Halo Infinite: Multiplayer
It’s fun when it works
By Michael Cordon
Halo Infinite. Free to play on Xbox and PC monetized by micro-transactions. Developed by 343 Industries for Microsoft Games Studio. Release December 2021. ESRB Rating T. Reviewed on 2/24/22.
Halo Infinite is more than another Halo release, more than even another Multiplayer First Person Shooter release, it is the change in the ecosystem.
Note: “At the moment, “Halo Infinite” does not meet the standards set by other live service games, all of which had their own troubled launch periods, with few recovering over time. And game developers at 343 Industries agree” according to Gene Park, a reporter for The Washington Post.
What makes Halo Infinite multiplayer different from what most first person shooter (FPS) players are used to is the slower paced gameplay. In order to take out other players you are going to have to take down their shield and then their health will begin to go down. It takes almost the entire magazine of the standard assault rifle in order to gun down your opponent. For other games the damage is far higher in their weapons, allowing for very fast paced gameplay.
Not to say that the weapons in Halo Infinite are weak, there are a variety of weapons, some new like The Skewer (my favorite), and some classic Halo weapons like The Needler, Energy Sword, and everyone's favorite the Gravity Hammer.
Players can find these weapons throughout the map in the designated locations that they spawn in. In most game modes the Assault Rifle along with the sidearm Magnum are standard, making acquiring the weapon you desire a game of who gets there first.
The beautiful graphics especially on the Xbox Series X or a high end PC, gives all aspects distinguished detail, truly showcasing the power of the next generation of games. There are new ways to maneuver around in Halo with other new abilities you can equip, such as the brand new Grappleshot. If you have taken a crack at Titan Fall or Apex Legends, this particular gadget will seem very familiar to you.
One of the weaknesses within Halo Infinite’s multiplayer mode is the extremely slow pace of progression within the game.
Part of it is due to only being able to progress through daily and weekly challenges, with the added difficulty of only being competed across a multitude of the different game modes.
Halo Infinite has a multitude of game modes but you may prefer some over others. Such as my favorite, Oddball, where players must hold a skull in order to cumulate points. While holding the skull the player can’t shoot, but can hit and smash, which feels amazingly great. The team with the most points of course, claims victory.
When it works, Halo Infinite is genuinely fun to play, as long as there are other people playing.
Rating Rubric
Comfortably Halo*: 5/5
Weapon Quality: 4/5
Progression: 1/5
Re-playability: 4/5
Variety: 4/5
* true to the Halo brand and feel
18/25
Overall rating: 3.6/5
The Halo Infinite multiplayer is just what was needed in the FPS gaming scene, where the standard Call of Duty has gotten entirely too repetitive, one game simply melting into the next resulting in each game being entirely too similar. The progression may not be as quick as you’re used to, but the Spartan clashing gameplay is good enough to keep you coming back to it.
Michael Cordon is a Senior Design and Creative Technology Major at The College Of New Jersey with a Minor in Music Technology. In his free time he plays video games and creates music.
