Believe it or not, some of us are total Halo newbies. This series has been crushing it in the multiplayer department for 20 years, and some of us still haven’t jumped onboard the Master Chief train. With Halo Infinite now F2P and available for everyone, there’s literally no better time to give this game a shot. Even if you don’t know the difference between a Pulse Carbine and a Battle Rifle, there’s a few pointers you’ll want to keep in mind before taking on your fellow Spartans in honorable multiplayer combat.
For me, I’m used to the frantic pace of Battlefield 2042 or Call of Duty: Vanguard — Halo Infinite is fast, but its a completely different rhythm. Fights against other players can last much longer thanks to shields, and wearing down enemies can be a tricky dance to master. We’re looking at Halo from the perspective and a total newbie. Someone with zero experience with the game. If you fall into that category, here are the basic quick tips that the regular game really doesn’t explain.
More Halo Infinite guides:
PC Fixes | How To Use XP Grants
- #1: Use shields to your advantage. Go into fights with fully recharged shields. If you break an enemy shield and you still have shield, push in and don’t let them escape. If your shield breaks, try to escape if you can and use grenades for cover. After a shield is down, any non-automatic weapon is an 1-shot kill if you score a headshot.
- #2: 1v1 combat is incredibly important in Halo Infinite, and you’ll get into many gunfights against single opponents that can last 20+ seconds. Using the floaty jump and picking the right weapons for your range is key; test every gun to see which ones you prefer. An all-around gun for medium range like the Battle Rifle is key, but any weapons can work for you. The Battle Rifle / Pistol combo is very good — the pistol can be swapped to fast for an instakill headshot on enemies without shields.
- #3: Melee is powerful. A melee hit from behind is a 1-hit kill. Melee from the front is a 2-hit kill — or 1-hit if your enemy’s shield is down. Using melee for a surprise hit is a great way to finish a fight.
- #4: Grenades are incredibly powerful. Use them to soften up a target — regular grenades work best, but if you’re a great throw, sticking an enemy with a plasma grenade is almost always an instakill.
- #5: If you’re using regular grenades and you know you’re about to die, drop one on the ground before you get taken out to soften up your opponent — your teammates can easily finish the job.
- #6: The aiming on Xbox Series X/S feels a little floatier than Battlefield or Call of Duty. If you want a snappier feedback on controller, set Sensitivity to 10… or at least higher than 5.0. Test it out until you find a sensitivity you’re comfortable with.
- #7: If you’re struggling to get kills in 1v1 combat, try breaking the shield with random gunfire, then pull back to line-up a headshot with a non-automatic weapon. The pistol is perfect for scoring a finishing kill. Crouch to improve your accuracy.
- #8: Don’t forget that you can still use a mouse / keyboard even on Xbox Series X/S. Learn a little more about support here.
- #9: Play through the Academy once to learn the basics and test every gun — but don’t worry about completing the trials. You only get an achievement. No customization or unlocks. They’re worth experimenting with, but not worth struggling to complete.
- #10: Don’t underestimate vehicles. You can use vehicles, even in CTF — after grabbing the flag, jump on top a Wasp and ride it. You can’t actually enter a vehicle with the flag, but you can stand on top of it.
That’s just a handful of extremely simple tips. Veterans are going to know all this by heart — just remember that every game is a Halo fan’s first, and Halo Infinite might be the most accessible of all.
