When Halo: Combat Evolved was released back in 2001 as a launch title for the original Xbox, it was highly revered for a multitude of reasons. It set the standard for how first-person shooters would be designed for consoles, started one of the most popular franchises in the industry, and is often credited for being the main contributing factor for the success of the Xbox brand. To celebrate this decade old classic, fans are being given Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary, which gives the original title a graphical makeover and a selection of multiplayer maps for the budget price of $40. While the majority of the game holds up rather well, some signs of aging and a lack of enticing extras make this celebration a bit underwhelming.

If you are a fan of the franchise, then you know the story here all too well. After barely escaping from the Covenant attack on Reach, a UNSC cruiser known as The Pillar of Autumn makes a crash landing on a mysterious ring world called Halo. As Master Chief, the last remaining Spartan super solider, it is up to you to band together the survivors, fight off the Covenant forces attempting to hunt you down, and discover the dark secrets buried deep within the ring.

The narrative does a solid job of setting up the universe and establishing key character relationships without beating you over the head with exposition. The few key twists still hold weight even a decade later and the sense of dread that struck players when first encountering The Flood is still present. While there are now numerous games and novels that answer just about every question one could ever have about the Halo mythology, taken on its own, the story is engaging and easy to follow so those jumping into the franchise for the first time will not feel lost.

The campaign, which can be played alone or cooperatively with a friend, is the meat of this package and is the primary reason to purchase Anniversary. 343 Industries has been careful to keep the feel of the original Halo intact; you will not find abilities like dual wielding or vehicle hijacking here. This is exactly the game as it was ten years ago so elements like the ridiculously overpowered pistol and indestructible Warthogs are back. The core combat works just as well as it always has and acts as a testament to how well the original developers did the first time around, although if you have played any of the recent games in the series then losing the various additions made over the years may take some time to get used to. Another aspect that may trip up players is the return of a health meter. In an age where most games simply ask you to hide and wait for life to recover, a trend ironically started by Halos rechargeable shield, it is refreshing once again being forced to seek out health packs, which adds an additional layer of tension to the gunplay. Overall, the minute-to-minute action is still exciting even after all these years.

While the core action may have aged well, the level design continuously reminds you that Halo is a game from last generation. While outdoor environments are open and varied, the majority of your time is spent in-doors, battling your way through the same looking rooms and corridors. The action does what it can to distract from this, but it will not take long before you start to think you have seen the area you are walking through about half a dozen times already. Even those who played the original release to death are likely to find themselves getting turned around from time to time even in levels with arrows on the ground pointing you in the right direction. This copy and paste level layout is much more noticeable now than it was back then and can occasionally make the game a chore to play through. The worst offender of this is still The Library, which continues to hold the title for worst level in the series with stretches of dull gray rooms and hallways that go on for far too long.

A few new things, like hidden terminals and Kinect support, have been added to the campaign. The terminals provide additional insight into certain events and characters that are worth seeking out for those craving more knowledge about the Halo mythos. Voice support is included for those with Microsofts peripheral that allows you to perform actions like throwing a grenade or reloading just by yelling a command, although this addition is rather pointless as it is easier to simply press the button corresponding to the action instead. The only exclusive option Kinect users get is ability to scan objects in the world for an information database, but this feature feels just as pointless and is easily ignored.

While many have fond memories of the main campaign, just as many remember spending late nights playing Halo multiplayer. This updated release was the perfect chance to recreate the competitive experience that so many remember. Unfortunately, 343 Industries instead opted to take a different approach and simply use the multiplayer from Halo: Reach, which feels like a missed opportunity. A handful of classic maps from previous games in the series have been remade for this release and a handful of new playlists have been added to take advantage of them.

The gameplay is still great just as it was in Halo: Reach and there is certainly some novelty in playing around on these familiar arenas with the various armor abilities, but for a game meant to commemorate the original Halo, the lack of traditional multiplayer is disappointing. Those who purchase Anniversary new get a code that allows them to import the available maps directly into last years release, and the maps are being sold separately on the marketplace for 1200 Microsoft points. Since the main target for this release are long time fans of the franchise who almost certainly already own Reach, it is unlikely many will continue to use Anniversary for its multiplayer content, making it feel more like a map pack than a fully featured addition.

The presentation is the one area where Halo: Combat Evolved has gotten the most notable treatment. While many re-releases today are content with simply pushing out an old title with minimal work, the graphics here have gotten a complete overhaul. Every aspect, from weapon models to the environmental detail, has been redone and the result is great looking version of the fondly remembered classic, although humans never look quite right, gestures in cut scenes are lifeless and awkward, and the game still hitches up when loading in a new area. One nice touch is the ability to switch back to the classic graphical style at the push of a button if you are feeling nostalgic or just want to compare how far graphics have advanced in the last decade. Do not be surprised if you have the urge to switch back and forth on a constant basis.

All the sound effects and voice acting have made the transition to Anniversary intact and still hold up rather well. Some of the line delivery is overdone at times, specifically from the friendly Marines that fight by your side, but the dialogue from the main cast is well done and coveys the story nicely. The fantastic musical scores have all been rerecorded and live up to the high standards you would expect from the series, although if you would prefer to play with the original tracks, there is the choice to switch back to them in the options menu.

Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary provides the opportunity to go back in time and relive a classic that many hold in high regard. Some aspects of the decade old design show their age and the multiplayer portion of the package seems like a bit of an afterthought. It feels like more could have been done considering that this is meant to be a love letter to the original Halo, but the $40 price tag makes these issues easier to forgive and is a rather reasonable amount to ask for considering all the graphical enhancements done to the campaign.  If you are a long time fan and want the chance to play an updated version of the original game, or if you never had the opportunity and want to experience the game that started it all, then Anniversary is worth adding to your collection.