Hence, this Halo Infinite gameplay preview article will discuss all the new things shown in the trailer. This piece will also tackle other details to hype up Halo fans and casual gamers who are interested in the series.
What is Halo Infinite?
Halo Infinite is an upcoming FPS game published by Xbox Game Studios and created by 343 Industries. In addition to this, the developers also plan on turning it into a version of an open-world game. Details about this aren’t available yet and will be discussed later.
Release Date and Console Availability
Halo Infinite was slated to be released alongside the Xbox Series X/S as a flagship title as well as on PC on November 10, 2020. However, due to the negative reception of the demo trailer back in August, the release date was moved to Fall of 2021. This decision was made so they can polish the game further, add in more features, and more.
Halo Infinite Gameplay Features
Now, something of a staple on the Halo franchise is the fact that they have regenerating shields, and it’s something that hasn’t been removed anytime soon. The game still has that, and the shield and HP bars are now placed at the top center section of the player HUD instead of the lower right like it used to be. If we want to talk more about Halo Infinite gameplay mechanics, however, we need to talk about the combat. Later on in the article, we will be talking about the new additions to the list of Halo Infinite gameplay mechanics that fans can look forward to. Now, let’s talk about some possible and definite additions to Halo Infinite’s gameplay. As the reveals grow and we inch closer to the game’s newest release date, there are almost certainly changes that will happen to this list. Keep in mind that this is only tentative and there might be additional things that will be added in at a later date. In addition to the fact that the game is slated for a Fall 2021 release, there’s still time for changes and tweaks before the game finally comes out.
Combat
Combat-wise, the game hearkens from the old Halo Games that people enjoy. There’s a lot of gunplay on the gameplay trailer, with Master Chief only having 2 weapon slots as per usual. This isn’t something to be surprised about as the Halo Franchise popularized this mechanic. It makes it so that players have to cycle between weapons that enemies drop when they die, and those they found on the field depending on the situation. In addition to this, there are some additions to the combat that might make it a bit interesting to players. For one, a few of the utility items on previous Halo games make a comeback. Two of the utility items that are prominently shown on the gameplay trailer are the grappling hook that allows the Master Chief to hook himself to terrain and enemies, and a drop wall that blocks attacks made out of energy. One thing to take note, though, is that the grappling hook seems to recharge after using it and seems to be a permanent fixture of the Chief’s arsenal. Meanwhile, the drop wall replaces the grappling hook but seems to be a single-use utility item that players find scattered throughout the battlefield. They’re going to need to keep watch for those items or else they might pick up a utility that they won’t need at the moment. In addition to these utility items, there are also three kinds of grenades shown on the demo. Two of them are the typical frag and plasma grenades, known staples of the franchise. The third one seems to be an explosive pick that reduces the enemy’s armor when it explodes, which is interesting and has many uses in combat scenarios.
Weapons
Some iconic weapons make a return from previous games. For now, we only know of the MA5 and the Plasma Pistol, two of the most iconic weapons in the series. However, there are also new guns that players can test out on the Banished when the game comes out. Some of these weapons are:
MK50 Sidekick
A new pistol that’s available on the side of Master Chief. It looks pretty similar to the M6 Pistol featured in previous entries, which might imply that it’s a newer version of the same pistol.
VK78 Commando
Now this one is an incredibly cool rifle that has a 20-round magazine and a crisp, clean red-dot sight. It comes in semi- and full-auto fire, packing a punch to the unfortunate enemies that gets targeted by its crosshairs.
Mangler
A pistol that’s used by the Banished, the main enemies of Halo Infinite. Its fire is similar to that of a revolver or heavy pistol. You might want to keep watch for these as they pack a punch in the battlefield.
Pulse Carbine
This isn’t the first time we saw an energy carbine in a Halo game. It’s another staple weapon type that’s available if you pilfer them from enemies. In this case, however, the typical Type-51 Carbine now seems to be remade with a new twist on it. Time will tell if there’s anything new about the Pulse Carbine.
Ravager
Are you looking for an energy rocket launcher? Well, here’s your ticket. The Ravager fires a burst of three plasma balls to enemies, and they annihilate anything unlucky enough to get in its range. Do note that you need to kill a mini-boss to obtain it, so you will be in for quite a challenge before you can even try this bad boy out. And those are just some of the weapons Master Chief can try out in Halo Infinite. More weapons will be revealed soon, and we can only speculate what else we will see on other trailers and gameplay reveals.
Traveling Mechanics
The game is going for a semi-open world kind of mechanic when it comes to exploration. There’s now a new Halo Ring for Master Chief to explore, and it’s filled with all sorts of secrets and enemies both familiar and new. First off, we need to talk about the Halo Ring that Master Chief is currently on. There’s not that much that changed when it comes to the Halo Ring’s make and environment. There are the graphical upgrades, sure, but overall it’s still similar enough to the Halo Rings that the Master Chief and the other Spartan supersoldiers explored in previous Halo games. Two things make the traveling on Halo Infinite a bit more on the modern variety. The first one is the fact that the game now has a semi-open world for players to explore. The difference between the usual open-world games to Halo Infinite is the fact that players have a chance to explore the Halo Ring and collect the items and collectibles they missed even if they get sent to a linear path due to the story. To add to that, there’s the fact that we can use vehicles to explore the Halo Ring itself. On the gameplay demo that was shown back in August, Master Chief was able to use a Warthog and drive around the area. Other than the Warthog, there wasn’t that much shown in terms of vehicles. At the moment, fingers are more than crossed if we’re going to see more vehicle types in Halo Infinite. All in all, the game’s open-world mechanics plus vehicles are giving us encouraging signs. In addition to that, there’s something about the vehicles that might be a bit interesting for some fans that we’re going to discuss later.
Scrapped Mechanics
There hasn’t been any word on whether or not 343 will add or remove more movement mechanics to the game. The Grapple Hook is pretty much confirmed as we’ve seen it showcased in the trailer. Other than that, there’s no indication on what movement mechanics are going to be added into the . There’s some statement from the community that the sprint, shoulder tackles, and wall climbing should be removed alongside other mechanics. Then again, it’s still up to 343 whether or not they wish to follow the fans’ wishes and remove these mechanics. We also don’t know if they’re going to add in weapons with more gimmicks and alternate fire modes. For now, we’re still in a state of limbo. Our questions will only be answered once more information about the game are revealed.
What Does Halo Infinite Offer Aside From Gameplay?
Other than the gameplay and combat perspective, there are a few things that Halo Infinite offers its prospective player base. Here’s a few of them:
Story and Setting
The game’s story isn’t known as of yet. What we DO know is that Halo Infinite is the third chapter of the Reclaimer Saga, and it’s stated that this is Master Chief’s greatest adventure yet in his quest to protect and save humanity. In addition to this, the game seems to take place months after the events of Halo 5: Guardians. In addition to other story elements, there seems to be a strong implication that humanity has lost the war against whoever they’re currently fighting at the time, with the main villain Escharum stating that Master Chief needs to grow his fangs if he wants to face him. Besides this bit of information, there isn’t that much that’s been revealed about the game’s story. Fans should wait for more info that 343 Industries will release relating to Halo Infinite in the coming months.
Multiplayer, Microtransactions, and other Game Modes
As of right now, there are only two things that Microsoft and 343 Industries has confirmed about this. The first is the fact that the game has a Multiplayer mode, and the 2nd is that the developers plan on having said multiplayer mode to be capped at 120 frames per second. This is pretty nuts when you remember that the usual is just 60 fps. So it’s something for players to be excited about. The next thing we have to talk about is whether or not the game has microtransactions. The game creators have all but included some of the fans’ biggest fears. However, they claim that their approach to the controversial system is different. 343 has confirmed that Halo Infinite’s multiplayer will have microtransactions. However, they stated that they will not be adding loot boxes in the game. Instead, they will have several premium cosmetic items that are available in an in-game shop for players to purchase. They state that these purchases are one-and-done only and will have no randomness or anything that will influence the result of a player’s purchase. There are also several unconfirmed rumors that we have to take with a grain of salt. For one, there seems to talk about a Battle Royale mode on Halo Infinite’s multiplayer. Currently, there’s not much info about how this kind of thing will go, but we might see a version of BR that has players drop in with custom loadouts already in their person. For now, we have no idea how this BR mode will go, if it will even push through at all. In conclusion, there’s not that much when it comes to what the multiplayer will be or what game modes will be available both in the main game or on the multiplayer. There’s still no word on whether or not the skulls will appear as well. Like we’ve said, take every piece of information released about the game with a grain of salt.
Replayability
Given the fact that the game is now a hybrid of first-person shooter and open world role-playing game, there might be some talk about its replayability. For one, because the game is now a semi-open world, players now can explore and find items and collectibles that they’ve missed on their first playthrough. It’s a feature that stems from the collecting and hunting trophies in video games where players need to find all the items to get a trophy. It’s going to be tedious, but it adds time that we can spend in the world. Moreover, we get to explore more about the environment and world that the Master Chief is currently in. In addition to this, the game’s developers have stated that they plan to add in cosmetics that players can obtain simply through playing the game. This is done because a game not having an adequate progression system with great rewards can and has caused an uproar in the past. One only needs to look the way of various other games that have failed because of not considering the endgame (wink Marvel’s Avengers wink). 343 stated that they want players to create the Spartan soldier of their dreams. Thus, they plan on adding in more weapons, cosmetics, and armor in the future. But like we’ve said earlier in the article, only time will tell if they will stick with this promise.
Halo Infinite Gameplay vs Other Shooters
Older Halo Games
Before we talk about other games similar to Halo Infinite, we need to talk about the series’ prior titles first. Let’s also dive into how they compare to the upcoming game. For one, the game’s graphics seem to be an improvement when compared to what they were before. Though that’s pretty much a given since it’s going to be released on the next-generation Xbox Series X. In addition to this, some fan-favorite mechanics make a triumphant return. There are also hints of the usual enemy AI mechanics at play from the previous Halo games, where enemies have certain roles and are weak to certain guns. Besides these differences and the addition of better graphics and fidelity, the game is similar enough to the older Halo games that came before it. Whether it’s a good thing or a bad thing remains to be seen. Here’s hoping that they make a return to form and not screw it up again.
Call of Duty Black Ops: Cold War
At first glance, it’s not fair to compare Call of Duty Black Ops: Cold War to Halo Infinite. For one, Black Ops: Cold War is a close-enough recreation of a military FPS game. Also, the game features guns with real-world counterparts. It doesn’t have any aliens, alien weaponry, or fictional imagery (unless you consider Zombies). Meanwhile, Halo Infinite happens in a far-off future with futuristic weapons, aliens, and superhuman soldiers. That aside, the similarities between the two shooters are pretty apparent if you know where to look. For one, the gunplay in both games is incredibly tight and precise. Another similar feature is the players’ ability to use auxiliary equipment to their advantage. You can use grenades and flashbangs to energy shields. And lastly, there are weapons of mass destruction that can deal a whole lot of hurt to your enemies. All in all, both games cater to different kinds of FPS players. Black Ops: Cold War caters to those who want realistic gunplay and areas. This game caters to those who want to fight with the weapons and guns of that era. Meanwhile, the upcoming Halo Infinite is for those who want the exact opposite. There’s still the gunplay and the preciseness, but it’s done in a futuristic backdrop. Both have their settings and stories, but they are the same in terms of precision and gunplay. Not so much can be said for the guns, though.
