The main menu ring is the most offensive thing we see every time we boot up the game. It should feel massive, dark, mysterious, sinister, but also full of wonder. This new ring looks like a shiny new toy - out of scale, no mystery, damn ugly.
— Marcus Lehto (@game_fabricator) August 13, 2026
‘Out of scale, no mystery, damn ugly’ Halo’s original art director shares his thoughts on Campaign Evolved’s architecture
Combat Evolved’s art director, Marcus Lehto, criticises Campaign Evolved’s redesigned Halo ring
Campaign Evolved’s “main menu ring is the most offensive thing we see every time we boot up the game,” according to Halo’s original art director.
Marcus Lehto is known as the father of Master Chief and co-creator of the Halo universe after working as art director on the original Halo: Combat Evolved. He recently took to social media to share his thoughts on the art style of the recent Halo: Combat Evolved remake, Campaign Evolved.
The main issue is the game’s Forerunner architecture, structures built by the ancient race that built the Halo rings.
“While Forerunner tech was metal (not stone), it was also ancient, vast, alive, and a tomb to the horrors that lurked within,” Lehto shared alongside a comparison between the exteriors of the new and original Halo rings. “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.”
He continues, “The main menu ring is the most offensive thing we see every time we boot up the game. It should feel massive, dark, mysterious, sinister, but also full of wonder. This new ring looks like a shiny new toy — out of scale, no mystery, damn ugly.”
But even the background behind the Halo ring was carefully chosen in the original game, as Lehto explains: “Also, for the lore, the ring in CE resides far out on the fringe of the Milky Way galaxy, which we see in the background.”
Lehto’s followers chimed in, mostly sharing his sentiments, but the complaints don’t extend to the game’s other visual changes. “Totally agree. Covenant and Flood aesthetics felt wonderful throughout,” Lehto said in a reply.
VGC’s Andy Robinson reviewed Halo: Campaign Evolved and said, “Halo Studios’ Unreal Engine 5-powered upgrade of the original Halo campaign elevates the original with sublime visuals, smart tweaks, and broad respect for the gameplay feel, design, and aesthetic that makes this game so beloved.”
We also have a full list of all Skull and Terminal locations in Halo: Campaign Evolved to help your playthrough.
