Halo Infinite beta: 3 things I liked (and 3 I didn't)

Halo Infinite Multiplayer Source: Microsoft

The first official Halo Infinite beta test finally went live final weekend, and I spent a lot of time playing it. I was able to match confronting plenty of bots of varying difficulty levels during the test, and I also played quite a few matches against other players when 343 Industries briefly turned on PvP, too. I tried out lots of weapon drills in the Academy training mode besides, and was also able to extensively play on all three of the maps included in the technical preview's matchmaking.

In my initial Halo Infinite hands-on impressions, I said that Halo Infinite feels like the render to course that the franchise needs. I still experience that mode, but after spending several days thinking near the experience and talking well-nigh information technology with my friends, there are also some things virtually the experience that I call back could be a lot better. Here's an overview of three things that I liked about our first sense of taste of Halo Infinite gameplay, every bit well as three things that I think need to change or improve.

Liked: The multiplayer sandbox

Halo Infinite Multiplayer Source: Xbox Game Studios

Without a doubt, I recall the single best thing about the beta test was the game's sandbox. Nearly every weapon felt slap-up to use and served a specific role in combat scenarios, which is a blueprint direction that harkens back to the formula that put Halo on the map in the first place. The core of Halo has always been about exploring the map with your teammates and finding unique and interesting weapons to utilize confronting your opponents, and Halo Infinite nails that philosophy — especially when y'all're able to pair weapons like this together for creative new combos and strategies. I of my favorite things to do during the exam was to rip someone's shields apart with plasma bolts from a Pulse Carbine and then cease them off with a snappy headshot from the VK78 Commando or the Battle Rifle.

I also love that Halo Infinite is bringing equipment from Halo 3 back, and then far, my experience with these pickups has been positive. The star of the show is obviously the Grappleshot, which players can apply to pull themselves to parts of the map, pull weapons and pickups to them, perform flashy trickshots, and more. However, I also liked the Drop Wall comprehend shield and the location-revealing Threat Sensor too, every bit both of them inverse the flow of engagements in interesting ways. I'm very excited to try out other kinds of Halo Infinite equipment in the future.

Didn't like: No friendly burn down or standoff

Halo Infinite Multiplayer Source: Microsoft

Something that I definitely didn't similar about the Halo Infinite beta gameplay was the absence of friendly fire and collision with teammates. I experience that the overall feel was mode likewise grenade spammy, and I believe the reason why is because when friendly burn down is off, you don't accept to be careful about your grenade throws. You tin toss them as fast and as wildly as you want, whereas in previous Halo games, you always had to make sure you weren't going to accidentally accident up your teammates. I take a feeling that the developers disabled friendly fire in Halo Infinite and then that rude teammates tin't teamkill you lot to steal your weapons, merely that problem is easily solved with an auto-kicker (a feature that has commonly been nowadays in Halo multiplayer).

I also don't like collision with your teammates being disabled since it allows players to be a lot less considerate of their positioning. In other Halo games, everyone cramming into one area and bumping into each other was a positioning mistake that the other team could skillfully punish with grenades or explosive weapons. In Halo Infinite, players can escape that danger by just walking through each other, which is goofy.

Liked: The motility mechanics

Halo Infinite Multiplayer Source: Microsoft

Another highlight of the beta for me were the movement mechanics, which I thought did a good job of enhancing the gameplay without feeling too impactful or overpowered. In contempo Halo games, the incredible mobility and power of their motion mechanics ofttimes "drowned out" the touch of their weapon and vehicle sandboxes, which many Halo fans strongly disliked. In Halo Space, the speed of sprinting has been lowered and Halo v'southward Spartan Accuse and Ground Pound abilities take been removed, with merely ledge clambering and sliding remaining.

These motion mechanics feel cracking to use and ensure that Halo Space feels more than fluid than the Halo games of yesteryear, but at the end of the day, they accept a backseat to the influence of weapons and equipment. I beloved this, equally information technology ensures that the sandbox will withal be what the gameplay feel revolves around. Fluid movement augments Halo Space instead of driving information technology, which is how things should be.

Didn't like: Spartan Chatter

Halo Infinite Multiplayer Source: Microsoft

Another thing I didn't like nearly the gameplay was that the Spartan Chatter system felt much worse than its Halo 5 version. In Halo five, your allies' Spartans would automatically brand bones callouts to i another during gameplay that helped make players aware of important pieces of data such equally the inflow of a ability weapon or the final known location of an enemy. In Halo Infinite, this system returns, simply it'due south much less useful since the callouts the Spartans make are ofttimes way too generalized.

When Spartans say that an enemy is "over there" or "over yonder" (ugh), it doesn't provide players with useful information. Instead, it but pollutes the game's soundscape and makes it harder to listen for more useful audio cues. There are some good callouts, such as "Enemy underneath me," simply overall this system either needs to be improved or removed.

Liked: Bots and the Academy

Halo Infinite Source: 343 Industries

Something that surprised me during the technical preview was only how impressive Halo Space's bots are. Compared to the mindless and hands exploitable bots typically found in other shooter games, Halo Infinite's bots have a sharp mind and even sharper aim. Players all the same routinely crush them past a broad margin during the test, but they definitely put up more of a fight than bots unremarkably practise. I similar that the harder difficulty bots in particular strength players to actually endeavour in order to win, which makes them an splendid tool for practicing.

I too loved the Academy way's weapon drills, which requite players a risk to hone their skills with every weapon in the game. For example, I initially struggled to control the kick of the VK78 Commando rifle when I got my hands on it for the first fourth dimension, only I was able to accommodate myself to its recoil by running multiple weapon drills with it. The ability to do your aim with Halo Infinite's weapons in a stress-free environment similar this is awesome, and since Halo Infinite's free-to-play status will no doubt bring in thousands of new players, I believe that the Academy grooming mode is exactly what the franchise needs.

Didn't like: The Needler

Halo Infinite Multiplayer Source: Microsoft

The Needler is arguably one of Halo's most iconic weapons, as its distinctive, unique appearance and bizarre method of killing makes it stand up out from Halo'due south other firearms. Embedding a punch of pink needles into someone'south body and so watching them explode is wacky and cool, which is why it'south extremely disappointing that using the Needler in Halo Infinite is a lackluster experience. Due to how small and dull they are, it's almost impossible to tell whether or not your needles are actually striking the person you lot're shooting at during combat. This makes deciding whether you should dorsum off or go along firing to come across whether you can supercombine your opponent very frustrating.

The Needler can likewise be troublesome to play against as well. Considering the needles are modest and difficult to see, it's incredibly tough to tell whether or not they're hitting y'all. And when both the shooter and the victim can't tell whether the Needler's attacks are landing or not, the unabridged combat state of affairs becomes confusing and abrasive. Moving forwards, the Needler and its ammunition definitely need a visual upshot rework so that information technology's not such a frustrating weapon. It's the only gun out of all of the Halo Space weapons that I didn't like using during the test, then hopefully the developers make some changes to it before Halo Infinite's launch.

Your thoughts

What do yous think? Were yous able to play the get-go Halo Infinite beta test? Do yous hold with my likes and dislikes? Allow me know. For more than on Halo Infinite beta, don't miss our coverage of the Halo Space beta schedule. Likewise, check out our guide to Halo Infinite preorders if you lot're looking to get your re-create of the game ahead of its Holiday 2022 launch (proceed in mind that the multiplayer volition be a standalone free-to-play feel). Ultimately, we're hoping that Halo Infinite ends upward being one of the all-time Xbox games ever, and we can't to get our easily on the game when it launches.

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