This is the circle of life: Infinite Halo enjoys his time in the spotlight, while Halo 3The original servers of were retired this week. But 343 Industries’ latest offering can’t rest on its laurels just yet, as those elements from previous games are still missing.
Things have been tough for a while, but Infinite Halo arrived on Xbox consoles in two stages at the end of 2021: its multiplayer beta in November and its campaign in December. Although Craig had us all worried after E3 2020, the final product formed quite well and Halo is back, baby.
But there is still a lot of work to do. According to certain metrics and serial standards, Infinite Halo isn’t exactly a full game yet. While the majority of fans are happy to have a new experience to sink their teeth into, there’s still work to be done – and in that regard, 343 Industries should take a closer look at the foundations of the series for inspiration. . Here are five past items that would help improve Infinite Halo:
5) A substantial physical product
This ship has unfortunately already sailed and never really had a chance, but it should be mentioned that Infinite Halo had an incredibly low-key physical launch. There was a “Collector’s Steelbook” edition that barely looked like a token effort – it’s simply a Steelbook, with 99% of the same artwork as the standard edition. That makes sense from Microsoft’s current Game Pass-focused MO, but it also betrays the series’ long tradition of special editions.
Physical products and collector’s editions are becoming a lost art, but they had previously peaked alongside Halo at the end of the years. Bungie’s best releases for the series came with some really choice improvements: Halo Range had two additional releases featuring replicas of game world assets, such as Dr. Halsey’s Diary, while Halo Wars and Halo 3 were packed with art books or bonus discs in special packaging that really stood out on your shelf. The lack of effort on this opus is a sign of the times, but no less disappointing.
4) Multiplayer Campaign
If a tree falls in the forest and no one is there to hear it, does it make a sound? If a Halo game launches without co-op in its story mode, is it really a Halo Game? These questions have plagued philosophers since time immemorial.
Granted, we know this feature is set to arrive for the next season of the game, but the current lack of multiplayer in the campaign has undeniably held back its launch. Like many gamers, I planned to meet a friend online and dive into the new story; neither of us were too excited to check it out, but we were looking for a new co-op experience, and Infinite HaloThe inclusion of Game Pass seemed like an attractive way to spend a few evenings. However, we had to settle for multiplayer instead.
3) Assassinations
There’s a fierce rift between fans as to who reigns supreme, Halo 3 Where Halo Range. The latter had incredibly strong multiplayer though, and one of the features it added was assassinations. Instead of just nudging your opponents when you grab them from behind, a short animation would show you dispatching them in a bit more style. A small thing, but with a slew of different animations that would trigger in unique settings, it added a bit more character to battles between faceless soldiers in power suits. It was also a strategic choice: go for the glory of a short animation, or play it safe and avoid exposing yourself during the scene.
Melee attacks are always instant attacks from behind in Infinite Halo, just without any special animation. Their absence can have a questionable impact on gameplay and strategy, but it also contributes to the general feeling of “incompleteness” that I can’t get rid of. After being delayed for a full year, this new Halo it still looks like it’s cooked.
2) Better armor customization (without main exclusive)
Samus Aran, Gray Fox, and Master Chief all agree: power armor is cool. It certainly played a part in making Halo and its main hero a household name, and the unlocking of new components has inspired hordes of players to take on each game’s challenges. But the soul just isn’t here Infinite Haloarmor options.
The first problem arises from the use of “armor cores”. These allow you to customize different models of Spartan MJOLNIR armor, currently from three different lines: Mark VII, the default; Mark V, exclusive to the Battle Pass; and Yoroi, a samurai-themed set unlocked through limited-time events. You can customize each core you have and switch between them in the main menu. Sounds good in theory.
However, the majority of the unlockable components for each are locked. Want that cute helmet you saw on the menu? You must either make massive progress on the Battle Pass to unlock it, or pay for it directly from the store’s rotating inventory. Most components just say “stay tuned for more details” in their unlock conditions. And each component is also locked to its respective armor core. Makes sense for the core Yoroi theme, but to some extent shouldn’t there be a crossover between the Mark V and the VII?
Even worse are the color schemes. Given the history of the series, you’d expect to be able to at least customize your aesthetic in this regard. But again, each core has its own color scheme. You apply a blueprint to all of your armor, and that’s it. There is a default “Cadet” color swatch, but anything unique, like the dynamic Platinum Anniversary overlay given to early players, is tied to its specific core. So, after strapping myself in to earn the Yoroi core, I found out that I could only use it in a flat, boring gray tone.
On top of that, the current selection of helmets is depressingly thin. Looks like the series peaked in this department in Halo 3, and Infinite Halo barely try to find that flash in a new bottle. There are one or two recognizable variants, like the skull-painted EVA, but only if you can grind enough or pay to unlock them. (I’ll stick with cat ear ties for now – my new hobby looks ridiculous in game intros/outros.)
1) Take your eyes off the Battle Pass, rediscover the fun
Good, Infinite Halo, you see your friends Destiny 2 and fortnite having battle passes, and you want to be in the game too – I get it, that’s fine, that’s the way in the industry these days. But this particular buy-in program has so far been implemented in a way that is incredibly discouraging, even exploitative or insulting to players.
Check the list of Battle Pass rewards, and you’ll find plenty of XP Boost or Challenge Swap tokens, with some basic cosmetic additions sprinkled throughout – admirably, some are even available without paying. It’s all very loaded, with the most wanted items in the upper echelons with hardly any tempting carrots placed along the way to point you in the way. And again, there’s a strong bias towards the Mark V, the pass-exclusive core, including the color schemes.
There is some merit in keeping certain items exclusive to certain armors. But locking something as basic as colors behind paywalls is a massive disservice, having been the most basic customization option in previous games.
We can learn to live with battle passes intruding on our gaming experience. But fundamentally, there’s a certain spark missing in multiplayer so far. How much Halo 3 veterans can still regale you with tales of toppled elephants or other infamous hijinks? there is nothing in it Infinite Halo that inspires that level of buckwild camaraderie, right alongside FPS combat. And when you need to work hard to unlock some pretty rudimentary customization options, you need something like this lightness to stay motivated.
There are Grunts housed in the machinery, but despite these disappointments, Infinite Halo currently has me coming back every few days to see what happens – which is impressive, considering I had almost given up on the show after Halo 4. Our eyes will be on it as 343 Industries continues to update it and the seasons roll on.
