Halomultiplayer has always been a pillar of the competitive multiplayer and has helped create the standard for what online multiplayer should be.Halo Infinitehas been growing and adapting to continue the lineage of theclassic FPS multiplayergame, but in recent years, popularity has shifted from standard deathmatch and objective-based multiplayer modes to the battle royale game type. Many franchises have begun to include battle royale modes in an attempt to stay relevant in the ever-changing world of competitive multiplayer.
Halo Infinitehas been attempting to recapture the classic feel of the original trilogy’s multiplayer while still keeping up-to-date with more modern features. Though many rumors speculated that this entry in the series would also include a battle royale, it seems thatHalo Infinitehas decided to go down a different path that still feels similar to new, more modern game modes while also staying true toHalo’s roots.
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What is Last Spartan Standing?
Halo Infinite’s second multiplayer seasonintroduced plenty of new content including new maps, battle pass rewards, and game modes that all centered around the title of the season, Lone Wolves. The most notable addition to Season 2 has been the Last Spartan Standing game mode, which is a variant of the already established free-for-all game type but includes some additional twists and features.
Last Spartan Standing pits 12 players against each other on any of the Big Team Battle maps, except these maps have been sectioned off to create a tight combat zone that begins to shrink as the game progresses and players get eliminated. In this sense,Last Spartan Standing is very similar to a battle royalebecause both game modes create a constant sense of urgency and panic as the map shrinks and fights become more intense.
However, there isan additional feature in Last Spartan Standingthat changes the game even further. As opposed to classicHalomultiplayer or other battle royales where players must find weapons on the battlefield and every player essentially has an equal chance to claim a powerful weapon, Last Spartan Standing has adopted a feature from the popularCall of Dutygame mode, Gun Game.
As players begin to get kills and progress through each game, they are rewarded with new weapons that vary in strength and utility on each map. Though this feature could be seen as a huge advantage for skilled players, fans of the series know thateach weapon inHalois uniqueand may not be effective in every scenario, which could give less skilled players an upper hand in combat and allow them to catch up. Additionally, each player is also given five lives, which helps keep them in the game for longer and eases some of the tension usually found in single-elimination game modes.
How Last Spartan Standing Stands Out Against Battle Royales
ThoughLast Spartan Standing can be seen as a version of a battle royale, it actually cleverly combines features from multiple different game modes. This new game type has definitely adopted features from battle royales, but it has adjusted them to better suitHalowithout fully creating a battle royale, which is good. Modern competitive multiplayer games are constantly competing with one another to try and create the best unique experience. This constant drive to be the best has led multiple games to create similar experiences, like the rise in battle royales. Though there is nothing inherently bad about the popular game mode, with so many games attempting to one-up one another, it is easy for some to get lost in the crowd or lose touch with their roots.
Halo Infinite’s Last Spartan Standing has been able to create its own unique game mode that encompasses a few different, well-liked features from popular games while still maintaining theHalomultiplayer experienceat its core. Though it is still possible thatHalocould receive a battle royale in the future, this newest game mode shows that the classic multiplayer is still able to stay relevant and compete with other FPS titles.
Halo Infiniteis available now on PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
