The Halo series is coming to PlayStation 5.
In a new demo debuted at the Halo World Championship, Microsoft has revealed Halo: Campaign Evolved – described as “a faithful yet modernised remake of Halo: Combat Evolved‘s campaign” – is coming to PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S next year.
The remake has been “rebuilt from the ground up” on Unreal Engine 5, and will include high-definition visuals, refined controls, two-player splitscreen co-op on console, up to four-player online co-op on console and PC, three new missions, an expanded arsenal of weapons, vehicles, new enemies, and more. It will be playable “day one” with Game Pass.
For those unfamiliar with the seminal shooter, the Halo story kicks off after the Master Chief crash-lands on a mysterious ringworld known as Halo, working alongside remaining humans to help humanity survive against overwhelming Covenant forces. Alongside his AI companion Cortana, he uncovers Halo’s dark secrets and fights to avert the annihilation of all life in the galaxy.
“We wanted to start where it all began, with the original campaign that defined Halo,” executive producer Damon Conn said. “Starting here means people that have never played the game before will be able to understand the story from the very beginning, and that can help us chart a course forward with new Halo stories.”
“Focusing on the campaign experience means we can concentrate fully on really capturing the atmosphere, tone – the emotional impact of what made the first campaign so special and iconic.”
In Halo: Campaign Evolved, you’ll be able to wield nine additional “iconic” weapons from across the Halo series inside the Halo: Combat Evolved campaign, including the Energy Sword, Battle Rifle and Needle Rifle, as well as hijack vehicles and even pilot the Covenant Wraith tank – two firsts for the Halo campaign.
That’s not the only big change, either.
“We learned from Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary that there was still an appetite for things like better wayfinding, navigation, and diversity in enemy encounters,” director Max Szlagor added. “In The Library specifically, which features several Flood encounters, we wanted to reevaluate the pacing and enhance the environmental storytelling. We’ve added new lines to Guilty Spark, which guide players through the level, and there’s new dialogue that gives more insight into the narrative as it plays out.”
“We’re so excited about bringing Halo to those who may not have had chance to play it in the past,” Conn added. “At its heart, Halo is about connection, we’re thrilled to meet a new generation of players on their platforms of choice to fall in love with Halo the same way we did. We’re not trying to rewrite Halo’s legacy – we’re trying to immerse you in it like never before.
“This is Halo for everyone.”
