HALO’s original developer says the remake is “like a dance remix of a classic song that skips the intro and bridge and plays the chorus over and over”

THE Halo the franchise has always brought with it a certain magic with that perfect blend of mystery, music and action-packed chaos that has defined an entire generation of gamers. So when Halo: Evolved Campaign was announced during HCS 2025, fans were excited to see a modern take on one of gaming’s greatest campaigns.

The reveal showcased The Silent Cartographer, one of the best missions in Halo: Advanced Combatwith a comprehensive 13-minute walkthrough that gave us an idea of ​​how far the remake has come.

But not everyone was impressed. Jaime Griesemerone of the original designers of Halo: CE, had some strong opinions about what he saw in the footage.

“You shouldn’t be able to bring the Warthog up to crush hunters,” Griesemer tweeted. “I intentionally placed rocks in the road, so you had to fight them on foot.

“When you can just destroy the crates, it ruins encounters. But the worst part? They put trees in the WooHoo Jump landing area. Boring.”

In the demo, the player drives a Warthog directly into a pair of hunters, turning what was once a tense encounter into a drive-by. For Griesemer, that small change breaks the carefully tuned rhythm of the mission he helped create more than two decades ago.

“It’s like a dance remix of a classic song that skips the intro and bridge and just rehashes the chorus over and over again.”

This comparison paints a clear picture that the remake may look gorgeous and sound great, but for Griesemer it lacks the subtle pacing and structure that made the original so memorable.

But not all of the old guard agree. Marco Lehto, HaloThe co-creator of and longtime artistic director had a much more optimistic outlook on the project.

“It’s great to see new and familiar faces bringing the Halo team to life. Explorations look great.”

Halo: Evolved Campaign it is promoted as a “faithful remake” that is actually built on some of the original game’s code. However, Halo Studios has also been transparent about updating certain levels to better fit modern gameplay, including adding four-player online co-op and tweaking missions like The Library to remove some of its 2001-era frustrations.

So while purists like Griesemer might not appreciate the tweaks, others see it as a natural evolution, a remix meant to keep Halo alive for a new generation of Spartans. Whether it’s a respectful remaster or a club remix that “skips the intro and bridge,” we’ll have to wait until Halo: Campaign Evolved releases next year to find out.