The classic and refreshing Halo experience is back with its newest rendition in Halo Infinite, a first-person shooter game, in which players are able to play as Spartans or the famous Master Chief in the campaign. The game is a nostalgic trip for many returning Halo fans.

In contrast to Halo 5, the game goes back to a much more boots-on-the-ground feel. There are abilities that Spartans can now pick up, but older abilities like the Ground Pound and Spartan Charge from older games are gone. 

One of the best additions to the game is the Grappling Hook, an ability that allows unparalleled movement and engagement power, and one of the best versions of a grappling hook in a game. Sprint was also added to the game and though it was controversial, it didn’t negatively impact the game at all. It feels natural in the current environment of shooters. 

The guns in the game feel amazing and all have a specific niche. The assault rifle, which everyone spawns in with, feels powerful enough, but the weapon pickups are what make the game truly stand out. There are a number of unique weapons in the game along with the classics. The Battle Rifle shines as a burst weapon for mid or longer ranges. The Heatwave, almost an energy shotgun, has two modes, a vertical and horizontal spread. The Energy Sword and Gravity Hammer feel very potent when you can actually get the weapons. 

There are only a few gamemodes at the moment, but more are on their way. Currently, you can access Oddball, where the objective is to hold onto the ball, Capture the Flag, Slayer (basically Team Deathmatch), and a range of modes within Big Team Battle which holds 12v12s rather than the usual gamemodes’ 6v6s. There is virtually nothing to complain about when it comes to gameplay, but the limited gamemode selection has been a sore spot for players. Along with this, other more prevalent problems are being discovered after the nostalgia high of older players has worn off. 

There have been some problems with Halo Infinite, although they are not entirely unfixable blunders. The game was initially delayed in 2020, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, to December 8, 2021, but it’s multiplayer was launched early on November 15, 2021 to be on time for the Halo series’ 20th anniversary. This is a positive note, but what came out on November 15 was arguably not ready. 

The biggest problem in the game currently is customization. The game is live-service, meaning there will be consistent updates as the game continues. In today’s climate of gaming, that means a Battle pass. Every game’s got to have a Battle pass right? This coupled with other microtransactions are where the complaints stem from. First of all, progression through the Battle pass is very slow and requires completing missions that require specific circumstances, limiting how people play the game. Secondly, most of the customization in the game is either locked behind the Battlepass or in the shop where the prices vary from around $3 to $20, which some players feel are overpriced. Over time, the community’s feedback is being heard and changes are being made, but it is a misstep within the Halo franchise. 

The gameplay is clean and polished, which makes it easier to forgive its flaws. It’s an intricate conversation because the free-to-play nature of Halo Infinite’s multiplayer resulted in microtransactions while the older full-price games didn’t have them. Along with this, the Halo Infinite campaign is being sold as a complete full price game off to the side.

Currently, the Halo Infinite campaign can be bought for $59.99 on the Microsoft store or Steam. Xbox Game Pass owners get the campaign for free. The Campaign continues off of the story of Halo 5 and is presented as a sort of mystery. Without spoiling much, Master Chief ends up on Zeta Halo, an open world sandbox where Master Chief will spend a lot of time between story missions.

The game looks spectacular, especially on higher-end hardware and there are a ton of places to explore within the world as well as collectibles. There are a ton of Easter Eggs to older games as well as the series Red vs. Blue, a show that was initially made using the medium of Halo games.

I would highly recommend playing Halo Infinite. The multiplayer is free, so you should try it out – see how well it runs, how it feels. Maybe you’ll end up enjoying it as countless other fans have.

I would rate it a 9/10 due to its polished nature and feel. Seeing the other games that have come out recently, there is a certain amount of respect for Halo in that its launch has not been as disastrous as others, such as Battlefield 2042. There may be minor problems with it currently, but it feels like a game that will stand the test of time, hence the Infinite in its title.