When Xbox launched its two next-gen machines in winter 2020 - the Xbox Series X and Series S - they were to be accompanied by its first games franchise. Think Xbox, you think Halo - and Master Chief's last outing had to be the launch game to put the stall perfectly.


However, things don't always go as planned. Like many games during the ongoing pandemic, Halo Infinite has been delayed - by a year, no less. And, its absence left Xbox consoles without a really big flag to wave at the start of the new generation.


Still, good things come to those who wait, as they say, and the latest Halo has finally arrived in two separate parts. First, we were treated to Season 1 of a free multiplayer beta, which is already getting praise for its back-to-basics gameplay and sense of fun (if you want to know exactly what it looks like, you can just download it and play - it won't cost you a penny).


We now have Campaign Mode, a standalone game that features the biggest story in the series, plus a whole bunch more, and that's what we'll be primarily focusing on in this review.


Our quick review

By introducing a large open-world map and additional abilities for Master Chief, 343 Industries has given Halo a boost. But, he also added them with respect to the elders too.


In fairness, Halo 5: Guardians was a game of its time - big, brash and mostly about set pieces and action. It felt like a blockbuster movie, but maybe it strayed a bit too far from the roots of the franchise. Halo Infinite, on the other hand, is much more like it.


It conjures up memories of playing Halo for the first time: flipping a warthog and laughing as the soldiers with you languish on their heads; or the awe of seeing the Halo itself stretch upward into the daylight-lit sky.


That's what's important and why this flagship Xbox exclusive has been worth the wait. It's the game that will drive Xbox Series X sales (when stock becomes available) and, as yet another saying goes, it's proof that such things are always better late than never.