Halo Infinite Review (Player1)
I have been a longtime Halo fan, but this game just feels depressing. 343 Industries were given a game that had won the hearts of many people but absolutely squandered it.
Multiplayer:
The multiplayer no longer has that charm it once had. While I admit PVP has never been my strong suit I can never recall a time that losing felt so un-fun. Gone are the days when you could be smiling or laughing at the defeat screen. Weapons are unbalanced to where even finding a "pickup" gun feels useless. 343 has taken it upon themselves not to match the boundary-pushing multiplayer content of older titles but to try to simulate modern standards of meta weapons and e-sports chasing. Now, being fun while losing isn't everything, they have still managed to fail to reward players who win. Their XP system feels akin to busy work and not just playing the game. Character customization no longer feels unique. Whereas in previous titles you create a spartan that suited you down to the smallest armor parts, 343 feels that kits or "one-size fits all" works just fine. Not even colors are safe. "What's that you want to be burgundy red? Nope sorry gotta pay 9.99 on are timed FOMO shop." "Green is more your style? No problem just play this game mode no one likes 50 times and you'll get it... after you buy the seasonal battle pass first though." Community content was something that held Halo high even at its lowest of times, but 343 has no interest in that unless it's E-Sports related. Free to Play couldn't even redeem this game.
Single player:
Another one of 343s attempts to trend chase. Halo campaigns have always been large open cinematic stages with choreography set to either lead the player or to revolve around them. The campaign feels like a lifeless husk, a bad interactive park if you will. Choreography and events that set the player foremost and center... gone. Large stages that move through diverse areas that feel loveling crafted... not to be seen. 343 even failed the fundamental rules of crafting an open-world setting. Exploration is neither fun nor rewarding. Chances for the player to make their own story are nonexistent. Areas that are designed for combat are neither designed for the player's fun nor even in a way to make sense. The campaign feels like an open field with nothing interesting or fun with a few houses to enter that are set up only for you to clean them and leave, wandering to the next house. The story is neither interesting nor meaningful in any way, with writing that feels so cookie-cutter it sounds like lines you have already heard before. The only successful part is that they returned to old enemy designs. Though that is more personal preference than anything. Still, 343 manages to ruin it somehow making them feel like bad mockeries of the old.
343 did not earn this and so they feel no need to earn your respect. They will continue to fail to understand the core concepts of this IP and when criticized will only scratch their heads at why you don't like it and place the failures of this game solely on the player base.