Is Halo Infinite’s Campaign an Open World Experience?
Halo Infinite’s campaign is being talked about as the first open world game in the Halo franchise. While it may not be as big as some other open world video games, Halo Infinite is a massive open world experience.
How Big is the Campaign Map?
Currently there is no exact dimensions for Halo Infinite’s map. But, back in 2019, 343 Industries cut back the size of the map to about one third that of Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild.
Many people have come to the conclusion that Breath of the Wild is approximately 84 square kilometers. Putting Halo Infinite at about 28 square kilometers.
That’s roughly the size of Far Cry 6 , and bigger than Fallout: New Vegas, for comparison.
Needless to say, there is plenty of areas to explore and collectables to unlock. It is better to have a smaller map with plenty of things to do than a giant map with hardly anything at all.
Moving Around Zeta Halo
With so much land to cover, there are several ways you can traverse zeta halo.
One method is by controlling forward operating bases (FOB’s). These allow the requisition of vehicles and are used for “fast travel”. Meaning you can select any captured FOB, and teleport to that location.
There are 12 FOB’s to control on zeta halo. It may seem like a lot of work but being able to quickly travel across the map is worth it.
FOB’s are a great way to traverse the map, however they are very limited on where you can go. That is where vehicles come in.
Different vehicles are unlocked as you explore the game and earn valor. Here is a table of the different vehicles and the valor required to unlock them.
| Vehicle | Valor |
|---|---|
| Mongoose | 300 |
| Razorback | 500 |
| Warthog | 800 |
| Gungoose | 1400 |
| Scorpion | 2000 |
| Wasp | 2600 |
| Rocket Hog | 3200 |
The best vehicle to get around easily in is the Wasp. Be wary though, as they are very weak.
Enemies are very adamant about taking out any aerial threats. They will throw everything at your aircraft, especially on Heroic and Legendary difficulties.
The final method of travel is hoofing it on foot. Or more strategically, using the brand-new grappling hook.
The grappling hook was controversial topic when it was announced. Many games have tried to use some kind of grappling hook. Unfortunately, many have failed.
But I have to say, the grappling hook has been the best addition to Halo in a very long time! Used correctly, you can traverse long distances and climb mountains with ease.
Is the Main Story Open World?
Halo Infinite is open world in the fact that there is a huge world to explore. But, the main story missions are fairly linear, like the previous Halo games.
There are 14 missions in the Halo Infinite campaign. You don’t unlock the open world part of the game until after the second mission.
Once the tactical map is available and you are free to roam around, there will be campaign mission quest locations. These quests typically involve going underground or exploring forerunner structures.
These main missions feel like Halo Infinite’s predecessors. They are a nice way to keep the story moving. If this isn’t your first time playing a Halo game, these missions will seem very familiar.
Are there Skulls and Collectibles to Find?
Halo Infinite has a lot of collectables to find. Ranging from the traditional skulls to multiplayer cosmetics. You will have to search everywhere on zeta halo to locate these collectables.
Skulls make an expected return after being in every Halo game since Halo 2. Most of the skulls are found in the open world. Yet, some are only found on certain campaign missions and can be easily missed if not looking for them.
Check out this guide by IGN.com for help locating every skull.
Another type of collectible is the banished/UNSC audio logs. These are scattered just about everywhere. But they are more prominent near FOBs and Banished Outposts. They are hard to miss as they make a distinct beeping sound if you are near.
Next, Mjolnir armor lockers are a great find if you are looking for a new armor set piece for your multiplayer spartan. Each of these lockers will unlock a specific cosmetic item to use.
Forerunner artifacts can be found throughout Zeta Halo also. These are ringed structures that are typically found on mountains. It is currently unknown what they do besides add a little bit of dialogue.
Spartan cores are another item you can find. But, I wouldn’t really call them a true “collectable”. They are required to upgrade your abilities and are visible on your tactical map right away.
Summary
The simple answer is that Halo Infinite is a true open-world experience. But, if you are just playing for the campaign, it will seem very linear and similar to the previous games in the series.
Only about 25% of the game is the main story. The rest is about exploring Zeta Halo, finding collectibles, hunting high-value targets, and clearing out the Banished.
You can expect to put in 50+ hours easily if you want to explore everything Zeta Halo has to offer. Halo Infinite may only be 33% the size of Breath of the Wild, but it will keep you entertained 100% of the time.
