Halo Infinite dev hints at the return of a beloved Halo 2 feature
The shooting mechanic fans have been begging for since Halo 4.
Halo Infinite finally got its moment in the spotlight during the Xbox Games Showcase Thursday, and while it showcased an open-world concept and Master Chief’s brand new grappling hook, there's a beloved shooting mechanic that might return in the new game.
Microsoft hosted a press Q&A session with 343 Industries following its livestream event on Thursday. That’s where Head of Design Jerry Hook hinted that dual-wielding from Halo 2 and Halo 3 would make a comeback in Halo Infinite.
Inverse inquired if Master Chief’s new grappling hand attachment would keep him from being able to dual-wield guns like the Plasma Pistol. Hook didn’t outrightly confirm the feature, but he teased that Halo Infinite would try to bring back the classic feel of past installments.
There was nothing quite as satisfying as blasting down grunts with a double Needler.
“If you notice, the grapple shot is on his left wrist,” he told Inverse. “One of the great things that we want to preserve [before the game is released] is that you all still have things to discover as you play the game yourselves so we won't be revealing all of the secrets that we'll bring to you. But the thing I want you to understand is that if you’re looking for those classic feeling weapons, the sandbox has it for you.”
Inverse reached out to Microsoft to get a more concrete confirmation, but the company did not respond to the request for comment before the time of publication. We’ll update the story if we hear back.
Dual-wielding was almost completely removed from Halo 4 and Halo 5: Guardians, except in Capture the Flag game modes where players could only hold the M6H Magnum and the flag simultaneously. That’s a far cry from Halo 2 and Halo 3 where gamers could wreak havoc with two M7 SMGs.
Dual-wielding was exclusive to Capture the Flag in 'Halo 4' and 'Halo 5: Guardian.' And even then it was a major downgrade from previous installments.
Fans of the sci-fi shooter have been begging Microsoft and 343 Industries to bring back dual-wielding for years now, and Halo Infinite could finally make that wish come true if these hints are any indication. But the devs seemingly want to preserve something like this as a discoverable surprise within the campaign.
The upcoming Series X game has been referred to as a “spiritual reboot” of Halo. The graphics of the game demo that debuted at the Xbox Games Showcase proved that 343 Industries has prioritized nostalgia over highly intricate details, which associate creative director Paul Crocker further confirmed.
"We built this game to be a love letter to Halo," he said. "It's been an emotional experience trying to get back to the core of everyone's first experience when they first played a Halo game."
Hopefully Halo Infinite will let gamers relive the first time they dual-wielded Needlers in Halo 2.
Halo Infinite will be released on the Xbox Series X, Xbox One, and PC during the 2020 holidays.
This article was originally published on
