Summary
It’s no secret that theHalofranchise has seen better days. Debuting as Xbox’s flagship system seller all the way back in 2001,Haloentered the gaming industry as one of thegreatest Sci-Fi video games of all time, and its legacy somehow only continued to grow as the years went on.Halo 2,Halo 3,Halo 3: ODST, andHalo Reachweren’t flawless games, but they’ve gone down in history as some of the greatest Xbox games ever made, and considering the franchise’s current state, it’s easy to see why so many fans long for a return of those earlier entries.
343 Industries hasn’t had the best tenure with theHalolicense. Though things started out strong with the imperfect but impressiveHalo 4, 343’s reputation quickly soured.Halo 5: Guardiansdelivered potentially the worst campaign in series history, and the rollercoaster only continued with the release ofHalo Infinitein 2021. It’s been a turbulent time forHalo, but the IP seems like it might finally be getting back on track, though the franchise is in danger of burning out its candle too quickly.
The Halo Franchise Is Trying to Fix Two Major Aspects at Once
Halo Infinite Is Gradually Getting Better
On its initial November 2021 launch,Halo Infinitewas met with some excellent reviews, both from fans and critics. With a focus on smaller maps, tight gunplay, and genuinely useful armor abilities,Halo Infinitefelt like the return to the franchise’s arena-shooting roots that fans had been asking for. It was far from a perfect landing – on launch,Halo Infinitehad a severe lack of modes and maps– but 343 Industries' new live-service approach guaranteed that more content would be coming in the near future.
Unfortunately, that new content wouldn’t come for quite some time. Though it received its first season alongside its launch, any substantial new content wouldn’t arrive inHalo Infiniteuntil May 2022, with the release of the game’s second season, titled Lone Wolves. Lasting a whopping six months,Halo Infinite’s second seasonfinally added some new game modes and maps, and was the first proper sign that 343 Industries could turn things around.
Now, over two years after launch,Halo Infiniteis finally looking like the game it should have always been. Campaign co-op is back, along with both Forge and Firefight.Halo Infinite’s multiplayeralso now has a wealth of maps and game modes, including all of the usual ones fans would simply expect to be there in aHalogame. For the first time,Halo Infinitefeels like a completeHaloexperience, but it shouldn’t have taken this long to get here, and it shouldn’t have required 343 to burn itself out and delay new ideas in the process.
The Halo Paramount+ Show Is Trying to Course-Correct
Halo Infiniteisn’t the only part of the franchise that’s trying to redeem itself right now. Back in March 2022, the first season of the Paramount+Haloshow aired, and fans were quick to air their grievances about the show online. Though it had some compelling action sequences,Halo’s first season made some strange, often unnecessary narrative decisions that flew in the face ofHalo’s pre-established lore.
That reception hasn’t stoppedHalofrom receiving a second season, however. Several episodes in at the time of writing,Halo’s second season is undeniably more faithful to the source material than its previous season, though it’s still making some bizarre decisions that fans are rightfully confused and upset about. Still, it’s clear thatHaloSeason 2is trying its best to please fans, and with a few more episodes to go, it’s not impossible for this show to win back fans, just like 343 has nearly done withHalo Infinite.
Halo Infinite
WHERE TO PLAY
When all hope is lost and humanity’s fate hangs in the balance, the Master Chief is ready to confront the most ruthless foe he’s ever faced. Step inside the armor of humanity’s greatest hero to experience an epic open-world adventure and explore the massive scale of the Halo ring.With Network Campaign Co-Op and Mission Replay, you can relive your favorite moments, rediscover collectibles and explore the wonders of Zeta Halo on your own or with up to three other fireteam members.Experience Halo’s celebrated multiplayer reimagined and free-to-play! With over 70 maps in matchmaking, billions of customization configurations, and countless community Forge creations to experience, Halo Infinite is the franchise’s most expansive multiplayer offering to date.Enjoy an unprecedented variety of gameplay experiences, ranging from fast-paced intense ranked modes to whimsical mayhem in Custom Games, or even co-operative coordination in the wave-based survival mode Firefight: King of the Hill. Assemble your Fireteam and conquer every mode – Halo offers endless opportunities for teamwork, strategy, and unforgettable victories.
