How nice! That we can once again call a Halo game Game of the Year. Now 2021 was not the best year for gaming of all time, but this the developers at 343 Industries can truly say that it is the best Halo developer. After the interceptions in Halo 4, the odd choices in Halo 5: Guardians, and the untold number of times Bungie's old games have been polished; they're here.
Halo Infinite grabs much of the charm of the first games, but 343 Industries throws its own sauce over it that makes the game even more appealing. We're going to experience part open world, part familiar corridors, but every confrontation with the Banished is finger licking.
Holy Trinity Yes it's not easy to fill Bungie's shoes and over the past few years it seemed like 343 Industries were looking at the work of its predecessor like fanboys and gals. Hundreds of hours were spent polishing the old Halo games, as if they themselves didn't really dare to proudly present their own Halo. That wasn't easy either. Parts 4 and 5 were solid games, but they still lacked that Halo feeling. What is that feeling? It's hard to put your finger on it.
While GoldenEye was still a bit of a struggle, it was the first Halo to prove that shooters can indeed work with controller. But in addition, it was the trinity of shooting, melee and hand grenades that made the gameplay so addictive, both in single and multiplayer. And finally, the trinity of opponents. Silly Grunts, irritating Jackals and strong Elites / Brutes that make every situation familiar yet challenging.
Open world!
Halo Infinite feels in everything like an homage to everything that made those old games so strong. First of all, we go back to a Halo ring, this time Zeta. This one you're going to walk in part as an open world and that's proven to be a bold but excellent choice. There are several bases to unlock from which you can pick up vehicles and fellow soldiers. Keeping the regular soldiers alive is something I personally get a huge amount of satisfaction from, but standing face-to-face with a Warthog, with the knowledge that you can travel enormous distances with it, is a wonderful feeling. But the open world aspect brings something else to the game that hasn't been the case in many other Halo games. You can decide how to attack an enemy camp. Do you bring a Scorpion tank or do you opt for a long-range weapon. And from which side do you attack? These are questions that weren't asked in old Halo games, where the action was more curated by the developers.
Another great new addition in Halo Infinite is the grappling hook. Not only is this very useful on Zeta's turbulent terrain, but the cable changes gameplay significantly. It is possible to transport yourself directly towards opponents, you can pick up weapons, but the most useful feature is that you can place yourself directly on a vehicle. Picking off, say, a Banshee was previously quite a frustrating task, with the cable on your wrist it's a lot easier and that adds to the action. In addition to the grappling hook, you can also use a radar and later you will also get the ability to dash small distances.
Wait, who? The story of Halo Infinite is interesting, although it does ask a lot of you as a player. The antagonist finds its origin in Halo Wars 2. Go play that game, because that is a very fat strategy game, but for most casual Halo players, the leader of the Basnished will be an unknown. We also get to deal with the successor of Cortana, which incidentally by the same actress is voiced, so there is a familiar feeling.
What's also familiar is the other half of the game. Because not everything in Halo Infinite is open world. The other half you will be working on eliminating the ring and so you will be walking very familiar corridors. This also gives the developer a chance to have you brawl with the Banished in specifically designed environments. All of this feels like the first trilogy and in this way, all fans are going to find something that satisfies them. Although most satisfaction will simply come from the fact that Halo Infinite is a delightful shooter.
Conclusion Halo Infinite is the game that shows 343 Industries is now the real Halo developer. They have found the perfect balance between the old successes and contemporary additions. Half of Halo Infinite is open world and this franchise lends itself perfectly to large areas, where you as a player are given the freedom of which vehicle and which UNSC soldiers you take. The other half of the game is very reminiscent of the first three games, as you need to take out the new Zeta ring and so you need to explore depths of the ring as well.
The bond between The Master Chief and the new Cortana is palpable and the story is old-fashioned complex and interesting. But at the base of it all is the great gameplay. The familiar trinity of shooting, melee and grenades, with delightful additions like the grappling hook and dash capabilities. My Game of the Year was born this week, and it's Halo Infinite.
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