More than a mere bundle of previously released games, however, The Master Chief Collection is a beast of an offering brimming with more bonuses, enhancements, and extras than you can shake an Energy Sword at. For starters, each title is optimized to take full advantage of the Xbox One’s power and will run at 60 frames-per-second. So, even the series’ most recent releases – Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary and Halo 4 – will benefit from the jump to Xbox One, sporting much higher fidelity, better shadowing, reflection, and lighting effects, as well as an overall level of detail that trumps the previous console generation.

While Halo: Combat Evolved, Halo 3, and Halo 4 will melt your eyeballs, Halo 2 raises the bar even further... then chucks it, javelin-style, through the heart of your high expectations. Because the Master Chief’s second outing is celebrating a big anniversary, his handlers are giving it an extra coat of awesome. All of the cinematics have received a retina-searing makeover courtesy of Blur Studios; the crazy-talented team is also applying the movie-making magic to a brand-new prologue and epilogue that sheds some light on the Chief’s forthcoming journey in Halo 5: Guardians.

Those who replay Halo 2 will also be treated to new narrative elements via story-expanding Terminals, much like those found in Combat Evolved Anniversary. Also like its predecessor, Halo 2 will see the addition of game-customizing Skulls, as well as the cool ability to swap between its original visual presentation and the optimized version at the touch of a button. Finally, Halo 2’s massive multiplayer following can celebrate the big 10 by diving into six map remakes, built from scratch for the Xbox One.

Available today, “Remnant,” a re-imagined version of the Halo 2 multiplayer map “Relic,” will be added to the multiplayer of Halo 2: Anniversary as part of a free game content update. Also launching today is the fan-favorite Halo 3: ODST campaign, enhanced and running in 1080p and 60fps for the first time.   

The Halo 3: ODST campaign will be free to eligible consumers who logged in to their Xbox Live account and played Halo: The Master Chief Collection between Nov. 11, 2014 and Dec. 19, 2014.  The Halo 3: ODST campaign will also be available as downloadable content for Halo: The Master Chief Collection through the Xbox Store for $4.99.

Speaking of fragging friends online, The Master Chief Collection features all the multiplayer content from each of the four games, including all previously released download-only maps. While sorting through this enormous amount of solo and multiplayer content might sound like a daunting task on par with fixing a Warthog flat, 343 Industries has got your back. Thanks to what they’re calling the “Master Menu,” players won’t have to hop from menu to menu when navigating this epic offering. All campaign chapters are unlocked from the get-go, so fans can use this intuitive interface to play any mission, any time, at any skill level. Multiplayer will also benefit from the Master Menu, as a variety of user-friendly, streamlined features – such as maps being broken into gameplay types – are being implemented.

The final game will also leverage this seamless UI to offer curated playlists, such as ones that, say, allow you to play through each of the four games’ final missions consecutively, or let you experience every Warthog mission in one sitting. While the prospect of piloting the Chief’s slick ride for several hours straight is exciting, it’s but just one of the reasons this collection will have you up way past the wee hours.

On top of all the tweaks and enhancements to four of our all-time favorite games, “The Master Chief Collection” also features the debut of “Halo: Nightfall,” an all-new digital series executive produced by legendary director Ridley Scott and directed by Sergio Mimica-Gezzan (“Battlestar Galactica,” “Heroes”). While details on the project are protected as fiercely as UNSC secrets, we can reveal that the series – airing weekly – will tell the origin story of an all new character that is pivotal to Halo 5: Guardians.

“Remnant” Multiplayer Map Comes to Halo 2: Anniversary

A secluded island, hidden along the coastal regions of Delta Halo, “Remnant” features a towering and iconic Forerunner megalith, weathered by untold millennia. The map’s asymmetric layout and the artifact’s elevated, yet embedded position, make it perfect for classic Slayer, Assault, and 1-Flag CTF game types. Of course, this re-imagined version of the classic map sports its share of innovations.

For a deeper look at “Remnant” and all the multiplayer maps in Halo 2: Anniversary, be sure to check out the “Breaking Down the Map” series on The Halo Channel on Windows 8.1 and Xbox One.  Hosted by 343 Industries’ Andy “Bravo” Dudynsky, “Breaking Down the Map” offers an intimate look at multiplayer maps in Halo 2: Anniversary, highlighting key power weapon spawns, strategic map positions and much more.

Halo 3: ODST Campaign Enhanced for a New Generation

The Halo 3: ODST campaign for Halo: The Master Chief Collection (required) comes to the Xbox One looking better than ever.  Running at 1080p/60fps, experience the events leading up to Halo 3 through the eyes of Orbital Drop Shock Troopers (ODST) as they search for clues leading to the whereabouts of their scattered squad and the motivations behind the Covenant's invasion of New Mombasa.

Players who logged in to their Xbox Live account and played Halo: The Master Chief Collection between Nov. 11, 2014 and Dec. 19, 2014 will receive a download code via their registered email that can be redeemed for the campaign of Halo 3: ODST through Halo: The Master Chief Collection. The Halo 3: ODST campaign will also be available as downloadable content for Halo: The Master Chief Collection through the Xbox Store for $4.99.