Halo Co-Creator Has Remastered Halo: Combat Evolved
The year is 2001, Shaggy's "Angel" is at No. 1 in the charts, the OG Harry Potter movie is at the top of the box office, and Pokemon Gold and Silver is the best-selling game. It was a simpler time, and little did we know, we were on the cusp of something big thanks to the release of the Xbox and Halo: Combat Evolved.
As the console wars of the current generation seem to cool, Microsoft continues to look like it has Sony pinned in a corner. 20 years ago, who'd have thought Master Chief would have the chops to trounce Lara Croft and Crash Bandicoot? Now, the co-creator of Halo has remastered Combat Evolved Master Chief to show what he'd look like in 2021.
What Does The Remastered Halo: Combat Evolved Look Like?
Marcus Lehto is Halo's co-creator and is often credited as being the "Father of Master Chief". In honour of Combat Evolved's 20th anniversary and the release of Halo Infinite, Lehto threw Master Chief and his Warthog into Unreal Engine 4 to show what they'd look like today.
Unlike video game icons like Lara, Mario, and Spyro the Dragon, Master Chief's boxy outfit mean he doesn't look too different to what he did all those years ago. Then again, a 2021 Combat Evolved Master Chief is definitely a lot smoother. Importantly, the nostalgia has come flooding back of those long evenings grinding through Combat Evolved while surviving on Mountain Dew and Cheetos.
Other fans loved Lehto's recreation and quickly championed a new-gen version of Combat Evolved. Even 343 Narrative Writer Jeff Easterling was blown away, writing "So awesome, brother. The legendary gift that keeps on giving!" 343 Community Director Brian Jarrard added, "Stunning work, Marcus! Thank you for 20 years!" It's a testament to Lehto's legacy that even those working on the current era of Halo have so much respect for him.
Could We See A Remastered Halo: Combat Evolved?
The love for Lehto's rendering has obviously sparked hopes of (another) remaster of Combat Evolved. In 2011, there was a remake in the form of Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary, but sadly, the title didn't get a mythical Revolved for its 20-year celebration. Combat Evolved was last released as part of 2014's Master Chief Collection. A lot has changed in terms of Halo's team, with Lehto leaving original developer Bungie in 2012.
Lehto went on to form V1 Interactive - which struggled when it released Disintegration. Following the shuttering of Disintegration's servers, V1 soon followed suit. Most recently, he's joined EA to form a brand-new studio. Lehto is regarded as an icon within the industry and helping Halo rise to the lofty heights it is today.
Thankfully, there doesn't seem to be any bad blood between Lehto and 343. He's regularly posted on Twitter to show how much he's enjoying Halo Infinite. All we need now is the original Bungie team to get back together to release an Unreal Engine Halo: Combat Evolved. You know it makes sense.
