“COMBAT EVOLVED” MIGHT BE MORE APPROPRIATE
All signs pointed towards Halo Infinite’s failure.
The terrible July 2020 debut was a Spartan elbow to your gut. A month later, the delay felt like the series’ dog tags had been ripped out of the sand. 343 Industries was, perhaps unjustly, questioned about whether it would bring Halo back to its glory days, a thought that has persisted since Bungie’s move a decade ago.
The developer made the crucial decision to regroup, much like Master Chief taking a step back to avoid being hit with a barrage of fire. Any signs of defeat are gone and the shields have been able to regenerate. Halo Infinite, a spectacular return to form, combines fan-favorite elements from the series’ greatest successes while propelling the franchise into new territory.
This new territory is the Zeta Halo Ring, which acts as an open-world playground during much of the campaign. The classic Halo: Combat Evolved mission “The Silent Cartographer” is a strong influence here. It’s a level that’s so great it’s worth going back to 20 years ago to experience it if you haven’t.
After a few hours of establishing the scene and playing some corridor-confined, linear gameplay, you’ll finally drop into Zeta. You’ll learn how to use the grapple hook accessory. It almost feels like a series standard. It is easy to integrate and offers many possibilities for absurd combat moments.
You can do heroic things in Halo, and the grappling look only amplifies that Hollywood stunt feeling. When you grab onto a vehicle to launch the pilot into an abyss, it will make you squeal.
The opening section introduces The Banished, a mercenary group that left the Covenant to seek power. You will be able to meet Brute Escharum, the group’s high commander, often in hologram format. His propaganda spans from the first ship deck to the main island pathways, and his gruff voice rallies the troops wherever you go.
“Like Master Chief taking a step back to avoid a volley, the developer’s decision not to regroup was crucial.” All signs of defeat are gone and the shields have been regenerated.”
The opening set the scene from a gameplay perspective, but there are hints that it is not up to Halo 2’s standard of storytelling. 343 Industries is trying to find a way forward after the highly criticized events of Halo 5 Guardians.
Infinite applies disinfectant, and it feels almost like a fresh start once you get on Zeta. The campaign is filled with memorable moments and interactions between Chief, Chief and an AI character called ‘The Weapon’. However, Infinite has a clear intention of wiping the slate clean in order to produce a better narrative arc in future.
The opening set the scene from a gameplay perspective, but there are hints that it isn’t up to Halo 2’s standards for storytelling. 343 Industries is trying to find a way forward after the highly criticized events of Halo 5 Guardians.
Infinite applies disinfectant, and it feels almost like a fresh start once you get on Zeta. The campaign is filled with memorable moments and interactions between Chief, Chief, and an AI character called ‘The Weapon’. However, Infinite has a clear intention of clearing the slate in order to create a better narrative arc in future campaigns.
The best thing about the open-world environment? You can jump on The Banished if your smart. If you can storm a Forward Operating Base, you can easily catch them off guard. You have the potential for some truly memorable moments, especially considering the effects of the explosive canisters scattered around each base.
In one flash of glory, I accidentally threw my Warthog across a huge hillside and into a base. Grunts chatted among themselves. They were unorganized and uninterested until the first bullet struck, which brought the camp to life with explosives flying by.
Grunts can still be hilariously insane and will shout trash talk to your face before running away with their tiny arms flailing around. Elites are smart, calculating, and understand Master Chief’s power but they won’t commit until the opportunity presents itself.
Unnerving and unafraid, the Brutes move forward to destroy the UNSC with all their might. Even though AI is intelligent, especially on higher difficulties, there is still a feeling that The Banished don’t have a well-trained army.
You can unlock vehicles and weapons by taking over bases or completing missions. Special weapon variants will be added to your arsenal when you eliminate specific targets. It is easy to open. You’ll soon be able to traverse Zeta’s planes equipped with all sorts of vehicles, and ready to cause havoc with marines.
Zeta is a beautiful, but barren host. It is disappointing that there is not much variation. What you see in the beginning–a combination of bright blue skies, trees and darkened corridors—-is what you will continue to see for most of the game. Although Infinite looks great, we are still not impressed by it after playing Forza Horizon 5. It’s still great, especially when the soundtrack kicks in as your assault launches.
