Halo

Halo: Combat Evolved was one of the first games out for the original Xbox, and one of the most successful. It combined the environment, weapons, and enemies of a futuristic war with a combination of alien races with the graphics, gameplay, and controls of a brilliantly designed FPS. There are few things that compare to shooting down an Elite, while taking fire from three or four more, or experiencing the feeling of fighting for you life, trying to get off the God-forsaken ring-world Halo. Like any game, Halo: CE has flaws, but thankfully, these are few and far between, and for the most part, easily ignored.

The gameplay in this game is superb. It's easily the best I've seen for any FPS, which is saying something considering I've played (and beaten) over 15 FPS. The AI could use a little work (often the enemies will jump out of cover, making an easy target), but all-in-all it's still extremely well-done. The weapons are a bit unbalanced (the Pistol is extremely powerful for instance), but they aren't incredibly so, and in some ways this is actually good, there aren't any weapons that can be considered "weak", so getting stuck with any one weapon won't require starting the level over.

Like many other FPS, headshots do considerably more damage than any other part of the body. There are several different types of enemies, and each one requires a different strategy. The several different types of vehicles are each different, and thus, each require a different set of controls to use. Although it may require some time to learn how to use the different weapons and vehicles, after you do, you feel like you've known how do it all your life.

The graphics in this game, considering this was released with the Xbox, are very good. They aren't nearly up to the caliber of the Xbox 360 or even most of the later Xbox games, but they're still extremely good. Looking one of your Marine allies in the face shows quite a bit of detail, including scars, and eye color that varies depending on what marine you look at. The armor on the Elites and other members of the Covenant is shiny under sunlight, and not as much in dark rooms and chambers. The environment is vast and amazing; vistas and waterfalls adorn levels, and look very realistic. Occasional graphical glitches can sometimes pop up, but most aren't serious and go away quickly.

The audio in this game is absolutely amazing. Marty O'Donnel (the composer for the Halo music) did a brilliant job with the music, making him my favorite composer of all time. The sound of guns being fired and plasma zinging over your head is sensational, as is the sound of a chaingun being fired by a marine ally. The voice acting is some of the best I've ever seen, really bringing you into the game, and making the story come alive. The combination of the music and weapons-fire really seem to let you jump into the battle. There are absolutely no problems whatsoever in the audio.

The controls in this game are extremely easy to get used to. Like most FPS, the "RT" is fire, "X" is reload, "Y" is switch weapons, and "B" is melee. Unlike many however, the "LT" doesn't aim, rather, it allows you to throw a grenade. "X" also allows you to pick up weapons, interact with certain pieces of machinery, and get out/get into vehicles. "A" is jump, and clicking the Left Thumbstick allows you to crouch. Clicking the Right Thumbstick allows you to zoom in (with a weapon that has a scope).

This game has quite a bit replayibility, though not as much as Halo 2 or Gears of War. The lack of Xbox Live is crushing, and fans eagerly hope for some edition of Halo on Xbox Live sometime down the road. Co-op is extremely well done, allowing you to play with a friend with no hassle other than a smaller screen. Versus is some of the best ever made, though not as enjoyable as it could've been due to the lack of XBL.

Overall, this is a game that will live as one of the best games in history. Because it was released before Xbox Live came out, it will never be as played as Halo 2 or other games that are XBL compatible, however it still a lot of value in co-op and multiplayer. It features the second best sound of any game I've ever played (next to Halo 2), and the best graphics of it's time. It's still one of best games out today, and it will be for a long, long time.

Gameplay - 4/5
Graphics - 3/5
Audio - 5/5
Controls - 4.5/5
Replayibility - 3.5/5
Overall - 4/5