343i has just detailed a ton of info about Halo Infinite’s design language

Halo Infinite is inching ever closer to a final release, and we’re steadily learning more and more about what we can expect from the next Halo adventure. 343 Industries just released the Oct. 2021 edition of Inside Infinite, which details a ton of information about Halo Infinite, especially its campaign and design elements. We recently got a huge look at the Halo Infinite campaign, and we already think it’s going to be something special. The latest edition of Inside Infinite dives further into what players will encounter when diving into Halo Infinite.

Firstly, we got some fantastic renders of several in-game character designs, including everyone’s favorite, Craig, an Elite, one of the dangerous “Spartan Killer” Banished, and a better look at the mysterious assassin Jega ‘Rdomnai. 343i discussed how they wanted to go back to the days of Halo 3 and Halo: Reach while still modernizing its character designs, and also making sure every enemy variant is distinct and provides info at a glance. Alongside this, though, we also learned about how Halo Infinite’s AI behaviors have evolved.

Halo has always been known for advanced enemy AI, but that has been elevated to a new level. With Halo Infinite, smarter enemies will pick up better weapons from the ground, weapon racks, and even from new “Grunt Mule” enemies, while the stronger Brutes are capable of throwing Fuel Cells and even entire Grunts at the player. Player upgrades ensure that you can always stay on top in any given situation, but will vary in use depending on your foe. The grappling hook, for example, will attach to Brutes but bounce off of Hunters.

There’s a lot to unpack here, and it paints a genuinely impressive picture. Halo Infinite wants to have the most nuanced and wild sandbox yet, even in the campaign, and everything 343i has shown off so far supports this.

We also saw more of Halo Infinite’s UI, including “VISR OS,” which is the consistent design language players will see across menus, the HUD, weapons, and even vehicles. As part of this, we got our first look at Halo Infinite’s campaign menus, which includes a full holographic map, upgrades, campaign information and consumables, a dossier of high-value targets that players can attempt to eliminate, and a database that contains world-building lore and collectibles found throughout Zeta Halo.

Everything in Halo Infinite seeks to tie back to the wider Halo universe while also remaining visually distinct, even down to in-universe manufacturer logos, weapon decals, and much more. It’s clear a ton of work has been put into Halo Infinite’s overall aesthetic, and the latest edition of Inside Infinite is packed to the brim with sneak peeks at what this entails.

Halo Infinite officially releases on Dec. 8, 2021 for Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PC, and Xbox Game Pass, and is shaping up to be one of the best Xbox games of 2021. 343i is divulging a colossal amount of information to players ahead of release, but it remains to be seen if the full product can deliver on all of the studio’s ambitious promises. Fortunately, we don’t have long to wait anymore.

For an even more in-depth dive into Halo Infinite’s character designs, campaign gameplay, and UI / UX systems, be sure to check out this month’s Inside Infinite above.