Halo: Combat Evolved Editor's Review

One of the most important games in console history is no less memorable on home computers.

Combat Evolved, the first in the Halo family, was among the first games on the original (pre-360) Xbox and became the star of its online gaming system: whenever you spend an evening on multiplayer games, you owe a little debt to Halo. That's not to say the single player version isn't great as well, though there's not much variety in the look of the various levels of the game, and nothing can compete with the sheer unpredictability of multiplayer action.

Halo is a first-person shooter but, unlike most games in that genre, there's plenty of driving action as well, giving the game a little more depth. It's also notable that, while clearly science fiction, there's a degree of reality in the game. For example, your character can only carry two weapons at a time (unlike, say, Grand Theft Auto where players appear to be an octopus), so you need to put a little thought into play rather than just blasting away.

By modern standards, the graphics on the PC edition aren't spectacularly impressive, though that's only to be expected given it's a straight transfer of the original Xbox edition. The good news is that, unlike the experience of some players on the game's original release, modern computers should have no trouble coping with the demands of the game.

If you've got a surround sound system, you're in for a treat: voices come from the "correct" location, which greatly enhances the experience of dealing with friends and foes.

Pro's: Engaging gameplay; great multi-player action.

Con's: Graphics a little primitive by today's standards; single player a little repetitive.

Conclusion: A true classic that stands the test of time.