What Halo Games to Play Before Halo: Campaign Evolved Releases

With Halo: Campaign Evolved set to launch on Xbox, PS5, and PC on July 28, 2026, players have about a month to get up to speed on the franchise. Whether you are a series veteran or a newcomer, revisiting key titles offers important context regarding the lore, gameplay, and design influences behind Halo Studios' upcoming remake.

The Essential Play-Order for Context

To fully appreciate the scope of the new remake, consider these eight titles as your preparation guide:

1. Halo: Combat Evolved (2001): The best baseline for comparison. You will see firsthand how the remake updates levels like The Library and changes the internal structure of the Pillar of Autumn.
2. Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary (2011): Useful for understanding the history of 343 Industries' previous remaster efforts and the inclusion of video terminals that expand on 343 Guilty Spark.
3. Halo: Fireteam Raven (2018): This arcade shooter provides a unique perspective on the events of the original game, including the raid on the Autumn and the first depiction of Flood pure forms during that era.
4. Halo: Reach (2010): The remake utilizes animation assets from Reach. Playing this helps clarify the desperate state of humanity and the events leading directly to the discovery of Alpha Halo.
5. Halo Wars (2009): Essential if you want to see Spartans in Mark IV armor early in the Human-Covenant War, providing a precursor to the game's new 2551 prequel missions.
6. Halo 2 (2004): Though set after the original, it is the best resource for learning about the Covenant's infrastructure, the Prophets, and the Brutes—all of which are appearing in the new remake.
7. Halo Infinite (2021): As the most recent entry, Infinite shares many assets and design philosophies with Campaign Evolved, particularly regarding the visual design of Covenant enemies like Grunt Majors and Elite Zealots.
8. Halo 3: ODST (2009): A look at the UNSC's non-Spartan supersoldiers, offering insight into the training and equipment that Sergeant Major Avery Johnson helped influence.

Preparing for the Remake

Halo: Campaign Evolved is not just a visual upgrade. By utilizing Unreal Engine 5 and incorporating elements from later titles, the remake bridges the gap between the franchise's origins and its modern iteration. While the original 2001 game remains a high-water mark with a 90 on Metacritic, the remake's inclusion of new weapon types and lore-accurate mission structures makes playing through the originals a rewarding experience for anyone looking to see how far the series has come.