Halo: Campaign Evolved Hints at Halo 2 Remake and Resolves a 25-Year-Old Story Gap

Halo: Campaign Evolved, the remake of the original Halo game, has hit the scene and is already hinting at a potential remake of Halo 2 in a similar vein. This isn’t too surprising, considering Halo is a flagship franchise for Xbox, and remakes have been gaining traction among gamers. With numerous sequels under its belt, Halo has a rich history to draw from.

What’s particularly exciting for long-time fans is the new take on the original game’s ending, which seems to finally fill a significant plot gap that has puzzled players for nearly 25 years.

Like its predecessor, Halo: Campaign Evolved includes a special ending for those who conquer the game on Legendary difficulty. In the original, we see Sergeant Avery Johnson grappling with an Elite as the Halo ring begins to crumble around them. Johnson famously quips, “This is it, baby. Hold me,” before they embrace, while Master Chief and Cortana make their escape aboard a Longsword ship.

However, in Halo 2, Johnson inexplicably returns, seemingly unscathed from what should have been a fatal encounter, leaving many fans scratching their heads. His survival is later clarified in Eric Nylund’s 2003 novel, Halo: First Strike, which reveals that Johnson and a few others managed to flee the destruction in a Pelican.

In the remake’s version of the Legendary ending, we see Johnson and the Elite in their struggle, but then the camera pulls back to reveal Johnson watching the original cutscene on a handheld device. He nostalgically remarks, “Those were the days.” The scene shifts to him lounging on a beach, enjoying a cigar and a sandwich until the reactors start to explode. “Oh, shit,” he exclaims as one detonates. “Well, that’s my cue.” A Pelican swoops in and lands nearby, allowing Johnson to make his escape, effectively making his survival part of the in-game narrative.

In a playful twist, Johnson then turns to the camera and says, “See you in the sequel,” which could suggest that a Halo 2 remake is on the horizon. However, the success of Halo: Campaign Evolved will likely determine the studio’s next steps, especially with Microsoft’s new exclusivity policies in play.

Halo: Campaign Evolved officially launches on July 28 for PlayStation 5, Windows PC, and Xbox Series X, having entered early access on July 23 for those who pre-ordered the premium edition. Early reviews have praised it as “one of the best remakes of all time.”

“If you’ve never played a Halo game before but enjoy shooters, Halo: Campaign Evolved is the perfect entry point,” said a reviewer. “For fans who haven’t played Combat Evolved in a while, Campaign Evolved feels fresh enough to be a new experience. And for diehard fans, this is as good as it gets. Whether it’s a remake or not, if this marks the beginning of a new era for Halo, the future looks promising.”

The missions may not always change, but the experience certainly feels revitalized.