The best use of the Kinect allows players to scan and analyze Halo's characters and items. You can also reload your weapon by saying 'reload' or toss a grenade by saying 'grenade,' though the noticeable lag between command and on-screen action makes it impractical.

While it's probably not what most people have in mind for Kinect, it's actually fairly convenient to, say, turn off subtitles without having to open a menu. Saying 'brighter,' for example, will increase the screen brightness. Some of the stranger options are, quite literally, the ability to change options mid-game. The campaign's Kinect features seem perfunctory, and they might be given that they aren't even mentioned on the box and are only available after an Xbox Live title update. Additionally, two-player co-op is now playable via Xbox Live, a very welcome addition to one of the game's best features. Each level also hides a terminal, offering insight on the story from the perspective of Halo's infamous AI, 343 Guilty Spark. Upon collection, each skull can be activated to change the game and (for the most part) make things more challenging. As in other Halo titles, a skull is hidden in each level. The campaign itself has a few extra wrinkles, notably the addition of collectible skulls and terminals. There are a few hiccups here and there, especially the facial animation - Captain Keyes looks downright weird - but after a few minutes of play I found it difficult to switch back to 'classic' mode.

The new visuals employ lots of bright colors and add intricate details to the (understandably) dated presentation of the original. Still, I suppose the fact that it works at all is impressive.

Also, strangely, you can't switch during cutscenes, which seems like the optimal time to sit back and marvel at the changes. It's a neat trick, though it can take a few seconds, so I'd avoid switching in the middle of a firefight. Halo's revamped graphics are running on top of the original engine, meaning you can switch between the original and enhanced visuals at any time. Similar to other 'special edition' remakes of late - Monkey Island, Another World etc. %Gallery-139261% What's new this time around? The most obvious addition to Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary is the enhanced graphics. But it didn't matter, because Halo was a blast. I played multiplayer at the only LAN party I've ever attended and I got slaughtered, falling countless times to the effortless pistol precision of friends-of-friends who were actually geekier than I was. I played through the campaign alone, and again with friends, and again with my brother, and again with my then future in-laws. I picked up a copy and the rest, as they say, is history. I'd never heard of it before, but the editors of my gaming magazine of choice - EGM, as I recall - gave it not one or two or three, but four 10 out of 10s. My first game was Dead or Alive 3, but the one I'll always remember was something called Halo: Combat Evolved. Way back in 2001, halfway through my first year of college, my parents unexpectedly bought me an Xbox for Christmas.

Halo 1 library