Halo: Campaign Evolved is a lovingly remade version of the original Halo story campaign from the 2001 original Xbox console. It feels incredibly odd to be playing one of Xbox’s best-ever exclusive blockbusters on a Playstation, yet here we are in 2026, with a fully fledged rebuild of a true classic, working brilliantly on PS5.
A Stunning Visual Overhaul
The graphics have had a massive overhaul. Rebuilt from the ground up, Campaign Evolved sits easily alongside more modern Halo titles like 2021’s Infinite when it comes to graphics. The ageing 2001 designs make way for up-to-date animations and Unreal Engine 5 visual fidelity to deliver an astounding sci-fi backdrop as you traverse big open alien worlds and inside tight space corridors packed with gun-toting baddies.
Gameplay That Shines
The gameplay remains totally focused on nailing brilliant gun combat, with all kinds of wild weapons available to destroy and splatter armies of baddies while trying not to expose yourself to death after taking too many hits to your shield. It’s fast and fluid, adrenaline-pumping action with controller movements simple at heart but tricky to master as the campaign rolls on.
Players can also experience the campaign solo, in two-player split-screen co-op on console, or in four-player online co-op with cross-play and cross-progression across Xbox Series X|S, PC, Steam and PlayStation 5. That in itself feels mad to say considering where this game first started and the console wars between then-bitter enemies in Xbox and Playstation at that time.
Plenty of Replay Value
For those hoping for more than a single play-through you’ll find yourself returning to this title thanks to the 40-odd collectible skulls dotted around the campaign. They unlock modified gameplay, from over the shoulder third-person viewpoints to visibility effects and replayable missions with randomised enemies.
Verdict
Overall, it’s been a joy to jump back into classic Halo. There’s a wonderful new sheen to this makeover but the gun game underneath is still addictive, brilliant shooter fun like it always was. And now that it is on Playstation, gamers who have always steadfastly stuck to that ecosystem will get a chance to enjoy a true great in the gaming catalogue in all its modernised glory. VERDICT 5/5
