I wasn’t ready to start sneaking around a Banished warship in my first few minutes in Halo Infinite’s campaign, but there I was facing down an army of Grunts, Jackals, Brutes, and Elites. The classic thrill was the first. Halo For a few minutes, music and the familiarity with the enemies was a nostalgic overload. But then I noticed the new Grappleshot. Oh, boy.
I was the first to play. Halo20 years ago, the campaign mode was dominated by melees, grenades and a variety of weapons and vehicles. The Grappleshot, however, is a new addition that transforms it. It’s an ideal companion that left me excited and wanting to upgrade it fully during my first few hours of the campaign.
You’re introduced to the Grappleshot in the early missions in Halo InfiniteYou will now be fighting your way out towards the open areas in the Zeta Halo where the Banished enemies have taken control. It is very vertical and serves as a subtle training mode that gently guides you to master the Grappleshot.
Although you can jump, run, and shoot enemies without it, ziplining towards a Brute is an extremely satisfying way to get your points across. If Jackal’s shields are annoying, just Grappleshot the shield to force them to lower it. It’s also great for instantly figuring out those “How do I get up there?” moments, where you can just aim and transport yourself to areas that would be impossible to get to otherwise.
I’ve been playing around with the Grappleshot for months during the Halo InfiniteMultiplayer previews were impressive and I was impressed by its mobility there. But it has endless uses. It really shines in the campaign. It can be used to speed up navigation or to propel you towards an enemy. You can also retrieve weapons or fusion coils. There’s only a short cooldown in the campaign mode, so the possibilities for speed running are going to be endless. I can’t wait to witness what talented players manage to accomplish here.
The first few missions were dark and eerie. Halo Infinite where you’re first introduced to the Grappleshot are what you’d expect from classic Halo. There’s a clear storyline and structure, and plenty of Banished enemies to eliminate. If you’re new to the franchise, the story itself takes place 18 months after the events of Halo 5But once you get out onto the Zeta Halo, the story and adventures really start expanding.
It’s here where Halo InfiniteThis is what sets it apart Halo It has been inspired by many games before it. It maintains a very high level of excellence. Halo: Combat Evolved look and feel, but you can freely explore the Zeta Halo, and it’s filled with items to discover, high-value targets to eliminate, outposts to conquer, and of course areas of the main storyline to complete.
It does not feel like an open-world, but it looks and feels very open. Halo game at first glance, 343 Industries limits the areas of Zeta Halo you can explore until you’ve progressed and unlocked new areas. It’s difficult to tell right now exactly how big this map will be, but you can pan around and get a sense that there’s plenty to unlock. It sounds huge. I had to stop and listen to the subtle sounds of the environment and animals around me for a while.
You can also get armor upgrades and improve your Grappleshot skills here. I only received a few upgrades in my initial preview. Halo InfiniteYou can upgrade to stun grappled enemy for several seconds or reduce the Grappleshot coolingdown by 40 percent. Additionally, you can deliver a shockwave blast when grappling while holding melee. I can’t wait to unlock all of these options and see how truly powerful the Grappleshot can be.
While you can explore Halo Zeta’s surface and engage in occasional battles, your first campaign mission here is to invade a tower that holds a Banished boss. It’s a dark, steam-filled location that really demonstrates just how good Halo Infinite looks running on the Xbox Series X, with lighting that requires you to activate a light on Master Chief’s helmet.
From all the initial missions, this is the most important. Halo InfiniteThis one was my favorite and left me wanting more. The boss battle introduces you the threat sensor, a projectile that you can use for tracking enemies through terrain and walls. The threat sensor is particularly useful against enemies that like to cloak and hide away, and you’ll find high-value targets out in the Halo Zeta that do exactly that.
You can choose to equip the threat sensor when you need it in place of the Grappleshot, and I’m curious to see how the campaign progresses to unlock extra equipment and abilities. The progression system works via Spartan Cores. They can be found across the campaign missions or on Zeta Halo.
Once you unlock more vehicles, you can also summon them freely from outposts that you’ve secured. After the six-month occupation, Banished forces must be defeated to capture outposts. These outposts can be used to find new Banished structures and extra-high-value targets. You can also use them to rally UNSC marines who are willing and able to join you on missions or defeat enemies. If you rescue marines out in the field or capture Banished bases, you’ll also earn Valor — a resource that lets you unlock new weapons, vehicles, and more.
I’ve only played the first few hours of Halo InfiniteSo far, it feels like there are many more hours ahead. The Weapon, a new AI that bares a striking resemblance to Cortana, is introduced early on, and the fate of Master Chief and Cortana’s role in the story are still very much up in the air after just a few hours of gameplay. We’ll have a full review of Halo Infinite next month, where we’ll find out just how big Zeta Halo is and discover the secrets hidden within it.
Halo InfiniteAlready feels like a familiar, but different kind of, HaloFans will love it.
Source: The Verge
