Halo’s single-player adventure as well as a brand new version of Master Chief’s MJOLNIR armor, enhances an older series that’s 20 years old, revisiting its roots as well as blazing new trails that build on. With the shift to an open-world map, while maintaining the traditional gameplay on foot as well as in its iconic vehicles, it offers a level of openness in combat that’s not seen in any previous Halo game. There’s a lot to do in this expansive playground, and completing its never-dull-or-overwhelming list of activities earns more combat options and, ultimately, more fun. It’s far from capturing the excitement of the natural environment or the unforgettable story of the original trilogy, but it’s an enjoyable return to form for one of gaming’s most popular series, as well as in the case of Master Chief himself.

The move away from the traditional linear battle arenas to letting players freely explore the Zeta Halo ring on which Infinite occurs marks the first time 343 Industries has strayed from the blueprint Bungie created more than 20 years ago. The entire area proves to be a perfect suit for what’s historically been the kind of shooter that’s sandbox in nature at its core, where surprising incidents happen. In Infinite the same principle happens on a much larger scale.

But you aren’t dropped straight onto the circle and let loose. Instead, the first few of the 25 hours I spent playing It on Heroic difficulty happen indoors and that introduction works as a great way to become familiar with Halo’s new gameplay hook, called the Grappleshot and the very first of many fun and challenging bosses.

It’s true that the Grappleshot could feel familiar to those who have played games including Just Cause or Titanfall, however, it’s right at and at ease in Halo. The Grappleshot is a fantastic weapon that will allow you grab weapons from afar, escape dire combat encounters when your damaged shields beg you to recharge, or launch you directly into the bad guys for a devastating melee assault with your full weight on the line. It’s a natural extension to the equipment idea introduced within Halo 3 – and that’s one reason why Infinite’s gameplay feels like a cross between Halo 1 and Halo 3, which is very much an advantage.

However, bosses form one of the most enjoyable encounters, but they aren’t the ones are created by you with the help of Zeta’s sandbox. The firstone, against Lieutenant-Colonel Banished Tremonius It is an AI challenge which will require you to keep your eyes on the ball and not just have some ammo stored in the back of your pocket. The game uses a jetpack along with a lightning-quick ground-pound attack that will rock the player if you’re unprepared to take it on. It’s your first clue that every boss battle keeps them on top of their game and overall, Infinite is Halo’s most effective implementation for these weapons to date.

The warm-up session serves as to prepare you for your adventure in the open and, once you’re out in the open, feeling of Halo 1 feeling kicks in. You’ll need to move by foot initially, and thus learning to get your feet stuck on trees or to the ground in front of you to propel yourself onward is the most enjoyable way for navigating the globe. You’ll encounter all sorts of opportunities to get into difficulties on Zeta Halo, from rescuing groups of captured UNSC Marines to dismantling propaganda radio towers to getting into huge Banished strongholds to taking back UNSC forward Operating Bases (FOBs). There’s not much that is wholly original here relative to games like Far Cry or Just Cause but the game’s feature does fit Halo in a natural way. The missions are both diverse enough and never so repetitive as that they’re ever monotonous or irritating.

However, in the grand style of Grand Theft Auto 3, it’s not possible to travel everywhere right off the bat. As a result, Zeta Halo gets you access to sections in sections, with crucial story missions opening up new regions to explore. I’d like to see those new locations had more variety. Or really, any variety of any kind. There’s nothing like the snowy areas in Combat Evolved, no urban space like In Halo 2 (or in Infinite’s own multiplayer maps such as Streets and play lolbeans Bazaar in particular), or really… something other than the mix of stone and forest monoliths. It’s almost as if 343 didn’t get its artistic source from Halo 1, it took the inspiration specifically by referencing “The Silent Cartographer” and it didn’t take anything else. It’s kind of disappointing, especially after just a few hours.

If, like the rest of us, have played through every Halo campaign several instances, what’s clear is that it’s been a long time since the previous one was the most complicated Halo story ever . This means it’s difficult to become comfortable with the story of Infinite. This sixth Halo should’ve been released with a “Halo’s Story So Far” cinematic that begins playing prior to the game’s start, just like the other long-running series (most recently, it was Microsoft’s own Psychonauts 2). Perhaps 343 ran out of time or it never made it to the screen, but it’s the kind of mistake that could’ve prevented.

However, there are positive aspects of the show also: for instance, the relationship of Captain Chief and his new AI partner, whom we’ll call The Weapon. The voice of the character is played by Jen Taylor, who also performs the role of Cortana as well as Spartan program producer Dr. Catherine Halsey. You don’t have to be a fervent Halo fan to appreciate Taylor’s nuanced voice acting in three very similar, yet distinct roles as she effortlessly differentiates between the three with her brilliant portrayal in the sense that The Weapon isn’t aware of The Chief even exists (though this makes it interesting that some basic Halo concepts aren’t explained for new players by using Taylor as their proxy). We see their friendship develop with them, and they strain and then grow stronger. They make fun of each others, they argue and they develop an unsteady partnership. Steve Downes, meanwhile, is phenomenal in his sixth performance as Master Chief whom psychologically battles through Infinite as an emotional broken or lost soul who takes responsibility for the sad state of humanity , the specifics of which become painfully clear over the course of the series. I really hope that 343 never remakes either of these fantastic voice actors.

Halo has meant a lot to me over these past 20 years. From the first time I stepped onto the ring during Halo 1 to the surprise Arbiter sequence in Halo 2 to being heartbroken with the story of Halo 5, which was abysmal as one of the few gaming series where every new mainline entry really matters to me. After six years, it’s not unreasonable to think: did Halo still belong in the “Best Shooter” conversation? And would I still care about it? I am both happy and ecstatic with the way Halo Infinite emphatically answers both concerns with a solid yes. In letting us explore huge open rings with the ability to engage in combat using a variety of legendary guns automobiles, toys, and weapons has brought Halo’s singleplayer campaign back into the spotlight as one of top-quality available (to say nothing of the impressive multiplayer features) however, even if it’s fallen off on the story as well as the lack of variety of the environment, Infinite picks it back up with a slick style.