The new UNSC vehicle, the Razorback, is a heavily armored Warthog that will be available for players to drive in the Halo Infinite multiplayer and campaign. All vehicles in Halo Infinite also have new damage systems that directly affect how vehicles handle based on how damaged they are.
The Razorback is clearly based off the Troop Transport variant of the Warthog, which has been seen in several Halo campaigns but is rarely available for players to use. The new vehicle was recently revealed through some new Halo Infinite concept art that was shown off by 343, but video footage and some developer insights have shown how the Razorback will operate in the game.
Lead Sandbox Designer at 343 Industries Quinn Delhoyo describes the Razorback as a cousin of the Warthog. Visually it looks similar, but it lacks any form of armament in favor of a roll cage and extra space that can accommodate more people. In the multiplayer overview video, four players can be seen driving around a Big Team Battle map in a single Razorback. The vehicle also seems to be slightly bigger and much bulkier than a traditional Warthog.
While the Razorback will rely on the weapons of its passengers, it does have a storage compartment on the rear bumper that can be used to carry numerous types of items. The video shows a Gravity Hammer laying across the back of the vehicle, but other power weapons, detached turrets, fusion coils, and game objectives can also be slotted into this compartment. Brian Berryhill, Senior Sandbox Designer on Halo Infinite, said this compartment is what makes the Razorback, “kick a lot of butt in [multiplayer] and campaign.”
Delhoyo also said that the developers at 343 Industries invested a lot into the vehicle systems including a new damage system and doomsday mechanic. Delhoyo explained that the handling of a vehicle is affected by whichever parts of it are damaged, giving blown off tires and destroyed hoods as examples.
Berryhill also described the doomsday mechanic which causes a vehicle to catch fire and eventually explode when it crosses a particular damage threshold. He said: “You’ve got a certain amount of health or a certain amount of time, and you’ve got to choose what you want to do with the last minutes of this vehicle.”
Halo Infinite multiplayer is shaping up to be a return to the refined arena combat and vehicle-based chaos of Halo: Reach. The Razorback seems like a neat addition to the Halo sandbox, along with the return of the Brute Chopper. The new vehicle systems look as if they could really shake up vehicle play in Big Team Battle, with vehicle players having to be more mindful of how much damage they take, and enemy players being able to target potential weak points.
Halo Infinite is scheduled to launch this holiday season for PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S.