4/5 ★ – DarkTriforceFilms's review of Halo Infinite.

Halo Infinite is truly such a return to form for the Halo Franchise. 343 has shown that they do truly care about both Halo fans and the legacy of the games, returning to the classic art style and foundations that made Halo what it is, but holds the more modern gameplay elements and themes that have kept Halo relevant in more recent years. Gameplay wise, this might be my favorite Halo ever. The game feels both classic and modern, not bending to the current trends in FPS, like loadouts or characters, but instead stays to the equal starts and sandbox gameplay that makes Halo so much fun. I can't explain how refreshing it is after playing other FPS's to know that at the start of the round I don't have to worry if I haven't played in a month because everyone else will have better gear or anything like that. While the game did launch with a lot of missing features, like game modes and playlists, or just a bigger map pool, it's incredible how much the core gameplay keeps the game fun and enjoyable. The maps in Halo Infinite leave some room for wishing in terms of variety, as I believe there's only around 5 4v4 maps and 3 BTB maps, but each map feels unique and different from each other, and almost every map is so much fun to play on and packed full of details and different movement paths and sightlines, one of my favorite things about the maps in Infinite is the fact that at any given point, there are 3 or 4 different ways for someone to approach you, offering a lot of variety and strategy. Customization in Halo Infinite is so close to being some of the best in the series since Halo Reach, but is held back by the microtransaction practices that are common in FPS's now, which is made worse by the game being Free to Play. While I do think F2P was overall a great decision for the game, things like colors being locked to the shader like system of armor coatings, or armor cores meaning you can't mix and match all the armor in the game are infuriating to deal with. It really sucks that there are colors that have been free in every single Halo game that now you have to pay to use, not to mention color combinations that are now impossible to get despite being available for the 20+ years the franchise has been going. But even with all of that, the armor that is available looks amazing and detailed, while still looking grounded and realistic unlike some of the many strange armors that were present in Halo 5. Seeing what has been released only gets me excited for what else is to come in later seasons. On to the Campaign, Halo Infinite's is my favorite campaign in years. By far the best that 343 has made. The story is intimate and personal, and every character feels like they're at the top of their game. The writing brings back the humorous and incredible one liners and dialogue that Halo 5 felt like it was sorely lacking, and the mystery the game presents right from the beginning stays interesting and leaves you wanting more as the game goes on. I am in love with the new characters introduced, whether it be the Pilot, anxious and a great character for Chief to bounce off, or Escharum, the intimidating leader of The Banished, who is hungry for a legendary fight with Chief. While certain parts of the story felt like they could've been expanded upon, like with The Harbinger, it never felt like something that soiled the overall experience of Infinite's story, as every other part held it up so high. I won't get too into spoilers here, but I'll say that the last fight of the game felt like it was missing a lot of the emotional weight and motivation that was felt in the second to last boss fight. Overall, Halo Infinite feels like a great foundation with a ton of potential, and the future feels bright for the game. 343 is clearly showing that they want to listen to the fans and make this the best Halo game possible. It's a shame the game had to launch missing a lot of features that should've been present like Co-Op or Forge, but I am waiting patiently for them to be added. I can't even describe how much fun I know that Campaign will be once Co-Op is added, or how excited I am for more maps and game modes. I highly recommend Halo Infinite to anyone who has enjoyed any previous Halo game, or just any FPS in general. It has a lot to offer and is welcoming to new fans as well as keeps old fans happy. This is truly just the beginning.