At the Xbox Series X showcase yesterday, we were given eight-minutes of Halo Infinite gameplay that unveiled new mechanics, such as the multi-purpose grappling hook and a brief glimpse of the power behind 343i’s brand new Slipspace engine. Promoted extensively on the developer’s website, the Slipspace engine brings about new levels of emotion, and offers leading edge technologies that “convey moving emotional performances with truly organic, believable fidelity.” Ambitious? Sure. Feasible? Judging from their photorealistic cutscenes in more recent entries in the franchise, it would be safe to assume that Infinite’s graphical quality will meet expectations. Those beautifully rendered cutscenes however, are a product of the Oscar-nominated visual effects company Blur Studio, in which 343i collaborated with on Halo Wars, Halo Wars 2, and Halo 2: Anniversary.
Following the gameplay reveal, Halo fanatics took to Twitter to comment on some of the new mechanics, the multi-mission objective structure, and… the unamused brute. For those of you unaware, this brute has gone somewhat viral in the last 24 hours and not for anything commendable.
At certain points throughout the demo, I noticed some texture pop-ins and an overall unfinished look to the terrain and weapon models. Infinite releases this Holiday season, so the developers have plenty of time to work on some of those graphical criticisms. As with every game announcement and/or gameplay showcase, trolls crawl out from under their parents’ basement to comment on the game’s shortcomings – the most popular being the unamused brute.
The name, though completely unofficial, perfectly describes the screenshot. As Chief melees this brute, he falls to the ground dead with the same emotionless expression. Considering the internet’s wild imagination – to put it lightly – it’s unsurprising to see Photoshopped recreations and memes that have spawned from this screenshot. Some of my favorites turn our unamused brute into a smiling one, showing off his pearly whites to Master Chief, while also offering him a freshly blended milkshake. The best one on the internet thus far sees the brute with Shrek ears, and expertly encapsulates the magic behind that Dreamworks gem.
Halo Infinite’s gameplay reveal has many connections to the original game’s presentation and mission structure, all of which is incredibly exciting. Popular gaming journalist and YouTube commentator Alanah Pearce had a chance to sit down with 343i and speak with them about Infinite. As expected, the build that we saw was an older version, meaning that the final product should be more representative of the sheer power of the Series X and Slipspace engine.
For more on Halo Infinite, crash land your Falcon here at TheXboxHub!
