3.5/5 ★ – Itsgrimsby's review of Halo: Combat Evolved.

Having never played a Halo game before despite putting thousands of hours into the Destiny franchise, I was actually quite shocked by how familiar I found Halo: Combat Evolved to be. The gunplay, while in need of refining, was solid. The landscapes and enemy factions felt like prototypes for those we’d see almost 15 years later in Destiny. Even the vehicles felt like less good versions of those from the developers latest franchise. I liked Halo more than I thought I would. The old game jank that usually puts me off was there, but the gameplay actually held up enough that I didn’t feel it too much while playing. I also loved being able to switch between the original graphics and the remastered anniversary edition graphics. The more I played the more I enjoyed the game (for the most part). While the story didn’t do too much for me, I have to say I always got a kick out of the grunts and how goofy they were. However; there’s also a fair bit that I feel really haven’t aged well and detract from the experience. The first is the e vehicles, specifically the Warthog, as controlling them is point blank not fun. Especially in the closing moments of the game. The level design also leaves a lot to be desired, not because anything about it is poorly made though. Every level seems to reuse a sequence of corridors and rooms which creates a painful sense of Deja vu. This combined with the fact that every level is far too long and repetitive means it can grate on the player over time. I think if they chopped out a few elevator rides, or copy paste corridors, the game’s pacing would be much snappier. My final complaint is that you walk too slow and die too fast, but maybe that’s just a skill issue. Ultimately while I think time has worn it down slightly, this game absolutely deserves the hype it has earned and I very much look forward to seeing what all the fuss is about in its successor: Halo 2.