Marcus Lehto, a key figure in the creation of Halo and its iconic art direction, has expressed significant dissatisfaction with the depiction of the franchise's titular ring in the recently released remake, Halo: Campaign Evolved. Lehto, who served as art director for the first three Halo titles, described the new ring design as "damn ugly" and criticized its departure from the original's aesthetic. The remake, built in Unreal Engine 5, launched last month for PS5, Xbox, and PC.
Lehto's critique, voiced on social media, centers on the remake's presentation of the Halo ring, particularly in the main menu. He argues that the new design is overly "shiny" and appears too recently constructed, failing to convey the sense of ancient, war-torn history that the original game's ring possessed. "While Forerunner tech was metal (not stone) it was also ancient, vast, alive, and a tomb to the horrors that lurked within. It had seen hundreds of millennia of conflict. Yet the game shows it as shiny metal that looks like it was built a few years ago," Lehto stated.
He further elaborated that the main menu's ring should evoke feelings of being "massive, dark, mysterious, sinister, but also full of wonder." Instead, he finds the remake's version to be akin to a "shiny new toy" that lacks proper scale and mystery. According to Lehto, a significant issue is the lack of micro-detail, which he believes is crucial for establishing the ring's epic scale. He asserted that the design needs to feel like an "ancient tomb."
Despite his strong objections to the ring's visual treatment, Lehto offered praise for other aspects of Halo: Campaign Evolved. He agreed with fan sentiments that the remake successfully captured the aesthetics of the Flood and Covenant forces. "Totally agree. Covenant and Flood aesthetics felt wonderful throughout," he commented.
The author of the original report echoed Lehto's sentiments, noting that the ring's appearance in the remake is jarring. While acknowledging the remake's strengths in enemy and weapon design, there is a hope that future installments, such as a potential remake of Halo 2, will feature a ring and environment art that leans more into the classic, mysterious feel of the original games.