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| Halo Infinite Season 5 has the makings of an honest-to-god comeback |
In a recent session of Halo Infinite, I encountered something that hadn't happened since its initial launch in 2021. After wrapping up a Squad Battle match, I found myself waiting for the next one, realizing that I had just played six consecutive rounds of Halo without blinking, and I didn't want to stop. I was fully immersed in the multiplayer experience, and for once, I wasn't distracted by the game's shortcomings, even though 343's free-to-play FPS still had its issues.
It's been a long journey for Halo Infinite, with two years of unofficial early access during which 343 Industries grappled with running a live service while striving to introduce essential features like campaign co-op, Forge, and a custom games browser. Do you remember when Big Team Battle was plagued with issues for weeks? Or when "Seasons" 1 and 2 each lasted six months? I hardly do, as I stopped playing after a week of grinding one of the most frustrating battle passes I've ever encountered.
However, Halo Infinite Season 5: Reckoning, which launched recently, feels like a turning point. There's a lot to explore in this new season. Forge now supports AI enemies, leading to the creation of impressive battle royale modes. Players can mix and match helmets with different armor cores, two new arena maps join a satisfying new mode, and you can earn XP in custom games. Having checked in on Infinite at various points over the last two years, I can say that Season 5 is the first time I've seen other lapsed players take a keen interest in what's new. Higher Steam concurrent player counts since launch suggest that they are sticking around, at least for now.
Now is indeed a great time to dive into Halo Infinite, provided you can overlook its lingering janky, awkward, and obtuse aspects. The Halo experience in its current state comes with significant improvements, yet most of them come with notable caveats.
Where Halo Infinite Stands at the Start of Season 5:
- Progression doesn't suck anymore, but it's not great either: These days, you can progress through Halo's battle pass simply by playing, and challenges are more manageable. However, the battle passes are still filled with items that might not interest you on their own. Cooler cosmetics often end up in $10 - $30 bundles in the Shop tab.
- Custom games are great, but they're broken: Custom games are plagued by technical issues, with around a 60% chance of error when joining a map via the custom games browser. This problem has persisted for 10 months without a clear timeline for resolution, making it unacceptable for a major aspect of the game.
- Armor customization is better, but still a nightmare: While you can now mix and match helmets with different armor cores, extending this customization to every piece of armor in the game is a much-needed improvement.
- Combat is more responsive, but still occasionally wonky: Inconsistent combat experiences, like being killed after clearing a corner on your screen or trading simultaneous blows, persist but have improved since the game's launch.
- The maps are good, but overly reliant on Forge: Forge creators play a crucial role in keeping the game fresh, but it's a disappointment that community creators are relied upon to produce the maps players are most excited to play. 343 Industries should take on more of this responsibility.
For me, Season 5 is evidence that 343 Industries is finally in a position to invest more time in expanding Halo Infinite rather than putting out fires. While the game has come a long way, there are still issues to address. Let's hope that Halo Infinite's journey continues onward and upward in 2024.
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