It’s wild to think I was four years old on November 15th, 2001, and that it’s a date that changed gaming forever. That’s when Halo: Combat Evolved launched, and the world was introduced to the green-armoured supersoldier known to us all as Master Chief. Halo: Combat Evolved set the standard for console first-person shooters for decades to come. It’s even more of a wild concept to think that if you told someone back in 2001 that we would have the opportunity to play Halo on a PlayStation, you would have been looked at like you were an idiot and laughed at.

We get to fast-forward 25 years, and Halo: Combat Evolved has been reinvented as “Halo: Campaign Evolved”, and arguably, Xbox’s most iconic series has now made it to the PlayStation 5, which is something I never thought I would see. I was so excited to jump back into the ringworld and relive where the legendary journey all began 25 years ago.

If you have somehow lived under a rock for the past 25 years and never played Halo before, then you are in for a treat. You step into the boots of the legendary Master Chief, a supersoldier who is part of the United Nations Space Command (UNSC), which is in a constant battle with the enemy known as the Covenant. Still, it quickly becomes clear there’s much more going on than just another war. There is a massive mystery surrounding the ring world known as Halo, which keeps you wanting to push into the next mission.

I’m not going to spoil anything for those who have lived under a rock their entire lives. Still, the story is incredibly written and strikes the perfect balance between action, suspense and character development. By the time I had completed the campaign again, I was reminded why Halo has remained such a beloved franchise for so many years.

Halo: Campaign Evolved doesn’t just revisit the campaign that started it all; it sets a new benchmark for how remakes should really be done. From the opening moments, it’s clear that this is more than just visual upgrades. It’s a faithful recreation of Halo: Combat Evolved that manages to preserve everything fans loved while introducing some new content to make it feel like a fresh experience.

Stepping back into the boots of Master Chief immediately brought back some core memories of the original, but each encounter had been elevated. The combat remains satisfying as ever with super intelligent enemy AI, unless there are Grunts there still as stupid as ever. Whether I was clearing rooms with the Magnum, sticking Grunts with plasma grenades, or causing complete havoc in vehicles, mowing down as many enemies as I possibly could, it redelivered all those moments that the original offered.

I was, to be perfectly honest, surprised the entire way through the campaign at how modernised it felt, and to think we all thought the game was state-of-the-art when it first released. The movement feels smoother, controls feel tighter, and the pacing has been refined without losing the identity that the original set in stone. DualSense support adds another layer of immersion, with subtle trigger resistance and haptic feedback making every weapon feel distinct. Veterans of the game will feel right at home, and newcomers will find it incredibly easy to pick up.

The expanded sandbox adds a whole new layer to the experience all around. For the first time, iconic weapons from across the Halo franchise can be used throughout the campaign, including my personal favourite, the Energy Sword, which you were unable to use in the original. One of my favourite additions is finally being able to hijack Covenant Wraith tanks, giving you another way to completely dominate the battlefield.

It never once felt out of place and just felt like it was always a part of the game, even when you know it’s a new addition. My personal favourite new feature would be Operation: Meteorite, which adds three new levels to the game that follow Master Chief and Sgt. Major Avery Johnson, before the events of the game, these missions introduce some new environments, enemies and story moments that expand the lore in a meaningful way. I never thought I would need to spend more time with Johnson, but he really steals the show and makes for a great experience.

If you are a die-hard fan and love collecting skulls, you’ve not been forgotten about, with the largest collection of skulls in a Halo title, with 42 skulls scattered around the missions. If you are unaware of what the skulls do, they are hidden around the thirteen missions. Once you find them, they add unique modifiers that change the experience of the game overall, so it adds that layer of replayability.

The skull hunting does not stop there; once you’ve collected three skulls, you can unlock “Campaign Remix”, which was an outstanding addition to the title. It transforms how missions are completed by adding randomised enemies, altered weapon placements and unpredictable gameplay modifiers, which really threw a spanner in the works but in an enjoyable way. There are three exclusive remix skulls: Adaptation, Reload, and Armistice, which ensure no two playthroughs feel the same.

If you are into co-operative play, then it remains enjoyable; you can tackle the game solo or online with up to four people. Better yet, you can also enjoy some split-screen action, which I’m super glad the developers left in. Versing your little sister in split-screen and destroying her while she was still trying to screen cheat was something that made Halo a household name. There is cross-progression and cross-play across Xbox Series S|X, PC, Steam and PlayStation 5, which ensures you can squad up with your mates.

Visually, Halo: Campaign Evolved is nothing short of breathtaking. It’s built entirely in Unreal Engine 5; this isn’t just some beefed-up graphics of the original; it’s a complete reimagining of one of gaming’s most iconic worlds. Every environment, every character model, weapon, vehicle and cinematic has been rebuilt from the ground up, and the results speak for themselves.

The art style strikes that perfect balance of nostalgia and modern realism. It still retains that clean, instantly recognisable aesthetic that defined the original Halo, while embracing the visual fidelity we expect in all AAA titles. The colour palette constantly shifts throughout the game, helping to create the masterpiece that is Halo visually.

You get anything from lush green grass to vibrant blue skies to the cold metallic interiors of Covenant ships. You then get to experience the Flood. You see an instant transition to a darker visual, with shadows becoming deeper, all the environments feeling claustrophobic and once something you thought was beautiful becomes unsettling and hostile.

I was blown away by the cinematics, which had been fully remade with motion capture and camera work that was not possible back in 2001. It added a sense of emotion and scale, and you feel like the relationships between the characters have much more meaning behind them. The game didn’t just look good; it captured the feeling of Halo, reminded us why it was such a defining moment, and made it look so much more detailed.

The audio experience is every bit as impressive as its visuals, delivering a soundscape that feels both familiar and completely revitalised. The developers managed to capture the atmosphere, intensity and emotion of the original while bringing every element forward with modern audio design. The soundtrack remains one of the game’s greatest strengths. Halo built a reputation as one of the most recognisable soundtracks in gaming history, and needless to say, they did not disappoint here, continuing that legacy with beautiful remastered music that hits just as hard as you remember.

The legendary orchestral themes return, along with that powerful, choir-driven theme song. The updated voice acting and character performances also elevated the experience with new recordings and improved audio, bringing Master Chief, Cortana and others to life as we’ve never seen before.

Halo: Campaign Evolved is a masterclass in how to remake a gaming classic. It successfully preserves everything that made Halo: Combat Evolved legendary while introducing new modern gameplay improvements, stunning Unreal Engine 5 visuals, and incredible audio design with meaningful new content that gives both longtime fans and newcomers a reason to experience the journey.

Halo: Campaign Evolved proves that legends never fade; they simply evolve. This is not just a remake; it is the definitive way to experience where one of gaming’s greatest franchises began, and it deserves every bit of praise it receives.

Written by: Hayden Nelson