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Thread: Halo Combat Evolved Anniversary

  1. #1
    The Dutch Devil's Avatar Krakiszki the Hunter
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    Default Halo Combat Evolved Anniversary

    For once in my life I got lucky and found Halo CE anniversary in the mail, I've been playing it ever since and decided to write up my experiences. This won't be a very long review but I hope it'll cover all the bases. Also note, this is a single player review. Haven’t had time to play online yet and the Halo Anniversary playlists aren’t up yet. But from what I saw browsing through the multiplayer menus it will be the multiplayer from Reach with big gameplay tweaks and new maps.

    You can find the updated parts by checking the content in between the blue vertical lines.


    The story

    As you probably already know, Halo Combat Evolved Anniversary has the same story as the original Halo CE. You'll notice this by the cut-scenes: They're almost exactly the same, I use the word almost because I don't remember the original cut-scenes that well. But if you played the original game more than once you'll probably remember the transcripts. This also goes for mission design, the environments are the same. For instance the second level in anniversary will have the same triggers, waves and objectives as the first Halo CE.

    The above was said with the foot-note that one there now are terminals you can find with videos about the Halo universe. And especially about the Forerunners and Halo rings.

    The graphics




    This is one of the more important points, Anniversary has been completely remade in regard to the graphics. To be short, the game looks awesome, not only is it now in high definition but everything has been remade. So no more bland walls in the Pillar of Autumn. Everything has got so much detail now, even the large plains in 'Halo' now have a fair level of detail. But this upgrade stretches further than just geometry, lightning is so much better. Instead of a dark or light wall you really have lightening, there are complex shadows, bloom and there are beautiful reflections. So all in all 343 industries succeeded, the game looks brand new whilst the map lay-out hasn’t changed one bit.

    The gameplay

    To start with the good part, Anniversary feels like the original Halo Combat Evolved. There is nothing more to say about that. When you walk out on the first bridge in ‘Assault on the control room’ and when you see the canyon you’re in you will feel home again. For the sake of clarity I shall expand: Do you remember in the original CE the lack of gravity when jumping? The accuracy of the assault rifle? The feeling when you’re gunning down a group of helpless grunts that got trapped in a corridor? If you not only remember how that felt like but if you also liked those moments you can sigh with relief. They haven’t changed these, and this is a very good feature. The game plays like the original Halo CE. There of course are some small quirks but really and I can’t stress this enough, the gameplay is almost exactly the same. There are no assassinations in the singleplayer, the crosshair is static etc. all those gameplay updates that the other Halos got are absent here. Oh and yes, the pistol is back. It isn’t the weaker Halo 3 version, no it is the real deal. Dropping grunts with headshots has never been so much fun.

    The fact that it plays like the original Halo for me makes playing the game for a longer period of time harder, yes the graphics are better but other than that there isn’t that much new content in the campaign. So when playing for a longer period I get the ‘been there done that feeling’. But if I get that feeling I usually just press on the magic ‘switch back to the old Halo’ button, check out the difference, smile and continue playing.

    Another point is that engagements are smaller, instead of the large numbers I was used to after Reach I really had to get used the smaller Anniversary battles. Same goes for the weapon choice and accuracy, in Anniversary you really don’t have that many weapons and the weapons you have, except for the sniper rifle and pistol, are not accurate so if you’re used to the later Halos prepare for some mild detoxing. Whether or not it is good that Anniversary plays like the original CE is a matter of personal taste, I personally think it's a good point. But even though I was expecting it the fact that a lot of the newer features weren't included here required a slight adjustment in playing on my part.

    |
    Sadly there also are some bugs, they're not that many but so far I've had some kinks on every mission I played. Don't get me wrong the bugs are not game breaking. But they're frustrating and they pull you out of the game. By now you're probably wondering what I'm talking about, think like a needler that gets stuck on the wall, a hunter that stops and stares at a marine or a hunter that starts spinning around to face while I'm circling around him. As you can see the bugs are not that bad but they just show that there are some unpolished elements.

    Although it might seem negative don't let my nitpicking influence you. Apart from the occasional bug the game is incredibly fun to play, every environment has been skillfully recreated, the terminals tell the Halo CE story from another point view and the gameplay is much like the original it's almost unbelievable.
    |

    The magic button

    Just thought it’d be best to devote some lines to this very cool feature, as shown to us in the gameplay demo. There is a button that changes the game right back to the original. Yes literally everything gets a graphical degrade, and that is what makes this feature so cool. When in looking down the shaft in ‘The silent cartographer’ you can switch to old graphics and you can see how devoid of detail the original Halo was. Sadly this feature takes about 2-3 seconds in which the game just continues, so you won’t be using it in combat. But other than that I noticed that I used it a lot, more than I initially expected.


    The sound

    Don’t have much to say here since I don’t have a good set of boxes hooked up to my Xbox. But what I can say is that the voices sound alike and that the weapon sounds are very similar to the original. Better yet 343 made a new soundtrack for Anniversary, don’t worry: It is not a completely different soundtrack. For everyone who prefers the old one they even included an option which allows us to switch between the old or new soundtrack. So far I’ve been listening to the new soundtrack and I liked what I heard, there are no big differences but do expect some subtle parts to be different.

    My frustration

    Yes I know this is a really strange title but I’m sleep deprived and need to vent this, it could be just me. I don’t know but I have to write about this since it’s been bugging me. Spoilered it because it is more than a rant than a real gameplay error I reckon.

    Spoiler for Me ranting on sensitivity
    To put it very blunt: Someone messed with the sensitivity controls, and yes I know that you can adjust them in the menu. But I’m not talking about that, I’m talking about the menu, amongst other things, For instance the video menu becomes hard to navigate when the controls are way too sensitive. Changing one settings usually results in you trying at least twice, unless you are really careful. And that is just because the menu is just too damn sensitive. Sadly there are also some issues when playing, one of them is latency. Yes when you pull your hands of the controller Master Chief will just continue moving for ~.4 seconds (I didn’t test it with a stopwatch but it certainly feels this way!). Another thing is that when you look around the game will automatically speed up the movement. This is exactly the same as when you’re adjusting the time on an older, digital, clock. For instance you need to put the clock 1 hour forward, you’re pressing the up button and suddenly when you’re at 50 minutes the clock decides to speed up from 3 minutes per second to 10. We all know the feeling, and we all know it results in frustration. Double that with the latency in Anniversary and tracking the orange weak spot when you’re evading the mad bash of an enraged hunter becomes really hard.



    Conclusion

    The good
    • Plays like the original.
    • Graphics are awesome.
    • Has the magic 'show me the original' button.


    The bad
    • If you played the original CE you will get a 'been there done that feeling'.
    • Control sensitivity and latency doesn't feel right.


    If you are a Halo fan: Get it. If you loved the original Halo CE: Get it. If you never played Halo CE and like the large engagements Halo Reach throws at you: Think this one over.

    But this is just the opinion of one lone gamer so feel free to discuss it.

    And kudos to Legio for checking the draft.
    Last edited by The Dutch Devil; November 22, 2011 at 01:56 PM.

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  2. #2
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    Default Re: Halo Combat Evolved Anniversary

    0/10

    No but srsly, nice review. The original Halo was brill and it's nice to see it get a makeover, the original campaign was so much fun and Halo defined a generation of shooters. Might get this after reading your excellent review.
    Last edited by TheXand; November 12, 2011 at 06:37 PM.

  3. #3

    Default Re: Halo Combat Evolved Anniversary

    Lacks things newer Halos and modern shooters have.
    That's exactly something I feared in this remake. Halo was a far too simple game.
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    Default Re: Halo Combat Evolved Anniversary

    People will complain if they add new things to the remake and people will complain if they don't add new things. Pick one or the other.

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  5. #5
    The Dutch Devil's Avatar Krakiszki the Hunter
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    Default Re: Halo Combat Evolved Anniversary

    Quote Originally Posted by TheXand View Post
    No but srsly, nice review. The original Halo was brill and it's nice to see it get a makeover, the original campaign was so much fun and Halo defined a generation of shooters. Might get this after reading your excellent review.
    .

    Quote Originally Posted by beckyolt View Post
    That's exactly something I feared in this remake. Halo was a far too simple game.
    I don't know how simple other games were around 2001, but I do know that back then Halo CE was incredibly fun to play. And that they didn't change the gameplay is a plus for me because I've only been expecting a graphical update. But I think that the average gamer who never played Halo CE is not going to like Anniversary.

    Quote Originally Posted by Akar View Post
    People will complain if they add new things to the remake and people will complain if they don't add new things. Pick one or the other.
    Hmm yes I see what you're talking about. I put the old gameplay on both the good and the bad list. Thanks.

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  6. #6

    Default Re: Halo Combat Evolved Anniversary

    I hope they change the animations of all NPC with the new ones of Reach.

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    The Dutch Devil's Avatar Krakiszki the Hunter
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    Default Re: Halo Combat Evolved Anniversary

    I'm afraid that I'm going to have to disappoint you, the animations I saw so far were definitely Halo CE.

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    Default Re: Halo Combat Evolved Anniversary

    Damn you beat me to my review. lol no hard feelings man. Good review!

    And that's why the pistol is full auto - one shot kill on the orange.

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    Derpy Hooves's Avatar Bombs for Muffins
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    Default Re: Halo Combat Evolved Anniversary

    The changes that I wanted are for the Flood Tobermory similar to that of Halo 3 in that you could melee Flood effectively and it wouldn't be a waste of time. Another change is for the Energy Sword and the Fuel Rod Cannon to be usable in the campaign. My last desired change is for assassinations in campaign. I have a feeling that this won't happen.



  10. #10
    The Dutch Devil's Avatar Krakiszki the Hunter
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    Default Re: Halo Combat Evolved Anniversary

    Quote Originally Posted by Magister Militum Flavius Aetius View Post
    Damn you beat me to my review. lol no hard feelings man. Good review!

    And that's why the pistol is full auto - one shot kill on the orange.
    Thanks, and if you think I missed something feel free to add.

    Quote Originally Posted by ♘Derpy Hooves♘ View Post
    The changes that I wanted are for the Flood Tobermory similar to that of Halo 3 in that you could melee Flood effectively and it wouldn't be a waste of time.
    Quote Originally Posted by ♘Derpy Hooves♘ View Post
    Another change is for the Energy Sword and the Fuel Rod Cannon to be usable in the campaign..
    Quote Originally Posted by ♘Derpy Hooves♘ View Post
    My last desired change is for assassinations in campaign.
    Quote Originally Posted by ♘Derpy Hooves♘ View Post
    I have a feeling that this won't happen.
    Yep you still shouldn't melee flood. The fuel rod still goes boom when you kill the poor sod carrying it, the sword still dissolves and there are no assassinations.

    Even worse, this time around the covenant actually made energy efficient swords. So there'll be no more big blue rod floating through the room. No, there'll be a feint blue glow. Which makes those invisible sword carriers that much harder to spot. Luckily there appears to be a button that reintroduces those big blue rods.

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  11. #11

    Default Re: Halo Combat Evolved Anniversary

    Quote Originally Posted by The Dutch Devil View Post
    I'm afraid that I'm going to have to disappoint you, the animations I saw so far were definitely Halo CE.
    These sons of Ben'n'Jerry! I don't want to see the old animations. They were too lazy there.
    Last edited by Freelancer Tex; November 13, 2011 at 03:02 PM.

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  12. #12
    The Dutch Devil's Avatar Krakiszki the Hunter
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    Default Re: Halo Combat Evolved Anniversary

    Quote Originally Posted by Freelancer Tex View Post
    These sons of Ben'n'Jerry! I don't want to see the old animations. They were too lazy there.
    Sorry should've clarified: It are the old animations but they're remade and much much more fluent, so you'll recognize them but they'll just be as good as the Reach ones. Although the animations of Master Chief (You'll notice this when playing Co-op) are really strange, you get the feeling he's running on the moon at an un-natural angle. 343 Lost points there.

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  13. #13

    Default Re: Halo Combat Evolved Anniversary

    I don't know how simple other games were around 2001, but I do know that back then Halo CE was incredibly fun to play. And that they didn't change the gameplay is a plus for me because I've only been expecting a graphical update. But I think that the average gamer who never played Halo CE is not going to like Anniversary.
    I loved CE back then. Problem is, with features shooters have today ( ex: Reach's armor abilities ) it might feel too arcadish.
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    The Dutch Devil's Avatar Krakiszki the Hunter
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    Default Re: Halo Combat Evolved Anniversary

    Quote Originally Posted by beckyolt View Post
    I loved CE back then. Problem is, with features shooters have today ( ex: Reach's armor abilities ) it might feel too arcadish.
    Whilst playing I indeed missed the armor abilities, or I got frustrated when carrying only a shotgun and assault rifle and having to take down an elite at 100 meters plus. But I never found the game to be 'arcadish', maybe because I never played arcade shooters. But that is another matter.

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    Default Re: Halo Combat Evolved Anniversary (Updated)

    I have to say that, while I'll buy Anniversary and enjoy it, I'm slightly disappointed 343 didn't use the opportunity to add to the campaign somewhat. From what I've read, all of the additional enemies, and the majority of new weapons encountered in later games, were all supposed to be included in the original Halo CE, so I feel it would've been nice to add them to the mix in the remake. 343 could've gone back to the original designers, and added features that had to be removed from the original game due to time constraints.

    Then again, I know it would've made purists furious with rage, so, meh, I'll live without it. Hopefully when they come round to remaking Halo 2, they'll "flesh it out" a lot more.

  16. #16

    Default Re: Halo Combat Evolved Anniversary (Updated)

    Do they even plan making a Halo 2 remake?
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    Default Re: Halo Combat Evolved Anniversary (Updated)

    good review, on the remake thing, i wish they took the engine from the original game and gave it a graphic remake but left every thing else the same :/
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  18. #18
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    Default Re: Halo Combat Evolved Anniversary (Updated)

    Quote Originally Posted by beckyolt View Post
    Do they even plan making a Halo 2 remake?
    I think it's more or less been confirmed that if this remake is a success, they'll redo Halo 2 once Halo 4 is out. You can see the attraction for the company- it means they can release a new Halo game every year, alternating between the new trilogy and remakes of the old. Halo 4 in 2012, Halo 2 remade in 2013, Halo 5 in 2014 and Halo 3 remade in 2015.

    Quote Originally Posted by avion365 View Post
    good review, on the remake thing, i wish they took the engine from the original game and gave it a graphic remake but left every thing else the same :/
    That's what they did...

  19. #19
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    Default Re: Halo Combat Evolved Anniversary (Updated)

    Quote Originally Posted by Giorgios View Post
    That's what they did...
    it was run off the halo; reach platform
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  20. #20

    Default Re: Halo Combat Evolved Anniversary (Updated)

    I think it's more or less been confirmed that if this remake is a success, they'll redo Halo 2 once Halo 4 is out. You can see the attraction for the company- it means they can release a new Halo game every year, alternating between the new trilogy and remakes of the old. Halo 4 in 2012, Halo 2 remade in 2013, Halo 5 in 2014 and Halo 3 remade in 2015.
    People are gonna be pretty confused lol
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