Halo Infinite Tech Preview

The first test flight of Halo Infinite came and went, we have had our chance to slay bots and let that gameplay marinate. There are plenty of severely disappointed people and others who were like a kid in a candy store. Some valid criticism was thrown out, but also plenty of cry babies who will never be satisfied. I fit in more with the “kid in a candy store” group. I'm pretty sure I jumped out of my chair when I got that email inviting me to be a part of this first tech review, scaring my cats in the process due to my shout of excitement. Despite my excitement, there are a few things I hope will be improved up and others that I think were nailed right on the head.

Movement

Over the past few years, Halo and 343i have been criticized for the sprint mechanic being added along with other enhanced mobility aspects, like the thrusters from Halo 5: Guardians. Some people thought it ruined the game but it also brought in a new fresh fanbase. I personally really liked the changes that were made, and that's coming from someone who started playing in the original Xbox days. However, I always missed that classic feel of slower more melodic gameplay. With Infinite I think they got the perfect recipe of new and old to satisfy a majority of players. The sprint mechanic was kept but it doesn't feel like you HAVE to use it like it did in its direct predecessor. Also, thrusters are not in your basic kit, and I am beyond ecstatic about that. I enjoyed them in Halo 5, but they can stay there in my opinion. Especially when you take into account everything else we have gotten in exchange for those headshot-ruining buggers.

Guns and Abilities

Along with a more balanced return of the classic weapons and equipment drops we got a plethora of new guns to desecrate our enemies with. The commando, which feels like a full auto DMR, the bulldog, a fully automatic shotgun, and the pulse carbine which is exactly what it sounds like. All of these are complemented well with the newly added grapple hook and firewall, which can save your genetically modified ass in a sticky situation. There are so many new additions to the armory that it was impossible to fully get a feel for them in a matter of three days. Every weapon felt powerful and fun to use. The pistol wasn’t overpowered like it was in guardians, and the assault rifle was dependable even at a range. Thanos would be proud because it was balanced, as all things should be.

Criticisms

I don’t have many criticisms and the ones I do have are hopefully just due to this being a test flight. The PC version seemed to have some pretty serious FPS issues despite my rig being well above the minimum requirements, it wasn’t game-breaking but it did slightly take away from my overall enjoyment. If this does continue into the full release of the game I might just have to stick to the console version. Moving on, the default button layout on the controller feels a bit awkward. Having the melee on the right analog stick makes it easy to stop firing while tracking your opponent and throw an elbow instead. I lost more than a few fire-fights because of this, I can also be pretty clumsy so I'm curious to hear what others thought of this. I experienced quite a few server problems, where I would be placed in a match and then kicked back to the lobby while the game was loading in. Hopefully, these are addressed before the next flight and definitely before the final release of the game. I have faith in 343i, so I don’t think it will be a problem moving forward.

Armor Customization

It is no secret that a lot of people took issue with the armor customization in the last few games. That is fair, considering you pretty much had to gamble to get any armor pieces for Halo 5, and that just takes away the satisfaction you get from earning like in Halo 3. With Halo Infinite, you have the option to buy certain pieces, but you can also earn them with the battle pass and completing daily challenges. One drawback though, is you need to unlock shaders to change the color of your spartan instead of having the whole color wheel at your disposal. Probably the coolest part about though, is that the color you pick doesn't get overridden by the blue team/red team. Instead, enemies are highlighted red (or whatever color you pick) when in-game. So however you decide to customize your spartan, that is exactly how it looks on the battlefield.

In all, this is probably the best Halo experience I have had since the first time I played Combat Evolved. It provoked the same child-like excitement I had when my brother used me for target practice on blood gulch. While invoking familiar feelings, Infinite still feels new. That news may come as a disappointment to some, but not everyone can be pleased. Personally, I will replay the classics, enjoy them, and further appreciate everything Infinite has to offer.