Halo Infinite (Multiplayer)
It has been quite some time since I had last played a Halo entry since I had been doing most of my gaming on a PlayStation 4, and up until only a few years ago, PlayStation has really ruled and cornered most of the gaming world with its far more superior consoles. But now as we are about to head into 2024, next-gen consoles are now almost necessary to play any new releases, so out of pure curiosity, my decision was to move to Xbox, and I have yet to be disappointed. The first game I was ready to play was the revamped Halo I had been hearing so much about.
The last Halo game I played was Halo: Reach back in 2010 and it was strictly for multiplayer only. Back when Halo 3 came out, their multiplayer was almost flawless, making the game infinitely playable (See what I did there?). With most games heading towards the battle royale inspired multiplayer such as Call of Duty Warzone, Apex Legends, and Fortnite, I feel like that genre of multiplayer has been tired out, or at least overdone. Halo Infinite is a breath of fresh air with its more traditional style of game, bringing it back to the 4v4 gaming. And let me tell you now, it is so much fun.
Let me be clear that in the grand scheme of things, it does not do anything crazy or change the game in terms of what you can expect from a multiplayer Halo experience, and it is because of the times we are in with multiplayer gaming, but it seems that simplicity is the key. The modes are a lot of fun and are reminiscent of the older days of the franchise but pack a more modern punch with upgraded weapons and power-ups to choose from. One thing I am not a huge fan of, and this could be simply because I am used to it in other games is the fact that the map is hardly a map. There is no motion tracker or anything of the sorts, so enemies can sneak up on you without warning and that can be frustrating (at least when happening to you).
From a gameplay standpoint, I have heard mixed things, and considering that I am hopping into the game a little bit of time after its initial release, I feel the gameplay is solid and looks beautiful, but I have heard it was patchy towards the beginning. The game looks and plays beautifully, which is expected when playing on a next-gen console. Glitching and other performance issues are at a minimum as well, making the gaming experience enjoyable.
The multiplayer is free to play like most of its competitors, which I think is great, but lots of players are not fans of this structure. Obviously like every other free-to-play multiplayer experience, you can purchase their battle pass to level up or get your most customization options/perks. I think the biggest gripe on this aspect is the fact that players can think this is a “pay-to-win” structure, but I have to say I do not agree. With how many games release a flagship campaign and a free multiplayer, this seems no different than its competitors. I have been playing for weeks now without the battle pass and can say with confidence that I do not feel my gameplay has suffered because of it and if you feel that way, just get better at the game…
Overall, I was pleasantly surprised with how well the game plays and how much I can play without getting tired or bored with the different modes and maps. I was a little skeptical since it had been so long since I had played Halo, but with the easy to learn controls and simplistic gameplay, it was super easy to pick up and that super hard to put down. The maps are all beautifully constructed and do not feel too small for comfort or so big that finding enemies is hard. If you love FPS games and own an Xbox, I implore you to give this a chance!
4.5/5