But itвЂ™s a satisfying adventure, demonstrating that 343 Industries has at last confidently come into its own as theВ Halo developer. Not only does it provide some of the best Halo gameplay in years, but delivers an emotional and engaging story that will keep your focus locked. Yes, while it may not go down in history as the best in the franchise, Halo InfiniteвЂs campaign is an excellent return to form. Indeed, the excitement for Halo Infinite - the third and final game in 343вЂ™s Reclaimer Trilogy - is real, but overshadowed by the big question: does it live up to the legacy? After playing the game from start to finish, blasting Grunts and skidding over grassy plains in a Warthog like the good old days, I have my answer. While the multiplayer was decent, its story saw the resurrection of Cortana as an intergalactic dictator, something that the game and subsequent books struggled to justify. Halo 5: Guardians, however, hit the ground with an audible thud. The story was enjoyable, but the ho-hum enemies and multiplayer mode left a lot to be desired. I did like Halo 4, though, and its attempt at humanizing the Master Chief in a way that few games in the franchise had dared. Both games the company made during that time were divisive among fans and critics. ItвЂ™s been nearly a decade since developer 343 Industries picked up the torch left by Bungie. It exists alongside an unmistakable air of caution. Certainly, Halo rage has returned, but itвЂ™s not quite like it was then. Before Halo 2, the Master ChiefвЂ™s shiny visor was printed on practically every 7-Eleven Slurpee cup in the land. And it was for the two sequels for Halo: Combat Evolved. In my 20 years of playing the franchise, I recall two times when excitement for the Master ChiefвЂ™s next outing was at a fever pitch. Ahead of the anticipated launch of Halo Infinite, Halo hype hadnвЂ™t reached such peaks in a long while.

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