That means plenty of extra gameplay with a friend, and a level of campaign longevity that adds even more depth to the franchise. You’ll play through a series of levels in the classic Halo style, but eventually, the game opens into a semi-open world, allowing for exploration and the capturing of bases. That’s because Infinite reinvents Halo as more than a linear experience. It’s also possible too that when it does arrive, teamup-hungry gamers will still have plenty to do even if they’ve played the whole campaign. Ostensibly, the lack of coop campaign has to do with balancing the progression system. As taut as Halo’s storytelling is, it’s best to experience this with company, and Halo is one of those rare games that manages to storytell without forcing you and your tag-team partner to sit back and watch too much explication. That’s a letdown, because every Halo campaign aside from this one has both allowed you to play with friends and been absolutely spectacular with friends. Infinite is expected to add coop campaign next year, but for now, you can only play the campaign alone. This progression system is taut and fun, although it does give rise to Infinite’s one weakness, a lack of cooperative campaign play upon release. You finally have a progression system, giving you agency to shape Master Chief, which feels exceptionally fitting in a game in which Master Chief (and not Cortana) shapes his own path and destiny. But with Infinite, 343 Studios seems cognizant of the likes of Borderlands and the many shooters that now offer other forms of leveling. For years, this has been a game where your only in-game progression was your own skill development. These fundamentals are augmented by other touches that essentially bring Halo in line with many other shooters today. Halo has long made tweaks to its gameplay, introducing shields and speed bursts and the like in Halo Reach, for example, handing you several new guns in Guardians, playing with dual-wielding as far back as Halo 2. The action and gunplay is just as fast and tight as Halo has always been, but new (and significant) wrinkles abound. Infinite is a masterclass in video game storytelling and how to keep you engaged from start to finish. Halo has always been excellent at delivering its explication within the context of game action and that continues here: As you run and gun you’ll hear Atriox’s commands in the background establishing him as a leader and hinting at his character, and you’ll see images that storytell without forcing you to simply sit back and watch. He faces a new threat in the Banished, a collection of familiar-looking aliens led by a vicious Brute, Atriox, and you’ll learn much about the Banished and Atriox not simply through cutscene, but through gameplay. Previous Halos placed you among soldiers and other troops here, Master Chief alone is experienced and ready for battle. We see a different side of the Chief here: Left with a green team, he must do more than lead the fight, he must lead and motivate and provide direction for Weapon and his pilot, Echo-216. In previous Halos, Cortana seemed to provide Master Chief direction, and it served to assist in gameplay here, she lends you the direction you need, but the story makes it clear that Master Chief is the driving force in this mission. The interplay between Chief and Weapon is one of the highlights of the game, in part because it turns so much of what you’ve always experienced in this franchise on its end. Soon enough, the Chief and his pilot are headed for Zeta Halo, and the Chief has grabbed a new A.I. You’ll sit back and watch all this happen early on, but Halo really takes off once you take control of Master Chief. Six months later, he’s found by a pilot and another ship, and your adventure begins in earnest. A group called the Banished attack and board your ship, and Master Chief is thrown from the ship. Taking place several years after the events of Halo V: Guardians, Infinite once again casts you as Master Chief. It starts with a fantastic story, and more brilliant Halo storytelling. The original Halo was subtitled “Combat Evolved.” With Infinite, that evolution continues and reaches its most stunning form. This is a game that reinvents and pushes forward, refusing to simply deliver a familiar Halo experience and deliver an even more engaging experience. In fact, somehow, developer 343 Studios manages to raise the bar even higher, delivering the most electric and compelling title in the series’ illustrious history. With Halo Infinite, absolutely none of that changes. Ever since the start, Microsoft has poured amazing attention to detail into its flagship franchise, delivering a stunning mix of storytelling, visuals, and pulse-pounding gameplay. I have never played a Halo game that wasn’t absolutely fantastic.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |