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By Stella Chung
Updated: Sep 7, 2022 12:13 am
Posted: Nov 24, 2021 9:51 pm
Note: This review exclusively covers the multiplayer mode of Halo Infinite. For our thoughts on the campaign, check out our in-depth Halo Infinite single-player campaign review.
First impressions are key, and since six years have passed since Halo 5: Guardians, for a lot of people (like myself) Halo Infinite will be the first Halo multiplayer experience they’ve played at launch – especially since Infinite’s multiplayer is free to play and accessible to everyone with an Xbox or PC. And what a launch it’s been! With its tight 4v4 matches and more chaotic 12v12 Big Team Battle on expertly designed maps, Infinite revives and reinvigorates the glorious sci-fi action that once made Halo king among multiplayer FPS games. Riding high on that thrill, Halo Infinite’s multiplayer has dash-slid into the first-person shooter scene and meleed the competition off the map.
While Halo Infinite's multiplayer is technically still in beta until the single-player campaign comes out on December 8, developer 343 Industries has declared that we’re officially in Season 1, and Infinite comes complete with purchasable cosmetics and a battlepass. In other words, it is for all intents and purposes fully launched.
Needler
Battle Rifle
Assault Rifle
Rocket Launcher (SPNKr)
Magnum
Gravity Hammer
Halo has meant a lot to me over the past 20 years. From first landing on the ring in Halo 1 to the surprise Arbiter arc in Halo 2 to being heartbroken by Halo 5’s abysmal storytelling, it’s one of the few series in gaming where every new mainline entry really matters to me. After six years, it was fair to wonder: did Halo still belong in the “Best ...
Read the full Halo Infinite Single-Player Campaign Review
The only unconventional mode in that list, One Flag CTF, sounded a little odd to me at first because each round has one team defending a flag and the other team has to capture that flag. But it’s actually a lot of fun – there’s only one map for it, Launch Site, but it has vehicle spawns and easily makes for chaotic and fun gameplay with vehicular Spartan-slaughter as one team attempts to raid the other’s base. All of these game modes are excellent – and much more so when you’re communicating with your teammates.
Making mad dashes for the enemy’s flag while also chasing down the jerk who stole ours fuels my spirit.
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A big part of the reason Infinite’s matches work so well is that each of the seven maps for arena matches are incredibly well designed to allow for you and your team to fluidly rotate through them, grabbing key weapons and items as they spawn and sweeping out enemies. My favorite map from that playlist has to be Streets, thanks to its flashy neon signs, dynamic lighting, and freshly rained-upon pavement. It’s a perfect example of readability being key when it comes to map design, favoring bold, angular architecture instead of over-detailed environments that come at the cost of instantly spotting enemies and objective markers.
It's Strongholds mode that really shows off Infinite’s superior map designs, however, since in this capture-point mode you really need to be able to rotate from point to point with a specific flow to keep an eye on the locations you already control. While the maps in Infinite are smaller than those in most FPS games, the distance between points is just enough that you can easily get from one spot to another. At the same time, you can also get caught out by yourself and eliminated, which encourages you to move as a team. This is where the flow of maps really comes into play.
It's Strongholds mode that really shows off Infinite’s superior map designs.
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In general, you can run from one side of a map to the other quickly enough that they don’t feel all that large for 4v4 matches, but they’re big enough that you don’t get there too fast or feel like they’re too cramped of a space, either. There are lots of platforms and objects stacked on top of each other that you can use to perfect your rotations, so you aren’t restricted to going down one hallway just to get to a specific area – we actually have a lot of options in these spaces thanks to the ability to vault up to ledges and the absence of fall damage. I’m impressed with how the map designs take all of this into consideration, especially on this smaller scale.
Even with Big Team Battle, the three maps are evenly balanced for 12v12 matches. BTB showcases expansive arenas with enough space for close-range mayhem, long-range sniper plays, rumbling Scorpion tanks, and flying Banshee fighters. I like how, unlike Call of Duty’s breakneck-paced 12v12 matches, BTB allows for you to catch a few moments of breathing time before you engage in a heated fight. The weapon spawns are spaced out enough to give everyone a chance to run for them and the vehicle spawns are mirrored on each team’s side, making for awesome vehicle runs. Power weapons and items are always a risk to play for since they’re placed in the middle of maps, and that makes balancing feel just right.
Halo Infinite’s store is open for business and the bundles and options for its purely cosmetic wares are varied. The pricing feels fair and evenly set relative to other free-to-play games, with daily Rare bundles costing $5 (500 credits) and weekly Legendary bundles going for $20 (2,000 credits). The Season 1 Battlepass costs 1,000 credits, so about $10, and the Premium Pass Bundle costs 2,800 credits, around $28.
Since Infinite’s multiplayer is free to play it makes sense that it’d have a battlepass, but what’s awkward is that the rewards within it are pretty lackluster. Outside of a couple of neat fire effects that can be applied to your character, all you get are things like plain armor coatings and uninspired helmet attachments. Nothing in it has interested me more than what you can earn without paying.
Also, the challenge system doesn't provide much XP, so the free cosmetic options take a long time to unlock. With the inability to choose the game modes you want to play, completing some of these challenges are difficult because you might just get half an hour of Slayer on two rotating maps and be unable to complete a challenge that requires a specific vehicle that spawns on a different map. Daily and weekly challenges should be engaging and make you feel a sense of accomplishment after completing one, but these are just small drops in a very large bucket. It’s too much of a grind to feel worth spending money on the battlepass for some meager customization unlocks as the progression rewards.
Even after an update that doles out a flat 50 XP after every match and tweaks to the challenge deck it still feels like a slog, and I don’t feel rewarded for a good performance. However, I do love that 343 Industries is showing esports teams some love with armored skin sets themed after partnered Halo Championship Series esports organizations, such as Cloud9 and Faze, so you can show support for your favorite teams.
It’s so nice when a game actually lives up to sky-high expectations! Halo Infinite has been one of the most anticipated games out there since it was first announced three years ago, and for its multiplayer component to so fully deliver on the series’ classic feel while also keeping up with the modern-day competition in the FPS genre is a huge achie...
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amazing
Halo Infinite's multiplayer delivers a spectacular modern version of one of gaming's most esteemed first-person shooters.
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