Returning to Halo's first campaign via its upcoming remake, Halo: Campaign Evolved, I'm struck by how quickly the now 25-year-old sci-fi shooter series found its footing. Everyone has their preferred entry – mine is Halo 3: ODST, though Halo: Reach won when we ranked the best Halo games – but no matter your favorite, it's likely you can trace its best bits back to the first Halo with surprising clarity.
Halo: Combat Evolved dared to be bigger and bolder than many of its contemporaries at the time, realizing vast sci-fi setpieces while developer Bungie honed in on the moment-to-moment action that strung its levels together. Campaign Evolved takes a light touch to the original, developer Halo Studios opting for a glossy Unreal Engine 5 makeover with little in the way of mechanical tweaks. The result lets that original vision shine – often to resounding success, but on occasion leaving me to wonder whether this $50 do-over goes far enough in putting Halo's best foot forward.
