Hands-on with Halo Infinite's new third-person mode has me excited to play again

Recently I got to play an upcoming update for Halo: Infinite early, this time celebrating Halo 2 during its anniversary year.

The new update doesn’t just bring some new cosmetics and show off some artwork from the second Halo game, it also introduces new modes, one of which has taken the series in a bold new direction.

Check out Halo Infinite below

First let’s go over how Halo Infinite is celebrating Halo 2 with the new update. Halo 2 is a legendary title, and while its cliff-hanger ending rubbed a few people the wrong way when it first launched it remains a paragon of everything Halo should be as a series. The online multiplayer was a huge part of this, especially since Xbox Live had taken online matchmaking to new heights.

In order to celebrate Halo 2 and all that it did for the series, Halo Infinite is launching an anniversary mode featuring some of the game’s most iconic maps, which have all been modernised and repainted. The two maps I got to try out were Ascension and Shrine, both of which look exceptional and fit the game’s aesthetic well. They also haven’t aged a day, and are just as fun and chaotic now as they were back in 2004.

The gamemode itself also removes everything from Halo Infinite that wasn’t in Halo 2. No armour abilities, no clambering, no sprinting, just you and the enemy in a battle of wits and skill. As someone who’s always favoured the simple arcade-shooter gameplay of the first three Halo games, I adored having this retro playstyle thrust upon me. It genuinely felt like I was playing Halo 2 again, but obviously everything looked a bit fancier.

A new weapon has also been added, the MA5K, which reminded me a bit of the Saw from Halo 4. It’s a fast-firing machine gun that packs a punch but doesn’t feel overpowered. I found it to be a good weapon for finishing off an enemy who’s just lost their shields, and in dire need of a quick-and-easy death.

That’s not all though, as for me the most exciting addition to the game was a mode totally unique to anything the Halo series has had before, third-person mode. Now I’m sure a bunch of Halo veterans just rolled their eyes in disgust, and honestly when I first learned of the mode I was exactly the same way. Despite Halo initially being planned as a third-person shooter, anything but first-person for the game feels like heresy of the highest degree. Fear not though, as it’s actually pretty good.

Third-person can only be utilised in the Firefight gamemode, so you won’t be taking it into the campaign or online multiplayer.

Admittedly this mode took some getting used to, as when you’re not waddling around with a mounted machine gun you’ve just picked up, seeing your spartan from this angle can feel instantly jarring, more so when you actually start moving. For starters sprinting feels less impactful as you’re not seeing the wavy line effect to confirm that you are indeed going faster. Melee was also a little weird, as I’m so used to the distance required for a lunge attack in first-person that I routinely messed up the timing in third and smacked the air instead.

After a few minutes though you quickly get used to it, and dare I say it’s the most fun I’ve had in Halo Infinite, ever. Aiming felt fantastic, and once I got my hands on a Gravity Hammer it was all over. Smashing up Banished forces and being able to see everything going on around you was quite the experience, and seeing my spartan soar through the air from a grapple really hammered home how agile our walking tank personas really are.

While I wouldn’t want third-person to be an option in every mode, I did find myself curious how it would change up the PvP scene, and of course playing the campaign like this as well. That said, if Halo Studios wants to make a spin-off game in third-person, perhaps with some Halo Wars mechanics thrown in, I’d be all for seeing it

I had an absolute blast with these new modes, and after putting myself on such a long hiatus from Halo Infinite, it feels like I’ve finally got a reason to play again, and I simply can’t wait to play more.