While marred by a bit of a late start on day one, Halo Infinite's first Flight was a success. Positive opinions about the beta have circulated online, and new details continue to pour out via dataminers searching through the Flight's files. But that's not really what stands out about it, instead, it's the clear picture of where 343 Industries plans on taking Halo Infinite.
For nearly a decade now, the Halo has struggled to find a balance between modern FPS mechanics and the sort of strange, slower-paced multiplayer that fans of the franchise are used to. Halo 4 was the first game to struggle with this sort of modernization, as too many changes were made to the formula and aesthetic too quickly. Halo 5, while an improvement where multiplayer is concerned, also had its share of issues, causing an overall longing to return to tradition.
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Enter Halo Infinite, the next entry in the franchise. With Halo Infinite releasing this year, it seems natural that there should be a few testing periods before the game reaches its finished state, allowing fans to get a taste of the game and giving 343 the opportunity to adjust according to feedback. With this hands-on time, fans have a better idea of what Halo Infinite is, and it turns out it's a delicate balancing act of traditional gameplay with modern mechanics.
It's hard to perfectly capture what Halo Infinite feels like without going hands-on with it, though the closest proxy would be a blend of Halo Reach and Halo 5, mixed together in a way that keeps the core of how Halo Reach feels while cutting out the bits that haven't aged well. The over-the-top movement mechanics from Halo 5 – namely the boost jets, shoulder charge, and ground slam – aren't present in the Flight, either.
Sprint has returned but is much slower, and the three maps that were available felt a bit smaller than what's usually found in the games, though that's not hard science. It's likely that 343 Industries is trying to keep things relatively fast-paced, and to the developer's credit, it's done so swimmingly. Halo Infinite manages to keep the pace up without forgoing the higher time-to-kill that the franchise is known for, keeping things tactical without turning each match into a slog.
Clearly, there's been some intricate twiddling around with the balancing scales to nail that feeling. While there are bound to be changes between now and the full game's launch – whenever Halo Infinite gets around to releasing – and likely even before the next Flight, Halo Infinite already feels well-tuned.
There are still some balance issues, of course – the Bulldog shotgun being a bit weak despite how punchy it is sticks out. But so far, it feels like a firm core for the rest of the Halo Infinite multiplayer experience to be built around. It's far easier for a developer to fix an underpowered weapon than it is to change the spirit of what the game is, and that should lend some optimism to fans that were put off by Halo 4 and Halo 5.
What's most strange about Halo Infinite, though, is how the combination of modern and traditional elements creates a game that feels decidedly unique compared to the series' prior entries. The influence of past titles can still be felt here, but it's clearly an evolution of the games in every sense of the word.
The question is whether or not Halo Infinite's look and feel are going to capture everyone. There still exists a subset of long-time Halo enthusiasts that feel that sprint mechanics have no place in the game, so introducing elements like a grappling hook may still be taking things a step too far in the eyes of some. If the game manages to be fun, little else should matter. But this is the era of the internet, and it's impossible to please anyone. To that end, though, Halo Infinite's refusal to operate under any extreme might end up being the perfect approach.
Obviously, there's still a long way to go. And even when Halo Infinite launches, 343 Industries is going to have a lot on its plate. After all, Halo Infinite is a 10-year game, according to the developer, so it's going to need an air-tight post-launch content plan to keep the game engaging. That's easier said than done, as few titles manage to maintain their audience beyond a few years, and even fewer have made it to the decade-plus mark.
Halo Infinite does have an edge, though. Since it launched back in 2014, Halo: The Master Chief Collection has acted as a sort of testing ground for post-launch Halo content. Fans have seen new maps, modes, armor, and even entire games added in the time since release, and while the game struggled to find its footing initially, it's become the definitive Halo experience.
For 343 Industries, mirroring what it's done with Halo: MCC will be the best gauge of Halo Infinite's success. Halo Infinite's multiplayer will be free, so it stands to reason that it will naturally accumulate a broader audience, especially considering the simultaneous release on PC and Xbox consoles. The key is maintaining that audience for the decade-long period, and ideally, luring fans from the Master Chief Collection to Infinite with compelling content.
With the first Flight now in the books, though, Halo Infinite's future is looking promising. There are going to be changes between now and the full game's launch, and there are still plenty of ways that things could go wrong, but right now it seems that fans should have little to be worried about. The balance between traditional and modern Halo gameplay has managed to reach a delicate sweet spot, and that should mean the best of both worlds.
Halo Infinite is in development for PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.