Like Halo 4 and 5, Halo Infinite looks to be shaking up the landmark first-person shooter franchise’s formula in some fairly dramatic ways. However, while the former titles’ updates mainly served the purpose of bringing Halo more in-line with modern FPS titles like Call of Duty, previews of the upcoming entry seem to indicate Halo Infinite is less intent on emulating other successful shooters. Rather, it seems more focused on being the best Halo game it can be by embracing and evolving the elements the series is known for.

One thing Halo is known for is its vehicles. The Warthog, Ghost, and Banshee are among some of gaming’s most iconic rides, and they’ll be getting some new company when Halo Infinite launches. One new vehicle, the Razorback, seems to be a clever twist on the Warthog. The two vehicles boast comparable designs, but while the classic Halo vehicle is designed more for combat, Halo Infinite’s new armored car is meant more for support — a role not well-filled by many Halo vehicles. Hopefully, this is a sign that more new vehicles are on the way that serve unique roles in Halo Infinite’s multiplayer.

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Halo has had its fair share of airborne machines, but historically there’s been far more variety in ground vehicles than there are drivable aerial ones; most flyable rides are simply designed to be assault vehicles. In the interest of addressing this concern, it would be interesting to see Halo Infinite’s vehicles include a new type of aircraft that takes cues from two of Halo’s bigger rides.

Featured in the Halo 3 map Sandtrap as a multiplayer addition, the appropriately named Elephant is one of the largest drivable vehicles in the Halo games. Capable of carrying an entire team of Spartans and even a few vehicles, this gigantic set of wheels is useful in a support role, especially during big team battles.

When it comes to Halo’s multiplayer vehicles, the Elephant is in a class of its own in terms of size and function. But if Halo Infinite were to introduce a vehicle to rival it, the game ought not to keep it grounded. The potential for big team battles to gain a layer of verticality through the inclusion of a flying fortress meant mainly for support sounds like an exciting proposition, and it’s hard to think of a better machine up for this task than the Pelican.

The Pelican isn’t quite as large as the Elephant, but is still capable of carrying a hefty load consisting of troops and vehicles. Furthermore, despite debuting in the first Halo game, the Pelican has never been flyable in any Halo multiplayer mode. It should go without saying that this would be a great first for the franchise that would get longtime fans excited.

Halo has an estranged relationship with water, as players have never been able to swim. Master Chief weighs nearly 1,000 pounds in his armor, so good luck keeping that afloat. In lieu of Spartans actually swimming, a good way for 343 Industries to deliver a new vehicular experience for players could be by introducing watercrafts.

Boats have been considered as candidates for inclusion at various points in Halo’s history. A few seafaring vehicles were conceptualized during Halo 1 and 2’s development, but were ultimately scrapped before launch. Furthermore, concept art for Halo Reach showcases a boat that, similarly, didn’t make it to the game’s final build. To this day, there hasn’t been a single sea-worthy vehicle for players to take control of in a Halo game.

It would be a pleasure to see 343 Industries revisit some of these concepts to allow players to take Halo’s firefights to open waters for the first time. Given Spartans can’t swim, one wouldn’t be able to simply abandon ship like they could a Warthog if things were to go south. The limits that aquatic combat would place on where players could go should they be caught under fire sounds like a great way to add a layer of intensity not seen in other instances of Halo’s vehicular combat.

Halo Infinite is set to launch in 2021 for PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.

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