Halo: Campaign Evolved Guide#
“Finish the fight… again.”
Halo: Campaign Evolved is a complete remake of Halo: Combat Evolved, rebuilt from the ground up in Unreal Engine 5 by Halo Studios. The game launched on July 28, 2026 for PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC.
The remake does more than rebuild the original’s 10 classic campaign missions in UE5 — it adds 3 brand-new prequel missions (“Operation: METEORITE”) plus new modes such as Campaign Remix. This page collects the essentials in one place.
Game Overview#
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Developer | Halo Studios |
| Publisher | Xbox Game Studios |
| Engine | Unreal Engine 5 |
| Release date | July 28, 2026 |
| Platforms | PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC |
| Lead protagonist | Master Chief |
| Chinese support | Simplified Chinese subtitles + Chinese voice-over |
| Price | Standard $49.99 / Deluxe $69.99 / Collector’s $199.99 |
| Achievements | 58 achievements / trophies |
| Length | Main story about 10-14 hours; full collection about 18-22 hours |
Edition Differences#
| Edition | Price | Contents |
|---|---|---|
| Standard | $49.99 | Base game |
| Deluxe | $69.99 | Game + 5-day early unlock + digital art book + exclusive skin |
| Collector’s | $199.99 | Deluxe contents + physical model + art book + badge + SteelBook case |
Game Pass subscribers can play on launch day without buying the game separately.
Setting and Story#
The setting follows the main Halo universe: the UNSC’s Master Chief and the AI Cortana face the Covenant and the Flood threat on a Halo ring. This full remake lets longtime fans and newcomers alike fall back in love with the story after the rebuild.
“Your mission is to survive.” Waking from a cryo pod aboard the cruiser Pillar of Autumn, Master Chief gradually pieces together the secrets of the ring — and of a scheme that means judgment for all life. Destiny drives the adventure, and so do friendship and trust on the universe’s front line.
Mission List (13 Missions)#
The game contains 13 campaign missions: 10 remastered originals plus the 3-mission prequel “Operation: METEORITE”.
Remastered Original Missions (10)#
| # | Mission | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Pillar of Autumn | Start in the cryo pod, fight through the Covenant-attacked cruiser, and reach the escape pods |
| 2 | Halo | Crash-land on the ring, rescue Marines through the valleys, and drive the Warthog across open ground |
| 3 | Truth and Reconciliation | Night raid on a canyon, ride the gravity lift into a Covenant cruiser to rescue Captain Keyes |
| 4 | The Silent Cartographer | Beach assault: ride vehicles around the island and descend into the underground map room |
| 5 | Assault on the Control Room | A long snowfield mission through Forerunner facilities, bridges, and open valleys |
| 6 | 343 Guilty Spark | Investigate a swamp and push into a damaged facility — the Flood makes its first appearance |
| 7 | The Library | A long, grueling mission through repeating Forerunner floors with the Flood attacking from all sides |
| 8 | Two Betrayals | Fight back through the control room area against mixed Covenant and Flood threats |
| 9 | Keyes | Return to the Covenant cruiser and find Captain Keyes under heavy Flood pressure |
| 10 | The Maw | The final battle: detonate the Pillar of Autumn’s reactors and race out in a Warthog against the clock |
Prequel Missions “Operation: METEORITE” (3)#
| # | Mission | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 11 | Boarding Action | Board a Covenant research vessel where mission objectives keep shifting |
| 12 | The Most Dangerous Game | Fight through the ship’s hunting dome — open arenas and tight wave combat |
| 13 | Heavy Burden | Push to the bridge, escort the way back to the hangar, and duel Banshees in space |
Weapons#
| Weapon | Type | Role |
|---|---|---|
| Assault Rifle | Automatic | All-purpose mainstay |
| Shotgun | Close range | Devastating up close |
| Energy Sword | Melee | High-burst melee |
| Beam weapon | Energy | Melts shields |
| Grenade Launcher | Explosive | Group damage |
| Needle Rifle | Long range | Steady rhythm hits |
- Dual wielding (new): more flexible swapping and backup firepower.
- Reload discipline: how you time and cover your reloads decides small skirmishes.
Vehicles#
| Vehicle | Notes |
|---|---|
| Warthog | The series’ signature jeep, central to the main story |
| Banshee | Flying craft, the core of air combat |
| Ghost | Covenant main battle craft — try hijacking one |
| Scorpion | Heavy tank, brutal firepower |
What Changed from the Original#
| Item | Original 2001 | Remake 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Graphics engine | In-house engine | Fully rebuilt in UE5 |
| New missions | None | 3 prequel missions |
| Weapon pool | Basic weapons | Adds Energy Sword, Battle Rifle, Needle Rifle, and 6 more — 9 new weapons |
| Vehicles | Basic driving | You can hijack the Covenant Ghost tank |
| Sprint / aim-down-sights | None | Optional toggles |
| Third person | None | First/third-person switch |
| Online campaign | None | 4-player online cross-platform + 2-player split screen |
| Modifier modes | Skulls only | Skulls + Campaign Remix |
Skulls and Terminals#
- There are 42 skull locations spread across all 13 missions, each changing a gameplay parameter (enemy shields, time limits, and more).
- Skulls apply on any difficulty load and are the signature Halo collectible.
- 13 terminals record passages of Forerunner history; reading all of them unlocks supplementary archives.
- Specific locations and effects are covered in the full collectibles guide on the Chinese hub.
Campaign Remix#
- Three built-in modifiers — infinite ammo, mirrored mode, and more — can be combined freely.
- Stacking modifiers produces high-difficulty challenges suited to experienced players.
- Recommended combinations are covered in the Campaign Remix breakdown on the Chinese hub.
Getting-Started Essentials#
- Read the fight range: push aggressively with sustained fire early, then switch to controlled burst fire at range as the enemy mix hardens.
- Make weapons complement each other: dual wielding gives you the edge in suppression, but watch total ammo.
- Restock deliberately: ammo and vehicles staged at map hubs make repeated round trips viable.
- Keep moving: static ambushes no longer hold up in the UE5 rebuild — win fights with movement and positioning.
- Skip the head-on assault: when cracking a strongpoint, dodging and jumping around the flank is what actually works.
- Assign roles with teammates: in 4-player co-op, a clear split (sniper / push / support) delivers the best experience.
Game Features#
| Feature | Detail |
|---|---|
| Full remake | Lighting and combat rewritten from the engine up |
| 16 weapons | A weapon pool far beyond the original |
| Career system | Achievements and rank sync across platforms |
| Optional Retro mode | Restores the original feel |
| Full Chinese voice-over | A complete experience for Chinese players |
Media Scores#
| Outlet | Score | Summary |
|---|---|---|
| Polygon | — | One of the best remakes ever made |
| The Outerhaven | 4/5 | A masterful recasting of an iconic campaign |
| WayTooManyGames | 8.5/10 | An excellent nostalgia trip with genuinely fun new missions |
| Steam reviews | Mixed | Visuals and combat praised; PC optimization and voice-over controversial |
Factions and Story Background#
| Faction | Overview | Role |
|---|---|---|
| UNSC (humanity) | Master Chief’s side, defending the ring | Protagonist faction |
| Covenant | Alien holy alliance | Mainline enemy |
| Flood | Parasitic scourge | The greatest late-game threat |
| Forerunner | Mysterious ancient civilization | Neutral / guiding |
The story begins with the fall of the Pillar of Autumn, as Master Chief and Cortana gradually uncover the ring’s true purpose; the three prequel missions show how Master Chief and Sergeant Johnson worked together before then, adding depth to the story.
Combat Tips#
- Melee finishers: behind an enemy up close, an execution saves ammo.
- Energy weapons first: strip the shields of heavily armored targets with energy weapons, then finish with kinetic fire.
- Dynamic engagements: UE5 physics makes grenade bounces and cover destruction feel real — use the environment to win.
- Vehicle teamwork: the Warthog is hugely valuable in open ground; protect the driver.
Co-Op Advice#
- In 4-player co-op, split the roles: a sniper holding long range, an assault player taking ground, and a dedicated driver.
- In Campaign Remix co-op, skull rewards are shared across the whole team.
- When matched with strangers, turn on voice chat — syncing information makes coordination far smoother.
Hidden Extras#
- Special skulls trigger unique sound effects and filters on specific difficulties.
- Finishing the campaign unlocks bonus content such as a speedrun mode and a gallery.
- Some terminals require replaying missions to complete the full collection — plan ahead.
Copyright Note#
This guide was produced originally by NTGame. Game imagery, trademarks, and character likenesses used in the article belong to Xbox Game Studios and their respective rights holders. The guide is for players’ reference only; reproduction or commercial use without permission is prohibited.
Related Games#
- Destiny 2 — a sci-fi first-person shooter with campaigns, raids, and co-op fireteams
- Battlefield 6 — large-scale military FPS gunplay for shooter fans
- Helldivers 2 — a co-op sci-fi shooter built around squad teamwork
- ARC Raiders — a sci-fi extraction shooter with tense firefights
- Delta Force — a team-based military shooter with modern gunplay
Related Rankings#
Best Shooters · Best Co-Op Games
Full Guides#
In-depth sub-guides — a walkthrough for all 13 missions, the 42-skull and 13-terminal collection routes, a Campaign Remix breakdown, PC performance tuning and DLSS settings, controls, lore, system mechanics, tips, FAQ, news, and the update log — are available in Chinese on NTGame’s Halo: Campaign Evolved section.