Anniversary edition of 'Halo' a nostalgic treat

— -- What were you doing 10 years ago?

If you're a seasoned gamer, perhaps you were playing Halo: Combat Evolved, one of the launch titles for a new video game console called Xbox.

This sci-fi shooter propelled its protagonist, Master Chief, into one of the most iconic video game characters of our time, while the game series became one of the most profitable.

So it's no surprise, perhaps, that Microsoft Studios is commemorating the 10th anniversary of the game by publishing a "remastered" version as a nostalgic treat for old fans and a way to introduce the game to a new generation.

Visually speaking, Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary for Xbox 360 includes high-definition graphics — especially when it comes to the environment. Character models and weapons have been redone, too. That said, it still doesn't look as good as other first-person shooters released today, but you can certainly see the improvement over the original game if you choose to toggle between the old and new graphics by tapping the back button. Plus, the new game supports stereoscopic 3D, which you can enable on a compatible television for added depth.

The game's audio — including Marty O'Donnell's epic orchestral soundtrack — has been remastered — and it sounds spectacular.

From a gameplay perspective, the single-player campaign remains mostly untouched, thankfully, and if you played the first Halo you might find yourself smirking at the familiar levels and situations. For those who haven't played the original, you assume the role of Master Chief, a cybernetically-enhanced human soldier who fights against the malicious Covenant faction on a mysterious ringworld named Halo. From a first-person view, you'll navigate through many indoor and outdoor environments, pick up weapons and ammo and destroy the alien enemies before they destroy you. You'll also have the ability to drive (or sit shotgun) in a number of vehicles.

Instead of split screen play, the solo campaign now offers a co-op (cooperative) option with someone online via Xbox Live, but be aware the frame rate tends to take a hit when there's a lot of action onscreen at once.

While not tested for this review, there's also support for the Kinect accessory to use your voice to reload weapons, toss grenades, turn on your flashlight, and more. Also new to the game are terminals you can visit to unlock back-story elements, including a few teases for the upcoming Halo 4. There are hidden skulls (originally found in Halo 2) that give you a boost in the game in some fashion.

Of course the real meat in Halo: Anniversary— as with the original game — is in the multiplayer department. Once you log into the lobby you'll see remakes of a half-dozen classic maps, along with a new Firefight map, as well as Forge and more — all remastered in the Halo: Reach engine for superior visuals. But be aware you'll need to input a code for most of this new material and sit through some updates before you can start to play. Oh, and watch out for those old camping spots as they won't work as well as they did back in '01. Damnation, Beaver Creek and Prisoner are notable map highlights.

For $40, Halo: Anniversary is well worth the price of admission — especially for fans of the franchise who want to relive the original with a new coat of paint. But if you never cared for the original, this remastered version won't do much to win you over.

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Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary

Platform: Xbox 360

Genre: First-Person Shooter

Developer: 343 Industries/Saber Interactive Inc./Certain Affinity Inc./Bungie

Publisher: Microsoft Studios

Web site: xbox.com/halo

Price: $39.99

Rating: "Mature"

Score: 3.5 stars (out of 4)

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Contact Saltzman at techcomments@usatoday.com.