This additional year of development will certainly not have been in vain for 343 Industries. While we may regret the absence of many elements at launch such as the co-op campaign, the studio seems to have kept its promises in order to offer fans the best Halo open-world experience possible.
Preview made on Xbox Series X as part of a program organized by Microsoft and 343 Industries. We were able to go through the start of the single-player campaign for around 4 hours.
“Wake me up… whenever you want”
Before getting to the heart of the matter, without divulging anything, a little reminder of the synopsis around Halo Infinite is necessary. The game picks up the Master Chief saga a few months after the events depicted in Halo 5. The forces of the UNSC (United Nations Space Command) are engaged in a desperate conflict over the Zeta Halo against the Outcasts, defector faction of the Covenant introduced into the Halo Wars games.
Pushed against the wall, an aging but still valiant Master Chief finds himself defeated and ejected into space. A brave surviving Pelican pilot finds him asleep (and yes, again!) a few months later. Despite his convalescence, Master Chief quickly regains his senses and his mission orders: find a weapon. To do this, he must go to Zeta Halo, now occupied by the Outcasts.
Listening only to his courage and his duty, and accustomed to facing the most impossible odds, our favorite supersoldier manages to convince his companion in misfortune. It is then that our two friends embark on the reconquest of Zeta Halo, a Pariah and many discoveries at the same time.
As part of our preview, we were only able to discover the first four missions of the campaign, as well as some additional activities which we will come back to later. But be aware that the Halo Infinite scenario promises to reconnect with the works of Bungie, with the return to a Halo, its mysteries, Master Chief (and Cortana?) at the heart of the plot. And damn it's fun!
"I need a gun"
From the first minutes in the company of Master Chief, it is clear that the Halo magic works instantly. Eager to reconcile the slower gameplays of the old opuses and the more nervous of the recent games, 343 Industries offers us here the best of both worlds. Despite his age, Chief is in great shape: sprints, slides and climbs on the walls are linked without transition and the controls respond to the finger and the eye.
The gunplay is not left out either. The arsenal at our disposal is particularly substantial, and each weapon, grenade or even element of the decor fulfills its own function in this sandbox so specific to the franchise. You feel every shot, every hit, and every kill with exhilarating satisfaction. The game even allows some localization of damage: a shot in the leg will slow down our opponent, while a shot in the head will inflict significant damage. In a nutshell, we really have the feeling of embodying Master Chief! Since like him, the player will often have to improvise with what comes to hand. The feeling of freedom just in this aspect of the game is masterfully transcribed.
If the artificial intelligence of the Pariahs, the only opponents we met in this preview, is not the most brilliant, we still find here the essence of the franchise. Each species composing the Outcasts has its own behaviors and reactions. A Grunt won't react the same way as a Brute to seeing Master Chief run into them or throw a grenade at them.
JVFR
Similarly, the elimination of a high-ranking will cause different reactions depending on the species. Finally, each species has a panel of comments based on our actions... and even our death! All these gameplay elements give the whole a clever sense of immersion that immerses us even more in the moment.
JVFR
To accomplish his goal, Master Chief will also be able to count on new useful gadgets to integrate into his armor. During this preview, we only had access to the grappling hook and a proximity sonar. And the least we can say is that the grapple is a real gem of versatility and satisfaction. We can, however, pester his behavior or his aim a tad capricious.
JVFR
Zeta running out of things to do?
If the gameplay is intended to be a very good mix between homage and modernity, 343 Industries has not been afraid to explore lands still unknown to it when it comes to the open world. The old games certainly offered great freedom of approach, but the levels still kept a certain linearity.
It is also found in what serves as a prologue to the game. Like a certain Elden Ring, Halo Infinite gives fans some time to find their comfort zone. And this before releasing them into the vast world of Zeta Halo with a first truly breathtaking panorama. We will also come back to the technical part of the title a little later.
JVFR
Thus, it is up to us, once our feet are on this new Halo, to follow the story in a straight line or to wander on our side. The game also encourages us quite skillfully to make a few detours and participate in various related activities. During our four hours of play, for example, we had to take over a Pariah Outpost, recover Spartan modules to improve our armor and our gadgets, defeat a mini-boss or even free Marines.
JVFR
If these objectives do not shine by their originality, they nevertheless fulfill a purpose that is certainly not to be neglected. Their completion grants indeed points of bravery which will be used to unlock weapons, vehicles and human occupation forces on Zeta Halo. In addition to these very classic points of interest, simple exploration will be rewarded with encounters that are as random as they are pleasantly surprising.
JVFR
To traverse these vast landscapes, liberated Outposts will act as fast travel points. We will also be able to recover weapons and ammunition there, as well as call vehicles in order to greatly gain in mobility… despite the franchise's particular driving style. Overall, 343 Industries' ambitions for this open world have convinced us. It remains to be seen whether this observation will be able to hold over a longer period of play.
JVFR
" You know me. When I make a promise…”
The postponement of a whole year for the release of Halo Infinite was mainly due to the particularly mixed feedback from the community following a presentation during the summer of 2020. The technical part of the game was sorely lacking in finish, despite the fact that Halo Infinite is a cross-generation Xbox console game.
Never mind, 343 Industries has rolled up its sleeves, and we can only salute the initiative and the work done with this additional development time! If the game is still far from being a graphic showcase, the care given to the textures of the decor and the effects of light now commands respect. Especially since a constant fluidity was there throughout our session on Xbox Series X.
JVFR
But where Halo Infinite shines is in the franchise's signature art direction and gigantism, which really blew us away during our short visit to Zeta Halo. Once again, an interesting parallel can be drawn with Elden Ring, which is not a technical monster either, but which compensates for this lack with superb artistic direction.
JVFR
Despite everything, there are still a few elements that get stuck, in particular a slight clipping or even an expression of the faces that leaves a little to be desired. The few Marines we released seemed straight out of Halo 3 on Xbox 360. No doubt community feedback on this will be a game-changer, as was the case with the famous Craig introduced in summer 2020. Know d Besides that this one is doing much better and has even grown a glorious beard!
JVFR
Halo Infinite: our first impressions of the campaign
As you will have understood, this first contact with the single player campaign of Halo Infinite really reassured us about the future of the ambitious project of 343 Industries. Like many, despite our deep attachment to this franchise, we thought all hope was lost for the studio. This title was his last chance to reconcile with fans of the license masterfully initiated by Bungie in 2001, and everything suggests that he is on the way to success.
We had already been greatly reassured during our adventure on the technical test of free-to-play multiplayer. With these first steps on the campaign, we are now quite confident that the Halo Infinite trial will be transformed brilliantly, as this short experience has truly captivated us.
Whether it's the story, the gameplay, the open world or the technique, this additional year of development has done the game a world of good. It should therefore convince fans of Bungie's opuses as well as those of 343 Industries, for our greatest pleasure.
We now have only one hurry: finish the fight on December 8 with Master Chief and see what this new episode of his legendary saga has in store for us. Wake us up in a few weeks, otherwise the wait may be unbearable.
