Next month is going to be a hot one for gamers. Along with the release of highly anticipated games like Paper Mario: The Origami King for Nintendo Switch and Ghost of Tsushima for PlayStation 4, we’ll also get a more detailed look at Microsoft’s Halo Infinite.
The game was first revealed during Microsoft’s E3 conference back in 2018, with a teaser trailer hinting at an adventure featuring more of a focus on Master Chief – something the previously released Halo 5: Guardians was somewhat lacking. Since then, we’ve seen bits and pieces in trailers, but not any real gameplay. But that’ll change in just a few days, with Xbox’s 20/20 event just around the corner. From there, we’ll see more of the game in action, leading up to its release sometime this holiday season. But the real question is whether 343 Industries can live up to the hype and success where it somewhat slipped up with the dodgy performance in Halo: The Master Chief Collection (which, by the way, it finally did with Halo Reach) and the single player storyline of Guardians. Let’s look at the factors.
The First Trailer
Halo Infinite’s first trailer reveals a peek at the worlds that await us in the next game, highly detailed and sure to take advantage of Microsoft’s new Xbox Series X console. (Don’t worry, Xbox One owners – you’ll be able to get in on the action as well.) Though it doesn’t really show much in terms of a story, it hints that this new world actually takes place on a Halo ring. More importantly, it shows that Master Chief has reverted to his original armor, which was previously seen in Halo 2 and Halo 3. We also get a peek at the warthog in action.
There are still questions, such as, whether 343 Industries is giving the open-world approach a try this time around (instead of pinpoint A to B objectives, as in previous games) and possibly integrating single and multiplayer together in a new way. But whatever the case, the team is setting out for the classic approach to the series, like Bungie used to do. Though there’s some skepticism surrounding how Guardians concluded, many have faith that this is the quintessential Halo experience from 343, and a huge step forward for its in-house Slipspace Engine.
Discover Hope
Just about a year after the debut of its initial trailer, 343 Industries introduced yet another one, this one labeled Discover Hope. In it, a scavenger comes across a floating Master Chief in space. Using what equipment he has on board, he’s able to resurrect him; and soon, the Chief goes back to work, rifle in hand, against an unseen threat.
This once again shows the beautiful Slipspace engine in action; and looks to be taking advantage of either the Xbox One X or Xbox Series X hardware. And, for that matter, this could also be the game’s introduction scene, though the studio has yet to confirm this. Again, there doesn’t seem to be any sort of gameplay, though we do get a good look at the game’s classic HUD in action, complete with charging shields. This could very well lead into the footage set to debut next month, with Master Chief going up against whatever awaits him outside the ship. Also, did we mention how beautiful this engine looks? It’s a big step up from Guardians; and even has the caliber to stand up to how Reach appears in The Master Chief Collection.
“We Are the Banished”
With the latest teaser for Infinite, 343 Industries has hinted at the return of a foe that we haven’t seen since the end of Halo Wars 2 – the Banished. In the trailer, we get a description of these Covenant-based foes, and what they could be up to as they enter into Master Chief’s world once more. They’re able to unleash the Flood (just as they did in Halo Wars 2), and who knows, they just might bring the brute-like Atriox back for fun as well.
Here’s how the dialogue reads: “The hour approaches. Forces occupy the ring, within hours it will be under our control and humanity will burn. Their brazen defiance will be all but a memory. No more prophets, no more lies. We stand together, brothers to the end. We are his will, we are his legacy, we are the Banished.” We’ll have to wait and see just what they have in store. But they bring an interesting fold back into the Halo universe, and could give Master Chief his biggest challenge to date – especially if they try to rip his world apart. We’ll find out as the next trailer debuts in July. Halo Infinite will follow soon thereafter, with a holiday release for the Xbox platforms and Windows PC.
