Halo Infinite debut is met with complaints, Microsoft blames poor stream and early build

[midian182]

A hot potato: Did you watch Microsoft's Xbox Games Showcase yesterday? While there were some exciting reveals, most people are talking about Halo Infinite—though not for the right reasons. The title will be one of the Xbox Series X launch titles, yet it didn't exactly ooze next-gen graphical quality. But Microsoft insists it will look a lot better when released.

The Halo Infinite demo certainly stirred feelings of nostalgia for those who remember the first game on the original Xbox. But rose-tinted glasses can't hide the fact that compared to some of the other next-gen titles we've seen, it didn't look that visually impressive.

Much like the recent Crysis Remastered reveal, a lot of people have compared Halo Infinite to a fan mod. That's something Microsoft doesn't want to hear—Crytek delayed the launch of Crysis in response to the negative feedback.

According to Xbox Marketing Manager Aaron Greenberg, however, the demo is an early build, and those who watched the stream in 1080p should watch the 4K/60fps version (below) to get a better idea of what to expect.

"We're in the middle of a global pandemic. It's July, we're far from Holiday, you're seeing a work-in-progress game," said Greenberg, in an interview with Inside Gaming's Alanah Pearce. "That said, you've probably watched the stream in 1080p, maybe. So we've put up a 4K 60[fps] on-demand stream. Go look at the game in 4K and 60FPS."

If you've watched the 4K/60fps clip on the Xbox channel, you'll know it is an improvement over the lower-res/framerate stream, obviously, but it's still far from mind-blowing.

I sincerely hope these are not the graphics we will see in the final version of Halo Infinite.

I know it was a 'demo' but this doesn't look next-gen. This doesn't look like it's being powered by "the world's most powerful console." pic.twitter.com/Yg5BxrS4kf

— The Act Man (@TheActMan_YT) July 23, 2020

"It's very hard to show the full power and graphic fidelity of what Xbox Series X will be able to deliver for you over a stream. So go back and look at it in 4K and 60 fps," reiterated Greenberg.

Some viewers had problems with the art style, which at times was a bit too cartoonish and made objects appear fake, while the very blocky rocks definitely don't scream next-generation graphical fidelity.

Could it be that in Microsoft's quest to make a Halo game that scales across everything from the Xbox One to PCs of all specs, Halo Infinite on the Xbox Series X will look like something from a couple of years ago? Hopefully, things will have improved by the time it launches.

Permalink to story.

https://www.techspot.com/news/86121-microsoft-blames-poor-stream-early-build-halo-infinite.html

 

[QuantumPhysics]

I was waiting for Techspot to mention the Halo Infinite trailer.

Game looks like it wants to be DOOM minus the excessive gore and violence.

Frankly, I'd like to see Doomguy brutalizing those grunts, elites and brutes.

 

[jonny888]

The lack of blood actually bothered me. Even back in halo 1 days, if you melleed an unshielded enemy, it produce a decent chunk of blood. And that blood would then texture the walls/floor around it. I remember as a kid thinking "wow that's so realistic". (And I totally don't admit to hitting a corpse just to see how much blood I could generate. ). I saw the trailer and realised that blood just kind of appears momentarily and then disappears. Takes away from the visceral feeling.

 

[m4a4]

The graphics were fine. Bunch of loud children looking at a 1080p stream wondering why it just looks 1080p lol. Gameplay first.

It's a more subtle art style. I'd prefer a more realistic style like the more recent games (looks cooler to me), but I'm not going to whine about it. Seeing how much detail they can now squeeze into view with a slightly less realistic style should be a worthwhile payoff. They want to show off the ring, and it looks like they can. The only thing that was too unrealistic to me were the bullet trails when they hit something.

As for the new play style, I'll play it before saying much more. I'm sure they'll have some linear parts for nostalgia's sake (warthog race against time anyone? Lol).
And not sure how they want to increase playability with the open world (it's doesn't look like an RPG where you get better gear), but we only saw part of the campaign. Competitive MP and their open world MP I'm hoping they show at the event next month...

 

[Uncle Al]

Hmmmm .... perhaps the old "undocumented features" isn't going to work this time ..... LOL

 

[Ben1978]

Next gen started last year for me with a 2080ti and an OLED so this just looked normal to me

 

[Nobina]

Idk, looks fine to me. It's not the best I've seen but I wouldn't complain. What's Halo about anyway? Looks like softcore version of Doom.

 

[Daithi]

Oh okay, it was the stream that caused all that pop-in, I see.

 

[mbrowne5061]

The graphics were fine. Bunch of loud children looking at a 1080p stream wondering why it just looks 1080p lol. Gameplay first.

It's a more subtle art style. I'd prefer a more realistic style like the more recent games (looks cooler to me), but I'm not going to whine about it. Seeing how much detail they can now squeeze into view with a slightly less realistic style should be a worthwhile payoff. They want to show off the ring, and it looks like they can. The only thing that was too unrealistic to me were the bullet trails when they hit something.

As for the new play style, I'll play it before saying much more. I'm sure they'll have some linear parts for nostalgia's sake (warthog race against time anyone? Lol).
And not sure how they want to increase playability with the open world (it's doesn't look like an RPG where you get better gear), but we only saw part of the campaign. Competitive MP and their open world MP I'm hoping they show at the event next month...

Except the 4K stream really was no better. The textures in the environment, and even during cinematics, are terrible compared to nearly any other current-gen game.

 

[R00sT3R]

The basic problem is that Microsoft's 1st party studios seem to be incapable of producing anything like to the same standard as Sony's 1st party studios.

There was nothing on show with the 'OMG!' wow factor of Sony's Ratchet & Clank or Horizon II, and no doubt God Of War & Spider-man will have that same impact.

 

[Shadowboxer]

The graphics look fine but the game does not. What’s new about this version of Halo? Or is it more of the same old formula that’s been going around since I was a teenager in college in 2003?

It feels like MS doesn’t have the balls to take Halo in an innovative direction. But until they do this will just be a legacy title only there because of its now ageing reputation.

 

[Vulcanproject]

It all looked so good with Microsoft, mouthing off about their new hardware while Sony kept quiet. They have been dealt some serious blows already though, Sony's supposedly slower inferior hardware already demonstrated a raft of better looking, more interesting games.

Microsoft's package looks less impressive the more they reveal.

 

[sawtx]

It feels like MS doesn’t have the balls to take Halo in an innovative direction. But until they do this will just be a legacy title only there because of its now ageing reputation.

It depends on what you call "innovating", it seems that 343's definition is just putting in whatever is popular at the moment. Halo 4 felt like they tried to reboot Halo (like what you want) but it just became a random generic shooter with a bad Halo skin. Many people like the new Halo's but there is a reason why each time 343 has had to make their games more like Bungie's trilogy.

This does feel like an honest attempt to make their game feel more like a true Halo game but at the same time they still for whatever reason are putting in things that show they are chasing other games (grappling hook) instead of being a leader. I would kill for a modernized Halo game without all the fluff and get back to the three pillars of Halo but I am now convinced that 343 is not the studio that can or wants to do that.

 

[kira setsu]

Game looked fine to me, and I actually liked the graphics.

most of all it looked fun.

sure other games are graphical masterpieces, sadly I dont play them cause theyre boring to me(tlou, rd2, gow, tsushima), I play games for the fun of it, not to watch a movie or pause my screen and count jagged edges or judge textures.

long as I'm still an overpowered soldier who can mow down everything near me clearly I'll be happy.

 

[m4a4]

Except the 4K stream really was no better. The textures in the environment, and even during cinematics, are terrible compared to nearly any other current-gen game.

Sounds like over-exaggeration at best. Terrible? Ha! Even if they're unfinished, it still looks fine. The vocal minority you listened to complains that it's not realistic enough (for whatever reason), but Halo has never tried to be.
People find anything to complain about these days, eh?

Go look at Forza Motorsport if you want a game that's actually trying for realistic graphics. I'm looking at Halo for the gameplay.

 

[Nitrotoxin]

Great graphics, great sound, looks amazing! I am loving the gun sounds and the gun play, can't wait to get it into my hands! Anyone that complains is an *****...

 

[GeforcerFX]

It's open world, I would expect a small hit to graphics based on that alone, then people need to remember it's a xbox one title, not a series x native title. Series X will get higher FPS and 4k and eventually get some ray tracing, but they have to make this game so it can run on budget gaming rigs and the OG xbox one.

On a side note I am sooooooooooooooooooooo sick of all the graphics broo haha, games have looked pretty much the same since 2008 with little changes to little things to give us a bit more fidelity. The graphics really doesn't mean much we have lots of games with great looking graphics and gameplay that makes you want to slit your wrists. But all I see people talking about is graphics and FPS nowadays, it's taken over the PC gaming scene as the main form of justification for spending over a grand on just your GPU. I'm sure it's great your can run the division 2 at 120 FPS at 4k, but the game still sucks so why care about the graphics? This generation saw the same mindset infect console gamers more than it ever has, now no matter where you go you got some 3 paragraphs of a games review talking about the graphics and how it compares to game x and y.

 

[Kirby1]

I thought it looks like a huge disappointment. Clearly the decision to keep supporting Xbox one is holding back this game. The graphics were a joke.

 

[Steveb8189]

Next gen started last year for me with a 2080ti and an OLED so this just looked normal to me

Disapointing, I'd hope a 2080ti would look better than this. You should be one of the ones shouting about how rubblish this looks not just "normal"

 

[Kirby1]

By that measure I've been on next gen for years with my 1080ti and 4k TV.

 

[Nobina]

By that measure I've been on next gen for years with my 1080ti and 4k TV.

Well that's because you were. All new consoles can do is catch up to current gaming PC graphics. They will be graphically obsolete in a couple of years probably.

 

[Kirby1]

If you think this is true then you have no idea what you're talking about.

 

[Leuten]

Idk, looks fine to me. It's not the best I've seen but I wouldn't complain. What's Halo about anyway? Looks like softcore version of Doom.

If I try to use music as an analogy then Doom is rock n' roll and Halo is classical. That is how different they play.

 

[Reehahs]

A polished turd will still be a polished turd in 4K.

 

[mbrowne5061]

Go look at Forza Motorsport if you want a game that's actually trying for realistic graphics. I'm looking at Halo for the gameplay.

Who said anything about realistic? The graphics shown off for Halo Infinite are objectively trash. There are gameplay scene in Halo 3 that look better than the cinematics for Halo Infinite. Better textures, better lighting, better environments. If the footage we were just shown is at all representative of what to expect for visual quality from Halo Infinite upon release, then it is a huge step-back for the franchise.