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Halo: Combat Evolved

Updated: 12/10/2025, 4:34:30 PM Wikipedia source

Halo: Combat Evolved is a 2001 first-person shooter video game developed by Bungie and published by Microsoft Game Studios for the Xbox. The game was ported to Microsoft Windows and Mac OS X in 2003. It was later released as a downloadable Xbox Original for the Xbox 360. Halo is set in the 26th century, with the player assuming the role of Master Chief, a cybernetically enhanced supersoldier. Master Chief is accompanied by Cortana, an artificial intelligence. Players battle against an alien theocracy known as the Covenant while they attempt to uncover the secrets of the eponymous Halo, a ring-shaped artificial world. In 1997, Bungie began the development of what would eventually become Halo. Initially, the game was a real-time strategy game that morphed into a third-person shooter before becoming a first-person shooter. During development, Microsoft acquired Bungie and turned Halo into a launch game for its first video game console, the Xbox. Halo was a critical and commercial success and is often praised as one of the greatest video games ever made. It was critically acclaimed for its graphics, soundtrack, and multiplayer in particular. The game's popularity led to labels such as "Halo clone" and "Halo killer", applied to games either similar to or anticipated to be better than it. Its sequel, Halo 2, was released for the Xbox in 2004, and the game spawned a multi-billion-dollar multimedia franchise that incorporates games, books, toys, and films. More than six million copies had been sold worldwide by November 2005. A remaster of the game, Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary, was released for Xbox 360 by 343 Industries on the 10th anniversary of the original game's launch. Anniversary was re-released alongside the original competitive multiplayer as part of Halo: The Master Chief Collection in 2014. A remake, Halo: Campaign Evolved, is set for release on PlayStation 5, Windows and Xbox Series X/S in 2026.

Infobox

Developer
Bungie[a]
Publisher
Microsoft Game Studios[b]
Director
Jason Jones
Artist
Marcus Lehto
Writer
Joseph Staten
Composers
mw- Martin O'DonnellMichael Salvatori
Series
Halo
Platforms
XboxWindowsMac OS XXbox 360
Release
mw- November 15, 2001 XboxNA: November 15, 2001PAL: March 14, 2002WindowsNA: September 30, 2003PAL: October 10, 2003Mac OS XNA: December 3, 2003Xbox 360 WW: December 4, 2007
Genre
First-person shooter
Modes
Single-player, multiplayer

Tables

Aggregate score
Metacritic
Metacritic
Aggregator
Metacritic
Score
Xbox: 97/100PC: 83/100
Aggregator
Score
Metacritic
Xbox: 97/100PC: 83/100
Review scores
1Up.com
1Up.com
Publication
1Up.com
Score
A+
AllGame
AllGame
Publication
AllGame
Score
Edge
Edge
Publication
Edge
Score
10/10
Eurogamer
Eurogamer
Publication
Eurogamer
Score
8/10
Famitsu
Famitsu
Publication
Famitsu
Score
33/40
Game Informer
Game Informer
Publication
Game Informer
Score
9.5/10
GameSpot
GameSpot
Publication
GameSpot
Score
9.7/10
GameSpy
GameSpy
Publication
GameSpy
Score
80/100
IGN
IGN
Publication
IGN
Score
9.7/10
Next Generation
Next Generation
Publication
Next Generation
Score
Official Xbox Magazine (US)
Official Xbox Magazine (US)
Publication
Official Xbox Magazine (US)
Score
9.5/10
Publication
Score
1Up.com
A+
AllGame
Edge
10/10
Eurogamer
8/10
Famitsu
33/40
Game Informer
9.5/10
GameSpot
9.7/10
GameSpy
80/100
IGN
9.7/10
Next Generation
Official Xbox Magazine (US)
9.5/10

References

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  2. The Mac OS X version was published by MacSoft.
  3. The Xbox Version of Halo won the awards which voted by the general public, over the Unreal Tournament (Epic Games/Infogr
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