Halo: Campaign Evolved PS5 remake earns strong reviews

Halo: Campaign Evolved, an Unreal Engine 5 remake of the original 2001 Halo campaign, launched on PlayStation 5 today for Premium Edition owners. A broader release is scheduled in a few days. The PS5 release holds an OpenCritic score of 83, with 89% of critics recommending the game.

Reviews published with the Premium Edition cite updated visuals, refined controls and added content. Critics say the remake largely preserves the original campaign while updating presentation for modern consoles.

The remake rebuilds the campaign in Unreal Engine 5. Visuals have been upgraded across environments, controls refined for modern consoles and split-screen play for two players has been restored on console. Online multiplayer supports up to four players.

Gameplay changes include a sprint mechanic, nine added weapons such as the Energy Sword, Battle Rifle and Needler, and extra skull modifiers that increase challenge. The release includes three new prequel missions set before the events of the original game; these missions introduce new environments, characters and enemy types.

One reviewer wrote, “More successful at being a reinvention of an FPS classic than it is a reproduction – and that needn’t be a bad thing.” Another reviewer wrote, “It speaks to the series’ timelessness and adds a decent set of new missions, but it’s mostly a lean retread that serves as a test run for its future with Unreal Engine.” Short praise described the game as “awesome” and “the best way to play the first Halo entry.”

The OpenCritic figures apply to the PS5 reviews available at release; scores and impressions could change when the full release opens to all players.