STACK #261 July 2026

GAMING FEATURE

visit jbhifi.com.au/stack

2001 Halo: Combat Evolved 2004 Halo 2 2007 Halo 3 2009 Halo Wars HALO RELEASE TIMELINE 2009 Halo 3: ODST 2010 Halo: Reach 2011 Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary 2012 Halo 4 2013 Halo: Spartan Assault 2014 Halo: The Master Chief Collection 2015 Halo: Spartan Strike 2015 Halo 5: Guardians 2017 Halo Wars 2 2018 Halo: Fireteam Raven 2021 Halo Infinite 2026 Halo: Campaign Evolved

been able to carefully rebuild almost every level and every encounter with more fidelity,” Szlagor says. “As we’re building the technology for this game, we’ve had to do it piece by piece, which included reevaluating all of the individual elements as we’re revisiting them in the original game.” Fans of multiplayer are in for a treat, with original split-screen play joined by up to four-player co-op. But it’s required some consideration of space. “Now the campaign supports up to four-player co op, we had to think about how all the original encounters

GENRE: Shooter MULTIPLAYER: Yes

FORMAT:

It’s 25 years since we first stepped into the boots of Master Chief.To celebrate, this month sees the release of Halo: Campaign Evolved , which brings us a modernised spin on the campaign from Halo’s Xbox debut. Creative director Max Szlagor at Halo Studios tells us more. Words Bec Summer T his remake harnesses the power of Unreal Engine 5, bringing us an experience that is true to the original while delivering more SAY HALO TO MY LITTLE FRIEND!

and spaces can scale to accommodate that many players. For different co-op counts, we’ve made some of the spaces larger. “We also want to make sure we're authentic to the encounters themselves. So, it's a balancing act between that difficulty tuning and, you know, making those encounters the right size for the right space.” So, the experience will be familiar for original fans, but they’ll still have the excitement of something new around some corners. “We learned from Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary that there was still an appetite for things like better wayfinding, navigation, and diversity in enemy encounters,” Szlagor states. “In The Library specifically, which features several Flood encounters, we wanted to reevaluate the pacing and enhance the environmental storytelling. We’ve added new lines to Guilty Spark, which guide players through the level, and there’s new dialogue that gives more insight into the narrative as it plays out.” Ultimately, canon purists need fear not, for Szlagor stresses that they’ve worked on enhancing the original story, rather than replacing any of it. “It was really important that we preserve the original story as it is,” he underlines. “We’re not changing the stories, it’s about refining and adding context to this moment, and other levels like it, so players can stay on track.”

– including 4K visuals, enhanced animations, re recorded voice lines, and remastered music. Oh, and it’s the first time that a Halo game will be available on PlayStation – PS5 specifically – too! But a new coat of paint isn’t the end of it, as the Halo Studios team is also adding nine weapons that didn’t appear until later series releases, as well as adding three whole new bonus prequel campaigns. Basically, the development team has taken on board 25 years of feedback, with the aim to deliver the ultimate experience for both newcomers to the franchise, and fans who’ve been there right from the start. “It's a great time to revisit Combat Evolved , says Szlagor, enthusiastically. “For new players, for established Halo players,

and maybe even for old friends playing on

different hardware today, to allow them to play together and enjoy the franchise together again. “Our player-first approach has informed so many decisions for the better,” he continues. “Whenever we make a change, the number one thing was to be true to the original game. “When we introduce new features or make creative choices, we’re constantly checking in with players through our user research studies and our Halo Insider program. Their feedback helps us stay grounded in what feels authentic to Halo.” The team saw this as a great opportunity to enhance the original, while staying true to it. “Because this is a remake, we’ve

• Halo: Campaign Evolved is out Jul 29

IF YOU LIKE THIS, YOU’LL LOVE THESE:

DOOM: The Dark Ages, Battlefield 6, Call of Duty: Black Ops 7

JULY 2026

jbhifi.com.au

8