Halo: Campaign Evolved is exactly what its name promises – a modern reworking of the original game's campaign. You still take on the role of super-soldier Master Chief, who leads human forces into war against the alien alliance Covenant, before getting involved in a much larger conflict. The story isn't the most original, but it's well-constructed with dramatic twists that motivate you to progress through battles.
Visual and Gameplay Improvements
The biggest change is the graphics. The game runs on Unreal Engine 5 and looks like a shooter from 2026. Details are much higher, levels are more grandiose. Especially when encountering the Flood – parasitic aliens – battles are more terrifying, with disgusting explosions and dark spaces illuminated by gunfire. Gameplay-wise, a sprint button has been added to speed up action, and the ability to hijack enemy vehicles. The game also adds three new missions.
Remake in a Tough Time for Xbox
Campaign Evolved launches just a few weeks after Xbox's new CEO Asha Sharma initiated a "reset" with layoffs of more than 3,000 people and cuts to studios. Halo as a franchise illustrates Xbox's decline – no new game since 2021, now a remake instead of innovation. And the remake is also coming to PS5, which only adds to the confusion around exclusives.
Campaign Evolved brilliantly recreates the experience of playing Halo for the first time, but it's not enough to make Halo or Xbox feel as essential as they once did. The game launches on July 28 on Xbox, PS5, and PC.