Meet the chief for the first time, again…in HD!
There have been a lot of HD remakes lately, but few have done more than upscale the images to a higher resolution. Opting for a dramatic facelift, does Master Chief make a compelling case to land on a giant ring occupied by Covenant forces once again? Find out after the jump…
[Disclaimer: Microsoft has graciously provided us with a pre-release review copy of this game.]
As many of you know and fondly remember, Halo: Combat Evolved was released for the original massive-sized Xbox back in 2001. Coming out of nowhere, this iconic sci-fi masterpiece introduced console gamers to cutting edge PC-like graphics, rebounding health, extensive use of in-level vehicles, and a cinematic vibe that would infiltrate countless games to come.
Right from the menu screen you can see that things have changed.
Like many of you that experienced the original Halo while it was in its prime, I have been more than a little pumped to check out the game and relive its sense of awe with modern visuals. I recently did the same with The Secret of Money Island on Xbox Live. I mention that example because it too went way above just upscaling the resolution. In fact, it also included the feature to switch back and forth between the original and re-imagined graphics on the fly. Sure, that game added voice over, where once there was just simple text, but both kept the original gameplay intact.
Getting back to Halo CE Anniversary, yes you can switch back and forth between the original graphics and the new update on the fly. Though it takes about 4 long seconds (counting “One-one thousand, two-one-thosand”, etc.) and it happens like a long white flashy blink. Unfortunately, there’s no way to toggle between the old and new look during cutscenes (why couldn’t they keep those in tact?).
Guess which is the original, and which is the HD remake…(without reading the in-picture text!)
You may even say to yourself “Woah, 2001 had very respectable graphics!”… just keep in mind that even those have been upscaled to 720p from 480i and made widescreen. That’s right, Halo CE was a 4:3 box of a game with fuzz. That’s all gone. Kind of makes you wish they had a way to toggle to that mode too right?…actually…nope, not for me thanks.
Despite the long pause and the sexy new looks, you’ll be toggling the graphics extensively. Let’s face it, this is the game’s biggest draw, to time-shift and see what a new coat of paint and light effects can do to the overall appeal of the game. Man, the old game was much greyer looking than I remember, with much poorer lighting and character models. It’s not a revolutionary difference, but an evolutionary one…. kind of like how most cars from today and 2001 were essentially the same, just with new stylings.
This is my major praise and complaint regarding Halo Anniversary. Essentially, 343 have lovingly grafted new skin on top of the skeleton and muscles that Bungie created so many years ago. This means that modern gamers will find a solid looking shooter when unwrapping this disk…but will have to make peace with confronting the original enemy AI and level design nuances (the Library remains as hellish as you remember).
Even the Warthog has received a new coat of paint!
So just new graphics? Is that it?…well sort of… 343 have added such things as 3D and Kinect support, the appeal of which depends on if you have a compatible television and the Kinect sensor. Personally, its cool for a bit, but not enough to woo me. I like that it does include lots of easter eggs, and terminal stations that fill you in on the story.
Aside from this, 343 have added a modern touch in the form of Gamerpoints and Achievements and online co-op. The game also includes a code to download 7 multiplayer maps (one is a Firefight map) that will be added to the Reach multiplayer (that multiplayer mode is accessible through this game too, complete with Sprint and Jet-pack abilities).
Shockingly, the original Halo multiplayer is gone. it has instead been replaced with one built on the Reach engine with retro maps (that downloadable code I mentioned). So no, the old local only multiplayer hasn’t been restored and made online…it would have been cool to experience that with the ability to toggle the graphics.
OVERALL SCORE:
This is a very solid package filled with loving care by 343 Industries. It gives me faith that the company can at least make Halo 4 sexy (it has been confirmed for the Xbox 360 in 2012, not its “720″ or “Loop” successor!).
My major beef is that this is essentially the same game I’ve played through twice before… and ten years is not long enough to make this an all new experience for me. I also much preferred Halo 2, and think that 343 should have included that in the box. With the two games this would have been a must buy… instead we are left hoping that Halo 2 gets the same loving treatment.
I’ll cut this short. If you are a die hard Halo fan who wears Master Chief pyjamas to bed.. buy this game. If you never played it before but enjoyed the newer instalments…. buy this game. If you are a middle ground player with First Person Shooter fatigue… wait for it to go on sale or drop down to $29.99, because at $39.99 its a little steep for what it is… essentially a spruced up version of the original which you can find used and play on your 360 (if you have a hard drive).
I give Halo Anniversary 7.5 out of 10
PROS:
-The same great game you remember, albeit with a shinny new finish.
-Gameplay holds up remarkably well.
-Ability to toggle between 2001 and 2011 graphics.
-Graphics are true 720p, not that mid-range resolution that Halo 3 shipped with.
-2 player online co-op.
-6 new multiplayer maps, and one Firefight map for Reach-based multiplayer.
-Sells at a reduced price of $39.99, instead of the standard $59.99 that new games go for.
-Kinect and 3D support.
-This game is a greater challenge than most modern shooters that hold your hand.
-Includes lots of easter eggs and new terminals that fill you in on the story.
CONS:
-The same game you remember, including enemy AI and annoying level nuances.
-Should have included Halo 2 in the package.
-No all-new gameplay content or levels.
Be sure to check out our retrospective on the Halo franchise. It touches upon the history and the plot of series from Reach to Halo 4:
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