Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary

 Xbox 360
User Score
8.0

Generally favorable reviews- based on 677 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 517 out of 677
  2. Mixed: 112 out of 677
  3. Negative: 48 out of 677
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  1. Justice_LEEG
    Feb 13, 2012
    7
    I can understand how this might have seemed like a good idea on paper: Give the original a new coat of paint, spruce things up a bit and throw in a few more features to justify the price point. However, without going all-out to completely re-make the game, the improvements contrast sharply with the dated mechanics, level design and yes, even graphics, which while much better than theI can understand how this might have seemed like a good idea on paper: Give the original a new coat of paint, spruce things up a bit and throw in a few more features to justify the price point. However, without going all-out to completely re-make the game, the improvements contrast sharply with the dated mechanics, level design and yes, even graphics, which while much better than the original, just don't hold up to modern standards. It's an admirable attempt at breathing new life into a great game (and it is still great), but something like this Anniversary edition could have been just as easily thrown together by a mod community, because that's what this game feels like. If you've never played halo 1, you should give this a go, just remember that it was originally released more than a decade ago. And if you have played halo 1, then just remember it fondly, and move along. Nothing new to see here.… Expand
  2. everlong24
    Feb 7, 2012
    7
    Halo on the Xbox deserves every bit of praise that it receives. It was a great game and has actually stood strong through the test of time. You've played this before, so there's no use in reviewing the actual gameplay. The graphics were updated nicely and at anytime during the game, you can hit the back button to view the classic style. I loved Halo, it was the Goldeneye for the XboxHalo on the Xbox deserves every bit of praise that it receives. It was a great game and has actually stood strong through the test of time. You've played this before, so there's no use in reviewing the actual gameplay. The graphics were updated nicely and at anytime during the game, you can hit the back button to view the classic style. I loved Halo, it was the Goldeneye for the Xbox to me. So why did I give it a 7? It's because the coop is broken for many people. The lag is atrocious and my coop partner actually got motion sickness. Split screen and system link work fine but for some reason, they can't fix the online coop. Great game but if coop is important to you then I'd think twice.… Expand
  3. GidBix
    Apr 6, 2012
    7
    This was my first time playing all the way through Halo: Combat Evolved and I gotta say that this game really holds up. While some parts, seemed a little dated, I was blown away when I considered that this game actually came out 10 years ago! The ability to switch between the old graphics and the enhanced is just awesome! Controls are spot on and the game is fun throughout!
  4. Verticity
    Nov 15, 2011
    7
    There is a reason this game is more or less the same with nothing fixed - 343 Industries wanted to make a faithful remake to keep everything true halo fans know and love about the first game. Though the graphics overhaul is kiddy, it's still great to switch between the new and the old graphics at the press of a button. The Online Co-Op provides a new experience for those who want to playThere is a reason this game is more or less the same with nothing fixed - 343 Industries wanted to make a faithful remake to keep everything true halo fans know and love about the first game. Though the graphics overhaul is kiddy, it's still great to switch between the new and the old graphics at the press of a button. The Online Co-Op provides a new experience for those who want to play with old friends, and the Reach Map Pack is a great addition.… Expand
  5. sias
    Feb 11, 2012
    7
    A solid game but also a missed opportunity on almost every front. To call this a remake would be, well, incorrect. This is the exact same Halo we all enjoyed back in the days of the first xbox, just with shiny new graphics. In fact this game actually looks better than Halo Reach, with more of an artistic design and heaps more depth in the environments. But, this game is simply the originalA solid game but also a missed opportunity on almost every front. To call this a remake would be, well, incorrect. This is the exact same Halo we all enjoyed back in the days of the first xbox, just with shiny new graphics. In fact this game actually looks better than Halo Reach, with more of an artistic design and heaps more depth in the environments. But, this game is simply the original with a new graphical overlay which is a massive shame as an update to all aspects of the game would have been brilliant. Why not do an overhaul of enemy animations so they are as fluent and up-to-date as Reach? Why not tweak the story a bit so it links in better with all the sequels and the built upon Halo lore? (well actually the new consoles were a nice touch, but hardly substantial). Overall I was just a bit disappointed that 343/Bungie didn't do anything more than take the original game and smother it in a new graphical overlay. Still, it's the original Halo, which is and always will be a solid shooter, so even though there's nothing new here, it's still a joy to play.… Expand
  6. zotune
    Jan 9, 2012
    7
    Halo: Combat Evolved proves why it redefined first person shooters on consoles and made the Xbox go from being just another gaming platform to something we resemble with this extraordinary sci-fi universe. The music is phenomenal, the pacing is top notch, and the melee system and grenade options are more enjoyable than most games. The price point is a little high, but considering the careHalo: Combat Evolved proves why it redefined first person shooters on consoles and made the Xbox go from being just another gaming platform to something we resemble with this extraordinary sci-fi universe. The music is phenomenal, the pacing is top notch, and the melee system and grenade options are more enjoyable than most games. The price point is a little high, but considering the care that has been given when remastering the franchise, setting a fine example of how to rerelease an old game, one cannot complain. That they decided to add the option to play with retro graphics shows how much the developers care about the fans of the original game. Sadly however, the campaign is a little bit on the short side and the characters portrayed in the story aren't very relatable nor do they have much depth. In addition, the map design is rehashed a lot, and you often find yourself returning to familiar places over and over again. Ammo and health is scarce as well, leading you having to run to the next checkpoint a lot of times without being able to take down your opponents - and the invisible enemies which spawn behind you have too much of an edge, especially considering how awkwardly your teammates approach them. In conclusion, by playing through this game I can begin to fathom the cult following of the franchise, because it consists of a silky smooth combat system with creative level design, and enlightens me as to why it was one best experiences to ever come out on the original Xbox.… Expand
  7. Larux18
    Jan 6, 2012
    7
    Do I like this game? Hell yes, do I think it's just as good as when the first one came out? Hell no. Halo Combat Evolved: Anniversary is different than many Halo games out there maybe because the campaign has old elements and great style, better than reach to tell you the truth. However the issues that were in the first game are still there and they are quite notable here. I am not hatingDo I like this game? Hell yes, do I think it's just as good as when the first one came out? Hell no. Halo Combat Evolved: Anniversary is different than many Halo games out there maybe because the campaign has old elements and great style, better than reach to tell you the truth. However the issues that were in the first game are still there and they are quite notable here. I am not hating really in fact, this game is quite good, it's just misleading that some things don't work as they should and some missions are in fact confusing. The campaign overall is quite good but it still has its problems and I am really not hating. The multiplayer however is amazing since it uses Halo: Reach and brings some classic maps and game modes that are really fun. The only downside is that there are only 6 maps as of today and forge world has been removed if you are not playing the multiplayer directly from reach. Overall this is a good game that still beats Call of Duty by a mile though it still has its problems.… Expand
  8. Swimming_MANGO
    Jan 2, 2012
    5
    Microsoft you have milked this as far as it can possibly go! How can you warrant the release of an identical game but looks prettier FOR FULL PRICE?!?! Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary is nothing to go out and buy, in any way shape or form. If you've played Halo: Combat Evolved, your not missing anything at all. Of course there isn't anything that I can do about the Halo Fan Boys rushingMicrosoft you have milked this as far as it can possibly go! How can you warrant the release of an identical game but looks prettier FOR FULL PRICE?!?! Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary is nothing to go out and buy, in any way shape or form. If you've played Halo: Combat Evolved, your not missing anything at all. Of course there isn't anything that I can do about the Halo Fan Boys rushing out, and **** in their pants for it as they did for the ridiculously priced Halo 3:ODST, and there is also nothing I can do about the general media being biased, and selling out. I will be truthful, and honest. Anniversary was developed by 343 Industries, as Bungie has left the franchise, and thus there was nothing that could be added to this game without the sliver of imagination that was left after Halo 3 was released. The game has nothing added to it beyond a shiny new engine to make it look better. I enjoyed the original Halo very much, but just because you give it up to date graphics, doesn't mean you can sell it at full price. This is more suited for something like a straight to Xbox Live title for $30, but to release it for $60 when there is already a good Halo game with better graphics, and a good story on shelves for only $40 or less now is far worth it over this. Nothing is added to multiplayer in the slightest so save your money, and continue playing Reach if you want to play Halo. The game is pretty to look at, but it's simply not enough to give any more points to it. The game is as average as it gets, and deserves the average game score of a 5. Shame on you Microsoft for trying to make another cheap buck!… Expand
  9. NinjaSniperJim
    Nov 28, 2011
    7
    I am dissapointed with this game. 343 remade the same halo we know and love however that comes with glitches. Also the switch from Old to new graphics takes a while. Oh and Multiplayer, 343 was too lazy to make their own multiplayer componet so they HAD to borrow Halo: Reach and make a stupid PLAYLIST. Seriously 343. So far I miss Bungie. I hope Halo 4 will be better.
  10. FormerHuman
    Nov 28, 2011
    6
    Having played the original game both on Xbox and on PC, and enjoyed all of the sequels (bar Halo 2. which is an often tedious and cheesy experience, slightly improved in co-op - never did play it online though to be fair)., my interest was piqued several months ago when this remastered edition was announced at E3. The game was advertised early on as a graphical and audio upscaling, whichHaving played the original game both on Xbox and on PC, and enjoyed all of the sequels (bar Halo 2. which is an often tedious and cheesy experience, slightly improved in co-op - never did play it online though to be fair)., my interest was piqued several months ago when this remastered edition was announced at E3. The game was advertised early on as a graphical and audio upscaling, which is true enough, however there is little else to say about the game beyond this point - in fact, the game offers nothing much more than what PC players have been enjoying with 3rd party (and free) source ports of games like Quake and other id Software games for years - new code that takes advantage of todays modern hardware, without necessarily altering anything in the gameplay. On the one hand, it is pleasantly surprising to see how well the gameplay of Halo stands up after 10 years, and it is still an enjoyable experience and with the graphical extensions now in place, one that that sits more comfortably alongside the more modern games in the series (again, barring Halo 2, which excepting for a Windows Vista exclusive port has had no such modernisation as of yet). All the familiarity is by and large not unwelcome, however it also feels distinctly unadventurous and somewhat cynical, not something that bodes well from the 'new' developer, 343. The multiplayer content also feels tacked on and largely irrelevant, and whilst I look forward to going through the game again with a friend in local co-op, I was somewhat underwhelmed by the game in 2011. The option to switch back to the 'classic' (note: simply crude and dated) visuals of the original also is pure novelty and for me, didn't pose any real interest, and being able to provide such a feature meant that there was no room for any design innovations or even bug fixes that were present in the original game (the same plasma pistol audio bug I remember from all those years ago still happened in this edition). Whilst it is great to see a truly classic game given a new lease of life, the results are less impressive than they could have been should the developers had been less concerned with giving lip service to the original and instead been more interested in giving us something new.… Expand
  11. DarrkHawk
    Dec 31, 2011
    6
    One of the pleasures I missed out of in my childhood was owning an original Xbox and thus being unable to play Halo: Combat Evolved on its original platform. I can see why in 2001 this game would have been amazing and redefining but now it just seems a bit out of class with modern games. Because of this I find it really hard to give this game the positive rating that it obviously deservesOne of the pleasures I missed out of in my childhood was owning an original Xbox and thus being unable to play Halo: Combat Evolved on its original platform. I can see why in 2001 this game would have been amazing and redefining but now it just seems a bit out of class with modern games. Because of this I find it really hard to give this game the positive rating that it obviously deserves but not earn in my eyes.
    The campaign is the main focus really as the multiplayer is directed from Halo: Reach so can't really say much about that. I found the campaign to be extremely frustrating with levels being an obvious copy and paste of one another. I felt like Bill Murray in Groundhog Day whilst playing this game (1993 Movie). The only real feature of the game was the ability to take the game back to its original graphics which I ended up doing for a large majority of the campaign just to tolerate the repeated level design. *spoiler? The kinect feature of this game become really frustrating as it would pick up the slightest of sounds and act accordingly to what it thought it heard. The amount of times that I would randomly throw a grenade and kill myself was ridiculous and the constant game pausing rapidly got annoying. If you own a kinect device, I advise you turn this feature off.

    I really do want to give this a positive review but both physically and Mentally, I can't. 10 years ago it would have gotten a 10/10 from me surely but today, sadly not.    … Expand
  12. Mattyice
    May 20, 2012
    5
    Should have been a DLC. Great, but not worth the money. That is all that needs to be said about this game. The game is good and a good graphic and gameplay enhancer.
  13. webbit99
    Aug 30, 2012
    5
    I am glad 343 Industries decided not to sell this game for the full 60 dollars, because this game certainly didn't deserve it. The multi-player maps were good to ok, but I the campaign was lacking. The skulls were great, but the fact that if I want to join a game with my friends it will terribly is just awful. The graphics aren't to good, very hard to look at. This game was obviouslyI am glad 343 Industries decided not to sell this game for the full 60 dollars, because this game certainly didn't deserve it. The multi-player maps were good to ok, but I the campaign was lacking. The skulls were great, but the fact that if I want to join a game with my friends it will terribly is just awful. The graphics aren't to good, very hard to look at. This game was obviously pushed out to fast and was just a waste of money.… Expand
  14. memus
    Nov 19, 2020
    6
    It's surprisingly playable, but it's a relic from an old era. Endless corridors, repetitive encounters and frustrating moment are abundant. Still I see why it was influential 20 years ago. It's not on the level of Half-Life though.

    Pros: * The concept of the ringworld is cool. * The old graphics are actually better than the new ones. They are much more consistent. * The score is    It's surprisingly playable, but it's a relic from an old era. Endless corridors, repetitive encounters and frustrating moment are abundant. Still I see why it was influential 20 years ago. It's not on the level of Half-Life though.

    Pros:
    * The concept of the ringworld is cool.
    * The old graphics are actually better than the new ones. They are much more consistent.
    * The score is great. Especially the electronic themes.
    * Guns are well-designed and fun to use.

    Cons:
    * Disorienting and repetitive corridors.
    * Endlessly spawning enemies.
    * Racing on warthog is awful. I will have nightmares about this level.    … Expand
  15. Human
    Oct 13, 2012
    7
    Halo is a hard game to review in this day and age. At the time it was revolutionary and an absolute blast. I have fond memories of "The Silent Cartographer" and "Assault on the Control Room", levels which I played countless times with friends many many years ago. But today, the elements of Halo that don't work shine more vividly than ever before. AI is horrible, level designs are confusingHalo is a hard game to review in this day and age. At the time it was revolutionary and an absolute blast. I have fond memories of "The Silent Cartographer" and "Assault on the Control Room", levels which I played countless times with friends many many years ago. But today, the elements of Halo that don't work shine more vividly than ever before. AI is horrible, level designs are confusing ("The Flood" and "The Library" anyone?), weapons are unbalanced and certain enemies, the flood especially, are just a pain in the ass to fight. So, Halo: CE certainly is a game that gamers should play given its impact of games today, but it doesn't hold up well under the test of time, in my opinion. Now, to the specifics of the Anniversary edition. Everything plays the same and the graphics have been given a major overhaul. The ability to change between original and updated graphics at the press of a button is a really cool feature, one that really goes to show the amount of work that went into this re-release. Some cons: I didn't care for the side-stories provided in the "terminals" and the fact that the multiplayer was Halo: Reach multiplayer is a pretty weak move in my opinion. It's a worthy purchase if you loved the original Halo or the series in general and want to see it in HD glory, but this isn't the best playing Halo by today's standards.… Expand
  16. 0235
    Aug 26, 2012
    7
    Texture pop n, the game

    first off. im a halo fanboy. i loved halo from the very first day my best friend said "want to play haloo?" . hours would be spent playing it, time and time again. and just the campaign. we still do the same with the newer halo games, only shout through head sets this time. all this means that halo has a very very comfortable place in my childhood and my heart.    Texture pop n, the game

    first off. im a halo fanboy. i loved halo from the very first day my best friend said "want to play haloo?" . hours would be spent playing it, time and time again. and just the campaign. we still do the same with the newer halo games, only shout through head sets this time. all this means that halo has a very very comfortable place in my childhood and my heart. so when i find out they are making an aniversary edition, i couldnt wait. strangely enough i gad to (due to a lack of a xbox 360 to play it on). so after starting it up it was wonderful (there were some things i didnt like) e.g the new ring looks a bit stange, Jhonson looks slightly retarded and some of the much loved animations in cutscenes had ben altered (marines magicaly spining on the spot anyone?) but now to the man problem. texture pop in. from that statement you should be able to tell that i am now a fully fledged PC gamer. a person who prefers pretty led's in a case than energy saving. and this game has alot of it. an awful lot. think RAGE on a bad day. but whats even better is it dosent matter, as when you use the (not quite so instant) transition between only and new graphivd, you can see just how far it has come. as a technical masterpiece halo combat evolved is brillian. two engines running at the same time! brining back an old game, but not ruining it! i hope more companies follow in the role of 343. no longer should there be hirendous "HD collection" where they simply double the textures. this is actually an edit of my old revview. im giving it a lower score, as while they have done the graphics, they still havnt fixed issues with halo, e.g. checkpoints that are so far appart, its just easier to start the level again    … Expand
  17. DarkEnergon
    Jul 6, 2012
    7
    First off, let me begin by saying that the Halo franchise has easily the best storyline of any gaming series to date, complimented by well fleshed out characters and intricate backstories. Halo: Combat Evolved was, for its time, a great game, it had many, many flaws (a broken cover system and ridiculously shoddy AI for a start), but it was amazing upon release. Now, ten years later (nearFirst off, let me begin by saying that the Halo franchise has easily the best storyline of any gaming series to date, complimented by well fleshed out characters and intricate backstories. Halo: Combat Evolved was, for its time, a great game, it had many, many flaws (a broken cover system and ridiculously shoddy AI for a start), but it was amazing upon release. Now, ten years later (near eleven now), we hold games to a much higher standard, and Halo: Combat Evolved just doesn't meet those standards. A good remake (to me) is one where the developers aren't afraid to fix stuff that didn't work, what 343 Industries have gone with, is a simple dab of spit and polish and the insertion of collectibles. THAT'S IT.
    Everything **** about the original Halo is back. I could play no further once I got the the "escort Keyes from the ship" section of Truth and Reconciliation, seeing that seasoned veteran member of the UNSC run at every possible live grenade over and over again on Legendary difficulty just made something snap in me, then, seemingly to rub it in, Cortana says that "Without the captain, the covenant have already won..." **** HE'S SUICIDING OVER AND OVER AND OVER. HE IS THE WORST PIECE OF **** TO GRACE VIDEO GAMING AND HE DIES LATER ON ANYWAY SO ITS NOT LIKE HAVING HIM DIE NOW WILL CHANGE A **** THING
    Oh yeah, spoilers, sorry
    A decent game, but it would be better if they had taken an hour or two to fix the torrent of flaws    … Expand
  18. Pivot1022
    Dec 26, 2011
    7
    Yeah, its great you all know that, It's **** halo 1, how can you go wrong... But i'm having aiming problems, i have to turn loo sens up to 8 and it still feels stiff and slow at times. Like sometimes i can look around no problem, but i think because of the aim assist it makes you're look sens lag out or something. it get's rather annoying when you're getting shot at and trying to turnYeah, its great you all know that, It's **** halo 1, how can you go wrong... But i'm having aiming problems, i have to turn loo sens up to 8 and it still feels stiff and slow at times. Like sometimes i can look around no problem, but i think because of the aim assist it makes you're look sens lag out or something. it get's rather annoying when you're getting shot at and trying to turn around but you can't. But anyway, i wouldn't say halo is one of the best games ever. I mean i don't even know if you can say its the best shooter, but best GAME? give me a **** break... Oh and the online is reach, some might like this, but i bought reach so i just bought the multiplayer again... again... **** you odst.… Expand
  19. TurkishCritic
    Dec 22, 2012
    6
    Its not what it should have been. Halo deserves much better than this remaster, altough Halo CE is not my favourite Halo game, it is still an okay game, but it has aged.
  20. Trixmay
    Nov 11, 2013
    7
    When Halo CE launched back in 2001 for the original Xbox it changed both PC and console FPS's forever, quite like how Half-Life did. Halo CE is now back with remade graphics and a remade soundtrack but the thing is, the gameplay hasn't changed a bit. Nothing has been changed gameplay wise. A lot of things feel out-dated which is expected but this is still a joy to play today. My friendsWhen Halo CE launched back in 2001 for the original Xbox it changed both PC and console FPS's forever, quite like how Half-Life did. Halo CE is now back with remade graphics and a remade soundtrack but the thing is, the gameplay hasn't changed a bit. Nothing has been changed gameplay wise. A lot of things feel out-dated which is expected but this is still a joy to play today. My friends who fell in love with Halo: Reach have started playing Halo CE Anniversary and they absolutely love it.

    Halo CE Anniversary includes a bunch of achievements and skulls and terminals which add to the replayability. Going what we call "Achievement Hunting" with my friends is great fun.

    There is one major issue with this remake, multi-player isn't included, instead we now get a map pack for Halo Reach which are just a few remade original Halo multi-player maps, it would have been nice if they added online multi-player or even just good ol' split-screen multi-player but nope, just a stupid map pack. I was deeply disappointed with this as the original Halo's multi-player was great fun.

    The new graphics are great and although there's no multi-player, you should still definitely get this ESPECIALLY if you never played the original Halo. Happy anniversary Halo, here's to another ten years!    … Expand
  21. luismg
    Aug 15, 2016
    7
    I like this game, its long and with a good history, the thing is it has aged out not so well, the graphics are repainted over the original ones, that is really good.. You cannot run and the controlls are not as good as COD games.
    The music is really good.
  22. ragekoi
    Jul 19, 2013
    5
    Completely overrated. The campaign is monotonous, repetitive, and tedious. You traverse a stage with identical rooms and hallways everywhere. The enemies are easy to take out and the gameplay overall was boring. The only enjoyable segments of gameplay are when vehicles are accessible. I was so bored and annoyed with how bad the gameplay was that I couldn't get immersed into the world andCompletely overrated. The campaign is monotonous, repetitive, and tedious. You traverse a stage with identical rooms and hallways everywhere. The enemies are easy to take out and the gameplay overall was boring. The only enjoyable segments of gameplay are when vehicles are accessible. I was so bored and annoyed with how bad the gameplay was that I couldn't get immersed into the world and enjoy the story, which is shame because Halo tends to garner a lot of praise from it's lore. The multiplayer was ridiculously underwhelming, and angered me even more than the campaign. The map selection is extremely limited, you can't choose which game type you want freely, and most of the guns are incredibly overpowered. Besides the Assault Rifle, the DMR, and a majority of the Covenant weapons, every weapon is a 1-hit kill. Not only that, but these overpowered weapon are immediately available to any player as soon as the match starts. One could rationalize that this is to give novice players an easy way to access the best weapons, but the veteran players usually snag them right from the start and withhold them for the whole match, making every round completely one-sided having one team completely out-score the other. The regular pistol that is given to player from the start of every game is ridiculously overpowered to an extremely aggravating degree. It's supposed to function like a pistol, not a one-handed sniper rifle. Halo Anniversary was overall a personally dissatisfying introduction to the Halo franchise. I can respect the original Halo: Combat Evolved for all that it's done for the FPS genre, but giving it a new coat of paint and shipping it out to the modern video game market was foolish and only for the die-hard fans.… Expand
  23. DemKin
    Jun 27, 2015
    6
    I've been playing FPS games for a long time now and I wanted to play Halo for a long time, with how vocal the fans are about this series. I did play it a bit when I was a kid on the original Xbox, but never truly sat and immerse myself in the game. I gotta say it has been a disappointment.
    Years after its original release, with how the game aged, it appears pretty quickly that Halo was    I've been playing FPS games for a long time now and I wanted to play Halo for a long time, with how vocal the fans are about this series. I did play it a bit when I was a kid on the original Xbox, but never truly sat and immerse myself in the game. I gotta say it has been a disappointment.
    Years after its original release, with how the game aged, it appears pretty quickly that Halo was but a benchmark for the original Xbox. The gameplay is very flat, consists solely on running and gunning through hords of ennemies. No ducking mechanic involved, no recoil, nothing but very arcade-ish, casual-friendly and minimalist gameplay. It might have been something back in the days, but today, with how the market got flowed by shooters of all kinds in the recent years, I couldn't see anything that could make Halo stand out from the rest. I also bought Halo 3, Halo 3 ODST, Halo Reach and Halo 4 ( the latter bundled with the console ), and they all proved themselves to be flat and of very little interest for an experienced FPS player.
    Although they might be great games for the nostalgic and long time fans of the series, Halo most likely won't have much for you if you get into the series in 2015. As displeasing as this will sound for the fans, it's pretty much a sci-fi CoD with even less depth of gameplay, it's easy to just avoid these games.
    And for those who'd be pissed off by this opinion, I'd like to say I'm no hater, no PC master race and no Sony fanboy, this is just my honest opinion regarding my experience with the Halo games.    … Expand
  24. lightbreathing
    Mar 6, 2014
    6
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Remakes... In the world of film, they are either better than the original (True Grit) or terrible (Mr.Deeds). Hollywood is notorious for taking 20+ year old movies and shaking them up again and unleashing them to a new generation. For some films, the great parts are left intact and done with respect for the source material and the modern audience while the less magical ones are either thankfully excised or skillfully refined. In some instances the original is just a sketch in which the writer/director can take license and recreate the entire mythology of the film - the original Inglorious Bastards is unwatchable while Tarantino's masterpiece is simply that.

    In the world of video games... well, considering the industry isn't old and memories are still fresh when it comes to some classics, it's probably difficult to make an outstanding remake.

    I initially felt about Halo Combat Evolved Anniversary the way I felt about Halo 4: absolutely stunned and impressed. Cosmetically and sound-wise, absolutely stunning and just below Halo Reach in the graphics department. Controls were like I remember but of course, I didn't have to deal with the old and quirky original X Box controller which was the size of a misshapen grapefruit. So controls were noticeably better.

    Enemies still the same and up to the Silent Cartographer stage, I was enjoying my trip down a graphically-enhanced memory lane. Sure, the AI marines could be a bit stupid and clueless but once they got on the back of the Warthog and fire, they did their job.

    But then the Flood.

    I think most Halo fans are frustrated with the Flood. One sees the purpose in terms of story but the endless onslaught grows tiring and frustrating. And this is where the remake falters. Back in the early 2000s, FPS games were fairly limited. We went from Wolfenstein, Doom, Descent in the 90s to Duke Nukem to Half-Life. Now, in the world of video games, we are spoiled when it comes to First and Third-Person Shooter games.

    And the games have gotten better.

    Halo is still Halo. And The Flood stages are still the Flood stages, exercises in futility without a breath of fresh air or a glimmer of creativity. Maybe back in 2003 when I first played Halo, I didn't mind because I had a buddy for the co-op experience. I rarely played the campaign alone or paid attention to the story. With the remake, I see the story and find it the only part of the game that enlivens the last half of Master Chief's arduous and tedious trigger numbing campaign. And I can't blame Bungie, when you're a pioneer, it can't all be perfect.

    With 343 I wondered if their faithful new remake could have been more of a translation, i.e. instead of faithfully updating Halo CE (and that's what is, an 'update') they could have remade the game by retaining the greater elements of the original while editing the sizeable chunks of banal and boring game play -AKA the Flood levels.

    I would have scored this game higher but after each stage I've played in the latter half of the campaign, I find myself exhausted. In the recent Halo 3 and Halo Reach, I walked away from each playing enthusiastic and happy. Even on the more challenging stages, the latter two titles offer up interesting and varied game play. Halo CE Anniversary doesn't feel so much like a game but more work. Instead of mowing the lawn or vacuuming the floor, I'm cleaning up Flood enemies... and it never ends. It's less fun and more punishing.    … Expand
  25. ReviewScope
    Dec 16, 2014
    7
    This was my first Xbox 360 game, and I have to say, its pretty good!

    Pros: The controls work absolutely perfectly. Every input to the controller works exactly the way you would expect it to. The levels are generally very well designed, I never felt as if I was stuck on a linear path being forced to do everything I do. The sound design (specifically for the weapons) is awesome! It may    This was my first Xbox 360 game, and I have to say, its pretty good!

    Pros:
    The controls work absolutely perfectly. Every input to the controller works exactly the way you would expect it to.
    The levels are generally very well designed, I never felt as if I was stuck on a linear path being forced to do everything I do.
    The sound design (specifically for the weapons) is awesome! It may sound ridiculous, but every time I fire guns at my enemies, I feel like I'm the terminator jumping through a window, killing all the bad guys and feeling awesome in the process!

    Cons:
    While the graphics are a huge step up from the original, they aren't that good, I never saw them as revolutionary or even remotely hardware pushing, which admittedly is what I expect from an HD remake of a classic game.
    While I did enjoy the multiplayer package that comes with this game, it just feels like a rehash from Halo: Reach. It has the same engine, the achievements are tied in to Halo: Reach and it really disappointed me that the game didn't have a remastered multiplayer that stayed true to the original game.
    The difficulty later on spikes up WAY high, left right and centre, I kept dying and it wasn't obvious what the cause of death was.

    Overall, I feel like Halo: Anniversary is a very good game with perfect control, but it is quite dated, the difficulty is not balanced and it just didn't feel very polished in my opinion.

    7/10    … Expand
  26. TheMasiMan1
    Nov 19, 2015
    6
    Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary dosent add enought to make it worth the purchace. All it does is have better graphics, steal Halo: Reach multiplayer and add a few new gamemodes in, even thought those gamemodes are fun and nostalgic, theye still run with the Halo: Reach engine. The terminals are just a little bonus you can find, but theyre not worth finding, all they do is give you bonusesHalo: Combat Evolved Anniversary dosent add enought to make it worth the purchace. All it does is have better graphics, steal Halo: Reach multiplayer and add a few new gamemodes in, even thought those gamemodes are fun and nostalgic, theye still run with the Halo: Reach engine. The terminals are just a little bonus you can find, but theyre not worth finding, all they do is give you bonuses in Halo: Reach. This game steals and rips off Halo :Reach. Thats not cool. If they didnt steal from Reach, I would give this game a 7/10.… Expand
  27. Jipa
    Sep 5, 2014
    7
    This game is good. And definitely fun. There was no multiplayer technically. It was just halo reach multiplayer.
    But the campaign and the graphics were... GOOD. Nothing else. There is no halo game where the controls are bad so.. Yeah. They are great again. This is defiantly a GOOD Halo game.
  28. kvnd
    Sep 29, 2020
    5
    I first played this game years earlier and seeing the graphical update is pretty jaw dropping. One of this games coolest features is just jumping between the old and new visuals on the fly. As great as the graphics and sound are, unfortunately the rest of the game is pretty painful to slog through. Endless gray hallways and rooms that are constantly copied and pasted, confusing missionI first played this game years earlier and seeing the graphical update is pretty jaw dropping. One of this games coolest features is just jumping between the old and new visuals on the fly. As great as the graphics and sound are, unfortunately the rest of the game is pretty painful to slog through. Endless gray hallways and rooms that are constantly copied and pasted, confusing mission objectives, bad checkpoints, the library mission...yeah I'll stop there and just say I didn't enjoy the campaign in the slightest. I could see myself really enjoying a Halo game if it just had better missions because all the other aspects are there, but this one ain't it, chief.… Expand
  29. sgthombre
    Sep 23, 2016
    5
    I'm just writing at least 150 characters because I wanted to save this review in a more convenient way to look back at scores that I had given stuff as a user.
  30. katieelizabeth
    Jun 19, 2021
    5
    First, I just want to say that I am new to playing these older Halo games and this is my first experienced with Halo 1. Everything I'm going to say does not have nostalgia or rose-tinted glasses affecting my experience, where I might inflate or give passes on things that are not done very well, especially when given the opportunity to fix problems in 2011, a decade after the original gameFirst, I just want to say that I am new to playing these older Halo games and this is my first experienced with Halo 1. Everything I'm going to say does not have nostalgia or rose-tinted glasses affecting my experience, where I might inflate or give passes on things that are not done very well, especially when given the opportunity to fix problems in 2011, a decade after the original game was released.

    Pros:

    - The game looks and sounds much better than the original, and is pretty good by 2011 standards
    - There's a lot of different control options, making it easy to find the way that felt most comfortable to me
    - Combat feels pretty good still, despite being an old game.

    Cons

    - Weapon balance feels a bit off. The pistol seems much more powerful than the assault rifle, and pretty much all of the covenant weapons are better than your starting assault rifle too. There are some situations where the assault rifle is ideal for the situation, but it felt pretty weak most of the time and I usually switched it out.

    - The story is not presented very well. I'm sure it was good for its time, but 99% of your time will be spent in gameplay and the surrounding story is very thin. A lot of the story is "go find this" or "go find that". I looked up story content for Halo on youtube afterwards, and I could not believe the richness and depth to Halo's story, but it's not available here. There's no character development of pretty much anyone in the cast, and the Covenant might as well be "a group of random hunchbacked aliens". There's just no personality to anything or anyone. When there was a big reveal halfway through the game, I honestly didn't feel any major emotional impact. This is a very weak aspect of Halo 1 imo. Standards for story in first-person shooters might have been really low at the time of release, but they are done much better now.

    - The audio mixing is off balance - music is very loud and voices are not loud enough. This surely affected my ability to follow the story, as I was often unable to hear Cortona through the rest of the sound.

    - Health packs are very rare, and spaced out too far in between each other, often by ridiculous amounts in some levels

    - I wish the game included waypoints, or at least a visible map of some kind. There was a lot of times where I was lost and had no idea where I was supposed to go or what I was supposed to do - about once per level. In the middle of game, there is this facility with 2 floors, and there's actually no staircase to get to the upper floors. Why would these people design a facility like that??? There was some purple containers that you could jump on to reach the top floor, but it took me 30 minutes to find them. After this, the elevator I was supposed to take to escape blew up, and at that moment, I had no idea how to progress the campaign - it seemed locked or bugged, and that's why I stopped playing. I wish the game had waypoints and was a lot clearer about how to progress the game, but it's completely silent.

    - Another really big problem with this game is the overly repetitive levels. Levels are copy/pasted constantly, and there's really no landmarks or unique areas that stand out to ground yourself in the environment. Sometimes these areas repeat 3, 6 or 9 times throughout the game, and the levels go on forever, just going into 1 copy pasted room after another. There were also times after a big fight where I just lost my sense of direction, and I would often backtrack before realizing I went in the wrong direction. I believe this occurred because everything looked the same.

    Overall, I'm not really sure I can recommend this game to people who don't have the nostalgia for it. The gameplay is average by today's standards, although competent, but the story is presented quite poorly and the level design is pretty awful. Again, I'm sure it was good for its time, but when judged in the year 2021, I can't help but recommend to learn the story on YouTube and spend your time playing another game.    … Expand
  31. ChumaGG
    Jan 6, 2022
    6
    Es el Halo mas sobrevalorado que existe

    La remasterización esta bien hecha, pero al final del día el diseño de niveles sigue siendo horrible y repetitivo.

    Sáltense este juego si pueden.
  32. Cjmolina007
    Jul 21, 2020
    7
    Known as the turning point of first person shooters, the first Halo will always go down as one of the best video games created. To me, I just don't see the hype. Though the story is interesting and has some creepy moments, I just found the game on the slow side that I was just hoping I was getting closer and closer to the end. It was pretty neat to switch from the original graphics to theKnown as the turning point of first person shooters, the first Halo will always go down as one of the best video games created. To me, I just don't see the hype. Though the story is interesting and has some creepy moments, I just found the game on the slow side that I was just hoping I was getting closer and closer to the end. It was pretty neat to switch from the original graphics to the updated graphics but I just don't really see myself playing this game unlike the other titles in the series.… Expand
  33. hector_bcn98
    Feb 17, 2023
    6
    Con toda la sinceridad de mi corazón, no entiendo cómo en dificultad Normal, el juego se hace tan frustrante. No tiene explicación. No poder correr, no poder apuntar, insta-kills inevitables, ausencia total de guia, los mismos 5 mapas repetidos dos veces pero con los diseños de niveles repetidos en bucle, el nefaste control de los vehículos, puntos de control automáticos que no regeneranCon toda la sinceridad de mi corazón, no entiendo cómo en dificultad Normal, el juego se hace tan frustrante. No tiene explicación. No poder correr, no poder apuntar, insta-kills inevitables, ausencia total de guia, los mismos 5 mapas repetidos dos veces pero con los diseños de niveles repetidos en bucle, el nefaste control de los vehículos, puntos de control automáticos que no regeneran la salud si la tienes al mínimo y haciendo que completar ese nivel sea una lotería.,.. O la dificultad normal de Halo es como jugar a Doom Eternal en díficil, o yo estaba equivocado todo este tiempo.… Expand
  34. hazi91
    Jul 23, 2021
    5
    All this is about Master Chief Collection version played on Series X.
    The game on Series X plays very smooth with some small stutters when it loads new section of a level.
    It makes very good first impression, mostly due to great weapons feeling. They are cool to use and you can feel their power. It just gives you fun to use them. However the longer you play, the worse your feelings    All this is about Master Chief Collection version played on Series X.
    The game on Series X plays very smooth with some small stutters when it loads new section of a level.
    It makes very good first impression, mostly due to great weapons feeling. They are cool to use and you can feel their power. It just gives you fun to use them.
    However the longer you play, the worse your feelings about this game will become.
    Enemy designs are pathetic, their AI is dumb as hell, only way developers find to increase difficulty in later levels was to spam ridiculous amount of waves (Flood) that are not even hard, but boring and time consuming or grenades spam (covenants) that instant kill you even with full health and shield.
    Game has like 4-5 locations that you backtrack a lot, going through identical copy/paste tunnels and rooms that seemingly never ends. And when you finally get out of the tunnels you can often use some vehicles which have the worst vehicle controls in the history of video games. it's basically Borderlands controls copy, which we all know is the worst ever. Here is probably even worse, because there are some flying vehicles too, and you control them the same horrible way. And they even made final part of the game (tiny spoiler) a level where you need to drive long corridors full of obstacles with a jeep. The car is very easy to flip, you have time limit and a very long way to go. If you fail, you start from beginning. The default on foot controls sucks too, however thankfully MCC lets you customise them, so they met fps standards of today. Unfortunately you can't do anything about those horrible vehicle controls.

    Sorry for any mistakes, English is not my native language. Cheers.    … Expand
  35. Rm4n
    Nov 12, 2021
    7
    good game bad remasterrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr
  36. serphim7
    Jan 16, 2022
    7
    I understand why it's such a classic. For a game that is 20 years old it holds up really well, feels totally playable and is really fun sometimes. Some of the level design isn't great (too many hallways and some confusing areas because there are no visual clues to distinguish directions) and the diversity of weapons is a little lacking. Great game overall.
  37. SayWillis
    Nov 20, 2022
    6
    Fantastically remastered. The game has not aged well though. Very frustrating levels in this one. Really shows its age. Regardless, I can see why it was great for its time. 6/10
  38. MasterGubbers
    Jul 11, 2023
    7
    A poorly designed remaster of a classic game. Just because a remaster has better graphics than the original doesn't mean it's better. It ruins the whole point of dark levels by making them much brighter. The game still looks good for 2011, though.

Awards & Rankings

49
#49 Best Xbox 360 Game of 2011
14
#14 Most Discussed Xbox 360 Game of 2011
41
#41 Most Shared Xbox 360 Game of 2011

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
82

Generally favorable reviews - based on 73 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 65 out of 73
  2. Mixed: 8 out of 73
  3. Negative: 0 out of 73
  1. Xbox Achievements
    Feb 15, 2012
    83
    Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary is almost as good in reality as it ever was in your memory. The graphical update is welcome and the multiplayer maps are decent if not amazing. There are a few rough edges and cracks around the once infallible gameplay, but nothing that would stop you enjoying Halo: CE immensely the second (or first – lucky you) time around.
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  2. LEVEL (Czech Republic)
    Jan 19, 2012
    70
    Nicely done remake of one of the essential games among console FPS genre has the potential to surprise newcomers and thrill the veterans. [Christmas 2011]
  3. EGM
    Jan 3, 2012
    85
    It's an amazing piece of gaming history, to be certain, but a purchase decision still comes down to this: If you're a fan of the series who loved or missed the original, it's a no-brainer. This is one of the best pieces of fanservice our industry has ever produced, and you need to go buy it. On the other hand, if you're an FPS fanatic trying to decide between this or Rage or Deus Ex, you may want to think twice before dropping 40 bones on a shooter that doesn't quite stack up to the competition.
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