When I was younger, I remember being amazed at the scale of the levels in Halo: CE. The second mission in particular, aptly named "Halo", was the real standout. Being able to choose your path and drive the Warthog around was amazing. I couldn't wait for the technology to catch up so we could have a seamless Halo experience from start to finish.

Halo Infinite attempts to do just that, with mixed results. Unlike other open-world games, you are not inundated with points of interest on your minimap. While playing in co-op, we found ourselves naturally stumbling upon side missions and activities to complete. Each side activity would reward you with something tangible, thus respecting your time and effort.

The overall gameplay is very tight and responsive, it feels great to play. They've also added a number of new gadgets and abilities to use, with the grappling hook being the standout. While it may seem out of place in a Halo game, it works very well and is super fun to use.

As for the story, I think they did a good job, because just like in all the other Halo games, I had no idea what was going on. Although, as @Splodey mentioned in his review, the game has a very melancholic tone and feel. I don't know if it was intentional, but it was definitely noticeable throughout the campaign.

I remember reading that the art direction they chose was a deliberate nod to the visuals of Halo: CE. I think it worked really well and I hope they stick with it for future releases.

The game can look nice at times, but it's easy to tell that it's a cross-gen release. The lack of raytracing on the PC and XSX was a bit of a disappointment, as the game could have benefited greatly from it.

I had very low expectations for this Halo title. One of the reasons I picked up the Xbox Series X was to play it, only to have the game delayed multiple times and launched in a poor state. The lack of co-op at launch was the biggest sin of all. However, they seem to have improved the game a lot since launch. I think all fans of Halo should give it a try.

This is basically the same game as Need For Speed Underground Rivals, but with a few tweaks, namely the implementation of the Blacklist and the addition of cop chases.

Progression has been simplified, and you no longer have to jump back and forth between "novice" and "pro" events to progress. Still, the game doesn't respect your time at all, as most events are padded in length. Be prepared to spend nearly 30 minutes of your time in a single tournament later in the game.

I found the cop chases to be really lackluster compared to Most Wanted on other platforms. Unlike in the main game, you have no chance against the police. They always match your speed and are no fun to fight. The only way to lose them is to take the shortcuts, which they always avoid for some reason.

After playing Underground Rivals, I didn't want to spend more hours playing the same game with a different skin. Just stick to Most Wanted on consoles or PC instead.

After so many years, I finally understood what all the hype was about. The only thing I don't understand is why people prefer Underground 2 to Most Wanted. The original MW blows NFSU2 out of the water, easily.

Almost everything that was wrong with NFSU2 has been fixed, and only the good parts remain. The linear progression deserves special praise, and I loved how they incorporated it into the game with the Blacklist approach. The open world is still there, but you no longer have to drive from one event to another, which saves a lot of time.

The biggest addition is the cop chases, and they've done a great job with the implementation. The cops are really fun to mess with and you as a racer have a real chance against them. The police chatter is probably the best I've ever heard in an arcade racing game.

I actually liked the story. Sure, it's a bit cheesy, but it motivated me to finish the game and climb to the top of the Blacklist.

There are only a few minor issues with the game. I found the open world a little bland and boring. I also wish they had kept the extensive customization from NFSU2.

Unlike NFSU2, I didn't use any mods to improve the pacing or balance of the game. The only mods I used were to restore the Xbox 360 visuals to the PC version.

With a few tweaks, this could have been the perfect racing game. I'm glad I finally gave it a shot.