It’s been almost four months sinceHalo Infinitewas officially delayed from its initial release date alongside the Xbox Series X. News was relatively sparse from a public angle, but 343 Industries was quietly making some big changes in leadership to accommodate the additional development time ahead. Joseph Staten, veteran narrative designer on previousHaloentries, returned to superviseHaloInfinite’s development as creative director. There haven’t been any new trailers since the initial campaign gameplay reveal in July. However, through an extensive development update and Q&A, it was confirmed thatHalo Infiniteis finally landing on Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, and PC in Fall of 2021.
Already, even if it’s still the smallest tease, it’s clear a lot is beginning to change following the delay and additional development time forHalo Infinite. The most recent development update forHaloInfinitedetailed updates on graphical refinements, as well as a few details on multiplayer progression and customization. In graphical fidelity alone, some of the new renders mark an impressive improvement in small-scale and contained environments. It’s clear that the delay has been good forHaloInfiniteon a technical level, but that’s not the only reason why. It’s clearHalo Infinite’s delay has been very beneficial towards bringing a much more polished, next-genHaloexperience.
Huge Visual Fidelity Improvements
Back duringthe initial gameplay reveal ofHalo Infinite, there was a lot of vocal commentary aimed at the game’s graphical fidelity. WhileHaloInfinite’s art style is meant to reflect the vibrancy of the originalHalo:Combat Evolved’s aesthetic, many felt the visual fidelity wasn’t up to next-gen standards. Whether or not that was true,Halo Infinite’s latest development update shows a marked improvement in the game’s visual fidelity. They entire first portion of the development update was dedicated to “Art & Graphics,” detailing improvements to the many lighting systems and texture rendering.The full Q&A goes in-depthwith many of the game’s artists and their work.
Halo Infinite’s latest development update also showcased a number of in-engine renders of multiplayer Spartans and direct feed screenshots of multiplayer gameplay. While it’s unclear at what stage of development these renders and screenshots have been taken, it’s clear thisnew build ofHalo Infinitehas made quite a few improvements already. The lighting, shadows, and environmental design in particular show off some incredible refinements, focusing specifically on one ofHalo Infinite’s multiplayer maps. Not to mention the character art on the Spartan armor variations, featuring tons of miniscule detail work that makes these models look fantastic. 343 Industries seems to have taken the aforementioned graphical criticisms to heart, resulting in some pretty impressive artwork.
Narrative Refinements From Halo’s Veteran Storyteller
There were also a few tidbits in the update from Joseph Staten, remarking on the “expansive” work put intoHalo Infinite’s campaign. Staten celebratedHaloInfinite’s campaign in its entirety:
“My first week on the job, I played the entireInfinitecampaign. Twice. I was, in a word, stunned - in the best way possible - by what the team had done.”
Staten’s done a variety of different jobs in the development of previousHalovideo game entries, but he’s most known for his work on the overarching series' narrative. To hear this praise already is a sign thatHalo Infinite’s story can only be better under his supervision. Considering this is the first non-linear gameplay experience for aHalocampaign, emphasizing the same elements of wonder and “excitement” fromHalo:Combat Evolvedis key toHaloInfinite’s open world success.
Even if carrying on some of theloose story threads fromHalo 5: Guardiansand the spin-offHalo Wars 2is an important aspect of the campaign,HaloInfiniteis still meant to be a spiritual reboot for the franchise. Emphasizing and celebratingHaloin its purest form, while also continuing the positively ambitious story threads from recent entries, is the difficult balance thatHalo Infiniteneeds to strike in order to revitalize the series. Staten’s word should carry a lot of weight for hardcore fans, meaning this delay has only done well byHalo Infinite.
So Far, Halo Infinite’s Delay Seems Very Beneficial
There’s no hiding the fact that manyHalofans were initially disappointed byHalo Infinite’s delay in August. However, many eventually responded positively to the delay, expressing a willingness to wait for a definitive next-genHaloexperience. The game’s delay seems to be shepherding an even better next-genHalogame, just based on this first development update alone. Not to mention there’s more to come, as343 Industries is “going to be sharing more about what we’re doing"in the near future.
Until then, the fruits of 343 Industries' labor in the wake ofHalo Infinite’s delay is already pretty clear. Plus, placing it in the competitive “Fall 2021” launch window, among so many other likely candidates from competitors at Sony, it’s clear 343 Industries is confident of whatHaloInfinitehas become. In the face of the game’s delay,Halo Infinitemay be a much better game by next Fall than it would have been had it launched alongside the Xbox Series X this year as originally planned.
Halo Infiniteis planned to release in Fall 2021 for PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.
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