Halo: Campaign Evolved delivers a beautiful version of the first-person shooter’s story, but I still want to see more
I played a little piece of Halo: Campaign Evolved ahead of its official reveal, and can confirm that this upcoming remake of the first game’s legendary single-player offering is absolutely stunning.
Delving into the beginning of the fan-favorite mission “The Silent Cartographer,” it’s clear why the developers chose this section of the campaign to show off their vision. It’s a level that in 2001 seemed incredibly ahead of its time, with a semi-open environment that encouraged exploration and challenged the more linear designs of other first-person shooters (FPS) of the era.
Absolutely unreal
Built in Unreal Engine 5, Halo: Campaign Evolved is very well positioned to recapture the same feeling of magic and wonder when it launches in 2026.
Running at crisp 4K resolution, this new version of that famous beach landing is packed with cutting-edge visual technology, from near-photorealistic textures to stunningly lifelike lighting effects. It all comes together with a remastered soundtrack and tastefully re-recorded vocal lines that sound so close to the original clips that it’s hard to tell anything has changed unless you compare them side by side.
It’s a lot Halo: Combat Evolved as you recall, although I did spot a few interesting changes here and there that suggest there’s a bit more going on behind the scenes. Firstly, the beach environment definitely seems much closer to its 2014 remastered incarnation. Halo: The Master Chief Collectionwith some added grass and foliage that wasn’t there originally. A minor but interesting decision.
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Although I didn’t clock it at first, the controls have also been significantly changed to be more in line with modern expectations.
The right trigger is still used for firing as you would expect, although you now have to hold the left trigger to zoom in on your weapon. Grenades are much less complicated than before, tied to the left bumper, and you now no longer need to rush to the B button every time you want to use your melee – this now requires pressing the right stick.
Do the same with the left stick and you’ll enter a sprint, something completely absent from the original game. It all feels completely natural and should go a long way toward making it more accessible than before, and if you’re not that into it, Halo Studios has confirmed that you’ll be able to turn it off.
The fight has evolved
The developers also announced that there would be more comprehensive changes in the full game.
Visual differences aside, the segment of “The Silent Cartographer” that I sampled played out almost the same as its original incarnation, although other parts will receive more substantial tweaks. The infamous library, for example, will feel much less maze-like with design changes to improve the pacing of encounters and additional dialogue for 343 Guilty Spark, your AI companion, to presumably guide you so you don’t get lost.
New weapons are also arriving across the series, including the Power Sword, Combat Rifle, and Needle Rifle, which should give even the most experienced players a boost. Halo veteran some additional combat possibilities. I haven’t spotted any during my playtime, so I’m curious to see how well they fit into each level they appear. If that wasn’t enough, you’ll be able to pilot more vehicles or take on the challenge with the Skulls modifiers that return from Master Chef Collection.
There are three tantalizing new prequel missions to boot, taking place before the events of the original story and introducing new enemies and characters. The developers say this remake is powered by code from the 2001 game, with Unreal Engine 5 acting as a layer for its visuals (an approach which also underpinned the recent The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion Remastered), so I’m curious to see what kind of things they can concoct while using parts of this original technology.
I just wish some of these exciting additions were present in my demo, as die-hard fans of the series will surely be wondering whether these newcomers improve or detract from the overall experience. While the game is expected to release in 2026 for Xbox Series At least the visuals were quickly defined.
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