Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary Edition (as found in MCC)

I have to admit something. I don’t like first person shooters. I KNOW that I don’t like first person shooters. However I still spent £17 (a bargain regardless of my feelings on the genre) on the Master Chief Collection this Christmas. And…I’m having a blast.

I should mention here that I’ve not yet completed the game and so this is more a ‘first impressions’ than an in-depth analysis of story and overall gameplay.

Second only to my actually enjoying an FPS (sorry COD but you put me off trying Halo for too long) the greatest shock was how pretty Halo: CE looks to this day. Granted I find constant bullet fire fairly stressful but in those precious quiet moments between enemy drops it’s a genuinely lovely world to explore and just admire the scenery. The first time I got to explore the environment for myself I just stood at the edge of a cliff staring. For a relatively old game, it’s a looker. My only complaint here is that the environments aren’t as varied as some games but of course that fits the story. Eh, JRPGs have ruined me.

The story…is simple enough. At this point. I’m well aware that as the series progresses the story becomes more complex (and the small library’s-worth of books certainly helps) but for now I’m rather enjoying the simple survival/rescue plot. For the meantime it’s a mediocre and perfectly serviceable plot.

The gameplay is incredibly fluid and pleasant. For someone like me who isn’t familiar with shooters the controls are intuitive and simple. The variety of weaponry and combat methods that can be employed mean that it works regardless of your preferred style of gameplay. The regenerating shield and copious amount of ammunition again makes it accessible and enjoyable. I grew up on a diet of early Resident Evil games so anything that keeps you topped up on bullets is fine by me! The vehicles are a bit weird and floaty but I’m getting the hang of it and I’ve no doubt other more experienced players will take to them with no real issues. Despite this it feels…dated. Of course it does but it’s more the lack of staples that we expect from modern games these days than anything Halo: CE actively does wrong. It’s important to note that many of these staples were introduced or at least solidified in the genre BY this game. The respect that should be afforded this game is immense. That doesn’t make it feel any more modern.

My only big gripe that goes beyond ‘hey it’s an old game with potentially outdated aspects’ is the waypoint system. Good god. I said above that the landscapes are pretty but they’re also quite samey within levels and I’m frequently lost. I was tempted to blame it on my inexperience with the genre but others have said the same, getting lost and running around in circles is part and parcel of playing CE and it’s a shame. There’s an arrow on your rifle but it’s vague at best and the frustration of trying to find that one room in amongst all the identical ones surrounding it sadly can ruin a good gaming sesh. More than once I’ve found myself logging off in frustration and this is coming from someone who’s deleted games that are TOO handholdy. There’s a balance. I’m assured this is far, far better handled in the later games and I can’t wait to move through them and follow 20 years of Halo developments.

Overall Halo: CE is a fun, super accessible shooter. It’s as much fun in 20min segments as it is to sit and play for a full day. It’s a little dated, particularly if you’ve played a more recent Bungie shooter, but I’m all too aware that it only feels like so many other combat-based games because it redefined the genre 20-odd years ago.

For the story and the legacy of Halo it’s a must-play and for a fun play session it’s a more than functional title. For compelling, detailed gameplay though? I’m probably going to go boot up Destiny II.

7/10