FPSShooterActionOpen WorldCompetitiveSports

HALO INFINITE

When all hope is lost, step inside the armour of humanity’s greatest hero.

Xbox Series XXbox OnePC

Published by Xbox Game Studios · Xbox Series X · Xbox One · PC

Storyline & Lore

The ring is broken. Cortana is gone. And Master Chief is floating in space with a new AI who does not trust him.

Halo Infinite opens with the UNSC’s worst defeat in a generation. The Banished- a rogue faction of Brutes, Elites, and Grunts led by the warlord Atriox — have destroyed the UNSC Infinity, humanity’s most powerful warship, and seized control of Zeta Halo (Installation 07). Master Chief is recovered from the debris by a Pelican pilot known only as Echo 216, a frightened, desperate man who wants nothing more than to go home.

Instead, they go to the ring. Because that is what Master Chief does.

The story is a reset. After the convoluted mythology of Halo 4 and 5, Infinite strips the narrative back to its essentials: a soldier, an AI, and a ring full of enemies. The new AI, simply called “The Weapon,” was designed to capture and delete Cortana. She is naive, optimistic, and carries none of Cortana’s weight — which makes her interactions with Chief, who carries all of it, both charming and quietly devastating. Their relationship is the emotional core of the game.

The Banished are the enemy. Escharum, Atriox’s war chief, is a dying warrior who wants to go out fighting the greatest soldier in the galaxy. He is not subtle. He is not sophisticated. He is a bruiser with a death wish and a radio frequency, and every time he broadcasts his challenges, you want to answer them. The Banished are the best Halo antagonists since the original Covenant — physically imposing, strategically dangerous, and satisfying to fight.

Beneath the surface conflict, deeper mysteries emerge. The Harbinger, a being connected to an ancient species called the Endless, threatens to undo the very foundations of the Halo universe. And the shadow of Cortana — what she did, what she became, what she chose at the end — hangs over everything.

The campaign ends not with a definitive resolution but with the promise of something larger. It is a beginning disguised as a conclusion, and its final moments are among the most emotionally resonant in the franchise.

Gameplay & Core Systems

The grappleshot changes everything. The moment you fire it at a Grunt, yank yourself across a canyon, land on a Banished tower, and melee a Brute off the edge — you understand why 343 built the entire game around it.

Campaign — Semi-Open World
For the first time in the series, Halo’s campaign is semi-open world. Zeta Halo is a sprawling landscape of canyons, forests, Forerunner structures, and Banished outposts. You capture FOBs (forward operating bases) to unlock fast travel, vehicles, and marine squads. Rescue UNSC marines scattered across the ring. Assault Banished high-value targets with unique weapons and fighting styles. Between the open-world activities, linear story missions take you inside Forerunner installations with the classic Halo corridor-and-arena design that the series is known for.

The Grappleshot
The defining mechanic. The grappleshot is a wrist-mounted grappling hook that lets you swing across terrain, pull objects (and enemies) toward you, chain melee attacks with momentum, and traverse the open world with Spider-Man-level freedom. It is the single most transformative addition to Halo’s sandbox in 20 years, and it makes every encounter feel like a playground.

Multiplayer — Free-to-Play
Halo Infinite’s multiplayer is free-to-play and separate from the campaign. It features classic Halo modes (Slayer, CTF, Oddball, Strongholds) alongside newer additions. The core gunplay is widely considered the best in the series — precise, balanced, and satisfying. The competitive scene features a robust ranking system and has generated $7.25M+ in esports prize money across 59 tournaments. Post-launch content has included new maps, modes, the Forge creation tool, and seasonal battle passes.

Forge — Community Creation
Added in the Winter Update (November 2022), Forge is Halo Infinite’s community creation tool. It features scripting systems, object manipulation, nav mesh generation, and campaign soundtrack integration. The community has recreated iconic maps (Blood Gulch, Lockout) and built entirely new game modes. Forge is free for all players.

Key Game Mechanics

The Grappleshot

A wrist-mounted grappling hook that redefines Halo traversal. Swing across canyons, pull enemies and objects toward you, chain movement into melee attacks, and navigate the open world with unprecedented freedom. Upgradeable throughout the campaign with a cooldown system. Transforms every encounter into a vertical, kinetic playground.

Equipment Sandbox

The Grappleshot is one of several equipment items. The Threat Sensor highlights enemies through walls. The Drop Wall deploys a one-way energy barrier. The Thruster Dash provides a quick dodge. The Repulsor deflects projectiles and enemies. Each piece of equipment adds tactical layers to both campaign and multiplayer.

Semi-Open World Campaign

Capture FOBs for fast travel and reinforcements. Rescue marines to build squads. Assault high-value targets for unique weapons. The open world connects linear story missions with Halo’s classic corridor-and-arena level design. It is the most ambitious Halo campaign structure and recaptures the exploration spirit of the original game.

Forge Creation Tool

Build custom maps, game modes, and experiences. Scripting system enables logic-driven gameplay. Campaign soundtrack integration. The community has produced thousands of creations, from competitive maps to entirely new game types. Forge is free for all players and extends the game indefinitely.

Competitive Arena Multiplayer

4v4 ranked arena with Halo’s signature equal-start, map-control gameplay. Precision gunplay, power weapon timing, and team coordination define the competitive meta. $7.25M+ in esports prize money. The core shooting mechanics are widely considered the best in franchise history.