If your BR doesn’t work at close range then that sounds like a mix of the closer range guns finally doing their jobs, and skill.
The BR should be used as a mid-to-lower-long ranges. I actually like Infinite’s BR outside of tactical slayer. But it is still good in close quarters. Then again, half my matches suffer from de-sync so the “OP AR” people keep talking about doesn’t exist for me. Most of my shots don’t seem to land no matter how I aim with it.
But in previous Halo games it ruled over all. And you’re right. I didn’t like Halo 3’s BR because most of the sandbox sucked, not just the AR. It became the poster-boy for everything I didn’t like about the game. And you’re right, it just needed refining. In a sandbox of 18 weapons, most players never touch 7 of them (Magnum, SMG, Plasma Rifle, Mauler, Spiker, Needler, and Carbine) The rest are situational (Like the plasma pistol or brute shot) or power weapons. And dual wielding became so underpowered that no one used it outside of close range, but by then a shotgun, energy sword, or hammer would still be better
And I agree, Infinite isn’t perfect either… I don’t like how spammy the pistol is, and I don’t like the AR’s range, despite its wide spread. It is a better commando than the commando right now. But I like that more than the BR’s boring “Point, 3/4 burst, dead” loop because it makes me actively search for guns that are better. Some people complain that the AR is just spray and pray (which again, has too much spread for me to think that is true) but to me, the BR is just reduces the game to a point-and-click game for me.
But again, I can’t tell most of these balancing issues because of desync. The commando and shock rifle were my favorite guns during the flight, but now its like my shots never hit anyone with them, so I can’t tell what is or isn’t balanced right.