Halo: Campaign Evolved

Cut to most any college dorm room around 2001, and there’s a good chance you’d encounter a couple of dedicated players on their third playthrough of Halo: Combat Evolved, desperately trying to surpass the next checkpoint on Legendary difficulty. Halo was such a foundational cultural touchstone that it went beyond games in many ways and helped establish a trend of console FPS that persists to this day.

Whether you were around for those early days of the franchise or came along later, Halo: Campaign Evolved looks like it may be the preeminent way to rediscover this classic, rebuilt in HD using Unreal Engine 5. And if you’ve always been on the other side of the console divide, it’s also the game that will finally let you experience the fun on PlayStation 5 – a move that has been heralded by many as the final concluding resolution of the console wars.

“It’s a special moment for Halo,” executive producer Damon Conn says . “This is the first time the campaign is launching across Xbox, PC, and PlayStation, which means more players than ever will get to experience where Halo began. For returning fans, it’s going to feel instantly familiar but clearly new. We’ve rebuilt everything from the ground up with updated visuals, modern controls, and a few subtle touches that make it feel fresh while staying true to what makes Halo, Halo.”