You can queue up for online competition in social playlists like Team Slayer and Big Team Battle, test your skills in the ranked arena, or enjoy custom matches with your friends. Free-to-FightĪs expected with any major Halo game, Infinite includes a competitive multiplayer suite, featuring both deathmatch and objective-based modes. There’s a wealth of opportunity when it comes to player expression through combat, and some of the new mechanics (like the grappling hook or fusion coil-throwing) never get old. Overall, Halo Infinite‘s campaign mode is consistently entertaining and never stops being fun, as long as the bullets are flying. Fortunately, there’s an equally diverse arsenal of weapons to fight with, including fan-favorites like the Battle Rifle and Energy Sword, as well as new guns like the Skewer, Stalker Rifle, and Ravager. From the lowly Grunts and sword-wielding Elites to the heavily-armored Hunters and sniping Jackals, each type of enemy in the Banished army feels distinct, with the stronger ones requiring some strategy to take down. Banished troops routinely patrol the map or hang out in large groups, waiting for Master Chief to beat them to a pulp. As you successfully complete these blips of interest around the map, you’ll earn Valor, which adds new weapons and vehicles to pick up at fast-travel points.Īlthough the open-world structure of Halo Infinite sounds weird at first, it works surprisingly well with the franchise’s expansive and quirky combat, affording a feeling of power akin to DOOM.

When you’re not hunting for Spartan Cores or picking up audio logs, you can engage in a handful of open-world activities, including rescuing UNSC marines, blowing up propaganda towers, hunting down high-value targets, and more. For example, after upgrading your thrusters a few times, you’ll temporarily turn invisible after using them, giving you time to advance or retreat without being spotted. Upgrading is a must, as enhanced equipment offers quicker cool-down times, passive bonuses, and more. These four pieces of equipment can be upgraded by spending Spartan Cores, found scattered around the map and during missions. The grappling hook isn’t the only new piece of equipment in the game, with Master Chief earning a thruster pack, deployable shields, and a threat sensor as well. You can grapple discarded weapons or fusion coils and use them on enemies, swing from great heights without worrying about fall damage, or make a quick escape when your shield runs out. In terms of video game grappling hooks, Halo Infinite‘s is near the top of the list, unlocking blissfully fast movement and tons of combat opportunities. In both the linear story missions and open-world activities, the action feels incredibly satisfying, thanks in no small part to the addition of a grappling hook. Luckily, Halo Infinite is an absolute blast to play, with the raw gameplay picking up the slack of the story. It’s not a bad story by any means, but with Halo Infinite being billed as the last standalone entry in the franchise for the foreseeable future, I expected a more satisfying send-off. There are some interesting story beats and nuggets of awesome science fiction littered throughout, but I felt slightly disappointed by the end credits. Unfortunately, the core plot feels somewhat retreated and anticlimactic. Thankfully, the voice acting is fantastic, with hefty emotion from all cast members. In general, there’s a lot of exposition and dialogue instead of cutscenes or set-piece moments, with your AI companion informing you about everything along the way. The main villain, a Brute named Escharum, is plenty intimidating, but spends most of the game yelling at you through holograms rather than showing off his power. It’s a good thing that exploring the Zeta Halo provides a rich sense of atmospheric storytelling, because the actual plot leaves a bit to be desired.

Halo infinite rating