It’s the maps and modes, or lack thereof.
Of course it’s been stated ad nauseum before, but I think I can quantify it, for the entire breakdown I’m comparing it primarily to H2.
Modes:
Out of the game matchmaking lacked playlists, no one can argue that. But what I think isn’t talked about is the lack of mode variety. let’s look at H2 BTB near the end of it’s life, as that was when they folded BTB slayer and BTB into one playlist. Off the top of my head, H2’s BTB had
Team Slayer
Assault (both atk & def as well as 2 bomb)
Territories (plus variants)
King of the Hill (variants counted here)
CTF (both 1 and 2 flag)
Now let’s break that down FURTHER
- Team Slayer
2)1 Flag CTF
3)CTF
4)Territories
5)King of the Hill
6)Crazy King of the hill
7)1 Bomb Assault
8)Assault
I’m probably missing a mode, but we have essentially 8 modes to play in H2, now let’s look at infinite:
1)Team Slayer
2)CTF
3)Stockpile
4)Total Control
only 4. Now there is something here and you’ll notice it, a lack of 1 sided objectives. Primarily this is due to 343 having chased the esports scene since H4 and onward. in esports a lot of maps played are strictly symmetrical. you can’t have one side having a disadvantage over the other, even if it makes it more exciting. Now one can argue that in H2 we DID have 1 flag CTF and assault on symmetrical maps such as coag and waterworks. Which is true, but at the same time this begs why 343 didn’t include neutral ctf? Infinite was rushed out the door to meet the holiday deadline and to make a quick buck before Q4’s fiscal end, which would reflect well to shareholders.
Now you can argue “b-but 343 said it’s coming LATER”. This itself is an excuse by the fans who suffer heavy from Stockholm syndrome. In fact this excuse has become a crutch for game companies now as they know a swath of their playerbase is 100% fine with a game being released in a heavily unfinished state.
Cycling back though to the main thing here. Infinite lacks even variants of the modes included within itself at launch. Even lacking a “reverse CTF” that was featured in H1/HCE (this mode supposedly was the basis for assault). Going further Infinite lacks map diversity that even H2 had, the biggest offender being the lack of any 1 sided map geared towards Attack and Defend gamemodes like 1 flag. Again likely a choice to cater to the esports crowd who usually bar the playing of 1 sided maps.
TL;DR version:
Infinite has less map variety and mode variants than H2, LMAO
