With little warning, Halo Infinite multiplayer launched recently as a surprise from the Xbox anniversary event. As much as Infinite has been praised for having the feel of classic Halo, there are plenty of new features here for long time fans to get used to. We have gone through and found plenty of new things to talk about, both big and small. So let’s discuss what’s new in Halo Infinite.
What’s new: New Maps, New Weapons, New Vehicles
The maps are new, that isn’t exactly surprising! There’s plenty to talk about there, enough for its own guide, but scattered across these new maps are new weapons, and new vehicles. Most of the classic Halo weapons are here, and they bring with them some interesting new additions. Most notably the shock weapons, such as the Disruptor and the Shock Rifle. This all-new weapon type deals shock damage; they don’t hit has hard but the shots cause lightning to chain to other enemies, deadly in groups.
In terms of new vehicles, we have the Razorback and the Wasp. The Razorback is a beefier version of the Warthog, it seats far more people and it can take a beating before it gives up. The Wasp is a new flying vehicle, similar to the Banshee but this one is from the UNSC side. It features dual cannons for auto fire, as well as lock-on missiles for taking down enemy vehicles.
All in all, there’s plenty of new and returning toys in Halo Infinite to keep things fresh and exciting. To learn more about the weapons of Halo Infinite, check out our weapons guide!
what’s new in halo infinite: Choose Your Equipment
This feature is fairly familiar, but with a new take on the formula. Equipment in Halo Infinite takes its queues from Halo 3 and Halo Reach, with some new abilities and better implementation. Equipment in Halo Infinite covers things like active camo and overshield. Instead of a bubble shield there is the drop wall; a holographic shield wall with breakable segments that are perfect for shooting through.
New equipment includes the grapple shot for traversal, and a repulsor that’s like having a gravity hammer in your arm. There’s the threat detector which shows any enemies in an area, even through walls, and the thruster that gives you lateral dashes even in mid-air.
Equipment is a huge part of Halo Infinite multiplayer, it will be important to get used to them and learn where they spawn. For more info on each of these, check out our equipment guide!
what’s new in halo infinite: Your Own AI Companion
Just like the Master Chief, every Spartan now has their own AI companion. While not quite as advanced as Cortana, these AI partners are a fun addition to the game. You can choose from several options, and there are more to unlock. My personal favourite is Fret, because I’m an anxious person and having someone more anxious than me helps me focus!
The AIs aren’t much more than flavour, they have their own personalities and they chat along while you play. They do have practical applications- for example, on some maps there are locked doors that must be hacked. You have to upload your AI partner to let them hack the door, and inside there are usually some powerful rewards. It’s little more than a contrivance to justify the AIs being there, but still a worthwhile inclusion.
what’s new in halo infinite: The Battle Pass
With Halo Infinite multiplayer going free-to-play, there was bound to be some concessions. As with many FTP games, Halo has a battle pass. Gaining experience points from challenges will progress you through the battle pass and unlock new rewards, provided you have paid for the pass. 343 are doing something different with their battle pass system, however, and it’s something to be praised.
While battle passes will come around each season, they do not go away once the season ends. Once purchased, any battle pass can be worked on until completed. For example, if you buy the current season one battle pass, Heroes of Reach, you will still have access to it when season two begins. You can even buy other battle passes as they come out, and choose which one you want to make progress toward. This is still a microtransaction based FTP game, but they have gone to great lengths to avoid the fear-of-missing-out tactics that many games like this employ.
Those are some of the biggest new features in Halo Infinite! For more in-depth information on the game, check out our guides on weapons and equipment, as well as our guide to armour customisation!
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Featured Image Credit: 343 Industries