According to former Bungie lead mission designer Nils Sankey, Unreal Engine 5 could harm the Halo remake. In an interview, he noted that modern graphics technologies could negatively affect one of the key features of classic Halo – the tactical readability of the game space.
According to the developer, the original Halo stood out because the player could always quickly assess the situation on the battlefield: easily distinguish enemies, understand movement routes, and see important map points. Sankey believes that an excessive amount of vegetation, complex environmental effects, and overly detailed locations can worsen the perception of what is happening.
First and foremost, it's a game. The player needs to see enemies, understand their routes and attack directions. That's what makes the process engaging.
He added that some studios sometimes focus too much on creating the most impressive graphics, without considering how visual excesses affect gameplay.
At the same time, Sankey admitted that it is too early to draw final conclusions about Halo: Campaign Evolved, as very little material on the project has been shown to the public. More details are expected to emerge during the upcoming Xbox Games Showcase presentation.