Halo Infinite's first technical test has given players a chance to go hands on with the multiplayer of 343 Industries' latest entry in the franchise, and it brings plenty of changes for players analyze and discuss, including new entries into its arsenal. From the inclusion of a battle pass to Halo Infinite's new armor coating system and weapons, Halo Infinite is bringing plenty of new ideas to the series for the first-time, and that includes new weapons.
New weapons are nothing new for Halo. Each series in the game has introduced new weapons of human, Covenant, and in the case of Halo 4 and 5, Forerunner origin. Sadly, most of these new weapons never seem to leave much of a lasting impression, and are either discarded or redesigned in subsequent games. But the new weapons on display in Halo Infinite feel like they might just stand the test of time. With Halo Infinite, it seems like 343 Industries may have finally created new weapons that each have a unique role in the multiplayer sandbox.
From the fearsome Skewer to the stylish Heatwave, Halo Infinite's new weapons stand out in a way that new weapons from 343's previous games have not. Here's what to know about Halo Infinite's new additions to the multiplayer arena, and why each weapon has a role to play.
How Halo Infinite's New Weapons Are A Step Up From Past Games
In Halo multiplayer, each weapon serves a purpose. The Battle Rifle is for mid-range engagements, the Shotgun is for when things get up close and personal, and the Rocket Launcher is for any occasion that calls for a big explosion and even bigger damage. New weapons in Halo 4 and 5 didn't ever quite fit in in that regard. The Incineration Cannon was basically just a Rocket Launcher. The Scattershot was a slightly different shotgun. The Binary Rifle was a slightly different Sniper.
That's not the case with Halo Infinite's free-to-play multiplayer. Each new weapon added by 343 feels like it serves a purpose. Take the Skewer, for example. The Skewer is a sniper-like weapon, with a scope and the ability to kill enemies in one hit. However, unlike the standard Sniper Rifle, which can be fired four times before needing to be reloaded, the Skewer gets one shot in the form of a massive spike. That one shot is extremely powerful, but if a player misses, they are left wide-open thanks to the weapon's lengthy reload animation. Far from just a simple variation on the normal Sniper Rifle, the Skewer feels unique and has its own risks and rewards.
Another example is the Heatwave, a Shotgun-esque weapon. At first it may seem similar to the Scattershot, thanks to its energy-based projectiles and the ability for shots to ricochet off walls. But whereas the Scattershot never felt unique, the Heatwave does, thanks to an alt-fire mechanic reminiscent of the iconic Plasma Cutter from Dead Space. With the tap of a button, players can choose to have the weapon's spread stack vertically or horizontally. A vertical shot can decimate a single enemy, while the horizontal spread works great for multiple enemies or bouncing shots around corners.
And the list goes on. The Commando feels completely different from the Battle Rifle. The Pulse Carbine, far from being a Covenant version of the Assault Rifle, actually fires in bursts and lightly homes in on enemies. The Ravager, with its ability to fire blobs of energy that persist on the ground and can damage foes, is unlike any previous Halo weapon entirely.
With the changes to Halo Infinite's multiplayer, it seems 343 has finally cracked the code when it comes to introducing new weapons to Halo's iconic arsenal of tools. Each new weapon feels unique and like it serves a purpose, rather than being a reskinned version of an already existing weapon. While no doubt additional weapons both old and new will come to the game over time, the new weapons launching with Halo Infinite are a big step up from Halo 4 and 5, and that should be exciting for longtime fans of the franchise.