The free-to-play multiplayer for Halo Infinite has seen a surprise drop from 343 Industries, and whilst the game is enjoying a mammoth launch, this means there’s plenty of other players are out there to contend with. As the game is free for anyone with a PC or Xbox to pick up and play, this also means there’s going to be a lot of first-time Spartans suiting up, so we wanted to put together a list of five essential tips for those unfamiliar with the franchise.
This is by no means an exhaustive list of tips for getting started in the multiplayer for Halo Infinite, but knowing these things going into your first match may just give you the edge over someone who doesn’t, and hey, if you’re a veteran Halo player you may still just learn something new.
Use the Dpad functions
There’s an awful lot Halo Infinite doesn’t tell you unless you go looking for it, so you could play a handful of games without knowing some small, yet crucial, details that can help you get the upper hand in matches. This time around the Dpad – and by extension bindable keys on PC – actually has a few functions you might not realise, so let’s walk you through them.
- Up – Ping – this is essential when playing matches with no audio communication, and still pretty important when it is there. It works on enemies, items, and locations, meaning callouts on enemy positions or high-value items can be instantly communicated to your team with the press of a button. Simple. Effective.
- Down – AI scan – A new ability in the Halo series, AI scan sends out a quick pulse from your Spartan, and it highlights equipment on the floor and weapons on the walls within a short radius coating them in blue light. This can help you grab that Grappleshot, or even find the coveted Needler, giving you another small edge in the fight.
- Left – switch grenades – you can have two types of grenade at once in Halo Infinite (and two of each type as well), and you just hit left on the Dpad to cycle between them. We also recommend using grenades in conjunction with the AI scan, so you can replenish your stock as quickly as possible. Be liberal with your use of grenades as well, trust me.
Sliding
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For those who didn’t play Halo 5, sliding is a movement mechanic that’s come back in Halo Infinite, albeit with some slight changes. Pressing the crouch button whilst running lets you slide forward, and whilst this might just seem like a way to keep movement interesting in the game, it actually has some practical uses.
Most importantly, sliding is ever so slightly faster than sprinting, so whether you’re trying to get to the objective as fast as possible or get to cover in a firefight, sliding is your friend. You can also shoot whilst sliding, which is just good to know to be honest, because you want to be getting as many hits in as possible, even if you are evading the enemy.
What we’ve also found is that sliding when coming out of a corner and into a firefight is quite useful. Not only will you emerge faster than the enemy may be expecting, but you’ll also be a bit lower too, so any initial headshots will go sailing over your helmet.
Stay with the team for objectives
Alright, this one seems incredibly obvious, and that’s because it is. If a teammate is carrying the flag or the skull, they can’t shoot, meaning they’re going to need backup if you want to win the match. Whilst these items can be dropped or used as melee weapons, it’s still a lot easier if you back up your team in these situations.
This sort of situational awareness extends to when playing other modes as well, as just sprinting past objectives or teammates that need you may land you a couple of extra kills, but it certainly will not win you the match, unless you’re in Slayer.
Learn grenade physics
It’s incredibly important to understand the rough throw arc and physics of each grenade in Halo Infinite, most importantly it means you can bounce grenades through windows, round doorways, and actually throw them really far with enough practice. Getting this right isn’t about doing loads of damage to an enemy per se, as just getting a little bit of damage off at the start of a firefight can mean you’ll come out on top in the end.
On that note, spike grenades stick to the first surface they touch and plasma grenades bounce off walls but stick to other Spartans for an explosive and unavoidable death – so keep that in mind.
Understand how the melee works
As you’d expect, you can smack enemies with a close-quarters melee attack in Halo Infinite, but there are a few intricacies to how this works that can really help you out in the long run.
First off, it takes two melee hits to kill an opponent at full health and full shields, and whilst smacking them twice isn’t usually the best option, you may not get the choice. You can also one-hit kill an opponent if you hit them in the back, so if they’re close and haven’t seen you yet, maybe don’t start shooting them when they don’t know you’re there and just go in for a quick and quiet kill.
Also, melee hits lunge you forward a foot or two when in close proximity to an enemy, meaning you don’t need to be pressed up against a baddie to get a hit in. This doesn’t seem to work when sprinting though, so keep that in mind.
Lastly, you’ll want to pick the absolute best time to use your melee hit. When an opponent’s shield is down – which is indicated by a sort of red crackling electricity on the power armour – it’s a one-hit kill. It’s also a one-hit kill right before this as well, so if the enemy’s shield is flared up and they’re completely covered in red, that means the shield is about to break and a well-timed melee attack will take them out in one go.
So there you have it, a quick look at five essential tips for Halo Infinite. Whilst all of this should help you get started, the best way to understand the minutia of play in the game is to just keep playing. Getting used to the style of each gun, the layout of each map, and even honing in some of the skills mentioned here takes time. So get out there Spartan, and finish the fight.
Halo Infinite’s multiplayer segment is out now on PC and Xbox.