Halo: Campaign Evolved (PlayStation, Xbox, PC, £49.99)
Verdict: Ring of fire
Star rating: 4/5
OK, Master Chief, suit up again.
We played through the lunking great space marine’s original story when it first came out in 2001.
Then we played it another time when a remastered ‘Anniversary’ edition was released in 2011.
Then once more when…
Oh, you get the point.
This new version of the first Halo game, this time subtitled Campaign Evolved, is basically its fourth incarnation in the last quarter-century. There is, truly, nothing new under this distant sun.
Not you again: Master Chief, suited and booted, locked and loaded, for Halo: Campaign Evolved
Though that’s not quite right. This is the first time that Xbox’s premier first-person shooter has also been available on PlayStation. And it’s been properly dressed up for the occasion. It looks more handsome than ever. And various changes have been made – such as new weaponry and a regenerative health bar – to put it more in line with modern shooters.
It’s still the same old Halo underneath all the finery, though – which is no bad thing. Age and familiarity haven’t really dimmed this story of humans battling aliens on an enormous sky ring.
The cast of baddies, from irritating little grunts to creepy parasite-monsters, remains tremendous. The vehicle sections are still a total blast.
They mostly come out at night: the new Halo game offers updated weaponry, for dealing with the cast of baddies. And it looks better than ever
Softly, softly, in your tank: the vehicle sections n the new Halo game are still a total blast
And there’s more of it than before. The makers of Campaign Evolved have seen fit to include a handful of new prequel missions, which are – impressively – up to the standards of the main game.
It’s a slight shame that they didn’t also include the original game’s competitive multiplayer options.
But I bet they’re saving that for Halo: Multiplayer Evolved in another – what? – five years? Look sharp, Master Chief. Your job’s not done yet.
