Halo Infinite’s multiplayer is Free to Play, which means that every single dollar in the 60$ price tag will be paid for the campaign. Naturally, a standard 8-10 hour campaign is out of the question here and would not be worth the price. This is where Infinite’s “open world” comes in.
Firstly, we don’t even know if Infinite is truly open world or just a hub-based world with multiple areas that are separated by loading screens. 343i were purposefully unclear on the matter, alluding to both options in various interviews and sometimes even in the same paragraph. For example, in an interview with Destructoid, 343i were asked if the game is open world and instead of a simple “yes” or “no”, they said this:
“The simple answer is that it takes place in a huge world that is open and expansive. We have a storyline that pulls you through it, which is effectively unlocking certain areas. But, as you progress through it, you have the ability to backtrack and explore to your heart’s content. There is a lot to find out in the world.”
Whether it is fully open world or hub based, we know it’ll have a world we can explore and backtrack. The billion dollar question is what exactly will we do in this world besides story missions? I personally never saw the allure in an open world FPS, and I’m not sure whether it will mesh well with the Halo formula. A huge open world that only has Banished bases around it would be incredibly boring, for instance.
To justify the price tag, Infinite needs to give us side quests that tell stories, deepen the characterization and expand the lore. This could be an opportunity to revisit all those characters introduced in Halo 4 and 5 (Osiris, Blue Team, the Infinite crew, Halsey, the Swords of Sanghelios, Excuberant Witness, the Created, maybe even the composed Didact) without them “interfering” with the new story 343i is telling. I’d find this type of thing more interesting than Brohammer and Escharum, but that’s just me.
Regarding collectibles, the game needs to meet the Halo benchmark and surpass it. Traditionally, Halo games have lore collectibles (Terminals, Data Pads, Intel) and gameplay collectibles (Skulls, and now Equipment and Upgrades). Seeing as this game focuses on exploration, there should be more skulls and terminals than in previous games. The addition of Upgrades and collectible Equipment is nice, and I’m curious to see what that actually means.
Besides these activities, which IMO are no brainers, one other option to add more depth and replayability to the campaign is with challenges. A challenge could be anything from running over a hundred enemies with the Warthog to assassinating an enemy after jumping off a cliff. Completing a challenge should gain the player a reward for their multiplayer character (whether it’s just EXP or a cosmetic item for the tougher challenges). Alternatively, challenges could be connected to the campaign upgrade system. A reward to completing these challenges would make them more appealing.
Lastly, missions and side missions should be replayable. One other option to add replayability would be to award the player a medal (bronze, silver or gold) after completing a mission based on meeting certain requirements (similar to GTA).
Do you have any other ideas on how to make Infinite’s “open world” more interesting? Do you think we’re going to get a huge empty map with Banished bases everywhere and nothing else? And, most importantly, do you think this new format can make a good Halo game?