Halo Infinite campaign review round-up: It's Halo arguably at its best

Here's what critics have to say about Halo Infinite's single-player campaign: GameSpot Halo Infinite strives to transform what it means to be a Halo game, making Chief into a reluctant father figure for a young and naive AI and putting him into an open-world setting. It turns out that was a risk worth taking for the franchise, as Infinite is an incredible game. Certain story elements are on the weaker side and the amazing Grappleshot makes the rest of Chief's equipment feel a bit lacking in comparison, but these are small shortcomings in what otherwise feels like the best Halo campaign in years and an excellent evolution of what Halo can be." - Jordan Ramee Windows Central "While 343 industries has struggled to steer Halo in the right direction ever since the launch of Halo 4 in 2012, the studio has finally come into its own with Halo Infinite. The game successfully honors Halo's narrative, gameplay, and presentation legacies while also incorporating fresh ideas into the experience that breathe new life into the 20-year-old franchise." - Brendan Lowry Game Informer "Like many, I'm sad that Halo Infinite doesn't offer cooperative multiplayer at launch, if only because it's been a bulwark of the series' identity. It's a disappointing omission, but I have to judge the game before me, not the features I wish might be there. And by that measure, Halo Infinite is a rousing success. Whether you want a big, mysterious sci-fi adventure or a chance to engage with some intense PvP, Halo Infinite nails the shots where it counts and heralds a new era for one of gaming's most recognizable mainstays." - Matt Miller IGN "Turning us loose to explore a massive open ring with almost complete freedom to approach combat with a wide range of iconic guns, vehicles, and toys has absolutely brought Halo's single-player campaign back into contention as one of the finest out there (to say nothing of the amazing multiplayer suite), and even though it drops the ball a bit with the story and lack of environmental variety, Infinite picks it back up again with style" - Ryan McCaffrey PC Gamer "Halo Infinite really is good Halo. For lapsed fans of the Bungie games like me, Halo Infinite is a strong return to form, and in the heat of battle it's the best running and gunning the series has ever had. It's painfully easy to imagine a world where Infinite could have easily been one of my favorite entries to date. But between an open world that feels largely redundant and a story that can't shed the series' baggage, Halo Infinite's campaign falls just shy of being great Halo." - Natalie Clayton Is Halo Infinite's campaign worth buying? If you already have Xbox Game Pass, there's no reason not to try out Halo Infinite.

It appears that critics agree that Halo Infinite is beginner-friendly. This is great news for Xbox Game Pass subscribers who might want to give Halo Infinite a try since it's available on Microsoft's popular video game subscription service at launch. Of course, Halo Infinite isn't a perfect game. Because this is 343's first open-world Halo title, there are moments where you can see just how lacking the massive environments can be, at least in terms of variety. The story, while easily digestible, feels diluted and weak in certain areas.

Ultimately, Halo Infinite's worldbuilding and its emotional core make up for all the shortcomings that it might have. If nothing else, 343's latest Halo game will serve as a solid foundation for future Halo games.

We can only hope that 343 can sort out its problems with cheating in Halo Infinite.