Halo Combat Evolved (PC, Microsoft)

By PETER ELEY

(Herald rating: * * * * * )

Halo made the Xbox. It is easily that console's best title and would be hard to beat on any platform. In the two years since it was released, Halo has sold three million copies.

Finally, Halo has made it to the PC. Reviewers were sent advanced beta copies of the PC version last month, and the game has gone gold in the US.

It's a faithful recreation of the Xbox game, although the PC's higher resolutions have made the characters and landscapes look much sharper. There is also an improved multiplayer mode, with new maps.

What makes Halo so good? It had an excellent storyline that was central to the game, brilliantly conceived missions, lots of twists and turns along the way, super graphics, tremendous artificial intelligence and real depth.

The game environments are huge and peopled by all sorts of nasties.

You play Master Chief, a cyber soldier whose sidekick is a flirtatious, scantily clad hologram called Cortana.

As the game progresses, a new and sinister enemy emerges, the Flood, living dead creatures which attack humans and the Covenant.

If that's not enough, Halo's secrets are guarded by a paranoid librarian, who tries to lure Master Chief to his doom.

Much of the game is played on foot, but a range of vehicles appears throughout the levels, ranging from an armoured car called a Warthog, to futuristic planes called Banshees and a devastating tank.

Halo seems at home on the PC, and looks spectacular on systems with good video cards.

The control system uses the mouse and keyboard. It seemed strange after getting used to the Xbox's simple controls, but it began to make sense after a few minutes, and you can customise mouse buttons and keys if you don't like the default settings.

Gearbox plans to release a Halo editor that will allow players to create their own content, adding real value and longevity to the game.

No rating available for this title.

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