Halo Studios is expanding the narrative of the iconic shooter with three new bonus missions in the upcoming Halo: Campaign Evolved, set in 2551, approximately one year before the events of the original Halo: Combat Evolved. These missions offer players a deeper look into Master Chief's life before his partnership with Cortana and further explore his dynamic with the seasoned Sergeant Johnson.
While Halo: Reach provided some context for the period leading up to the original game, these new missions directly address interactions between Chief and Johnson. Creative director Max Szlagor noted that the team aimed to explore the established relationship between the two characters and the dynamic between ODSTs and Spartans. "When you first see Johnson in the original campaign, you’re like, ‘Okay, who is this character?’ So, just having that context, I think, really enhances the overall feel of the experience," Szlagor stated.
The developers decided to incorporate elements from later Halo titles, such as weapons and enemy types, into these prequel missions. This approach, according to executive producer Damon Conn, aims to make the universe feel more cohesive, as if these elements were always present. "We made sure to put in a lot of nods to lore around The Chief and Johnson and what they have gone through, and things that have happened in books and other media," Conn explained.
Players will control Master Chief alongside Sgt. Johnson in these missions, which begin with "Boarding Action." In this segment, Chief and Johnson infiltrate a ship to retrieve data crucial for retaliating against the Covenant. Early in this mission, a subtle reference to Cortana's future role is made when Johnson remarks, "Until we can find a way to cram an AI into that suit of yours, this is the best we’ve got." The missions also feature familiar weapons from across the franchise, including the battle rifle, fuel rod cannon, energy sword, and the potent Halo: Combat Evolved pistol. One notable sequence highlighted was a sandbox-style combat arena within a Covenant training room, offering a wide array of weapons and a challenging enemy encounter.
The introduction of the Brute enemy type, who originally debuted in Halo 2, marks a significant shift in combat encounters during the bonus missions. These aggressive, ape-like creatures alter the flow of battles. The second mission transitions to an outdoor environment, moving away from the confined spaces of the first. The third mission escalates the conflict with more intense combat, including a memorable sequence involving a moving platform under heavy enemy fire.
Perhaps the most surprising element of the bonus content is a culminating space battle where players must pilot a Covenant Seraph, a gameplay style reminiscent of Halo: Reach. This varied approach to gameplay, from ground combat to aerial engagements, provides a distinct conclusion to the prequel narrative.
Despite initial apprehension about expanding on the established Halo lore without feeling derivative, Halo Studios has crafted a prequel experience that complements the original game. The developers recommend that new players or those needing a refresher begin with the original campaign, as the bonus missions are designed to be challenging. Halo: Campaign Evolved is scheduled for release on July 28 for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC.