As it turns out, not only does our enemy seek to make use of the Halo ring, but the ring itself has a self-repair functionality that makes their plan possible. Of course, we cannot allow them to succeed. So it’s time to sabotage those plans… assuming we can get the sequence required to open the way.
The more I play Halo: Infinite, the more I realize that the only way to answer the question of whether or not I like it is to first ask if the open-world elements add to the game, and even now I’m not sure if the answer is “Yes” or “No”.
On one hand, it suits the new Grappling Hook, which on its own adds a whole new sense of movement and momentum to each fight, closing gaps and creating distance, or taking the high ground as the situation demands. Having a large map to work with gives the tool even more utility because there’s more space to work with during these fights over FOBs, checkpoints, and key story objectives. There’s also something to be said about the freedom to approach an objective from different angles, even if the execution always boils down to shooting everyone.
The counterpoint is that many of the objectives we’re getting have felt like the open-world busywork I associate with much of Ubisoft’s output. When I’m told to assault three anti-air towers or siege four locations to find part of a sequence, my mind starts to think of it as filler content. We’re not meaningfully advancing the plot, just getting some errands done before we can make headway. And if that same objective is presented as a linear level, or like the semi-sandbox that we had in the first Halo game, it doesn’t trigger that same impulse in my brain. This sense of discomfort is something I only get in the open-world context, and I’m still interrogating those feelings.
Hopefully, as I work through my feelings and continue the campaign, I’ll arrive at an answer.
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