- Halo Infinite landed right in the middle of modern and classic elements.
- Everything from the movement and gunplay felt modern yet reminiscent of classic Halo.
- The game’s art style was also much closer to that of Bungie’s older games.
Halo Infinite is seemingly entering the latter part of its lifecycle. With 343 Industries scaling down support for the Master Chief Collection and hiring for the future of this series, it seems the latest entry is no longer the team’s sole focus.
Throughout its first two years on the market, the game has been subject to criticism for many reasons. A lack of content, poor progression systems, broken promises, you name it.
343 Industries seemingly made every mistake possible. However, Halo Infinite also got a lot right. In my opinion, the game made an excellent first impression, thanks to its core gameplay.
Two years later, the movement, gunplay, and sandbox elements remain just as strong. I believe 343 Industries struck the perfect balance between familiar mechanics and added just enough new mechanics to carve out a unique identity that paid homage to the classics.
Why it matters: This franchise is still Microsoft’s flagship IP, so each entry is given the utmost attention from the publisher.
Learning The Right Lessons From Halo 3
Before Halo Infinite, 343 Industries had taken wildly different directions with its first two games. Halo 4 was hell-bent on emulating the success of Call of Duty multiplayer, as was every other shooter in 2012.
Meanwhile, Halo 5 was hyper-competitive, ignoring the party game and casual elements. These goals manifested in both games having very distinct styles, with everything starting with the movement.
Halo Infinite, in my opinion, has the perfect movement system for a modern rendition of this series. Sprinting returns but does not become the primary movement option, instead providing a subtle but noticeable boost.
Meanwhile, Halo 5’s advanced movement options are nowhere to be found, with the thrusters relegated to limited-time equipment. With sprint toned down and Halo 5’s options gone, Halo Infinite immediately feels like an evolution of Bungie’s classic games before Halo Reach.
On the other hand, sliding adds just enough variety to the movement, offering a fresh experience expected of a new entry.
Best Halo Gunplay To Date?
In addition to movement, Halo Infinite nailed another crucial part of first-person shooters. Each franchise in the genre has its distinct feel, and Halo’s essence lies in core weapons that feel devastating yet challenging to use and Power Weapons that unleash hell on the battlefield.
From my experience with 343 Industries’ games, the team could not fully capture the essence of Halo’s punchy combat until this entry. The kick-back from a Gravity Hammer strike, the snappy melee of the Energy Sword, and the razor-sharp accuracy of the Sniper Rifle.
Halo Infinite has it all. Basic weapons like the Assault Rifle have also never felt better to use, giving them a greater sense of identity.
Nailing The Halo Aesthetic
Compared to Halo 4 and 5, Infinite offers a more simpler aesthetic. The sharp and defined edges found so prominently in 343 Industries’ past games have been replaced with a sleeker look.
From the weapons and vehicles to the Spartan armor, this change is reflected in each facet of the game. Take the Battle Rifle from Halo 4 & 5, for instance. The former received an overhaul in line with the game’s focus on nailing a sci-fi look, while the latter practically felt like a different gun.
Throwing those changes out of the window, Halo Infinite brought back a version of the Battle Rifle reminiscent of Bungie’s first few iterations. Similar changes were made to the look of Master Chief himself.
Continuing this trend, the game’s environments offered a much more basic look, infusing the game with Halo’s core identity. The same can also be said for the enemy designs, with the Banished fitting right in.
All things considered, 343 Industries almost struck gold. This is just scratching the surface of everything that made Halo Infinite’s groundwork so great, yet the game was let down by everything around it.
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[News Reporter]
Avinash is currently pursuing a Business degree in Australia. For more than three years, he has been working as a gaming journalist, utilizing his writing skills and love for gaming to report on the latest updates in the industry. Avinash loves to play action games like Devil May Cry and has also been mentioned on highly regarded websites, such as IGN, GamesRadar, GameRant, Dualshockers, CBR, and Gamespot.
