Ever since the surprise release of Halo Infinite’s multiplayer back in November 2020, Sierra 117’s triumphant return has motivated players to rack up an in-game play clock the size of Master Chief’s Spartan callsign.
Now that most of us have settled the score on Zeta Halo, all eyes are locked onto the multiplayer again thanks to events like Cyber Showdown. While developer 343 Industries has refreshed the online suite with these rotating events, the Halo maps rotation has stayed the same.Â
The selection is certainly in need of a refresh, but simply because these battlegrounds are becoming old hat. Quality is not the issue here. The maps are, on the whole, quite an impressive bunch. Nonetheless, some rise above others.
When ranking these Halo Infinite maps, we looked at a variety of factors, weighing the aesthetics, compatibility with game modes, weapon placement, and the general fun factor of each.
So, let’s get to it and rank Halo Infinite’s maps from worst to best.
Launch Site
The vast majority of Halo Infinite maps are at least consistently good. Regrettably, Launch Site stands out as an unfortunate exception. Its main mode, One Flag Capture the Flag, just doesn’t quite work out here due to Launch Site’s uneven design.
Its distribution of power weapons and vehicles heavily favors the defending team, as do the spawn points and flag location. If the first offensive push fails, and it often does, the round is likely lost to defense. The asymmetrical setup is more fun in Slayer modes, particularly Fiesta, but the map doesn’t support its marquee offering.
Deadlock
Of the three Big Team Battle maps, Deadlock is the weakest. While its cave system and turret-equipped outposts offer some solid combat opportunities, the map is a bit too sprawling and simple. The other two BTB maps do a better job of offering complex geography that still funnels players into firefights without feeling restrictive.
Plus, the dark aesthetic of Deadlock isn’t nearly as pleasing as the other maps’ visual styles. Nonetheless, its openness allows for some really great Warthog flag runs.
Aquarius
There really isn’t much wrong with Aquarius. It’s the archetypal symmetrical arena map with a clean aesthetic. However, there also isn’t much more to it than that. With plenty of offshoot hallways and geometry that breaks the line of sight, Aquarius does a nice job of forcing close quarters poetry. But, it still offers the opportunity to exchange BR potshots atop its open higher-level platforms.
This emphasis on a two-tiered design keeps combat dynamic, even if there isn’t much special about Aquarius itself. Regardless, it’s still a fun Halo Infinite map.
Highpower
Like other BTB maps above it on this list, Highpower does a great job of encouraging combined arms. This BTB map gives players plenty of room to skirmish in vehicles while also dotting the environment with structures and sniper outcroppings for Spartans to fight over on foot. Highpower also gives players an opportunity to take to the skies in a Wasp when they aren’t trying to take the high ground on foot.
Nonetheless, the map may skew too heavily in favor of its vehicles outside of modes like Total Control, which funnels everyone to particular flashpoints. Without a ride, traversing Highpower to reach the firefight loses a bit of its luster.
Fragmentation
Aesthetically, Fragmentation is quintessentially Halo. The forested biome reinforced by Forerunner structures clearly evokes the iconic setting that Combat Evolved crafted. It’s something of a narrower Big Team Battle map too, making it the most focused of the three without feeling too tight.
There’s room to skid about in Warthogs and Ghosts, but not too much space that on-foot gunplay gets lost in the shuffle. Plus, the addition of gravity launchers makes traversal a breeze. While there are sadly only three BTB maps in Infinite, Fragmentation stands as the best of those Halo Infinite maps.
Recharge
If not for Oddball, Recharge would have a serious shot at first place in this ranking. While its visual style isn’t that remarkable, the map’s mix of close-quarters hallways and sniper vantage points certainly is. This is doubly true when either a Gravity Hammer or Energy Sword spawn on the outskirts behind Stronghold C.
With these weapons in hand and the Grappleshot on your Spartan’s wrist, every entryway and broken line of sight becomes an opportunity for a melee kill. Recharge is perhaps the most fun Stronghold map in the game. However, its easily defensible nook above Stronghold B turns Oddball into a predictable game of ‘camp the hallway.’ This simple oversight makes an entire mode markedly less compelling.
Bazaar
Any Halo Infinite map that makes reference to Halo 2’s New Mombasa campaign missions is automatically getting some brownie points. And, Bazaar has more to offer than just its aesthetic. Its layout makes for rather tense CTF matches.
Between a diverse weapon pool, varied equipment offerings, and the segmented map design, Bazaar makes both attacking and defending equally fun. The scramble to pinpoint and cut down the opponent’s flag runner is elevated by Bazaar’s geography which often breaks the line of sight through interior areas.Â
The map’s biggest issue is its street-level center. This area too often feels like a killbox in an otherwise-elevated map. Someone always has the high ground on you when you hit the dirt, and there’s little cover to speak of. This effectively makes the midsection a bit frustrating to traverse, with little reason to travel through it unless you’re picking up a valuable piece of equipment. But, since the power weapons spawn above, actually getting that equipment without getting blown to bits is unlikely.
Perhaps if the two pickups were swapped, making the run for an M41 SPNKR as opposed to Active Camo would justify that space on the map.
Behemoth
While Behemoth is a four versus four map, it has a rather sprawling design and an emphasis on vehicular play. The map’s features lead to the most enjoyable CTF exchanges, managing to just barely edge out Bazaar due to the added tools on the field. Plus, the open-air design leads to some truly sweaty Tactical Slayer matches, and the gravity launchers consistently make traversal fun if somewhat risky.
This is a great showcase for Halo Infinite’s physics-driven combat systems. All facets of the game’s sandbox are on full display. Unfortunately, this integration of vehicles also causes some pretty one-sided Attrition matches, as whichever team can snag a Banshee or Warthog can usually snag the round too. Otherwise, Behemoth is quite the exceptional map.
Streets
The neon-soaked streets of, well, Streets are some of the prettiest in all of Halo Infinite. Additionally, they’re some of the best designed, with no mode feeling like it doesn’t vibe with the map’s layout. Streets’ lack of a gimmick is made up for by great fundamentals, beginning with the expertly placed power weapon spawn that makes the start of any match into a real scramble. It also makes Oddball more frantic than ever, as its few camping spots are not exploitable.
This Halo Infinite map forces the player to move, which pays dividends across game types. Streets also act as a showcase for 343’s excellent art direction, which is always welcome. The map falters only in its implementation of equipment which feels lacking, as no one has fun with Drop Walls. No one.
Live Fire
The best Halo Infinite map is Live Fire. The concept of fighting in a UNSC base is already quite compelling, but the gameplay opportunities here elevate that idea further. The geography is thoughtfully sculpted. Stronghold B is a critical example. Its geometry is strange, featuring a dual-layered, cylindrical shape that leads to great gunplay exchanges. This point, and the entire map really, also give players the chance to experiment with Infinite’s most underrated piece of equipment: the Repulsor. Launching an Oddball-hogging opponent off the top of the tower being Stronghold A with that piece of kit is just so satisfying.
But, that’s not all. The interplay between weapons, from the S7 Sniper which spawns at the map’s midpoint to the Bulldog that spawns in the tunnels below, pairs nicely with the interplay between open sightlines and closed interiors. The points about verticality and cleverly-placed obstacles outlined for prior maps all apply here too. Live Fire really doesn’t drop the ball anywhere, not with its visuals, its weapons, its equipment, or its layout. This truly is the best showcase of Halo Infinite’s mechanics, and it’s a consistently engaging way to experience everything that makes this game so great.
Wrap Up
In ranking the Halo Infinite maps, it has hopefully become clear that 343 Industries really knocked the selection out of the park. Even the maps in the bottom slots are still fun to some extent. However, as we mentioned above, the appeal of even maps like Streets and Live Fire is starting to lose a bit of luster.
It’s time for a new set of maps in Halo that refreshes Infinite’s play spaces while continuing to highlight just how unique this game’s mechanics are. When the studio does drop its next batch of maps, we’ll be sure to evaluate both their strengths and their weaknesses.
Until then, please enjoy a few other pieces of our Halo content:
- 10 Dream Map Remakes We Want To See In Halo Infinite Multiplayer
- Halo Infinite Review – I Think We’re Just Getting Started
