Halo: Combat Evolved

Although I am a gamer as a hobby, back in 2001 I was very much into my Nintendo, having played it since the NES came out as a child. I took a break for many years and then got back into it with the Xbox 360 but of course I had missed some games which then went on to become franchises and game-changers. One such game was Halo and, although I was there for the sequels, it never really appealed to me as the clips I saw seem to involve a lot of hits required to kill any enemy – so the game looked to me like a lot of running backwards while holding down the trigger hoping the enemy runs out of energy before you run out of bullets. As a result I gave it a pass and it was only recently when someone pushed the revamped version of this game into my hand that I gave it a try.

It took me a minute to get into the swing of the game but once I did I found that it was much more tactical than I had imagined and I was surprised that the game play (and the original graphics) stood up as well as they did for a game over a decade old. The basic plot sees you taking the battle to a race of creatures called the Covenant, but this is just the starting point as other creatures and robotic AI come into play – all of whom are each other's enemy and it makes for a nice device that you can occasionally use these various groups to help your progression, in so much as they will battle each other and you just need to saunter in and clean up whoever was left standing at the end – not every often, but it is a nice tool. The device does also work well as a plot since it constantly mixes up who are the "baddies" in the story as it is only ever black/white for a short time with any one group and it made you rejig your priorities in a narrative sense.

The game play was really good on the whole. My worries about enemies sometimes taking a lot of hits to kill did stand up but it was not an issue because I actually liked the way they had shields and energy like I did, it made me play smarter, using certain weapons for them rather than the weaker enemy. This fitted in with the general strategy of the game; I would have liked more options (similar to the "sneak or storm" options of many games now) but there were still many ways of playing here. One thing that I did really like was that ammo was always a challenge – in some games it can be tough early on but leveling up or earning money makes it go away; here I constantly faced at least one of my two weapons running empty and I enjoyed the challenge of making calls regarding which gun to us and when. Although the action can be frantic, it mostly had an intelligence to it and, as a COD player at heart, it was a very nice change of pace to see too.

The one area I did really hate was the handling of vehicles – in particular the Warthog. All through the game I struggled with it but never really was forced to get good at it since it was only an occasional use and it was always just an option. That was the case at least until the final level, when the game decides to become a driving game for the final 5 minutes, running through a timed obstacle course as the last level. It only took me 8 attempts but let me tell you that every one of them was full of swearing and cursing as that vehicle seemed to do its own thing consistently. I'm sure it is me just not getting the hang of it, but I hated it. As I had been given the remastered version of the game, I did play with the revamped graphics and audio and they were really good. Every now and again I did switch to the original setup and, although more basic, I was still impressed by how good they looked and it did make me realize why the game had been the hit it had at the time.

So, although I am a good 13 years to the party, I did really enjoy Halo. The game play may be frantic and involve lots of holding down the trigger, but it is also surprisingly tactical and open to different styles. The plot is also simple in terms of how it flows, but the different factions add a satisfying complexity to the narrative and the way the game plays out. Halo 2 is also on offer for me to borrow, and I suspect it will not be too long before I jump into that as well, since this first game in the franchise was so enjoyable and engaging.

I'll be commenting on both the PC and the Xbox.

Xbox: As you maybe have heard, Halo is definitly the best thing that happened to the Xbox. The single player is worth every penny, and the multiplayer is good too. The best part is the cooperative mode, where you and a friend can battle out the aliens together. The only real flaw is driving the warthog. It just doesn't feel natural. Despite that, all you FPS fans will definitly want to pick this up. A perfect ***** outta *****.

PC: If you don't own an Xbox, and you want to own Halo, you're in luck. 'Cause it's on the PC too! The game looks almost the same on the PC. And the multiplayer is online this time. Only one problem. No cooperative mode! That was my favorite feature on the Xbox version, and it's gone on the PC! Oh well. All the other good things are on the PC. So I give the PC version an almost as good **** outta *****

I just wanted to add that as great as Halo is there is a big part of the game where you keep going into very similar surroundings over and over again. As a single player experience I would guesstimate about 30% is very samey and it can be a bit boring going through these levels. However the majority of the game is great fun and some brilliant level designs but there is some padding of the levels to make the game last longer. This is not a perfect game but its still fantastic. Graphically it is wonderful. Sound is superb. Its fairly smooth with only occasional slowdown. Handling and control is very good. The story while simple is enough to keep you interested. There is a lot of variety in the gameplay generally.

If this were a movie, it would sweep the board on Oscar night - best score, best screen play, best special effects, best costumes, best cinematography, best actors, best directors, best artists, best writers - best everything you can think of.

Quite simply, there is no better video game on this planet. I'm not including the very disappointing sequel 'Halo 2' in this review - that game may be bigger, prettier, more graphically advanced (although I find the overall effects poor - very un-clear) and provide a better online experience, but it in no way compares to the original (rates a 4 in comparison.) I am not an avid gamer, but after a friend introduced me to Halo, I went out and bought an XBox purely so I could practice alone at home - and having now gone through the entire game - all four levels of difficulty, from start to finish - about 30 times each, I think I'm getting the hang of it.

Halo has a story you can follow, it has characters you can identify with, it has weapons that are more realistic in use than any other game could possibly hope to match. The controls and feedback through the pad, provide a truly awesome (I don't use that word often) gaming experience. It's as close to virtual reality on a video game as you can get. Yes, the graphic detail looks poor compared to the latest super-duper offerings, but there is an integrity, an honesty, and above all a completeness about Halo, that makes it the only video game that truly deserves that perfect '10' score. Remember, this game is over 5 years old as I write - a very long time in this industry. If by some freak of nature you don't have a copy - beg, borrow or 'acquire' one NOW! You won't regret it.

Upon first seeing Halo I thought: "No thanks!". After playing: well, I was left begging for more! The action and adrenaline level of the game is spectacular.

Whether it be blowing up alien aircraft with an anti-vehicle rocket launcher just as it's about to dive bomb you or going man to man with a battle tank Halo delivers hardcore action on every variety of level. The most realistic thing about it though, has got to be the graphics: they are red hot with realism. Every piece of grass sways with the wind, every vehicle is destructable, every man can die: the physics are amazing in detail.

The best part has got to be commandeering an alien aircraft (unfortunately, this cannot b done until the three quarter mark) and wiping all signs of life from the air. The jeep, tank and alien reconnaisance vehicle are also very good. The game also has a vast array of weaponry ranging from assault rifles, shotguns, rocket launchers, plasma rifles, pistols, sniper rifles and even grenades, making for an explosive and spectacular storyline.

All in all Halo is the one reason for getting an X-Box. Well, it was my reason anyway. Also check out my review for Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic.

Halo is definetely a ten out of ten.