HALO INFINITE

In November, the battle between Call of Duty: Vanguard and Battlefield 2042 was supposed to take place. But suddenly a third side of the conflict appeared – although Halo Infinite was planned to be released only in December, they decided to open access to multiplayer this week. Before us is not a release version, but a “beta”, so not all elements are finally brought to mind. But at its core, this is an amazing shooter and the Halo that fans have long dreamed of.

Player cover
Old songs about the main thing
I wrote about the great potential of Infinite back in the preview, and since then the gameplay has not changed in any way. The new creation of 343 Industries really resembles the multiplayer of Halo 3, including the lack of controversial innovations, due to which the fourth and fifth parts did not win much love from the audience. Classic Halo – maybe overly secure, but that’s more of a plus than a minus.

In standard Quick Play modes, two teams of four players face each other. In Carnage you need to defeat the specified number of enemies, in Hold the Ball you need to hold the skull in your hands for as long as possible, in Positions you need to capture and defend points, and in Capture the Flag you need to take the flag from the enemy base and take it to your . Larger modes (12 by 12 players) with large maps and vehicles are available in the neighborhood – the entertainment there is about the same, but the “Reserve” has been added, where teams collect energy grains and carry them to their base.

On large maps, a calm capture of a point can be interrupted at any moment by a crowd of opponents on vehicles.
Apparently, the developers want to acquaint the audience with all the modes, since when choosing a “Quick game” it is impossible to filter out uninteresting entertainment. So those who want to play exclusively in “Massacre” are out of luck – they will have to carry flags and grab balls. The disadvantages of this approach are already obvious – in a freshly released game, people want to run and shoot, and not defend themselves. Therefore, in Capture the Flag, the squad almost always leaves the starting point as soon as possible, and each time you have to defend the flag yourself.

Everyone is equal
For beginners, the gameplay will be very unusual, especially after Call of Duty – if one clip is enough for several enemies, then here it is not always enough even for one. Infinite, like the previous parts, rewards the player for ingenuity and the ability to quickly respond and make decisions. In Quick Play, everyone is armed with an assault rifle and a pistol, but there are other cannons hanging on the walls everywhere, and almost all of them damage opponents’ shields faster.

Grenades are good in all situations.
It is assumed that you will remove the shields with something else, and then switch to an assault rifle or a pistol to finish off the enemy – “naked” Spartans receive increased damage when shooting in the head. However, there is no urgent need for this – you can succeed with one gun. It is much more important to use other options: a melee strike that removes the entire shield, and grenades, of which there are always two upon respawn.

The consumables scattered around the map are not that valuable, although they can sometimes come in handy. The most interesting of them is the grappling hook: with its help, you can grab weapons from afar, and climb high platforms, and even pull yourself up to opponents to strike. There is also a portable shield, a repulsor that repels enemies and vehicles, an active camouflage that makes you invisible, a motion sensor, and a three-shot dash. And the luckiest ones will be able to find and pick up an additional shield with which you become much more resilient.

Never gets bored.
In Halo Infinite, there is no way to collect your own sets of equipment before matches – everyone starts the battle on an equal footing. But those who have the knowledge win: what are the exits from the room, what walls hang these or those guns, where to find the grappling hook and where to use it, and so on. The longer you play, the more clearly you realize when it is better to run in case of danger, and when to approach the enemy for the finishing blow. No mods that affect the balance, no unique characters with their own skills – a pure competitive shooter where you can really influence the outcome of the match alone.

The coolest
In the rating mode, the conditions change, and against its background, “Quick Play” seems like a very easy walk – that’s why it’s more interesting to play it. Here, everyone starts not with two guns, but with only one – a combat rifle with a scope. The radar is completely disabled (in standard modes, it displays shooting and running players). Friendly fire is activated – it is quite difficult to kill an ally with bullets, but an unsuccessfully thrown grenade or a shot from a rocket launcher will send him to the next world.

The one holding the skull can’t really defend, so sometimes it’s better to drop it…

… And sometimes you have to protect the courier with all your might.
The main problem of “ranked” is people leaving the matches. No one comes to replace them, and they themselves cannot return, since there is no such function. It’s very difficult to defeat four with three – if it’s still doable in Massacre, then team modes like Capture the Flag turn into a hellish routine.