Review: The original Halo gets the remastering treatment, bringing the classic up to date with modern HD graphics. But is it a marketing trick, or a worthwhile game?
I can remember reviewing a mess of a the launch titles for the original Xbox back in the day. I can’t remember who for, and I can only vaguely remember the house I was living in at the time. Hell, it was ten years ago, and a lot of it’s a bit hazy. But one thing stands out clear as day in my memory.
Playing Halo: Combat Evolved for the first time.
There is a reason it’s considered one of the greatest games of all time, and a reason that it pretty much singlehandedly put Microsoft’s fledgling console on the map – it was a brilliantly executed essay on game design. And no wonder: Bungie had been working on the game for years, and though it had changed form (not the least of which was the sudden, almost 11th hour shift to console) many times through development, the polish showed at every step.
Ten years is not only a long time, but it’s also a worthy milestone to celebrate, and that’s the thinking about 343 Studio’s first outing, the lovingly crafted Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary Edition. After two sequels, two spin-offs, and an alarming amount of teabagging in Blood Gulch, it’s time to go back to where the franchise started.
Can you really go back home? One of the selling points of the Anniversary Edition is that it’s completely remastered, but basically otherwise the same game. Some might wonder, though, if a pretty wrapper on a ten year old code-base is worth anything. To those folks, I say simply: hells yeah.
Halo justifies its remastering by remaining a legitimately great game. From the weapons (OMG, it’s great to get back to the old Assault Rifle – I’ve missed you!) to the physics of the game, it feels as though, if you were completely ignorant of the game, you could be excused for thinking this is an entirely modern effort. It still feels like the groundbreaking shooter it is.
Over the top, though, is an entirely new set of textures and models. From the bright steel interiors of the Pillar of Autumn to the lush open country of the Halo itself, to the austere Forerunner constructs of its interiors, the Anniversary Edition looks stunning. The textures alone make it worthwhile, but a lot of the models have been boosted, too. UNSC Marines now look like the born-again buttkickers they are, complete with their own combat armour and bulky packs, and the Master Chief himself has had a subtle makeover too, but still looks marvellous in his MJOLNIR armour.
Even more impressive, the sound has had a complete overhaul, including the score. The music remains the same, but has had a full orchestral makeover, and sounds better than ever. But the best bit about the new sound work are the weapons; our beloved assault rifle now looks and sounds like the beast it is, and combined with the improved work on model textures and blood splatter, the exploits of the Chief now feel even more epic.
Yes, I’m a fanboy One of the great things about coming back to the game, though, is the impact of now knowing not only how the story progresses, but also how it began. When you first see the Pillar of Autumn and hear of its narrow escape from Reach, you can draw on the experience of literally dying there yourself – knowing how the story is framed (even by the novels, some of which do not in fact suck) makes Halo a bigger experience, not a lesser one.
In terms of seeing where the game’s come from, though, one element stands out as a genius touch. With a single button push, you can reload the original game’s textures and models, and for anyone who’s keen to really understand just how far we’ve come in ten years, it’s a brilliant addition to the game. Hell, it’s even still playable!
One of the biggest compliments we can pay to the game, however – which you may of course take with a pinch of salt – is that even in this season of AAA releases such as Skyrim, Battlefield 3, MW3 and more, Halo still stands out as a game that demands attention. It’s certainly gotten ours.
Issue: 137 | June, 2012