Halo Infinite: Exploring the world Halo Infinite guide, walkthrough

This page of the guide to Halo Infinite contains information about exploring the open world of Zeta Halo - activities, using vehicles and traveling with marines.

Last update: 10 January 2022

On this page of the guide to Halo Infinite we've listed the most important information the game world's exploration. You'll learn about the rules of traveling through Zeta Halo's open world, how to use your gadgets during exploration, how to use vehicles, how to discover unique areas on the map and how to use AI-controlled allies' help.

• Unlocking and exploring Zeta Halo's surface
• Ground vehicles and aircraft
• The north-eastern part of Zeta Halo - is it available?
• Climbing and using the Grappleshot
• Main and optional activities on the world map
• Rescuing marines and traveling with allies

Unlocking and exploring Zeta Halo's surface

As a reminder, Halo Infinite takes place on the Zeta Halo ring. After starting a new campaign you must first complete several linear story missions. Only after unlocking the fourth mission, Recovery, does the game allow you to explore the half-open world.

The world map cannot be immediately explored in its entirety. The main limitations are large pits which can't be crossed on foot or in ground vehicles, with aircraft only being unlocked later on.

Ground vehicles and aircraft

Halo Infinite lets you use various vehicles which are divided in two groups:

1. UNSC vehicles can be found in the game world or "ordered" in FOB bases. In the latter case you must obtain enough Valor points to permanently unlock the machine - for example, you need 800 Valor to unlock the Warthog.
2. Banished vehicles can be found in the game world or stolen from enemies, although this doesn't apply to all of them. You steal a vehicle by pulling yourself onto it with the Grappleshot, causing Master Chief to forcefully throw out the driver / pilot from the cockpit.

Aircraft are the most useful for traversing the map, but the game won't give you access to them too soon, for obvious reasons.

1. Later on in the campaign you'll be able to find the Banshee aircraft belonging to the Banished. They also fly over certain areas (such as the south-eastern part of Zeta Halo) and can be caught with the Grappleshot if they fly low enough.
2. Obtaining 2600 Valor points lets you unlock the Wasp. After that you'll be able to order it from every captured FOB base for free.

Aircraft are excellent for reaching difficult places, such as mountaintops or areas with vertical walls, but you must remember that enemies can still attack you while you're flying. The most problematic of them are hostile Banshees. Get rid of them with tracking missiles.

The north-eastern part of Zeta Halo - is it available?

While progressing through the campaign you may notice that the game doesn't encourage you to visit the north-eastern part of Zeta Halo. This happens because the final missions of the campaign happen there.

There are no optional activities in the north-eastern corner of the ring. The area doesn't contain any extra beacons and all the collectibles are directly tied to main missions.

Climbing and using the Grappleshot

When exploring the world you should use the Grappleshot often in order to:

1. climb faster - this is especially useful if you want to reach an elevated point,
2. overcome high walls - they can appear in Banished outposts,
3. reach roofs and observation towers - gaining a height advantage over your enemies could make it easier for you to plan your assault, additionally the roofs and other elevated areas are often occupied by snipers which means you can easily eliminate them with the Grappleshot,
4. save yourself from falling down a pit - if you make a mistake and fall you can grapple yourself back on solid land.

Don't forget to spend development points and upgrade your Grappleshot. This will allow you to reduce its cooldown and give it offensive uses, such as electrocuting enemies.

Main and optional activities on the world map

The Zeta Halo map features many different icons symbolizing missions, activities and collectibles. They can be divided into three groups based on their visibility:

1. Icons that are always visible - mostly those related to main missions. You don't need to meet any additional requirements to view them.
2. Icons that appear after taking over an FOB base - each time you take over an enemy base you'll uncover selected activities nearby, such as lairs of important Targets, Spartan Cores or UNSC help requests.
3. Icons that you must find yourself, that is, they appear after you get close to a collectible - this is the most problematic category which applies to Forerunners' artifacts or Spartan Audio Logs. We recommend you use our secrets' list found in the Secrets and collectibles chapter.

Performing optional activities is usually rewarded in some way, so you shouldn't focus only on main missions. Side activities can reward you with unique weapons, Valor or new fast travel points. You don't need to rush with side activities before completing the campaign though, as you can still explore the map after finishing the game.

Rescuing marines and traveling with allies

Master Chief has to travel through the world alone by default (Halo Infinite didn't feature co-op on release, with it being announced to be patched in later). You don't need to be alone throughout the entire campaign though, as you can use the support of AI-controlled allies. There are two main ways of recruiting them:

1. Taking marines from captured FOB bases - they appear in bases automatically and the more Valor you have, the better they'll be (for example they'll wield sniper rifles or rocket launchers).
2. Rescuing marines from the Banished - This is one of the optional activities found in the game world. After reaching the activity icon you may be forced to join the marines in combat or free them by destroying the energy source powering their shackles.

You can't give commands to the Marines, they'll be automatically following Master Chief. You can use vehicles (such as the Warthog) to travel through the map with them to have their support when you're attacking a base or a high-value target.

Unfortunately allies cannot enter quest locations such as the Tower or the Conservatory. Master Chief must explore these areas alone, although the marines can help you eliminate enemies guarding the entrances to these locations.