![]() The character is new and comes off as very innocent, which is a nice contrast to the other characters. Her expressive facial animations help sell the moments, and only occasionally veer into the uncanny valley. It’s often humorous, but there's a particularly somber stretch that made me genuinely feel bad when her feelings were hurt. The dialogue between Chief and his new AI companion is the story's core, and the writing on display is one of the game's better aspects. There’s enough mystery to keep you invested in the narrative, and the cutscenes (particularly character models and lighting) are wonderful. Fortunately, there’s more going on than just fighting his Banished faction, as Chief uncovers the secrets of a new Halo ring, and deals with his own personal guilt, trust, and failures. The game’s main villain, a hulking, shouting Brute named Escharum (who you probably saw monologuing in the game’s trailers) is a mostly one-note character, but he’s a fine enough big bad with some depth. It’s been a long time, and there are a lot of names thrown around. Some fans are deeply invested in Halo’s lore courtesy of the series' games, books, and spin-offs (like Halo Wars), but I imagine that it will not always be clear what is new information to this game, who everyone is, or what event they’re referring to. That said, the narrative leans heavily on the series’ lore-Halo’s story has always been more complex and weirder than you’d expect it to be from the outside. It’s a more mature, grown-up method of storytelling for Halo, even if some of it is still relatively cheesy talk about saving the galaxy from bombastic villains. Details about the current status of the factions and characters are provided through smaller comments (and audio logs you can find) rather than explicitly explained. You gain more clarity as you play, and a lot of questions are answered the further you go with a type of flashback or dialogue. The way the story is told-covering past events and the time jump after Halo 5's ending as character moments or reveals, rather than exposition dumps-helps alleviate this to a degree. This game’s events aren’t hard to follow in and of themselves, but the significance of Halo rings, Cortana, and the different factions can be confusing, and are frequently referenced. New players, or people who have forgotten past story beats, may be a little lost. Without spoiling anything, I’ll say up front that past titles' events significantly inform Halo Infinite's narrative. The game begins in media res, chaining off Halo 5's conclusion. The reality is that Halo Infinite lands somewhere between a true open-world map and traditional Halo campaigns, and the result is largely successful.įirst, the story. ![]() There were open-world expectations, but that can mean a lot of things in modern games. Halo Infinite is the franchise’s big chance to put itself back at gaming's forefront, and between the campaign and gripping multiplayer action, it's safe to say that Halo is back.ĭespite the many years of buildup, Halo Infinite's campaign format remained a mystery, until, well, I launched the game and began playing. Some map elements aren't new to video games by any stretch, but they're new to Halo, and work well. A new open-world map design with optional map markers and collectibles, as well as ability upgrades including the brilliant addition of a grappling hook, breathes fresh life into a traditionally linear experience. ![]() The writing is mostly strong, the story is compelling, and the cutscenes look great. The single player campaign that comes with the $59.99 PC game has its issues, but stands as a successful and robust reimagining of what Halo should look like in 2021. It plays fantastically on PC, a weighty mix of classic and modern Halo that brings the past games' satisfying matchmaking experiences into the present. Thankfully, Halo Infinite’s free multiplayer relieved much of the concern when it dropped days before the game's official launch. ![]() There is a mighty weight of expectations surrounding Halo Infinite, following two less positively received main entries and six-year wait since Halo 5's release. Best Hosted Endpoint Protection and Security Software. ![]()
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