Halo Infinite was originally meant to usher in a new generation of Xbox was delayed indefinitely mere months before its launch. The game won't be coming until late 2021, but developer 343 Industries has assured players the wait will be worth it.
Despite this, trailers for Halo Infinite have succeeded in one key area. They've established a wide breadth of characters, enemies, and other world elements that further add to the intrigue of Halo's already fascinating universe. There's a lot for 343 Industries to work with that should appeal to fans of both old and new Halo games, provided the developer can stick the landing.
Key Characters
After taking a backseat to Spartan Locke in Halo 5: Guardians, Master Chief will star in Halo Infinite. He'll be boasting a new look this time around, and he won't be alone, either. A trailer from E3 2019 gave everyone a first look at an isolated, unnamed pilot who discovers Master Chief floating through space. The pilot then lends the comatose Spartan a hand by rebooting his armor's power. The two are later seen together bringing their space-craft to a rough landing on a Halo ring, implying the pilot might stick with Chief throughout the game.
The pair also seem to be up against some stiff competition. Halo Infinite's gameplay reveal concluded with a look at Escharum, a Brute War Chief who delivers a passionate monologue that mentions Atriox – the main villain of Halo Wars 2. However, it remains to be seen if Atriox will actually appear, or if he'll just be brought up in passing.
Familiar Enemies
Halo Infinite's gameplay reveal offered a good look at the foes that Chief will be going toe-to-toe with. So far, there hasn't been a Promethean in sight. Rather, 343 seems to be leaning into the iconic cast of Covenant species. Brutes, Elites, Grunts, and Jackals make up the Banished; they're a militant group that broke off from the Covenant due to infighting during the Human-Covenant War. Additionally, the Banished were first introduced in Halo Wars 2.
Escharum's words towards the end of the demo mention the Harbinger, who is apparently allied with the Banished. While it's not clear if the Harbinger is a person, group, or something else entirely, it's possible that this entity has ties to Halo's Forerunners, as "harbinger" and "forerunner" mean similar things; both are titles for a person who provides signs of things to come.
Weapons, Vehicles, and Equipment
Halo is largely known for its weapons, many of which will be making a comeback. In the gameplay demo, Master Chief wielded many familiar weapons, such as his signature assault rifle, a shotgun, a pistol, and a Covenant Carbine. Other weapons, like Halo's iconic Needler, were also seen being used by the Banished. Many of the weapons featured are subtle variants of classic Halo weapons, but there are still a few functionally new ones, like the VK78 Commando, which fires plasma bolts while boasting a bayonet on its barrel.
The gameplay demo also provided a look at a brand new piece of equipment. At one point, Master Chief uses a grappling hook to ascend a cliff, and later uses it again to hurl a fusion coil at a Grunt. As for vehicles, Warthogs will be making a return, which should come in handy when traversing the game's vast landscape.
Locations
Fans know Halo Infinite will be set on Zeta Halo. Also known as Installation 07, this Halo ring holds a mysterious presence in the Halo lore. It stands out from the other six rings in the current Halo Array due to it being a leftover from the Forerunners' older, 12-ringed array. It's also a lot bigger than the other rings, which 343 Industries has cited as a key reason for its inclusion.
It's not known where else Master Chief's journey will take him, but during the gameplay demo, Escharum mentions an unseen area called the Auditorium. Towards the end of Halo Infinite's E3 2019 trailer, there's a scene of Chief walking towards a platform that has a hologram displaying Zeta Halo. Since an auditorium is where one would go to watch something, it seems possible that this room could be the Auditorium that Escharum mentioned, but it's hard to say for sure.
Halo Infinite seems to have a lot of interesting story elements to work with, along with some fascinating weapons and equipment that could add a little more depth to Halo's classic first-person shooter action. However, given 343 Industries' history with Halo, it's understandable why fans might be apprehensive about this new title, but with what's been shown so far, it's hard to deny that there is a rock-solid foundation for the developer to build off of.
Halo Infinite releases in late 2021 for PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.