PlayStation 5 Critic Reviews

Halo: Campaign Evolved feels like it brings everything I loved about Combat Evolved into the modern era.

Halo Studios’ Unreal Engine 5-powered upgrade of the original Halo campaign elevates the original with sublime visuals, smart tweaks, and broad respect for the gameplay feel, design, and aesthetic that makes this game so beloved.

Overall, it’s been a joy to jump back into classic Halo. There’s a wonderful new sheen to this makeover but the gun game underneath is still addictive, brilliant shooter fun like it always was. And now that it is on Playstation, gamers who have always steadfastly stuck to that ecosystem will get a chance to enjoy a true great in the gaming catalogue in all its modernised glory.

The best remakes remind you why you fell in love with the original in the first place. That’s exactly what Halo: Campaign Evolved does. It preserves everything that made Combat Evolved special, but layers enough new ideas on top that even after all these years, stepping back onto Alpha Halo feels like an adventure again. For longtime fans, it’s the perfect excuse to return. For anyone discovering Halo for the first time, Halo: Campaign Evolved is the perfect place to start.

Despite the absence of competitive multiplayer, Halo: Campaign Evolved stands as a tribute to what first-person shooters meant and to Bungie’s revolution. It is a masterclass in videogame history, bringing back an immortal game and a now largely forgotten way of understanding the genre.

Halo: Campaign Evolved has brought back a true classic in style, faithfully remaking and expanding one of the best shooters of all time. With bonus missions that feel like they’ve always been there, expertly slotting into the original Halo experience, Campaign Evolved presents an incredible package of old and new that’s never looked better. Welcome back, Chief.

Halo: Campaign Evolved proves that great games never lose their shine. Rebuilt from the ground up in Unreal Engine 5, it faithfully modernizes a landmark FPS while preserving the exceptional combat, memorable storytelling, and epic scale that cemented Halo as one of gaming's most influential franchises.

Halo: Campaign Evolved modernizes graphics, polishes gameplay, and adds new content to a highly replayable title. While not everything is brand new, it's a clear triumph for Halo Studios.

I thought this remake was unnecessary. After finishing it, I realized that it wasn't meant to replace a classic, but to celebrate it. It does so by honoring every memory we have of Alpha Halo while also adding enough new ideas that even those of us who know the campaign by heart have reasons to go back.

Halo Studios has done well to make Campaign Evolved feel like a respectful nod to what came before, while giving the franchise the momentum it needs to move confidently into the future.