Halo co-creator gives Halo: Campaign Evolved remake a mixed verdict

Marcus Lehto, the Halo co-creator and former Bungie creative art director, said he finished Halo: Campaign Evolved on Heroic difficulty and came away impressed by the remake's presentation, even if parts of it did not land for him. The remake is already available on Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, and PC, and it is also included in Game Pass.

Lehto said he is having a lot of fun with the remake and "really loves the upgrades," singling out movement, cinematics, visuals, and lighting. He also praised the Covenant weapons, calling them much more brutal and saying they have a solid punch. In his view, the lighting in the original Halo — especially in Flood missions — was very bad, and the remake's new look makes a major difference.

Not everything impressed him, though. Lehto described some of the new cutscenes in the remake as "absolutely cringe," and he was even harsher about the hint system, which he said feels too heavy-handed and panders to players with 0% attention span. He also said the decision to rebuild the game in Unreal Engine was worthwhile and justified.

Lehto added that social media can fuel hate around the game, while in-person reactions tend to be much more relaxed. "This [X] platform fosters that hate," he said, adding that if people got together in one room, they would probably end up having a pretty good time playing the game together.

Halo: Campaign Evolved is clearly getting attention not just because it brings Halo back in a new form, but because even one of its creators sees both the strengths and the missteps in the same package. Does Lehto's mixed reaction make you more curious about the remake, or less confident in its changes?