It’s no exaggeration to say that 2001’s “Halo” changed the entire gaming landscape. A launch title for the original Xbox a quarter-century ago, “Halo: Combat Evolved” not only started its own still-running franchise (that included a recent Prime Video original adaptation) but influenced so much of the shooter landscape. It’s not only difficult to imagine Microsoft titles like “Gears of War” playing quite the same without it, but it’s blend of sci-fi and action inspired the direction that the “Call of Duty” series would take as well.
Twenty-five years after its release, Xbox Game Studios have reimagined that original experience in “Halo: Campaign Evolved,” a remake that enhances the strengths of the source with upgrades throughout the expanded narrative. Seen from the POV of a 2026 gamer, it’s a remarkably simple experience that recalls the relatively recent rebirth of “Doom” in how it emphasizes weapons and enemies without the clutter of upgrades, side missions, or other elements that often weigh down effective shooters with extra baggage. “Campaign Evolved” is sleek and effective, arguably a bit thin on a design level for 2026 but a game that plays as an effective throwback to a simpler time without feeling overly dated.
Get your squad together (either four-player online or split-screen at home) and jump into the story of “Halo: Campaign Evolved,” which actually opens with new missions that set the stage for the imported narrative of the original game. The stage is set with something known as “Operation: Meteorite,” in which protagonist Master Chief Petty Officer John-117 and the United Nations Space Command first encounter the Covenant forces. This unfolds over three missions that organically segue into the ten from the original game, most of which take place on the Pillar of Autumn or the planet Reach. The main enemy, a force known as the Covenant, remains the same, joined later in the game by the Flood, parasitic enemies that look like “Doom” cast-offs, or further nightmares of “Alien” designer H.R. Giger. The blend of traditional warrior-like enemies and later sci-fi/horror ones help keep the gameplay and storytelling of “Halo” from getting stale, but it is a game that follows a relatively predictable model: Enter room, kill everything in, move on to the next room, repeat about 50 times.
To make “Campaign Evolved” feel fresher to an audience with different expectations than those in 2001, the developers have integrated nine new weapons, alongside all of the previously available ones. Fans of “Halo 2” will recognize firepower like the SMG, Fuel Rod Cannon, and Sentinel Beam, and relish the opportunity to deploy them in the franchise’s origin story. You can also get your hands on the Energy Sword in this game, although good luck wielding a melee weapon in a game in which everything is shooting you. (I never found it very useful, sticking mostly to SMG, Assault Rifle, Plasma Rifle, and Needler whenever they were available.) Like most shooters of this era, “Halo: Campaign Evolved” is a cycle of weaponry as you run out of ammo and pick up firepower from the enemies you kill. With the game’s relatively bland environments, the variety comes down to enemy types and weapon types, but there’s something almost refreshing about a game that keeps it this simple in a time when too many feel cluttered.
If the environments sometimes feel 2000s, the cut scenes feel somewhere between then and now, upgraded and remade with much of the same voice cast as the original, and designed in a manner that makes them feel of a piece with the dated aspects of the game. The developers at Xbox take the upgrade a step further by expanding vehicle usage, and, somewhat controversially, allowing you to sprint. Finally, the creators introduce a collectible element from other “Halo” titles called “Skulls,” which can mix-up the gameplay even further by varying the experience, and open up something called “Campaign Remix,” an all-new mode that can basically make “Halo” into a Roguelike with randomized enemies, weapons, and other variables.
It may not be the deepest video game criticism but “Halo: Campaign Evolved” is exactly what people expect it to be: a game that’s both nostalgic and current, entertaining while also reminding gamers how far the industry has come. In fact, its biggest controversy may be the fact that it’s being released on PlayStation at the same time as Xbox, with some insinuating that meant the end of the console wars (and Sony had won). Back in 2001, the exclusivity of “Halo” helped define the Microsoft gaming brand, but the incredible breadth of gaming options 25 years later has helped lead to a day when access feels more important than ever. And now everyone, even Sony gamers, can appreciate the legacy of “Halo.”
Microsoft provided a review copy of this title. It will be released for PS5, Windows, and Xbox Series X/S on July 28, 2026.
