Halo Infinite - The Good and the Bad

Games Halo Infinite
1

INTRODUCTION
People who know me are aware of how critical I’ve been of 343 Industries since the release of Halo 4. Despite this, I always go into new Halo releases as open-minded as possible (with a necessary side of skepticism to prevent blind hype). Since Halo Infinite’s 2018 engine demonstration, I’ve been saying that it’ll be 343 Industries’ best attempt at making a Halo game. I still feel that way. Below you’ll find my thoughts - both good and bad - regarding 343 Industries’ third Halo installment. Please note that there are smaller things that’ll go unmentioned since this is already a fairly long read.

THE GOOD

  • Art style - largely returning to the series’ roots while blending in modern elements, the designs across the board are some of the best in the series. - Semi open world - Halo’s universe lends itself perfectly to an open world (or semi open world) setting, and it’s a change I’ve been wanting for years. - Day and night cycle, wildlife, etc. - great for immersion. - Freedom - according to 343 Industries, there’ll be very few limitations on how we go about our campaign playthrough. - Joseph Staten - getting the mind behind the universe on board is the best decision 343 Industries have ever made. - Toning down abilities - while I have my complaints about the advanced mobility, it’ll be better than in Halo 5: Guardians. - Equipment - single-use, on-map pickups are the correct way of adding new abilities. - Personal AI - helps make our Spartans feel more like real Spartans. - Splitscreen - need I say more? - Bots - bots for custom games (and the new training mode) is an addition I’ve wanted since becoming a Halo fan in 2009. - Battle pass - like with Halo: The Master Chief Collection, there’s no “fear of missing out” involved. - No loot boxes - rewarding, challenge-based unlocks will always be superior to gambling. - Supporting Xbox One - surprisingly, the game will still be available to those of us who aren’t interested in the Xbox Series X|S or PC.THE BAD

  • Troubled development - with 343 Industries’ track record of buggy and unfinished games, this doesn’t bode well. - Flighting - won’t be until later this summer, which doesn’t afford as much time to implement improvements and fixes prior to launch in (likely) November. - Seemingly separating campaign and multiplayer - multiplayer seems to be a separate digital download rather than being on the disc (which hurts preservation). - Non-hostile wildlife - once again, wildlife in Halo is just set dressing. - Wildlife designs - from what we’ve seen, the alien wildlife is essentially just “rhino, but different”. - Advanced mobility - despite how much the game has to set it apart from past entries, 343 Industries refuse to give us Halo’s classic gameplay. - Free-to-play multiplayer - if you thought Halo 5: Guardians had aggressive post-launch monetization, you’ve seen nothing yet. - Coatings - monetize color customization, remove options, upsell the positives. - No red vs blue - team colors will always be the most effective way of quickly identifying friend or foe.CONCLUSION
    Overall, despite all the problems, Halo Infinite has a lot of what I’d do were I in charge of the franchise. It’s strange as, in those areas, it feels like a love letter to me specifically (which is a very welcome coincidence). Unfortunately, 343 Industries refuse to let go of their desire to chase trends. I can only hope the good will outweigh the bad. As I was in 2018, I remain cautiously optimistic for this upcoming Halo title.

2

I dont know about coatings now. Money is one thing, but customization seems more full of combinations than just changing main armor 1 and 2.

Red vs blue also isnt true as well. Every other game is doing fine without two colors, and Destiny is like Halo with their different character designs and players there can easily identify the enemy in pvp.

3

I grew up playing Halo, specifically Halo 2 and 3, and I think that for the first time in a long time the entire 343 team is on board with bringing back/focusing on the core mechanics and gameplay of Halo that made the game so great back in the day. There have been some rough years IMO where Halo was trying to almost be like Call of Duty, which I understand introducing new content to make the community happy and not bored, but I think the new content changed the core of what Halo is, and how it is played. HOWEVER, after watching both of the Halo Infinite multiplayer trailers, for the first time in YEARS I feel so excited to get this game. I truly believe they went back to the core gameplay and mechanics that we all know and love, but are spicing it up with new mechanics that don’t completely change the gameplay. I strongly believe that when infinite comes out, we will all fall in love with it. Peace and love, peace and love.

4

I can’t agree with you with:
Advanced mobility. They toned it down, no more Spartan charge, thrust. Sprint is not a bad in 2021.
Separating Campaign/multiplayer. Separate downloads will decrease file size , a common problem. If the disc content contains Campaign and offline multiplayer, it’s fine.
Free to play monetization. I rather have fair monetization (like the one seems we are getting) and huge player base, and being able to play with most of the people than limiting the player base.
Coatings. More variety than 2 or 3 static colors
Red vs Blue. The outline with friend/foe seems like a good solution to me that allow player expression (also a toggle to turn off customization and force Red vs Blue to the player (like Rocket League) will be great)

5

The good; just about everything so far.

The bad: maybe six more months to wait for it. I have also run out of milk, so no tea…that’s not 343s fault though I guess…

6

I can’t really think of any negative with what they showed. I think this will be the best Halo yet.

7

> 2535425271455392;1:
> …**THE BAD - Seemingly separating campaign and multiplayer - multiplayer seems to be a separate digital download rather than being on the disc (which hurts preservation). - Non-hostile wildlife - once again, wildlife in Halo is just set dressing. - Wildlife designs - from what we’ve seen, the alien wildlife is essentially just “rhino, but different”. - Free-to-play multiplayer - if you thought Halo 5: Guardians had aggressive post-launch monetization, you’ve seen nothing yet.…**

You come off as quite pessimistic, however also as a fan, so I get it… but the complaints you have truly haven’t been answered yet or are unfounded.

  • Game preservation is hurt indeed by the digital component of MP… However with modern tools, accessibility options, & there being a PC edition to the game… I think the community will figure this out quickly. - Wildlife on ZETA Halo has been plainly explained to the Lore fans out there via the Greg Bear trilogy of novels. “Ancient humans lived on this Halo ring during the reign of the Forerunner empire.” As I have read this series, loved it very much, & had my imagination blown wide open to the events prior to Halo: Reach… The animals/ Wildlife on ZETA Halo makes 100% sense.
  • Humans were placed here for preservation, our crops brought with us, our animals, our nature… It is the story of Noah’s Ark except there’s no great flood, there was the firing of the Halo Array.* (haha okay… there was a ‘great’ flood… but it was a bit more menacing than some water. cough) - F2P worries are good & healthy, but with the information already provided to us, this won’t be a FOMO paradise… Micro transactions will not be present that allow you to bypass the battle pass…
    But much like the world, should you have some extra cash… & you don’t want to buy a basic white t-shirt from Walmart, you’re welcome to shop at a high-end store to get that shirt that really accentuates your style. THIS IS A WIN.
8

I see the battle pass as a negative. I’d rather have a more exciting unlock system. The seasonal unlock system in MCC is what I hate most about the game.

Battle passes are boring.

9

> 2533274841963857;5:
> The good; just about everything so far.
>
> The bad: maybe six more months to wait for it. I have also run out of milk, so no tea…that’s not 343s fault though I guess…

My man, that is 100% 343’s fault. I would recommend legal action.

10

Only thing I kind of dislike are the armor coatings.
However, if they added color customization to those coatings, that would honestly be pretty rad.
If the above is added I’m gonna be running bright blue and pink camouflage and give everyone headaches.

11

> 2535425271455392;1:
> INTRODUCTIONPeople who know me are aware of how critical I’ve been of 343 Industries since the release of Halo 4. Despite this, I always go into new Halo releases as open-minded as possible (with a necessary side of skepticism to prevent blind hype). Since Halo Infinite’s 2018 engine demonstration, I’ve been saying that it’ll be 343 Industries’ best attempt at making a Halo game. I still feel that way. Below you’ll find my thoughts - both good and bad - regarding 343 Industries’ third Halo installment. Please note that there are smaller things that’ll go unmentioned since this is already a fairly long read.
>
> THE GOOD - Art style - largely returning to the series’ roots while blending in modern elements, the designs across the board are some of the best in the series. - Semi open world - Halo’s universe lends itself perfectly to an open world (or semi open world) setting, and it’s a change I’ve been wanting for years. - Day and night cycle, wildlife, etc. - great for immersion. - Freedom - according to 343 Industries, there’ll be very few limitations on how we go about our campaign playthrough. - Joseph Staten - getting the mind behind the universe on board is the best decision 343 Industries have ever made. - Toning down abilities - while I have my complaints about the advanced mobility, it’ll be better than in Halo 5: Guardians. - Equipment - single-use, on-map pickups are the correct way of adding new abilities. - Personal AI - helps make our Spartans feel more like real Spartans. - Splitscreen - need I say more? - Bots - bots for custom games (and the new training mode) is an addition I’ve wanted since becoming a Halo fan in 2009. - Battle pass - like with Halo: The Master Chief Collection, there’s no “fear of missing out” involved. - No loot boxes - rewarding, challenge-based unlocks will always be superior to gambling. - Supporting Xbox One - surprisingly, the game will still be available to those of us who aren’t interested in the Xbox Series X|S or PC.THE BAD - Troubled development - with 343 Industries’ track record of buggy and unfinished games, this doesn’t bode well. - Flighting - won’t be until later this summer, which doesn’t afford as much time to implement improvements and fixes prior to launch in (likely) November. - Seemingly separating campaign and multiplayer - multiplayer seems to be a separate digital download rather than being on the disc (which hurts preservation). - Non-hostile wildlife - once again, wildlife in Halo is just set dressing. - Wildlife designs - from what we’ve seen, the alien wildlife is essentially just “rhino, but different”. - Advanced mobility - despite how much the game has to set it apart from past entries, 343 Industries refuse to give us Halo’s classic gameplay. - Free-to-play multiplayer - if you thought Halo 5: Guardians had aggressive post-launch monetization, you’ve seen nothing yet. - Coatings - monetize color customization, remove options, upsell the positives. - No red vs blue - team colors will always be the most effective way of quickly identifying friend or foe.CONCLUSIONOverall, despite all the problems, Halo Infinite has a lot of what I’d do were I in charge of the franchise. It’s strange as, in those areas, it feels like a love letter to me specifically (which is a very welcome coincidence). Unfortunately, 343 Industries refuse to let go of their desire to chase trends. I can only hope the good will outweigh the bad. As I was in 2018, I remain cautiously optimistic for this upcoming Halo title.

Solid breakdown. Most of the listed cons aren’t too bad for me.

RvB had to go bc of the coatings unfortunately. I’m concerned that the outlines will look cheesey and immersion breaking. Does anybody have a visual of them yet?

FTP multiplayer is going to be packed with Smurfs. Apex Legends and Rocket League are plagued with this. I do believe Microsoft will keep cheaters in check for the most part though

Not on your list, but I think armor customization is going to be limited to Reach level at launch which isn’t good enough for me especially if I’m paying for skins.

Overall the game looks fun, fingers crossed!

12

> 2535440321604353;10:
> Only thing I kind of dislike are the armor coatings.
> However, if they added color customization to those coatings, that would honestly be pretty rad.
> If the above is added I’m gonna be running bright blue and pink camouflage and give everyone headaches.

The hell you are LoL. " Sarcastic " :grin:

13

Personally I don’t think the death of red vs blue is too horrible, a way to reconcile this (in my opinion) would be to keep the classic red vs blue armor colors for spartans and only make them forced in ranked playlists, that way people are still able to express themselves in social playlist and game modes.

14

> 2533274974081836;9:
> > 2533274841963857;5:
> > The good; just about everything so far.
> >
> > The bad: maybe six more months to wait for it. I have also run out of milk, so no tea…that’s not 343s fault though I guess…
>
> My man, that is 100% 343’s fault. I would recommend legal action
>
> I’ll settle for a collectors addition of Halo Infinite and a gallon of 2% milk…

15

> 2535419166122192;2:
> I dont know about coatings now. Money is one thing, but customization seems more full of combinations than just changing main armor 1 and 2.
>
> Red vs blue also isnt true as well. Every other game is doing fine without two colors, and Destiny is like Halo with their different character designs and players there can easily identify the enemy in pvp.

Red v blue is nostalgia that’s woven into halo MP
I agree it’s not a problem as an avid destiny player but it removal seems more about selling cosmetic coatings than any other reason it’s a real shame as it one of those halo quirks that make it halo rather than just another shooter .

16

Gameplay looked good. The return of the offensive high-pitched hit marker sounds from Halo 5 is bad. No hit marker sounds is better. Also the effect melee attacks have on enemies does not seem based in physics.

17

Not having team colors isn’t bad. I’m tired of always seeing my guy as blue or red since I don’t really play FFA at all anymore. Games like Overwatch have zero issues with just using outlines so Halo shouldn’t either.

18

You forgot the worst “BAD”; No playable Elites >:l

19

Halo infinite looks incredible, I just wanna play and my brain is pretty much as good at kat’s right now, given that it’s been like 5 years. Also I really hope I can grapple hook wildlife and throw them like those fusion coils.

20

> 2535425271455392;1:
> INTRODUCTIONPeople who know me are aware of how critical I’ve been of 343 Industries since the release of Halo 4. Despite this, I always go into new Halo releases as open-minded as possible (with a necessary side of skepticism to prevent blind hype). Since Halo Infinite’s 2018 engine demonstration, I’ve been saying that it’ll be 343 Industries’ best attempt at making a Halo game. I still feel that way. Below you’ll find my thoughts - both good and bad - regarding 343 Industries’ third Halo installment. Please note that there are smaller things that’ll go unmentioned since this is already a fairly long read.
>
> THE GOOD - Art style - largely returning to the series’ roots while blending in modern elements, the designs across the board are some of the best in the series. - Semi open world - Halo’s universe lends itself perfectly to an open world (or semi open world) setting, and it’s a change I’ve been wanting for years. - Day and night cycle, wildlife, etc. - great for immersion. - Freedom - according to 343 Industries, there’ll be very few limitations on how we go about our campaign playthrough. - Joseph Staten - getting the mind behind the universe on board is the best decision 343 Industries have ever made. - Toning down abilities - while I have my complaints about the advanced mobility, it’ll be better than in Halo 5: Guardians. - Equipment - single-use, on-map pickups are the correct way of adding new abilities. - Personal AI - helps make our Spartans feel more like real Spartans. - Splitscreen - need I say more? - Bots - bots for custom games (and the new training mode) is an addition I’ve wanted since becoming a Halo fan in 2009. - Battle pass - like with Halo: The Master Chief Collection, there’s no “fear of missing out” involved. - No loot boxes - rewarding, challenge-based unlocks will always be superior to gambling. - Supporting Xbox One - surprisingly, the game will still be available to those of us who aren’t interested in the Xbox Series X|S or PC.THE BAD - Troubled development - with 343 Industries’ track record of buggy and unfinished games, this doesn’t bode well. - Flighting - won’t be until later this summer, which doesn’t afford as much time to implement improvements and fixes prior to launch in (likely) November. - Seemingly separating campaign and multiplayer - multiplayer seems to be a separate digital download rather than being on the disc (which hurts preservation). - Non-hostile wildlife - once again, wildlife in Halo is just set dressing. - Wildlife designs - from what we’ve seen, the alien wildlife is essentially just “rhino, but different”. - Advanced mobility - despite how much the game has to set it apart from past entries, 343 Industries refuse to give us Halo’s classic gameplay. - Free-to-play multiplayer - if you thought Halo 5: Guardians had aggressive post-launch monetization, you’ve seen nothing yet. - Coatings - monetize color customization, remove options, upsell the positives. - No red vs blue - team colors will always be the most effective way of quickly identifying friend or foe.CONCLUSIONOverall, despite all the problems, Halo Infinite has a lot of what I’d do were I in charge of the franchise. It’s strange as, in those areas, it feels like a love letter to me specifically (which is a very welcome coincidence). Unfortunately, 343 Industries refuse to let go of their desire to chase trends. I can only hope the good will outweigh the bad. As I was in 2018, I remain cautiously optimistic for this upcoming Halo title.

I reckon your pretty bang on with this overview .