343 shows first Halo Infinite campaign footage in over a year

The first and last time we saw footage of Halo Infinite's campaign mode way back in July of 2020, we were a bit underwhelmed by what we saw. Now, with the game's delayed launch just a few weeks away, Microsoft and 343 Industries have released a six-minute video showcasing more details of the anticipated sequel's story and gameplay.

A voiceover confirms that the traditional Halo story following the partnership between Master Chief and Cortana is "now a distant memory" in Infinite. Instead, John-117 is now hoping to retrieve and work with a new and extremely uninformed AI codenamed The Weapon. Together, the two will explore Zeta Halo to find an answer to the core questions driving Infinite's story: "What happened to Cortana?" and "What did she do that was so wrong?"

The new trailer highlights what the studio says is a campaign structure that offers "more freedom than ever before." There's a brief glimpse at a section of the game's open world "Tacmap," complete with the kind of color-coded mission markers you'd expect from a different sort of game. Completing some of those missions will grant Master Chief control of Forward Operating Bases, which seem key to advancing the story and offering new perks. Through it all, Master Chief will be pursued by "a sadistic Spartan killer named Jega 'Rdomnai," who seems to come from the Covenant's red-tinted Banished faction.

The trailer also provides a quick peek at a deep upgrade menu that shows how Master Chief's abilities will progress. Players can spend "Spartan Cores" on improving both defensive and movement capabilities in categories like the Grapple Shot, Shield Core, Threat Sensor, Drop Wall, and Thruster.

As for the shooting itself, the trailer shows Master Chief using the usual array of guns and explosives, while the new grappleshot helps him grab far-off weapons or drag himself toward enemies for a quick melee attack. We also get a look at some vehicle stations that should let Master Chief hop in a Wasp or Warthog whenever he wants, and there are one-on-one arena battles with some suspiciously boss-like foes.

Halo Infinite is set to launch on December 8, but features like co-op play and the Forge customization suite won't be coming until later. The separate free-to-play multiplayer mode will also launch that day following an extensive beta for Xbox Insiders a few weeks back.