Halo: Combat Evolved is the game that sparked a beloved Microsoft franchise and put the original Xbox on the map. It reimagined the first-person shooter (FPS) genre for consoles and popularized many of the controls and functions that such games would use for decades afterward. Halo received an enhanced remake in 2011 for the Xbox 360 (Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary) that featured updated graphics and a toggle function that lets you swap between Classic and Remastered visual styles. Now, that Anniversary edition gets updated with 4K graphics, ultrawide monitor support, and other features you'd expect from a contemporary PC game. It's an outstanding, Editors' Choice-worthy remastering, one that only suffers from niggling audio and visual issues. Like Halo: Reach, Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary can be enjoyed as a part of the $39.99 Halo: Master Chief Collection or on its own for $9.99. It’s also one of the games available in Microsoft’s excellent Xbox Game Pass service. ...

Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary is an outstanding first-person shooter that remains a joy to play nearly a decade after its original release. This remastered version looks and plays great, but audio bugs and downgraded Classic visuals sully the experience.