Halo: Campaign Evolved review – Welcome back, Chief

It’s pretty safe to say that Halo: Combat Evolved is the game that put Xbox on the map. Way back in 2001 it was a breath of fresh air thanks to its striking alien architecture and wide-open environments that facilitated the use of a range of vehicles. The fact that it looked rather lovely helped, too. And while it’s already had a makeover to celebrate its 10th anniversary, Microsoft has now decided it needs a complete remake for its 25th, making it look better than ever.

Halo: Campaign Evolved does more than just give the original Halo another makeover, however. Being a remake, it also takes the opportunity to tweak various aspects of the iconic game we know and love. There are changes to some missions, for example, and you’ll find that Master Chief can now sprint, make use of some weapons originally introduced late in the series, and highjack enemy vehicles. While the moment-to-moment gameplay doesn’t feel as dynamic as Halo Infinite or even Halo 5: Guardians, then, it certainly has more pep to it versus the original.

In any case, it’s perhaps because of these changes that Halo: Campaign Evolved remains an enjoyable experience in 2026, though some elements of it still feel a little archaic. The A.I. of the Covenant, your alien enemy, and that of your human allies, can be a bit silly at times, with both occasionally running around like headless chickens or not doing much at all. And while the visuals have received a massive upgrade, some of the animations are a bit ropey. As modern as Halo: Campaign Evolved looks, it still feels rooted in the past.

There are nitpicks to make regarding changes from the original game, too. While Halo: Campaign Evolved is a great-looking game on the whole (strangely more so using the Performance setting rather than Quality, which appears to enable some horrible filters), some of its new assets just don’t impress all that much. From the snowy bridges on your way to the Halo control room, to the many purple hallways you’ll run down on Covenant ships, some things stick out for the wrong reasons. The optical camouflage employed by some elites is perhaps a bit too effective in this release as well.

Still, even with these issues, Halo: Campaign Evolved is a worthy remake, especially considering it also includes new and remade cinematics. And while, as its name suggests, it’s campaign-focused, with no competitive multiplayer modes, it does support both online and local co-op. Along with a range of difficulty levels available, various cosmetic options, and Skulls to hunt down, each providing some kind of game-changing modifier, there’s plenty of replay value.

It’s just a shame that the biggest disappointment in Halo: Campaign Evolved is something that should be its major draw: the addition of a short prequel campaign. In three missions set before the events of the main game, you’ll work alongside Sgt. Johnson to secure valuable intel behind enemy lines. The missions just aren’t all that interesting, however, being too preoccupied with throwing waves of enemies at you in enclosed locations. You’ll play through them once to see how they flesh out the story, but they’re unlikely to leave a lasting impression.

Ultimately, I don’t know quite how to feel about Halo: Campaign Evolved. On the one hand, it breathes new life into a classic first-person shooter, retaining most of what made it so appealing all those years ago while introducing some worthwhile updates. But on the other, there are some issues and gameplay elements here, such as the ropey animations and occasionally ugly assets, that are disappointing for a major first-party release that I imagine Microsoft is hoping will draw fresh players to the Halo franchise. Halo: Campaign Evolved is a great game, then, but it’s not quite as impressive as it could have been.