By Redactor Halo Infinite arrived with a bang, promising a return to form for the iconic franchise. It delivers an undeniably thrilling combat experience, boasting a refined sandbox and a grappling hook that revolutionizes traversal. The return of Master Chief is welcome, and the narrative, while not groundbreaking, offers compelling moments. However, the game feels like a project still in progress, leaving players wanting more in certain key areas, showcasing that the Halo Infinite experience isn’t quite complete. The question remains: does the inherent fun outweigh the noticeable gaps in content and polish?
At its heart, Halo Infinite excels where it matters most: the gameplay. The combat is fluid, responsive, and deeply satisfying. The sandbox of weapons and vehicles provides countless tactical options, allowing players to approach encounters in creative and engaging ways. The addition of equipment, particularly the grappling hook, adds a new dimension to both combat and exploration. This single addition elevates the entire game, turning familiar environments into playgrounds of verticality and strategic maneuvering.
- Weapon Variety: A diverse arsenal with distinct strengths and weaknesses.
- Strategic Combat: Encourages tactical thinking and adaptation.
- Open World Exploration: The semi-open world provides opportunities for discovery and emergent gameplay.
- Grappling Hook: Revolutionizes traversal and combat encounters.
While the core gameplay shines, Halo Infinite’s content offerings feel somewhat lacking, especially post-launch. The campaign, while enjoyable, is shorter than previous installments and lacks the narrative depth some fans expected. Multiplayer, while free-to-play and accessible, has been criticized for its slow progression system and limited customization options. The lack of cooperative campaign play at launch was a significant disappointment, and while it has been added, it highlights the feeling of a game released before it was fully ready.
- Campaign Length: Feels shorter and less expansive compared to previous Halo titles.
- Multiplayer Progression: Slow and grindy, hindering player engagement.
- Content Updates: The pace of new content additions has been slow, leaving players wanting more.
At launch, Halo Infinite suffered from a number of technical issues, ranging from minor glitches to more significant performance problems. While many of these issues have been addressed through updates, they detracted from the initial experience. Visually, the game is a mixed bag. While the environments can be stunning, particularly on high-end PCs and the Xbox Series X, there are also areas that feel unfinished or lacking in detail.
The game requires you to constantly switch up your tactics in combat due to the enemy types. The Brutes, for example, require a different approach than the Elites.
Halo Infinite arrived with a bang, promising a return to form for the iconic franchise. It delivers an undeniably thrilling combat experience, boasting a refined sandbox and a grappling hook that revolutionizes traversal. The return of Master Chief is welcome, and the narrative, while not groundbreaking, offers compelling moments. However, the game feels like a project still in progress, leaving players wanting more in certain key areas, showcasing that the Halo Infinite experience isn’t quite complete. The question remains: does the inherent fun outweigh the noticeable gaps in content and polish?
A Masterful Core Gameplay Loop
At its heart, Halo Infinite excels where it matters most: the gameplay. The combat is fluid, responsive, and deeply satisfying. The sandbox of weapons and vehicles provides countless tactical options, allowing players to approach encounters in creative and engaging ways. The addition of equipment, particularly the grappling hook, adds a new dimension to both combat and exploration. This single addition elevates the entire game, turning familiar environments into playgrounds of verticality and strategic maneuvering.
Key Gameplay Strengths:
- Weapon Variety: A diverse arsenal with distinct strengths and weaknesses.
- Strategic Combat: Encourages tactical thinking and adaptation.
- Open World Exploration: The semi-open world provides opportunities for discovery and emergent gameplay.
- Grappling Hook: Revolutionizes traversal and combat encounters.
The Content Conundrum
While the core gameplay shines, Halo Infinite’s content offerings feel somewhat lacking, especially post-launch. The campaign, while enjoyable, is shorter than previous installments and lacks the narrative depth some fans expected. Multiplayer, while free-to-play and accessible, has been criticized for its slow progression system and limited customization options. The lack of cooperative campaign play at launch was a significant disappointment, and while it has been added, it highlights the feeling of a game released before it was fully ready.
Areas for Improvement:
- Campaign Length: Feels shorter and less expansive compared to previous Halo titles.
- Multiplayer Progression: Slow and grindy, hindering player engagement.
- Content Updates: The pace of new content additions has been slow, leaving players wanting more.
Technical Hiccups and Visual Polish
At launch, Halo Infinite suffered from a number of technical issues, ranging from minor glitches to more significant performance problems. While many of these issues have been addressed through updates, they detracted from the initial experience. Visually, the game is a mixed bag. While the environments can be stunning, particularly on high-end PCs and the Xbox Series X, there are also areas that feel unfinished or lacking in detail.
The game requires you to constantly switch up your tactics in combat due to the enemy types. The Brutes, for example, require a different approach than the Elites;
Final Verdict
My own journey with Halo Infinite has been a rollercoaster. I pre-ordered the game with immense excitement, remembering the countless hours I poured into Halo 3 back in the day. Initially, I was blown away. Swinging around Zeta Halo with the grappling hook felt fresh and exhilarating. I spent hours perfecting my grappleshot maneuvers, pulling enemies closer and unleashing devastating shotgun blasts. I remember one particularly intense firefight near a Forerunner structure where I used the environment and my grappling hook to outmaneuver a squad of Elites – it was pure Halo bliss. My character, a custom Spartan named “Valkyrie,” felt truly badass.
However, as I progressed through the campaign, the initial excitement began to wane. The open world, while initially appealing, started to feel repetitive. I found myself clearing the same types of outposts repeatedly, and the lack of environmental variety became noticeable. I longed for the diverse biomes of previous Halo games. The story, while having its moments, felt rushed and lacked the emotional impact I expected. I finished the campaign in about 15 hours, which felt short compared to other entries in the series.
Multiplayer, on the other hand, has been a mixed bag. The core gameplay is incredibly fun, and I’ve had some truly epic matches. Capturing the flag on Behemoth, dodging rockets and grenades while sprinting towards the enemy base – it’s the classic Halo experience I know and love. I spent a considerable amount of time trying to unlock the perfect armor combination for Valkyrie, but the slow progression system quickly became frustrating. I felt like I was grinding for hours just to unlock a single helmet attachment. I even considered purchasing some cosmetic items, but the prices felt exorbitant, which led me to reconsider.
One particularly frustrating experience I had was during a ranked arena match on Recharge. My team was down by one point in the final seconds, and I managed to snag the oddball. I was sprinting towards our base, desperately trying to secure the win, when suddenly, the game froze. I was disconnected and lost ranking points. It was incredibly frustrating to have my progress hampered by technical issues. While the updates have certainly improved stability, these kinds of hiccups still happen occasionally.
Ultimately, I still enjoy playing Halo Infinite. The core gameplay is too good to ignore, and I find myself returning to multiplayer for a quick match or two on a regular basis. However, I can’t help but feel that the game has unrealized potential. I hope that 343 Industries continues to support the game with meaningful content updates and addresses the remaining technical issues. I think the game could become a true masterpiece if they continue to listen to the community. I hope the company does not let Halo Infinite fail.
