E3 2011 Feature: Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary Preview

360 Feature | Microsoft joins the remake/remaster bandwagon.

When Halo: Combat Evolved was released as a launch title for the original Xbox, it pretty much gave the console all the momentum it needed to compete head to head with the PlayStation 2. There was a time when consoles were not seen as the ideal platform for the FPS shooter genre, and so it enjoyed a strong and exclusive presence on the PC. There were ports, but they were weak and bogged down (PC Master Race folks might argue that’s still the case, but it really isn’t as bad now). Lobotomy produced some solid conversions of games like Exhumed and Quake for the Sega Saturn, but then Nintendo raised the bar with games like Goldeneye 007 and Perfect Dark for the Nintendo 64. Halo: Combat Evolved, can in many ways be seen as somewhat of a landmark release for consoles, as it offered a level of technical prowess and graphical performance that no console FPS could have dreamed of. It was just a really well executed console optimized FPS experience that pretty much laid the foundation for the console FPS titles we see today. The game has actually aged well, and most fans will tell you that the campaign of Combat Evolved is still the best in the series.

This year, Microsoft announced yet another trilogy for their Halo franchise, and we can expect to see those games to fulfill our Halo needs for the next few years. In the meantime, Microsoft are going to celebrate the 10th year anniversary of the franchise (and their console run for that matter) in the form of a full-fledged remake, Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary.

Hey come on, let them have this remake.

The game has been redone but not entirely from scratch as it’s actually being powered by two engines, both the original Combat Evolved engine and the new Halo Reach engine. The Reach engine runs on top of the original one, allowing players to switch back and forth between the two on the fly. Fans will enjoy the game in its original form on a better resolution, while also being able to switch to the new and improved engine. The new engine adds a whole new set of effects to the visuals and all the maps have been graphically updated with the Reach engine. ‘The Library’ level, in particular, has been given a significant makeover with better lighting and effects to make it more approachable than it originally was. All the cut-scenes have also been redone with better camera work and animations. It certainly looks to offer a nice mix of nostalgia and modern appeal.

In terms of gameplay, the classic Combat Evolved gameplay will be fully intact with some nice nuts and bolts taken from modern Halo titles. For example, terminals from Halo 3 will be included (and hidden) in every level in the campaign to add to the story and universe and to make it more approachable. Also, multiplayer levels will allow the use of jetpacks and include features such as film making. Speaking of multiplayer, there will be seven maps, one of which is for firefight.

Nice mix of new and old.

The fantastic and iconic soundtrack of the original Combat Evolved is being rerecorded for this Anniversary edition. The game will also come with a set of achievements and a two player co-op mode, which can be played online, split-screen and even system link. The game is set to be a budget release, and at this stage planned to retail for US$ 40 in the United States.

Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary is shaping up to be a labour of love. The game will launch later this year and so it won’t be long before you get to experience one of gaming’s biggest hits in modern context, and at a budget price.

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6 Comments

billybob2010

1 year ago

nice, love the fact you can switch engines

Cavedog

1 year ago

is it going to play like reach..? :/
i think im alone here, i didnt buy reach but i demo'd it and played it at a friends house, i didnt think it was better than halo 3 (apart from graphics), infact, worse.

Everything seemed really big and fat and alot of running and gunning as opposed to warthog mayhem fun.

Jeremy

1 year ago

Supposedly, the core gameplay of the original Halo has been left almost completely intact. The multiplayer though, is built purely off the Reach engine, so it will be essentially playing Reach's multiplayer but on Halo 1 maps.

Jarrod

1 year ago

An interview I saw after the Microsoft presser had the dev state that while the multiplayer is mechanically exactly like Reach, the single player is exactly like the original Halo. He said the graphics modifications might as well be considered an overlay over the original experience, so all the physics quirks and other fun stuff will function exactly as they always did.

BigBoss

1 year ago

Xbox/360 has one good game, of course its going to be remade but that was halo 2/3 etc. yeh? The core of halo 1-3 didnt change at all. Won't comment on reach i've never played it at all.

Esposch

1 year ago

BigBoss wrote

Xbox/360 has one good game, of course its going to be remade but that was halo 2/3 etc. yeh? The core of halo 1-3 didnt change at all. Won't comment on reach i've never played it at all.

Nathan Zachary respectfully disagrees with your opinion.

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