So now that all the biggest and best games of 2011 have been released you might be wondering what else could possibly come next? As it turns out the remake of the original Halo is out (now renamed Halo Anniversary) and it has carefully snuck into this month's collection of AAA titles. Now the original Halo is considered by many to be the title that helped define the legitimacy of first-person shooters on consoles so its no surprise that this remake is greatly coveted by Xbox fans worldwide. But is this merely an HD update or have 343 Industries given us our first glimpse at a 'true' HD remake?

Find out below......

The story of the original Halo had us playing the role of Master Chief (a Spartan genetically modified to be the ultimate weapon at humanities disposal) in our quest to rid the universe of the Covenant, the deadly Flood, and uncover the mystery of Halo itself. It was an epic story for the time and one that would continue on with two additional sequels which would help to flesh out the story and it's hard-as-nails characters like: Sergeant Johnson, Captain Keyes, and of course, the Chief himself. On the whole Halo's story would be considered average by most, but once gamers got their hands on the game all that would change with it's focus on the relationship between Master Chief and his AI companion Cortana.

This was arguably the aspect of the story that hooked most gamers because it made the story that much more personal, instead of just being another 'alien invasion' tale which Halo was for the most part. Of course, taking part in the action was what a ton of fans wanted and that's why the series has been one of the most successful series of all time. You wanted action and explosions and a memorable story-line, you got it. In a time where first-person shooters were still in their infancy on consoles, Halo managed to hit the mark and appeal to gamers everywhere and that's why it's had such a long-lasting effect on the industry itself. If you've been itching for a chance to relive the classic Halo experience, now is the time.

Usually HD remakes of games tend to be fairly superficial by nature. Increase the texture details, add some more atmospheric lighting effects, and polish up the geometry of the game's world, but Halo Anniversary goes far beyond that. 343 Industries has almost completely reinvented the Halo experience by enhancing nearly everything that was presented in the original game and that's quite an accomplishment. Halo Anniversary looks fantastic thanks to its improved visuals and is almost on par with Halo 3 in looks which is pretty awesome, if you ask me. Parts of the game that were the first time around rather primitive now look like the high-tech environments that they should have been to begin with. This shows just how dedicated the studio is to making sure this is an anniversary to remember for what was and still is, the game that popularized the first-person genre.

Not much has changed regarding the music and sound effects, other than them sounding a lot clearer. Otherwise, the same distinct Halo music brings the game to life as it always has before and still manages to sound awesome so many years later. Perhaps it's because of nostalgia but I think the soundtrack for this game is one of the best in the series with Halo 3 being one of the weakest. One of the greatest feelings ever in the series comes from downing an Elite and hearing the agonizing cry of the fallen foot soldier as he's pelted with bullets or needles or whatever weapon you're using to take him down. It's a very satisfying feeling to believe that you're an unstoppable soldier who can take down anyone that crosses your path, but especially the Elites. This feeling is of course felt when dealing with many of the enemies in the game and partly contributes to the feeling of nostalgia that permeates every corner of this remake.

Of course, the real bread n butter of any Halo game is its gameplay and 343 Industries has managed to deliver in this respect. Halo Anniversary features the same endearing campaign that made gamers fall in love with the series to begin with. The wonderful thing about this rerelease is that we as gamers have been given another chance to revisit the at once, enigmatic, yet familiar world of Halo and that alone would be worth the games weight in gold. But there is more to this release than just a redone campaign. 343 Industries have redone six of the more classic maps from the original Halo and its sequel's multiplayer, made for use in its Halo Reach-inspired multiplayer component. What this means is that you are given the ability to play on the classic maps on the Halo Anniversary disc, but are also given the option of downloading them from the Xbox Live Marketplace to use on Halo Reach, if you wish. These maps are every bit as good as you remember them, although the addition of Reach's multiplayer components does render certain maps obsolete, or rather, adds a frustrating element to the gameplay that was never there before. This should not deter you from having fun with the game with friends, because even though it's not the original multiplayer that we all remember, it is nevertheless, a fun experience that fans will enjoy.

With a completely redone (visually) campaign and the same fun and competitive multiplayer we've been playing for years, Halo Anniversary delivers on its promise of revisiting the original Halo ten years later. Add on the fact that there are terminals hidden throughout the campaign that offer glimpses into the series future and you have a game that every gamer should own in their collection. This is the definitive edition of Halo: Combat Evolved and you need only witness the amount of effort that has gone into upgrading the campaign to see that this game is worthy of your attention.

Highly Recommended

8/10