Halo Infinite’s Multiplayer Beta has been an absolute blast so far. One reason for this is that everyone is on an even playing field. Sure, some people may be more skilled than others, but when it comes to mapping knowledge, we’re all in a 101 level course to learn about weapon spawn locations, sightlines, etc.
While an entire roster of brand new maps is great, part of what has made Halo great are the memories on other maps. With that being said, here are the maps we’d love to see make an appearance in Halo Infinite Multiplayer, in no particular order.
Exile – Halo 4
While Halo 4 may not be as beloved as the original trilogy, it was still an enjoyable experience for multiplayer. One map, in particular, Exile, always felt like large-scale controlled chaos. It was a larger scale map, complete with vehicles, that still allowed for lots of close-quarter combat thanks to its design. Getting from one side to another of the map took some time, but the terrain, system of caves, and crashed USNC ship meant people could be hiding behind every corner.
Midship – Halo 2
Midship defined what it meant to be a small, nearly symmetrical map in the Halo universe. It was remade in Halo 3 and saw homages and spiritual successors in both Halo: Reach and Halo 5. The multi-level approach made the map feel bigger than it actually is, allowing for circumstances of snipers picking people off from above.
At its best, Midship was based on controlled chaos inside the thunderdome.
Lockout – Halo 2
It’s hard to talk about Halo multiplayer without mentioning Lockout. While another map on this list may be more iconic, Lockout is regarded as one of the multiplayer maps in the franchise. Its size and layout were perfect for a variety of games, whether it’s free for all, team deathmatch, or objective battles.
The simple, no-frills approach meant the gameplay got to do all the talking. This lead to memorable skirmishes and firefights over the past decade-plus. Just be careful when you’re traversing through the open center on the map.
Blood Gulch/Coagulation – Halo: Combat Evolved/Halo 2
Where legends were made. The most iconic map in all of Halo is also one of the best. A large, open environment, complete with two bases on either side and plenty of space for vehicles to run wild. I included Coagulation here because it saw some minor tweaks and improvements to the map, ones that were very welcome.
While we’ve seen some remakes and inspiration within Halo Forge, a proper remake would be very welcome in Halo Infinite.
The Pit – Halo 3
Honestly, this might have been the map I played the most in Halo 3. A USNC training facility complete with twists, turns, corridors, nooks, and crannies, The Pit felt like a larger, asymmetrical version of Midship. It’s indoors, enclosed, and chaotic.
The larger size map allowed for some more power weapons (looking at you, rocket launcher), which resulted in the potential of danger around every turn. Plus, just think of all the grenade fights over the entry in the sword room you and your friends would love to relive. Surely that’s not just me, right?
Sidewinder – Halo: Combat Evolved
If you’re looking for a larger-than-life map, look no further than Sidewinder. Remarkably only remade once (Avalanche in a Halo 3 map pack), the frozen playground was the perfect size for truly memorable sprawling (and daunting!) local multiplayer. It would be a dream to toss into a Big Team Battle matchmaking queue online.
Ivory Tower – Halo 2
Possibly the most vertical map on the list, Ivory Tower is a fantastic map filled with faux symmetry, close quarters, and weapon variety. Every corridor off the main path, filled with its own secrets, weapon spawns, and power-ups eventually led back into the main courtyard, where carnage would await players. Of note too, this is my favorite map to use the energy sword with, thanks to the fact that I can easily jump up or down, turn a corner, and run out of the line of fire before turning around on my enemies.
At least that’s how I always envisioned happening. My results definitely varied.
Guardian – Halo 3
Guardian always seemed to have that “it” factor. The map is bigger than it seems, thanks to its layout, catwalks, location amongst terrain, and small and enclosed quarters making it appear small and intimate. Everything seemed to always spill into the center circle, unlike Lockout where people would avoid the middle of the map like the plague.
The result was an absolutely fantastic atmosphere for Slayer deathmatches, and don’t get me started on how great of a map this is for King of the Hill.
Zanzibar – Halo 2
Zanzibar has always felt like a map straight out of a different game. It appears to cater to more of an attacking/defending style of FPS than the arena shooter Halo is. Nonetheless, the map’s design, vehicles, and weapon/power-up locations helped create tremendous versatility and replayability across all game modes.
Whether you’re storming the base from the beach on vehicles, defending it with a sniper from up top, or dropping down from the big fan and ambushing enemies, Zanzibar had something for everyone to enjoy.
Battle Creek/Beaver Creek – Halo: Combat Evolved/Halo 2
Originally, I had left this off the list for a personal favorite of mine (Standoff). On second thought, however, it’s too difficult to justify leaving off Battle/Beaver Creek. The map was small, chaotic, frantic, and memorable. It’s an absolute joy to jump off from one of the rocks above, melee someone in the back, and then start shooting across the water.
For a game that’s looking to take Halo back to its roots, it’s hard to think of a map better suited to do that than this.
