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. Acekidder
    Nov 17, 2011
    10
    Halo CE Anniversary is quite simply a pure joy to a halo fan - The original campaign has been lovingly recreated with added bonus cookies like the terminals and skulls, then there are the new features like being able to scan objects and examine them in the library with full descriptions and 3d model. The gameplay has remained remarkable intact and fresh - oh and most importantly fun.
    343    Halo CE Anniversary is quite simply a pure joy to a halo fan - The original campaign has been lovingly recreated with added bonus cookies like the terminals and skulls, then there are the new features like being able to scan objects and examine them in the library with full descriptions and 3d model. The gameplay has remained remarkable intact and fresh - oh and most importantly fun.
    343 have done an amazing job and the new graphics are simply gorgeous i just wish the had included a theatre mode so i could examine everything including c0-op deaths :). Great job guys the halo franchise is in good hands    … Expand
  2. Slaphappy
    Nov 17, 2011
    10
    This game is great over-all. The only problem I have with it is that the online multilayer doesn't have all the maps from Reach already on the disc (like ODST did for Halo 3) and they didn't give you the other dlc to make it the complete collection for halo reach :( but over-all like i said great game....BEAVER CREEK!!!!
  3. Ketts
    Nov 17, 2011
    10
    This brings back so many good memories of the game. The game that changed shooters forever deserved a remake and this brings Halo back to it's core. I'm so happy I bought this game; it's for sure something to bid the time until Halo 4 comes out.
  4. Splatterhouse
    Nov 19, 2011
    9
    Halo:Combat evolved Anniversary is a must own for any fan of Halo.the redefined graphics are amazing sure they may not compete with modern games as much but you have to remember its technically and HD remake and one of the best HD games ever released.updated visuals and sounds were done amazingly considering they still used the exact same engine they did a great job keeping the feel ofHalo:Combat evolved Anniversary is a must own for any fan of Halo.the redefined graphics are amazing sure they may not compete with modern games as much but you have to remember its technically and HD remake and one of the best HD games ever released.updated visuals and sounds were done amazingly considering they still used the exact same engine they did a great job keeping the feel of halo but making feel new.the addition of online co-op is great and the multiplayer map remakes are an great added bonus Would have been great to have classic multiplayer but for understandable technical issues the maps are still vary great.And the addition of skulls are perfect for a brand new experience.And the terminals are great for an insight to more of the story. with the additions of the flashback button this remake is one of the best HD remakes ever created.… Expand
  5. TwinMachetes
    Nov 20, 2011
    9
    343 have imo shown here that Halo is safe in their hands, The remake has been done well with some nifty little features using the kinect voice features. The switch between classic graphics and remastered graphics adds a nice touch to the game and throws you pack 10yrs everytime you hit that back button.
  6. Dark_Knight1990
    Nov 20, 2011
    9
    Halo: Combat Evolved defined a console generation. Everyone who had an Xbox knew what Halo was, and likely had played it at some point. This new remastered version has been made with a very acceptable blend of new graphics and features with a reverence for the gameplay that made the original so spectacular. Aside from a few minor hiccups here and there the game functions flawlessly,Halo: Combat Evolved defined a console generation. Everyone who had an Xbox knew what Halo was, and likely had played it at some point. This new remastered version has been made with a very acceptable blend of new graphics and features with a reverence for the gameplay that made the original so spectacular. Aside from a few minor hiccups here and there the game functions flawlessly, although I must admit the glitch I had in mind when scoring this game was how on the level "Pillar of Autumn" Cortana just stands on her holo-projector with her mouth hanging open for no apparent reason. It seems like something that trivial could have easily been edited out in testing. Aside from that, the campaign is phenomenal. The remade classic maps for Halo: Reach provide a much needed breath of fresh air into a previously stagnant online community. A welcome bonus with your purchase of Halo CE: Anniversary.… Expand
  7. biscuitboy46
    Nov 24, 2011
    8
    First off, I would like to say that this game is WELL worth the $40. Finally the right price on a brand new game! This remake is amazing; I really have no problems with the AI or controls. The map remakes are also very well done. Blood Gulch is back!
  8. YipManSays
    Nov 21, 2011
    8
    Did you like the original Halo Combat Evolved? Yes? Then you'll probably love this game. The HD graphics are pretty cool and the game lets you flip back and forth from HD graphics to the original graphics and it's fun to see the differences. The gameplay in the campaign is exactly the same in terms of the weapons, enemy ai, and level design. This will bring back old memories of fun andDid you like the original Halo Combat Evolved? Yes? Then you'll probably love this game. The HD graphics are pretty cool and the game lets you flip back and forth from HD graphics to the original graphics and it's fun to see the differences. The gameplay in the campaign is exactly the same in terms of the weapons, enemy ai, and level design. This will bring back old memories of fun and frustration is you play Halo back in the day or showcase the blemishes Halo had when it released 10 years ago. Overall a good buy for 40 bucks! I would caution those who are new to Halo from purchasing this brand new though...… Expand
  9. deliri_noma
    Nov 21, 2011
    8
    OK so I am a fan of the original and I also despise lack of creativity and money making off of other ideas... But this remaking of some classic games has my full attention... I am just now aboard the Truth and Consequence and loving it! It look fabulous and plays great. Achievement support is a plus as well. Now I said before I don't like re-hashing of great games like this but I cannotOK so I am a fan of the original and I also despise lack of creativity and money making off of other ideas... But this remaking of some classic games has my full attention... I am just now aboard the Truth and Consequence and loving it! It look fabulous and plays great. Achievement support is a plus as well. Now I said before I don't like re-hashing of great games like this but I cannot wait for HALO 2 the Remake... I will pre-order it! Listen up SONY... GET TO WORK ON THE ORIGINAL KILLZONE!!!! peace out! I reckon some Splinter Cell re-dos would peak my interest as well :)… Expand
  10. real1g
    Nov 22, 2011
    8
    Oh boy does this game take you back to childhood. Although I'm not a fan of the Reach engine the game is made on, the multiplayer is unstoppable fun. Truly a rad remake of the unmistakable, historic game "Halo".
  11. 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.
  12. vaderise
    Jul 1, 2012
    10
    Technically best looking HD Conversation made for next gen consoles.
    It looks like a reboot more than a conversation.Haven't played Halo 1 before?Get it!
    Have played before? There's still much to see in this legendary FPS.
  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. Broyax
    Apr 17, 2017
    4
    C'est un peu plus qu'un simple Halo "HD", 343 Industries a fait un excellent travail de conversion sur la 360, à tel point qu'il est aussi beau qu'un Halo Reach, c'est-à-dire le plus beau des Halo (ou le moins laid c'est selon...) faits par Bungie.

    Mais le chirurgien ne fait pas de miracles et l'âge demeure quoi qu'on fasse... Difficile de comprendre de nos jours l'engouement qu'a    C'est un peu plus qu'un simple Halo "HD", 343 Industries a fait un excellent travail de conversion sur la 360, à tel point qu'il est aussi beau qu'un Halo Reach, c'est-à-dire le plus beau des Halo (ou le moins laid c'est selon...) faits par Bungie.

    Mais le chirurgien ne fait pas de miracles et l'âge demeure quoi qu'on fasse... Difficile de comprendre de nos jours l'engouement qu'a suscité une telle série, car ce premier épisode accumule les erreurs de conception et de jouabilité. Des salles entières copiées/collées, des environnements qui se répètent sans cesse, des allers et retours jusqu'à la nausée (on se croirait sur une ligne de métro mais sans noms de stations tellement tout se ressemble). Et à cet égard, le niveau de la Bibliothèque est insupportable.

    D'autant plus insupportable que pour rallonger encore la durée de vie (qui n'en avait pas besoin), Bungie balance sans honte des hordes et des hordes d'ennemis jusqu'à la lie, ça en devient grotesque. L'univers Halo reste un space-opera sympathique, la musique est excellente, la VF correcte mais franchement ses lourdeurs et maladresses n'en font même pas un jeu moyen au final : les temps changent et ce que l'on pardonnait à l'époque ne passe plus aujourd'hui.    … Expand
  16. ElSeano89
    Sep 29, 2018
    9
    *Played as part of the Master Chief Collection*

    For a game that is now 17 years old, Halo has aged with exceptional grace. Whilst this remaster has given everything a brush up graphically (and done a fine job of it too) the game itself is obviously unchanged and it is as much of a gem now as it was then. It is worth pointing out obviously that games, consoles and the FPS genre itself    *Played as part of the Master Chief Collection*

    For a game that is now 17 years old, Halo has aged with exceptional grace. Whilst this remaster has given everything a brush up graphically (and done a fine job of it too) the game itself is obviously unchanged and it is as much of a gem now as it was then.

    It is worth pointing out obviously that games, consoles and the FPS genre itself have all come a long way since Halo came out in 2001 but at the time Halo was simply jaw dropping. It was a once in a generation game and it catapulted Xbox into contention with Sony starting the long waged console wars. You can play through this version and switch from the original graphics to the remaster on the fly and it will surprise you the difference between 2001 and was is now a 7 year old, previous gen remaster. But whilst the graphics for it's time were phenomenal there is just so much here that they got right.

    Halo basically reinvented the FPS genre when it landed. The scale of the levels, the level of production, the introduction of the regenerating health shield. It added so much stuff to the genre that we now take for granted as staples of the genre.

    But the levels still stand up to modern scrutiny. They are huge, lush and alive with action. The covenant and the flood prove worthy adversaries even on a normal difficulty play through. Their AI tactics are still great to do battle against and it feels just as bad ass to side step a hunter and one shot him as it did all those years ago.

    The score is iconic, it's choral arrangements are perfectly suited and timed during the story to move it along and get the pulse racing during fire-fights. The enemies, for its time are widely varied if they do tend to be variations on a theme (yellow grunts, red grunts) but they're engaging and fun to fight against.

    The storyline is brilliant and it is delivered with a level of accomplishment that makes you feel as though you are in your own action movie starring as the hero. Cortana and Master Chief have passed into video game lore as some of the best characters ever created for a video game and whilst Chief doesn't get many lines in this one, Cortana certainly shines.

    But it's really just a wonderful demonstration of gaming. The gameplay is stellar and a poorly designed idea with exhaust vent explosions in the final chapter aside it never feels dull or repetitive and it keeps you playing and wanting more. Each firefight feels engaging and great fun to take part in, it retaught the way we fought enemies in FPS games. You can't get away with charging head on against too many of the characters or you'll be mobbed and likely killed. Constant movement, both on the ground and in the air allow you to even the playing field against the large number of enemies you're usually facing and it makes you feel like an absolute badass laying waste to all around you. The physics of the enemies when hit by a blast still look incredible to this day and, again, we are talking about a SEVENTEEN year old game.

    What stops it from getting the all time great level 10 from me? Well the Flood, despite their incredible iconic introduction, get to feel very cheap and bullet spongey by the games end mainly because the designers just throw endless amounts of them at you for the last third of the game. The fact that some of them can resurrect themselves only adds insult to injury. I thought the Flood were a brilliant enemy design and the idea of flipping the script and having you (and the covenant) fighting a whole other species is very clever but I just wish they hadn't swamped you with them as much as they did.

    The finale is irritating. The whole part with throwing grenades into exhaust vents felt like stalling for time and they finish with the Warthog section which is infamous for making you use the fairly poor controlling warthog against the clock. The warthog will flip at a moments notice and it drives like a shopping cart with one broken wheel, it never quite goes where you want it to.

    You can lose a little bit too much progress by dying at times, though this is more a symptom of games at the time than anything Halo expressly does badly. More than once I saw where the game put me back after a death and it was very frustrating how much progress I had lost.

    But these are minor criticisms of a brilliant, iconic game that changed its genre for the better. I've loved reliving my gaming youth for the 8 hours or so it has taken me to complete the story mode and the fact it still impresses you after all this time is just a mark of how brilliant it was. It says something when I'm putting aside playing new releases to replay the Halo series in order.

    This game and the series as a whole is vital and vastly influential not only within its genre but gaming itself and it deserves to be applauded as such.    … Expand
  17. ElBarto1992
    Oct 7, 2020
    0
    The remasters visuals are too far detached from the source material. I found myself preferring the original graphics. The emotion and atmosphere the original provokes is lost in the remaster. The remaster uses a new warm and colorful palette. The original halo feels cold and lonely in a beautiful kind of way. The architecture was brutalist/minimalist and intimidating. I understand 343 isThe remasters visuals are too far detached from the source material. I found myself preferring the original graphics. The emotion and atmosphere the original provokes is lost in the remaster. The remaster uses a new warm and colorful palette. The original halo feels cold and lonely in a beautiful kind of way. The architecture was brutalist/minimalist and intimidating. I understand 343 is trying to blend the architecture with halo 4 and 5s forerunner architecture but changes the tone too significantly in my opinion. The game feels overexposed from a lighting standpoint, making the flashlight completely useless.… Expand
  18. niconline
    Nov 5, 2012
    8
    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
  19. AlphaThreat
    Nov 29, 2011
    9
    I forgot how amazing the Halo: CE campaign was and still remains. It was very nostaligic to play and the updated graphics work perfectly. A must own for any Halo fan.
  20. 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
  21. 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
  22. TheQuietGamer
    Nov 20, 2011
    9
    When I heard Bungie was no longer going to be making the Halo games and some new company was, I was worried that the series would go down hill, but after playing this I am no longer worried, it's obvious that 343 Industries are as big of fans of the Halo series as I am, they did a fantastic job with this HD re-release/remake, playing this brought back good memories even though it's notWhen I heard Bungie was no longer going to be making the Halo games and some new company was, I was worried that the series would go down hill, but after playing this I am no longer worried, it's obvious that 343 Industries are as big of fans of the Halo series as I am, they did a fantastic job with this HD re-release/remake, playing this brought back good memories even though it's not exactly 100%, they have made a few changes and not just with the updated graphics which by the way are fantastic, the sound effects for some guns have changed, also I believe the damage has too, also some extra dialog has been added or changed in the cutscenes, but these changes don't ruin the experience at all, and the new features like 4 player co-op, hidden skulls and terminals, and achievements will keep me coming back, and the ability to switch back and forth between the old and new graphics during gameplay is awesome, and it comes with some new multiplayer maps for Halo: Reach based on maps from the original Halo games and a new Firefight mission which is the new Anniversary map pack for Halo: Reach (to learn more about it look at my review for it), and so you don't have to break out this disc to play the new maps they give you a code so you can have all the maps on one disc (your Halo: Reach disc) to make it more convenient which I thought was nice, but the new maps and multiplayer features never really reminded me of playing the original Halo,also the game can get frustrating in the later levels, but if you are a Halo fan or haven't played the original before this is a must get, but I still recommend playing the original version first just so you can feel the nostalgia 343 Industries want you to feel, a fantastic way to prove that 343 Industries isn't going to mess this fantastic series up.… Expand
  23. 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
  24. battleTerror
    Jul 19, 2012
    8
    A very polished and comprehensive remastering of a classic game. All the core game play and levels are completely faithful to the original. Highly recommended to fans of the original and newcomers alike. Special mention must go out to the Terminal cut scenes that deliver more back story and intrigue. They are superbly done and a nice touch.
  25. TimeVictim
    Nov 18, 2011
    10
    If you're a fan of Halo, you know what you're in for. Anniversary keeps the original gameplay but makes many improvements with graphics and sound. The game is beautiful. The amount of color in this game leaves Reach looking greyscaled. The inclusion of skulls and terminals adds more replayability and adds to the Halo universe. Solid 10
  26. jalx
    Nov 19, 2011
    10
    What can i say, well, sorry for my english xD
    I can't understand why the sites are given such a low note, the game is a remake, and like one, is a excelent remake!! I like Halo saga, i played the first halo, and i´m very happy with this, call it homesickness, i don't care
    Metacritic is not like before vv'
  27. ATon2
    Nov 24, 2011
    10
    Great Game YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH GO HALO!
  28. FizzMo
    Nov 26, 2011
    9
    I don't think enough is being said about the incredible 3D experience 343 has turned this into. Not only is this an HD remake of the classic Halo, the 3D experience is truly amazing. Giving this 9 for not messing with the classic game, and adding a ton of bonuses. This is worth buying a 3D TV for.
  29. InsaneMcFries
    Nov 29, 2011
    8
    Halo CE Anniversary delivers a fresh coat of paint to the original Halo CE which provides a refreshing graphical quality while allowing nostalgic fans the ability to enjoy their original campaign untouched. The option to seamlessly change between classic and remastered graphics is a fun experience, although the classic graphics are noticeably darker in comparison. The absence of skulls andHalo CE Anniversary delivers a fresh coat of paint to the original Halo CE which provides a refreshing graphical quality while allowing nostalgic fans the ability to enjoy their original campaign untouched. The option to seamlessly change between classic and remastered graphics is a fun experience, although the classic graphics are noticeably darker in comparison. The absence of skulls and terminals in the classic graphics is a let-down, although switching is easy, but it can disrupt the flow of classic play.
    The multiplayer add-on was disappointing, the option for classic multiplayer should have been an obvious addition, but we are left with a non-exclusive reach map pack that contains only 6 remastered maps. The netcode for xbox live campaign play is disappointing and should have been altered if only to allow client-side aiming at the least. The addition of terminals adds a fun experience to the game and hints to Halo 4. The skulls included are fun, but the ease of achievements due to the Bandanna skull is disappointing. Overall, the game is a well-pieced reskin, and easily creates nostalgia and fun after easing into the campaign. The multiplayer is disappointing.    … Expand
  30. Jerjef
    Dec 8, 2011
    8
    I have to say this remake of arguably the best FPS ever made has it's good and bad points. The campaign is still dynamite because frankly it wasn't touched aside from the new cut scenes which were changed to fit the continuity with Halo: Reach, which is kinda cool. The new graphics, sound, and musical score by themselves would garner a 10. Also the addition of skulls and terminals, whichI have to say this remake of arguably the best FPS ever made has it's good and bad points. The campaign is still dynamite because frankly it wasn't touched aside from the new cut scenes which were changed to fit the continuity with Halo: Reach, which is kinda cool. The new graphics, sound, and musical score by themselves would garner a 10. Also the addition of skulls and terminals, which are ALOT better than the terminals from Halo 3, really jack up the replayability of the campaign. I mean there's nothing funner than turning on the BOOM, Pinata, Grunt Funeral, Grunt Birthday Party, and Bandana skulls and going on a rampage. Simple put, everything we dreamed for when we spent hours on end playing CE 10 years ago has come true. And at $40, spot on guys.

    That being said, with the good comes the bad. First off the framerate issues if you don't install the game to the hard drive. Seriously WTF? Oh yeah Skyrim runs fine, but a remade 10 year old game has issues? Also why no love for the original multiplayer? I know it was unbalanced, but damn was it ever fun. Lastly the online campaign LAAAAAAGGGGGG!!!!! Man does it ever suck. Just like the framerate issue, why does this game have to run so poorly with online coop. Seriously, walk over to Bungie studios and if you ask nicely they might give you their netcode. Maybe.    … Expand
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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

All reviews »
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.
    Read full review
  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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