Highlights
Lack of content at launch limited Halo Infinite's full potential, especially in multiplayer, with the absence of Forge being a major downside.
A year after its launch, Forge mode was introduced, enabling players to design their own maps and game modes, revitalizing the game and enhancing the overall experience.
Squad Battles, a community-generated playlist utilizing Forge, has gained immense popularity, faithfully recreating the beloved multiplayer gameplay and featuring iconic maps that evoke nostalgia among fans.
Halo Infinite's initial release fell short of its full potential, particularly in its multiplayer aspect. Fans praised the ambitious campaign, but the game faced heavy criticism for its lacking content, notably the absence of popular online modes like Forge.
Additionally, the game launched without the ability to play the campaign cooperatively online. This feature was only added later in the game's lifecycle. Similarly, Forge was also introduced quite a while after the initial launch. However, the wait proved worthwhile, as the mode has since provided a significant amount of content, including maps and playlists, greatly enhancing the overall experience of Halo Infinite.
Halo Infinite's Deep Need For a Forge Mode
Forge was not introduced to Halo Infinite until November 2022, causing players to wait nearly a full year after the game's initial release to be able to enjoy a mode that had long been synonymous with the Halo experience. However, even this November inclusion was just a beta version of Forge. Despite this, players wasted no time and managed to create over 1,000,000 creations within just two months of the beta phase becoming available.
Originally introduced in Halo 3, Forge provides players with complete creative freedom to design and share their own maps and even game modes using a diverse range of assets unique to the Halo universe. Iconic Halo modes such as Infection and Grifball first came to life as Forge creations, highlighting the incredible community-driven potential that this mode has always possessed.
The Benefits of Halo Infinite's Forge: Squad Battles
: The Halo Infinite community has demonstrated its incredible creativity by inundating the game with an astounding array of content. It is worth emphasizing the immense significance of Forge in addressing the initial deficiency of multiplayer options, as it has transformed the release into a significantly richer and more immersive experience.The integration of Forge into Halo Infinite has triggered a massive surge in popularity for Squad Battles, making it the ultimate demonstration of how Forge has significantly enhanced the game. Initially established as a community-created playlist in July of this year, Squad Battles has now evolved into the primary catalyst behind Infinite's recent resurgence in public interest and favor.
Squad Battles aims to recreate the beloved multiplayer gameplay of Big Team Battle playlists in Halo. It allows players to engage in 8v8 combat, striking a balance between the previous 12v12 and 4v4 game modes. This appeals to veteran fans who have fond memories of 8v8 experiences.
One of the standout features of Squad Battles is its impressive map roster, featuring many faithfully recreated classic Halo maps taken primarily from Halo 3. This includes iconic maps like Last Resort, Rats Nest, and Valhalla. The game mode offers popular game types such as Capture The Flag, Slayer, and King of the Hill on these nostalgic maps.
Additional classic maps are regularly being included in the playlist, providing ample replay value and a continuous level of excitement for Squad Battles and Halo Infinite as a whole. With the elimination of Infinite's content issue and the opportunity for fans to recreate the gameplay foundation of previous titles, the impact of Forge on the game's overall improvement becomes evident.
Halo Infinite can now be accessed on PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.