I first completed Halo: CE around 10 years ago. Having been introduced to the series through Halo 3, I wanted to give the previous games in the a series a shot. I remember thinking highly of CE's campaign at the time. Having just replayed it via The Master Chief Collection, however, I feel that its campaign is showing its age. That being said, for the time of its release, it's easy to see why Halo was so groundbreaking.

From a presentation standpoint, Halo still holds up remarkably well. I gave both the Anniversary and original graphics settings a fair shake during my playthrough. While the OG graphics are a little simple by today's standards, I think they actually contribute to the game's atmosphere quite well, especially in the open, outdoor maps. The atmosphere is backed up by a phenomenal soundtrack that always seems to nail whatever mood it is that the designers were going for at any given time. These elements have aged very well all things considered.

The gameplay of Halo is solid, if a little basic by today's standards. Weapon variety is limited, but the weapons that are there each provide something unique. That pistol is still legendary. There's also a couple of vehicles to use, but the vehicle controls are rather tough to get a grip on after two decades of improvement. My main issue with the campaign is just how repetitive it feels. The first several missions start off pretty bombastically. You escape a space cruiser and wander the installation in order to rescue survivors, but things get really boring when you have to venture interior areas. This game constantly asks you to trek through identical hallways and rooms in its latter half. Then it has the audacity to make you go through those same boring areas again in reverse. I guess I didn't notice it in the past, but it's really apparent now and makes getting through the last third of the game a real slog.

Halo: CE will always be a classic for what it contributed to the genre, but it's got some issues that make it harder to go back to today.

Reviewed on Jul 09, 2020


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