Halo Infinite’s weapons sandbox is one of its most effective design elements, especially when the equipment sandbox is factored in too. While this isn’t Halo’s biggest arsenal, it’s nonetheless one of the most diverse.
With rare exceptions, nearly every weapon fills a niche that others cannot. However, that doesn’t make each firearm equally enjoyable to use.
Ultimately, this list will determine just that. The most hardcore Halo players will be able to offer a much more concrete, competitive breakdown than this. Yet, that isn’t how most of us play Infinite. As such, we’ll be ranking the currently available weapons across two main factors: situational utility and fun factor.
Plasma Pistol
Man, the Plasma Pistol is just a bummer. Its EMP effect from past titles has been handed off to other weapons like the Disruptor. So, a key pillar of the Plasma Pistol’s utility is just gone, leaving it as not much more than a Covenant pea shooter with a charge ability. It’s okay, but absolutely the most unnecessary weapon in the sandbox and that’s why it ranks last on this Halo Infinite Weapons list.
Pulse Carbine
The Covenant’s arsenal really got the short end of the stick in Halo Infinite. Adopting a burst-style, the Pulse Carbine isn’t nearly as fun as the full-auto Plasma Rifle or Plasma Repeater. In multiplayer as agile as Infinite’s, the slow Carbine projectiles just don’t stand a chance. At least they’re (slightly) better than the Pistol.
Commando
The Commando is certainly one of Halo Infinite’s most hated new weapons. It seems like it should be the DMR replacement, but instead, it’s a fully-auto rifle with a huge recoil spread. It can’t really take cross-map shots like the Battle Rifle, and it can’t really compete with the Assault Rifle at close range.
At least its impact feels heavy. The Commando’s sound design is aces, but it just doesn’t hold its own. The gun’s more usable in the campaign against Brutes, at least.
Ravager
The Ravager’s area of effect charge fire is a great anti-Hunter strategy on Zeta Halo. In multiplayer though, it’s a bit too slow. Often, if you catch someone with the Ravager, it’s more their fault for having poor movement than the success of the gun itself.
It’s flashy when lobbing its molten plasma and good for a melee kill, but that’s about the extent of the Ravager’s utility.
Stalker Rifle
Of Infinite’s three sniper-type weapons, the Stalker Rifle is probably the least compelling. It’s deadly, as the Jackals in the campaign taught us all, but that potency rarely appears online. The gun has undeniable style, but limited utility beyond its fairly good rate of fire.
Heatwave
Hardlight weapons are such an amazing lore idea that doesn’t quite stack up in multiplayer. The Heatwave absolutely has one of the most clever gimmicks in the entire arsenal, being able to swap between a horizontal or vertical reticle.
This, combined with the Heatwave’s bouncing projectiles, results in a very empowering, visually interesting weapon. But, is it a powerful one? Maybe. Its kill potential is just a bit too situation to chart higher on our Halo Infinite weapons list.
Sentinel Beam
Few Halo kill animations are more satisfying than that of the Sentinel Beam, as your concentrated fire vaporizes the Spartan in front of you. Sure, the Heatwave does this too, but the Sentinel Beam makes it more personal.
Plus, it’s very potent if you have steady hands. However, unless your aim is absolutely true, the Sentinel Beam can quickly have you on the opposite end of a Reversal. If you really want to see it in action, watch it shred in the campaign.
Skewer
The crunch of a Skewer, well, skewering a vehicle is so satisfying. The rare but perfectly-placed Skewer round piercing a Spartan’s armor is even better. Unfortunately, the latter is rather hard to pull off, especially with a controller.
The Skewer is obviously designed to be anti-armor foremost, but if it had a bit more utility otherwise, it would be much higher here.
Shock Rifle
While slow, the Shock Rifle is a rather generous sniper. It feels like it finds a headshot a lot more often than its peers, probably because the round is bigger. Plus, it can deactivate a vehicle in a pinch, if only for a moment.
If it could put a larger dent in enemy armor or had a bigger clip, this would certainly be a top-tier gun. As it stands, the Shock Rifle is just pretty good.
Hydra
The Hydra is something of a miniature, hand-fed rocket launcher. The reload animation and sound design give the Hydra a very unique identity – if its overarching concept didn’t do that already. The weapon is also one of the sandbox’s most versatile, feeling equally effective against both Spartans and vehicles.
Disruptor
While the Disruptor’s main utility is incredibly situational, the gun is surprisingly versatile. Primarily, it’s an anti-vehicle energy weapon with a disabling effect like the Shock Rifle. Next to a Dynamo Grenade, the Disruptor is probably the best Halo Infinite weapon to have when you need to take out a rampaging Warthog.
It’s surprisingly lethal against other Spartans too, and its chain lightning effect can help even the odds when you’re ganged-up on.
Needler
Many players would put the Needler much lower on this list. But, doing so overlooks just how satisfying the delayed gratification of a Needler kill is. Releasing a barrage of pseudo-seeking needles is a great way to drop a charging Spartan, and one of the most visually impressive kills to get. If only it were just a bit more multifaceted.
S7 Sniper
The S7 Sniper could do with a buff, as it’s often outperformed on smaller, four versus four maps. But, that doesn’t take away from the thwack of a perfectly aligned headshot. It also doesn’t take away from how quickly the S7 burns vehicles. Just a few rounds will completely destroy a Warthog, making it a surprisingly great anti-armor option.
Bulldog
Sure, the Bulldog isn’t a 1:1 replacement for the great UNSC Shotgun. But, it’s still a true threat at close range. Its fairly quick, drum-barreled design makes the Bulldog a fast, effective option at the right distance.
Who doesn’t love a bit of close-quarters poetry? If only its damage falloff was a bit less extreme, it would be a top-five firearm.
Mangler
It’s fair to say that the Mangler has been the most controversial Halo Infinite weapon in competitive gameplay. There was an entire round of Twitter discourse asking for its nerf, after all. That’s because the weapon has a powerful melee that kills after just a bit of shield softening.
Some might say it’s too strong for the ranked queue. But, it’s a ton of fun in casual situations.
Cindershot
The Cindershot’s bouncy projectile and blast radius result in a potent power weapon. It’s far from the best of that lot, but it’s arguably the second most fun. Lobbing rounds into enclosed spaces is a great way to score a colorful multi-kill. While it’s a bit harder to finish a Spartan with a Cindershot than a SPNKR, it’s very rewarding to do so.
Gravity Hammer
Sure, the Gravity Hammer doesn’t always ragdoll a downed Spartan to the extent that we’d like to. But, what’s better than correctly timing a heavy Hammer swing to score a quick kill? Not much. This is a longtime Halo staple for good reason and deserves this placement among all of the other very capable Halo Infinite weapons.
Sidekick
Wow, finally Halo managed to make a pistol feel good post-Combat Evolved! While that Magnum will always reign supreme, the Sidekick feels incredibly valuable in Infinite. It fires so quickly, making it the perfect way to finish off an opponent when you empty the clip in your main weapon. Quick Draw!
Assault Rifle
Like the Sidekick, the Assault Rifle is a much-needed makeover to a staple weapon. Halo’s ARs have never been that great, save for maybe Reach. Well, until now. Infinite’s Assault Rifle can actually hold its own at medium and close ranges, with a fair bit of suppressing potential across the map.
No Halo glow-up has been as impressive as the AR.
Spnkr
It’s the same rocket launcher that has torn up the battlefield since Combat Evolved. What more is there to say?
Battle Rifle
When asked about the potential for a Battle Royale in Halo Infinite, Jeff Easterling said “I’ll tell you right now, the only BR we’re interested in is the Battle Rifle.” Not only is that an amazing quote, but it’s also a reminder of how iconic this weapon is.
Since its introduction in Halo 2, the Battle Rifle has been the firearm of choice for many players. That’s for good reason, as, whether in SWAT or regular matches, BR headshots are just the best.
Energy Sword
Well, they’re the second-best. Nothing beats the Energy Sword. This weapon has always been awesome, but Infinite makes it even better. How? Well, by pairing it with the Grappleshot.
Nothing in Halo Infinite is more fun than harpooning other players and slicing them with an Energy Sword. This is the PB&J combo of Halo Infinite that perfectly demonstrates why this game’s mechanics are so fun.
Wrap Up
All in all, the full Halo Infinite weapons list features a great arsenal. While the bottom few weapons on this list are lacking, the middle of the pack and above all have their moments to shine.
The guns and equipment sandboxes feel just excellent in motion and are a clear testament to the lessons learned by 343 Industries between Halo 4 and 5: Guardians. While we certainly need more maps and modes, if the arsenal went untouched for the entirety of Infinite’s life, there wouldn’t be an issue.
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