After many years, the next Halo has arrived and - fortunately - it has little to do with Halo 5: Guardians. Perhaps 343i was hoping that we would forget what we played.
In any case, Halo Infinite is very different from the previous two games, strictly focusing on Master Chief who is on the unexplored Zeta Halo. For the first time, the world is open and the player can go anywhere, but there is a clear mission order in the Campaign and some side missions that do not require much time. The balance is very good and the game reminds me more of a slightly more open Halo: Combat Evolved rather than an inflated Assassin's Creed.
The gameplay, especially with the addition of the Grappling Hook, is excellent. From exploration to the fortresses that Chief conquers and the boss fights, everything blends perfectly and the upgrades made to the various abilities are equally essential.
The plot is quite good and continues from Halo Wars 2, with Atriox at the center instead of the Guardians of Halo 5. It focuses more on Chief and what happens on Zeta Halo, rather than events concerning entire galaxies and the like - the scale is toned down, for the better. One could even call it a "soft reboot," as although there is continuity in the events (even events from Halo 5: Guardians are recognized), it avoids bringing them to the forefront too often.
Of course, the multiplayer is excellent - if not the best to date. The modes, the Forge, the gameplay, everything is top-notch. One aspect that required a lot of work initially was the progress in multiplayer, which was tied to challenges and therefore, very slow. However, the picture has completely changed now. On the one hand, the player's effort is rewarded much more generously, and on the other hand, rewards and customization have been greatly expanded since launch.
For me, as a fan of Halo, the complaints mainly have to do with the lack of variety in environments (e.g. no snowy landscape) and some technical issues (co-op came with a significant delay, for example). However, overall, it is an excellent package and I am excited to see where the story will go from here, as it brings back a spark that was completely absent from Halo 5.