Halo 1: Combat Evolved

Halo 1: Combat Evolved was the first game to be released in the very popular Halo series.  It is a first person shooter that was released on the Xbox in 2001 to a lot of excitement that proved to be fulfilled as this game became known as one of the top games on any console, not just the Xbox. 

The storyline is based around an alien species called the Covenant who are trying to destroy the human race being led by a single human starship away from Earth to Slipspace where the strange and unknown Halo is discovered.  The player becomes a human super soldier named the ‘Master Chief’ who reaches the ring’s surface to fight against the Covenant and learn more about Halo.  The player must fight their way through many enemies whilst discovering the mysteries hidden within the location.

Halo 1 Review

Halo 1 is said to be one of the best games of all time.  This is an amazing achievement considering the risks taken by Microsoft to work with Bungie to bring about a potentially average game playing experience.  Halo 1 exceeded everyone’s expectations and a truly exciting game was created. 

The storyline, graphics and sound elements brought about a sigh of relief to all involved in the distribution of the Xbox as this game improved the standing of the console itself.  A large selection of vehicles and weaponry as well as the choice between single player game play and cooperative team play give this game a lengthy shelf life.

Halo 1 can transfer the player from third person action to first person and back again with much ease.  The vehicles in the game are now well known and when the game was first released, nearly everyone wanted to drive the jeeps!  The use of analog sticks was revolutionary when this game was released and as the game ‘face’ of Xbox, Halo 1 is no shabby model. 

The only complaints about Halo 1 are concerning the slightly repetitive backgrounds and scenes as well as the fact that the co-op mode was not made for linking up two separate Xboxes and televisions.  This would have really enhanced the cooperative play but the multiplayer mode itself almost fills this gap.  The multiplayer mode has several game types as well as customizable options which are entirely unique and perfect for those who have finished the story mode. 

The multiplayer mode allows up to 16 players which can make for some great team games.  In summary, there is not a lot that can be faulted with Halo 1, upon its release it became one of the most popular games of its type ever made.