| Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Developer(s) | |
| Publisher(s) | Microsoft Studios |
| Composer(s) | |
| Series | Halo |
| Engine | Saber3D Engine |
| Platform(s) | Xbox 360 Xbox One Windows Xbox Series X/S |
| Release |
|
| Genre(s) | First-person shooter |
| Mode(s) | |
Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary is a 2011 first-person shooter video game developed by 343 Industries, Saber Interactive, and Certain Affinity, and published by Microsoft Game Studios. It is a remaster of Halo: Combat Evolved (2001), originally developed by Bungie. Announced at the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) in 2011, it was released on November 15, 2011, the 10th anniversary of both the original Xbox and the game itself, for the Xbox 360 console. Anniversary was later included alongside its successors as part of Halo: The Master Chief Collection for Xbox One in 2014, and for Windows and Xbox Series X/S in 2020.[1]
343 Industries, an internal studio established by Microsoft in 2007, was given control over the Halo franchise after the release of Bungie's final entry, Halo: Reach in 2010. The studio approached Saber Interactive to develop a remaster of Combat Evolved for the game's tenth anniversary. Saber used its proprietary game engine to reproduce the graphics and the original Halo engine for gameplay. A development tool for toggling between the old and new visuals became a game feature. Anniversary's enhancements include a complete high-definition visual overhaul, support for cooperative and multiplayer gameplay via the Xbox Live online service, new and remastered sound effects and music, and extras such as achievements and in-game collectibles. It is the first Halo game to include Kinect support.
Critical reception to Anniversary was generally positive. The updated graphics, sounds, and ability to toggle between the remastered and original visuals were praised. Complaints included technical glitches, faults with the original game's level design, and the multiplayer implementation.
- ^ Carpenter, Nicole (March 4, 2020). "Halo: Combat Evolved is now on PC". Polygon. Retrieved March 4, 2020.