The Master Chief is back, ready to fight the Covenant and save humanity. Again. This time around, the iconic armor-clad hero is starring in Halo: Campaign Evolved, a remake of his first Xbox adventure. But this time, things are a bit different, and not just visually. Here’s everything we know about the upcoming Halo remake that is set to launch later this summer.
What is Halo: Campaign Evolved?
Halo: Campaign Evolved is a complete remake of the original Halo: Combat Evolved. It’s being developed by Halo Studios, formerly known as 343 Industries. This is the same team that created Halo 4, Halo 5, and Halo: Infinite. The game is powered by Unreal Engine 5 and modernizes some parts of the classic shooter while also adding some new content, including a few missions set before the events of the original Halo.
When is the Halo remake releasing?
Halo: Campaign Evolved is set to launch on July 28.
What platforms will Halo: Campaign Evolved be available on?
The Halo remake is coming to PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC.
Wait, didn’t they already remake the original Halo?
Sort of. Back in 2011, we got Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary. It was even developed by the same studio. However, this was more a remaster than a full remake, utilizing the original game’s code and physics, but applying new (optional) visuals. Campaign Evolved is a full, total remake that shares no original code with Combat Evolved.
Is there competitive multiplayer in Halo: Campaign Evolved?
No. This remake is focused entirely on the original game’s single-player campaign. So there is no deathmatch or CTF fun to be had in Campaign Evolved. The name probably should have given that fact away.
Is there co-op in the Halo remake?
Yes! While you can’t play deathmatch with friends in the upcoming Halo remake, you can play co-op with up to three buddies across all platforms. The game even supports split-screen for up to two people on console.
Apparently, you can sprint in Campaign Evolved?
You heard correctly. Halo Studios says this is optional, but yes, you can sprint around the battlefield. Halo purists look away.
What else is new in this remake?
Quite a lot! For one thing, you can steal vehicles in the new remake, a feature that didn’t exist in the original game.
Halo: Campaign Evolved also features weapons and enemies that only appeared in the later Halo games, like a player-usable sword, the Needler Rifle, and massively powerful Brutes. However, a lot of this content will mostly show up in the three new prequel missions that were added to the remake. These are set before the events of the main game, and I’m very curious how they will integrate into the larger campaign. And because one of the 43 skulls in the game allows you to randomize weapon spawns during missions, you could end up using a Needler Rifle during the Silent Cartographer or something, which is wild.
Wait…how many Skulls are in Campaign Evolved?
Oh, right, yeah, there are 43 gameplay-modifying Skulls in the upcoming Halo remake. These include classics, like Grunt Birthday Party and Blackeye, as well as some new ones like the aforementioned skull that randomizes weapons. Activating a few of these skulls at once could radically change a level. I mean, one new Skull lets you play the entire game in third-person!
What does Halo in third-person look like?
Pretty good, actually. Here’s a video:
This is coming to PS5, right?
Yes…I already answered that question.
But I thought Xbox was going back to doing exclusive games?
Oh, right, well, you see, things are a bit weird over at Xbox right now. While it looked like Xbox was entering a new era as a third-party publisher that just so happened to also have a console, things have changed. Now, Xbox is promising that some games will be exclusive. At the moment, what is and isn’t going to be exclusive is tricky to pin down. But because Halo: Campaign Evolved predates all those shenanigans and because Xbox is honoring its previous commitments to other platforms, the Halo remake launches on PS5 in July.
Will Xbox remake any other Halo games?
Maybe! It sure sounds like it, based on this quote from the game’s community manager on the PlayStation Blog: “I think we’re just getting started.”
However, will these future, theoretical Halo remakes arrive on PS5 in the future? That now seems unlikely, which sort of makes it seem a bit pointless to release Halo: Campaign Evolved on PS5 in the first place, but what do I know?
