Halo Campaign Evolved spoilers below
Did the bonus missions first since they're prequel missions (though based on difficulty and the fact that the menu placed them second, I think the intent was to play them after the campaign. Anyway.), then Pillar of Autumn. Here are my thoughts in case anyone wants to yap with me:
Chief and Johnson banter right out of the gate!! Holy shit, they let Chief be a bit silly again!!! The way I grinned when he said, "You're always hungry" :'3 Give me a whole campaign with these two.
The Helljumper beef with the Spartans was a good nod to the books; also just very interesting to watch in and of itself. I do wish there could've been a moment where Chief did something just outrageously cool and the camera panned to Williams being starstruck lol. Though I did still have a moment where I said out loud "she's beginning to believe" when she commed Chief like "I guess the propaganda isn't all fake" or whatever it is she said. Also Chief being the bigger man (figuratively and literally, heh) and trying to reason with her was great. I love him.
THE CUTSCENE WHERE CHIEF AND JOHNSON GO THROUGH A DOOR AND ONE OF THE COVENANT CHUCKS A GRENADE AT CHIEF, WHO CATCHES IT OUT OF THE AIR AND RETURNS TO SENDER!!!!! SO COOL!!!!!!!!!! I'm always here for Chief doing cool shit. More, please.
I do think the gameplay could use a bit of fine-tuning in places. For instance, the Hunters go too fast and there's seemingly no way to break aggro, so at no point was I able to aim at their backs. Maybe I just suck though who knows.
Loved the closing cutscene with Johnson where you see him about to decompress only to immediately jump to attention again when Halsey comms him. Very good show don't tell character moment. Also "at my age, they're all kids to me" 😩😭 Johnson deserves his own game frl.
Jen's performance as Cortana is um.......idk, it falls flat compared to the original. I really felt it with the delivery of "With all due respect, this war has enough dead heroes" but there were other line deliveries that just did not hit the same. She sounds too...smooth? Not sure how to explain. Jen, girl, put your whole chest into it. Idk who told you to play Cortana down, but you need to ignore them.
I love the subtle changes to the cutscenes though. And a Miranda mention from Keyes???????? :0 I was floored.