Halo Infinite review: 25 years of Halo history, the most accessible entry point in 2026

Halo Infinite review

Halo Infinite is the most accessible Halo game in years. The free-to-play multiplayer, the 4-weapon sandbox, and the new Forge 2.0 make it the best entry point for new players. The campaign disappoints, but the multiplayer is unmatched.

The multiplayer

Halo Infinite's multiplayer is the headline. The 4-weapon sandbox (pistol, AR, BR, sniper) is the most balanced in any FPS — every weapon has a clear role, and the skill ceiling is high but not punishing. The 2026 multiplayer update added 4 new maps, 2 new modes, and a reworked ranking system.

The 2026 multiplayer has 8 core modes:

• Quick Play — 4v4, three-round match. The casual mode.
• Ranked — 4v4, three-round match, CSR rating. The competitive mode.
• Big Team Battle — 12v12, one round. The casual chaos mode.
• Fiesta — 4v4, random loadouts. The fun mode.
• Tactical Slayer — 4v4, limited lives. The competitive mode.
• CTF — 4v4, capture the flag. The classic mode.
• Strongholds — 4v4, three-zone control. The objective mode.
• Total Control — 4v4, one-life rounds. The high-stakes mode.

The 2026 update added 2 new modes: Land Grab (4v4, zone control) and Heist (4v4, payload delivery). Both are well-designed and add to the mode variety.

The 4-weapon sandbox

Halo's 4-weapon sandbox is the most balanced in any FPS. Every weapon has a clear role:

• Pistol (Sidekick) — the backup weapon. Always spawns with it.
• AR (Assault Rifle) — the starting weapon. Versatile, decent at every range.
• BR (Battle Rifle) — the best mid-range weapon. 3-shot kill at medium range, headshot kill at any range.
• Sniper — the long-range weapon. Headshot kill at any range.

The 4-weapon limit forces every player to make trade-offs. The skill ceiling comes from mastering the BR, not from inventory management. The result is a game where movement, positioning, and aim matter more than loadout.

Forge 2.0

Halo Infinite's Forge 2.0 is the most powerful level editor in any game. The new scripting system is built on a node-based graph, similar to Unreal Engine Blueprints. The community has used it to build:

• Single-player campaigns — limited to ~30 minutes, but full missions with cutscenes.
• Co-op horde modes — wave-based survival with boss spawns.
• Puzzle games — environmental puzzles with custom logic.
• Custom multiplayer modes — beyond the standard Slayer and CTF variants.

The Forge community has produced some of the most impressive user-generated content in any game. If you can dream it, you can build it.

The campaign

Halo Infinite's campaign is the weakest part of the game. The story is short (8-10 hours), the open-world exploration is shallow, and the boss fights are uninspired compared to Halo 1-3. The campaign is serviceable, but it's not the reason to play the game.

The 2026 campaign update added 2 new missions and a new co-op mode, but the campaign is still the weakest part of the package.

The free-to-play model

Halo Infinite's F2P model is the standard 2020s live-service model:

• The multiplayer is free — every map, every mode, every weapon.
• The campaign is paid — $60 for the full campaign.
• The battle pass is paid — $10 per season for the premium track.
• The store sells cosmetics — armor sets, weapon skins, emblems.

The monetization is honest: you can play the multiplayer for free, but the campaign and battle pass are paid. The progression is heavily monetization-driven — buying the battle pass is almost required to keep up.

The verdict

Halo Infinite is the most accessible Halo game in years. The multiplayer is the best in the franchise, the Forge 2.0 is unmatched, and the 4-weapon sandbox is the most balanced in any FPS. The campaign disappoints, but the multiplayer more than makes up for it.

If you're a new player, Halo Infinite is the best entry point. If you're a returning player, the multiplayer is worth coming back for.

Score: 8/10. The most accessible Halo game in years. The multiplayer is the best in the franchise, but the campaign disappoints.

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See the Halo Infinite beginner guide for new player tips, or the FPS games tier list for our rankings.