Halo Infinite is a welcome shake up of the Halo formula, which has become stale in the past couple entries, feeling both fresh and familiar. The open world of Zeta Halo is the game’s biggest innovation. There are still some linear missions, but a good chunk of the campaign consists of open world sections which provide a lot of flexibility with how objectives can be approached. Not to mention Zeta Halo is full of side missions and collectibles. Unfortunately, ‘quality over quantity’ seems to have been the approach taken with these side missions. There are a few standouts with the high value targets which have detailed back stories on their ascents to becoming feared killers and audio logs which provide intriguing lore. However, there is little to no context with most side missions other than kill everything in sight and it can often feel like you’re doing a check box ticking exercise.
Zeta Halo itself is visually impressive, and the game’s fantastic audio design and soundtrack really help immerse the player in the world. A more varied colour pallet and more biomes wouldn’t have gone amiss, but there is enough differentiation to make areas feel distinct from one another. Traversing this open world with the new grapple hook is a joy. Grappling up mountains and across ravines successfully is incredibly satisfying. Moreover, the grapple hook adds a completely new dynamic to combat, creating a more frenetic experience if you choose to grapple onto enemies and get in their faces at the risk of being overwhelmed by his comrades. Other abilities like the boost thrusters and shield barrier are a tonne of fun to use, and I often found myself switching between these to play off their strengths in encounters. What’s more, unlike a lot of games, the upgrades you can unlock for them are meaningful and can add further dimensions to their use.
To match your expanded arsenal, there are a host of new enemies as well as familiar faces which provide plenty of variety and, combined with how the game mixes linear and open world sequences in the main campaign, create a well-paced experience. Not to mention, this is the first Halo game which nails bosses. Most missions have bosses, and these bosses have diverse and engaging designs. They’re nothing groundbreaking, but it feels like Halo has finally caught up with its competition in this regard. It’s just a shame that this game’s story is forgettable, as I didn’t really have any emotional reaction to defeating bosses pivotal to the game’s narrative. What’s more the game relies too heavily on its gunplay. And while this gunplay is sublime, it can grow repetitive. More vehicle focussed missions and environmental puzzle solving would’ve really help mixed things up.
On a more positive note, Infinite’s multiplayer, in its current state, is a treat. There are plenty of game modes on offer, a good balance of community and developer created content and even a wave based objective based mode. There truly is a bit of something for everyone, whether you’re looking for a fast-paced 4v4 experience, a more strategic affair with 12v12 big team battle or wave-based combat against the banished AI.
Halo Infinite is a huge stride in the right direction for the franchise. While there is still plenty of room for improvement, it has a strong single player offering and a top notch multiplayer experience. Here’s hoping 343 can capitalise on the momentum they have created with Infinite in the future with the inevitable sequel(s) fighting the banished and the titular Atriox.
2021 Ranked
Halo Ranked
Ranked Shooter Campaign Recommendations
Ranked Open World Recommendations
Zeta Halo itself is visually impressive, and the game’s fantastic audio design and soundtrack really help immerse the player in the world. A more varied colour pallet and more biomes wouldn’t have gone amiss, but there is enough differentiation to make areas feel distinct from one another. Traversing this open world with the new grapple hook is a joy. Grappling up mountains and across ravines successfully is incredibly satisfying. Moreover, the grapple hook adds a completely new dynamic to combat, creating a more frenetic experience if you choose to grapple onto enemies and get in their faces at the risk of being overwhelmed by his comrades. Other abilities like the boost thrusters and shield barrier are a tonne of fun to use, and I often found myself switching between these to play off their strengths in encounters. What’s more, unlike a lot of games, the upgrades you can unlock for them are meaningful and can add further dimensions to their use.
To match your expanded arsenal, there are a host of new enemies as well as familiar faces which provide plenty of variety and, combined with how the game mixes linear and open world sequences in the main campaign, create a well-paced experience. Not to mention, this is the first Halo game which nails bosses. Most missions have bosses, and these bosses have diverse and engaging designs. They’re nothing groundbreaking, but it feels like Halo has finally caught up with its competition in this regard. It’s just a shame that this game’s story is forgettable, as I didn’t really have any emotional reaction to defeating bosses pivotal to the game’s narrative. What’s more the game relies too heavily on its gunplay. And while this gunplay is sublime, it can grow repetitive. More vehicle focussed missions and environmental puzzle solving would’ve really help mixed things up.
On a more positive note, Infinite’s multiplayer, in its current state, is a treat. There are plenty of game modes on offer, a good balance of community and developer created content and even a wave based objective based mode. There truly is a bit of something for everyone, whether you’re looking for a fast-paced 4v4 experience, a more strategic affair with 12v12 big team battle or wave-based combat against the banished AI.
Halo Infinite is a huge stride in the right direction for the franchise. While there is still plenty of room for improvement, it has a strong single player offering and a top notch multiplayer experience. Here’s hoping 343 can capitalise on the momentum they have created with Infinite in the future with the inevitable sequel(s) fighting the banished and the titular Atriox.
2021 Ranked
Halo Ranked
Ranked Shooter Campaign Recommendations
Ranked Open World Recommendations