After the whirl virtual parade that was the Xbox Games Showcase finally ended, fans around the globe had a lot to talk about. Naturally one of the most talked-about games was Halo Infinite, and one of the biggest issues players had with the title's trailer was how flat and bland it looked.
Video games do not emerge into the world fully formed, and trailers are often made alongside the actual game's development. How a game looks in a trailer does not necessarily translate over to how it looks upon release. Not only that, but 2020 is also an unprecedented year in terms of stress upon nations, individuals, and industries. That is something that Microsoft's Alan Greenberg tried to explain to Xbox and Halo fans.
How a game looks is very important to video gamers, especially when that game is a first-person shooter. Halo fans are especially unhappy about Halo Infinite's appearance, and they are making it known.
Perhaps the main issue right now is the demonstrated graphics look too clean to be realistic. Especially in wartime, dust and scratches are what give life texture, so the lack thereof can be noticeable. Many fans offered a side-by-side comparison between Halo Infinite and previous titles. That is not surprising, since Halo Infinite feels almost but not quite like a reboot of the Halo series.
Some critics gave a very pragmatic approach, stating simply, "Look what a little photoshop can do."
Fortunately, there were also fans lining up to defend 343 Industries.
Memes of the characters themselves largely focused on a single Brute who was subsequently and affectionately named "Craig the Halo Infinite Brute."
always was monke from halo
The trailer for Halo Infinite may not have been perfect, but excited fans should keep in mind that the game is still in development, and 343 has a lot of polishing it can still do. The trailer itself was based on graphics tech that has since evolved in as-yet-unknown ways. As long as Halo Infinite doesn't end up taking a step backwards, like Call of Duty: Modern Warfare managed to do last May, this memetic wave will dissipate in time, just like so many before it.
Halo Infinite releases for PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X this holiday season.