Halo Infinite has had its share of ups and downs during development. But unlike many studios that rush out unfinished products, and then proceed to fix them post-launch, 343 Industries delayed Infinite by nearly a year to make sure it lived up to the Halo legacy. And we’re happy to report that this delay has done wonders for the game, because not only is Infinite a great Halo game, but it’s also one of the best shooters we’ve played all year.
Infinite takes place nearly five years after the events of Halo 5. Master Chief is floating in space after losing to the Banished, when he gets rescued by another pilot who’s also kinds of lost in space. They quickly form an alliance, and after partnering up with another AI companion called the Weapon, they find themselves on Zeta Halo, one of the seven Halo rings that just so happens to be oppressed by Banished forces. The Chief and his new allies jump into action to liberate Zeta, rescue scattered UNSC forces, and banish the Banished (sorry we had to).
Halo has always been known and loved for its sandbox experience, and Infinite takes that philosophy one step further in the form of an open-world that can be explored any way you want. After a linear tutorial, you’re dropped into this gorgeous world that you can explore at will. Like many of the open-world games today, Infinite’s map is littered with a ton of content to experience, be it collectibles, taking out HVTs (high value targets), rescuing UNSC squads, or liberating outposts. Collectibles in Infinite come in the form of Spartan cores that can be used to enhance Chief’s abilities. The Chief now has access to new equipment in this game, from offense and defensive tools such as drop walls that block bullets to threat sensors that ping enemies on your mini-map. But they all pale in comparison to the multi-functional grapple hook. Not only can the Chief use this to zip around the environment, but he can use it in combat to throw explosive canisters at enemies, stun them, hijack vehicles or make a hasty exit. Collecting the cores peppered across the game world will allow players to upgrade and improve these pieces of equipment.
The other activities in Infinite are similar to the ones you’ll encounter in a Far Cry or an Assassin’s Creed game, but they never seem like a chore simply because the moment to moment gunplay in Infinite is so satisfying. Moving around the map, smacking enemies with the butt of your rifle, or lobbing a plasma ‘nade between a group of enemies never gets old thanks to the game’s tremendous combat feedback. If you’re not a fan of the open-world, the game’s story missions are structured much like the older Halo games, where you fight off waves of enemies in linear – but gorgeous – corridors. We did, however, find this a little restrictive after the tremendous amount of freedom and combat options offered in the open world.
Halo Infinite is the perfect way to design a sequel. Developer 343 Industries has retained the franchise’s DNA by making sure it feels very much like a Halo game. At the same time, they’ve improved upon and added in gameplay elements that will appeal to newcomers. This results in a happy fan base that not only has a solid single-player campaign to play through, but can experience Halo’s addictive multiplayer free of cost.
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