13 ways Halo: Campaign Evolved modernizes the iconic FPS

Halo: Campaign Evolved adjusts the original’s controls to match modern standards, placing grenades on L1, weapon swapping on triangle, and reload on square, with customization options. A sprint ability, activated by pressing L3, allows players to move quickly to cover or escape combat without drastically altering the original’s movement speed. Vehicle controls for the Warthog and others are standardized to use the left analog stick for steering and R2 for acceleration, though classic controls remain available. These changes aim to reduce frustration while maintaining the game’s signature feel.

The remake replaces health packs with a rechargeable health system, where shields regenerate automatically but health replenishes slowly. Enemy encounters are subtly altered, introducing new threats like Jackals with Beam Snipers and Flood-infected Hunters, while preserving familiar battle patterns. Power-ups such as the Covenant Overshield and Active Camouflage are now stored and activated manually via R1, allowing players to use them strategically rather than immediately upon pickup.

New weapons from later Halo games, including the SMG, Needle Rifle, and Energy Sword, are added to the arsenal, alongside reworked sound design and haptic feedback for guns like the Plasma Rifle and shotgun. Three bonus missions set before the original campaign introduce additional weapons such as the Brute Plasma Rifle and Spike Rifle, while expanding co-op options to include four-player online play alongside the classic two-player couch co-op.

Halo: Campaign Evolved also includes collectible Skulls that modify gameplay, from increasing difficulty to adding whimsical effects like confetti explosions for Grunts. Terminals provide deeper story context, and difficulty settings range from Heroic to Legendary for added challenge. The remake retains the original’s structure while offering modern enhancements, launching exclusively on PlayStation 5 on July 28.