In the last twenty years,Halogames have changed significantly in terms of storytelling, gameplay, visuals, and soundtrack. While the advancement in technology played its part in making sure that every newHalogame felt different from its predecessor, a drastic change occurred when 343 Industries took over the development of the series from Bungie.
Since taking control of theHalofranchise, 343 Industries has shippedHalo 4andHalo 5, with its thirdHalogame,Halo Infinite, set to launch in December. With each new entry from 343 Industries,Halohas evolved significantly for better or worse. WithHalo Infiniteon the horizon, here’s how the campaign side of things has changed and what seems to be changing with the upcoming release.
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The Transition from Halo 3 to Halo 4 and Halo 5
FromHalo 1 to 3, the series protagonist Master Chief plays an integral part in concluding the Human-Covenant war. ThroughoutHalo 1 to 3,Master Chiefserves as the super-soldier on which humanity relies on getting the job done. In these entries, Master Chief’s unflinching attitude towards saving humanity takes center stage and makes antagonists like the Prophet of Regret feel inferior and less intimidating than the Chief himself. Accompanying Master Chief’s relentless pursuit of saving humanity is Martin O' Donnell’s ancient, epic, and uplifting soundtrack that perfectly captures the feeling of being a hero.
In contrast,Halo 4depicts a more humane side of Master Chief that faces a far more intimidating villain this time around. Despite being a threat to humanity, Didac’s story arc gets sidestepped to focus on Chief and Cortana’s dynamic.Halo 4’s shift in tone is further indicated by Neil Davidge’s epic yet sinister orchestral soundtrack that replacesMartin O' Donnell’s optimistic one from the previous games.
343’sHalo 4also steps away from the open-ended structure of Bungie’sHalogamesin favor of a more linear level design. Furthermore, Chief doesn’t feel like the confident and silent super soldier many would remember from the past games. Rather, he’s relatively vocal this time around. The change of tone and balance inHalo 4makes its way to the gameplay through its new and powerful enemy types, scarce ammo, and the fact that Chief can’t dual wield anymore. All these changes collectively make Master Chief far more vulnerable and human than fans are used to seeing him.
Halo 5’s campaign builds upon the foundation laid byHalo 4. Its plot delves deep into Halo’s expanded universe and introduces characters from Halo novels. It takes a page out ofHalo 2and introduces two playable characters: Master Chief andJameson Locke. While Chief painstakingly lacks the screen time he rightfully deserves, his motives fromHalo 4remain the same: help Cortana. InHalo 5, 343 tries to strike a balance between depicting the personal conflicts of its two main protagonists and an inevitable large-scale threat that becomes deeply personal by the time credits roll.
How 343 is Handling Halo Infinite Campaign
It’s no surprise thatHalo 4 and 5’s direction wasn’t well-received by a fraction of veteranHalofans, and 343 wants to address those criticisms withHalo Infinite. The art style, environments, and soundtrack that precedes Master Chief in Zeta Halo are very reminiscent ofHalo: Combat Evolved. In fact,The Silent Cartographer’s DNA is in theHalo Infinitecampaign, which is undoubtedly one of the best missions ever in aHalogame.
While a complete tonal and directorial shift fromHalo 5toHalo Infiniteseems to be taking place, the truth is, that’s not entirely the case. If anything,Halo Infiniteis carrying the DNA ofHalo 4andHalo 5, the same way it’s carrying the DNA ofHalo: Combat EvolvedandHalo 3.Halo Infinitemay look like a soft reboot, though it’s a direct sequel toHalo 5.
Halo Infinitewill focus on Chief and Cortana’s story, as the former seeks answers to the latter’s disappearance inHalo 5. It seems 343 Industries has doubled down on its attempt to depict a more humanHalostoryline with Chief, his chirpy new AI companion, and the pilot as they venture together into the depths of Zeta Halo.
Despite this seeming like another personal adventure for Master Chief,Halo Infinitereintroduces the Banished as a major threat, with theirleader Escharumlooking far more intimidating than anyone Chief has faced before. Furthermore, there’s also a Spartan hunter named Jega ‘Rdomnai that aims to decimate Master Chief.Halo Infinitecould be the best of both worlds if it strikes a balance between depicting a gruesome civil war between the Banished and the humans, much like inHalo 1-3, while retaining the more personal narrative beats that stood out inHalo 4 and 5. While it’s too early to predict whetherHalo Infinite’s campaign experience will deliver on its promises, initial trailers seem to paint a picture of a game that could satisfy fans of both eras ofHalostory campaigns.
Halo Infinitelaunches June 26, 2025, for PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
