Halo is one of those series that sticks with you. If you were a fan of Halo as a child, there is a very good chance of you still being a fan now, even if the last 2 numbered entries could at best be described as “sub-par” and at worst as “a dumpster fire”. Ever since Bungie handed over the keys to the series so they could go fulfil their dreams of making average shooter MMO’s that charge for entry, 343 Industries have been in charge and seemingly just been doing all they can to keep the train on the track and not derail it through a small town. For the most part they’ve done, okay? Halo 4 & 5 are pretty harmless really with decent enough gameplay and storylines that while dull weren’t exactly offensive. However, the fans wanted more, they wanted an experience closer to the life changing ones we had in Halo 3 or even Reach.
Halo Infinite has been on a lot of peoples minds for a while, after a weak first trailer 343 made no bones about the fact it was early days and to give them time. Before long they came back with a far better received trailer and promises of an experience more like what we missed from 3. Fast forward to last night. It’s the 20th anniversary of both Halo and the Xbox, during a livestream honouring the event the Halo devs made an appearance and, to the joy of many, announced that they would be opening access to the Infinite multiplayer to all!
I made a few promises to hold off on playing till my friends were free, then I suddenly remembered I love Halo too much and immediately alienated my friends and booted up a game I’ve been hype for since day one! I only managed to play about 3 games before I had to call it a night but in my short time with it I can assure you, the standard of multiplayer from Halo 3 has returned! I instantly felt at home as I sprinted towards any other SPARTAN not wearing my colours as I spammed Battle Rifle fire hoping to smash their face with the fat of my hand. A few of the new weapons might take a little getting used to, and the new method of acquiring and using power ups makes getting hold of them a little more competitive as everyone now hears and announcement that active camo or over shields will be dropped into the map, so you better get running if you want first dibs on power!
Vehicles are obviously a key part of Halo gameplay and if you feel more at home at the controls of a Warthog or Banshee then you will not be disappointed. Each vehicle feels nearly the same as they always have with just a few tweaks to take advantage of better controller inputs and more power. I had a ton of fun mowing down other SPARTANs as a teammate laid down fire from the mounted gun, it hit me hard with nostalgia, harder than I hit my enemies…
The verdict? If you have been upset with the state of more recent Halo multiplayer, then this is the game to bring you back into the fight. I perfect example of “if it ain’t broke” 343 have taken everything you loved from 3, Reach and yes even 4 & 5 to make a fantastically fun multiplayer experience for the most casual fans all the way up to the sweaty, tea bagging, Competitive player…