It is safe to say thatHalo Infinitelaunched to a mixed reception from the franchise’s longstanding fan base, with many being unsure whether they can characterize the game as a success or not. The campaign for the release was a decidedly ambitious one, breaking away from the usual map formula found in the IP’s past singleplayer experiences, while being sure to maintain the general framework of what the franchise is known for. The multiplayer ofHalo Infinite, however, has been met with quite vocal criticism since its release regarding a perceived lack of substantial content and rewarding progression.
While many of the game’s criticisms fall upon its multiplayer, there is still room for improvement inInfinite’s campaign that the next game can learn from and when making changes. One of the largest of these lessons has to do with reimplementing important and memorable allied characters, such as the fan-favorite Sergeant Johnson of pastHalogames.
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The Role of Sergeant Johnson In Halo
Sergeant Major Avery Johnsonfirst appeared in theHalofranchise as part of 2001’sHalo: Combat Evolved, meaning Johnson has been a part of the IP from its very beginning. Despite originally appearing in a much more reserved capacity, Johnson quickly flourished over the course of the franchise’s original trilogy to become one of the most iconic characters in the entire series.
Known for his bombastic leadership and charisma, Sergeant Johnson played a crucial role within the firstHalogames in the way of comedic relief and rousing speeches, giving a somewhat lighter tone to the franchise’s narratives whilst crucially providing it with a much more human element. While Sergeant Johnson was a part of the infamous Spartan super soldier program, he lacked the immense size and armor of the likes ofMaster Chief, offering a more grounded level of insight into humanity’s fight against the Covenant threat.
Why Future Halo Games Need A Sergeant Johnson Character
An unfortunate byproduct ofHalo Infinite’s open-world campaignis how it turns the player character into even more of a lone wolf figure. While Master Chief has always been typified as a kind of one-man army, the more narrow and linear set-pieces of priorHaloinstallments fostered an environment where the player would often fight alongside allied soldiers, or even other Spartans.
The level ofplayer freedom inHaloInfinitetook this away from the title, with the player often traveling and fighting independently, aside from certain moments where clusters of Marines could be recruited. This also took away the stage for supporting characters such as Sergeant Johnson to perform on, robbingHalo Infiniteof the variety of characters that have historically been so successful for the franchise.
With this in mind, it is clear that the next installment to theHalofranchise should return to its roots in this respect, and foster gameplay in which supporting characters can make a tangible impact both inside and outside of cutscenes. Not much is currently known about the next steps forHaloaside from arumoredHalobattle royalerelease that may currently be in development.
The next singleplayer mainline experience for the IP can keep the new open world elements ofInfinite, but must also offer strong supporting characters that can thrive within more frequent linear sections. While these new characters should not be near-clones of Sergeant Johnson and other past hits, they should embody a level of human relatability and personality that made these past characters so great and memorable.
Halo Infiniteis available now on PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
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