you’ll be fighting through this one as a Doom Guy super soldier unless you engage with the four-player co-op.
Not to mention, the game still forces you to play a particular way, especially on higher difficulties. The Plasma Pistol still reigns supreme, and if you don’t have a shotgun when The Flood comes knocking, you might as well just start over.
But, on the flipside, all that was good about the original remains firmly intact. You’ll still get that overwhelming hit of nostalgia as you gun down enemies as they frantically scream that they’ve pissed themselves.
You still get to enjoy this campaign with friends, provided you can navigate the launch issues that persist from one platform to the next. A factor that made the original so special in the first place.
Plus, quite simply, this campaign was a breakout success for its tight gunplay and its iconic characters. Aspects that still exist today and help deliver a memorable FPS experience.
Ultimately, not enough has changed here for me to call this a remake that truly offers substance for all parties. If you’re a Halo veteran, you’re getting a glorified remaster. But that’s not to say there’s nothing new on the table for you.
Evolution Isn’t A Revolution
To Halo Campaign Evolved’s credit, there is some unique content on offer for fans returning to Master Chief’s breakout role. The issue is that the content provided isn’t exactly the kind of thing that would make a long-time fan rush back to the series.
What you’re getting here is a system that encourages multiple plays with more challenging stipulations, some collectibles that tie in with these challenge modes, and a few new missions.
The new missions are the most substantial part of the new content, adding three prequel missions to the events of the main campaign. offering tougher endgame missions to battle through. At the end of the day, something is better than nothing. However, they are lacking in multiple ways.
From a narrative perspective, they offer little to nothing of interest for longtime fans, effectively leading to lukewarm missions that feel like a war of attrition to take down wave after wave of enemies.
The levels added largely suffer from the same issues as the original levels at times. Repetitive structure, bloated segments, and no real standout set pieces. But, critically, there was plenty of scope to make these levels bigger and more bombastic due to there being no need to match the source material. But somehow, you still end up navigating one endless dull hallway after another.
The skull collectibles and remixed levels, on the other hand, feel like a welcome addition and do offer some replay value for what is a rather short campaign by modern gaming standards. Allowing for challenge runs, fun co-op hijinks, and completionists to get their rocks off.
Halo Campaign Evolved offers a new, definitive way to enjoy the initial Halo Campaign. Complete with staggeringly crisp visuals, smooth gunplay, and welcome QoL changes. But critically, leaves pretty much everything else about the glorious campaign alone, making for a nostalgic affair that transports you right back to 2001. The new additions aren't much to write home about, and quite frankly, everything great about this experience was largely available 20+ years ago. But nonetheless, it's a solid remake worth checking out. Especially if this is your first Halo experience.
Pros
- Gorgeous visuals
- Excellent QOL improvements
- Additional content adds replayability
Cons
- Repetitive level design remains an issue
- No Multiplayer PVP
- New missions are lackluster
