The first images of Halo infinite gameplay didn’t suit gamers to say the least, but there are signs of progress. 343 Industries and Microsoft have shared a new series of screenshots that give you a sense of how the Xbox Series X / S title’s visuals have evolved over the past few months. While there aren’t really character studies (“Craig” is nowhere to be found), the Pacific Northwest-inspired Zeta Halo environment seems a bit grimmer, more realistic, and … well, more next-gen.
Infinite is characterized as a “spiritual reboot” whose art and mechanics are intended to recreate the feeling of early play Halo games, even if they (hopefully) push the series forward. That includes redesigning enemies like Jackals and Grunts to be more like their original versions, said art director Justin Dinges. With that said, there are clearly details that take advantage of modern hardware, such as an ambient lighting system that can change mood based on the time of day.
The delayed and unsettled title is now shipping sometime in the fall. It is not clear how much the new is HaloThe graphics will be improved by then, but it’s clearly 343 and Microsoft wants the next-gen debut to hit all the right visual notes.