Halo is a franchise long known for its iconic multiplayer maps. Creations like Blood Gulch, Zanzibar, Midship, and Guardian are just a few locations that have captivated gamers for decades. Thankfully, Halo Infinite is no different. 343 Industries’ most recent addition to the Halo franchise has come with a plethora of fun and satisfying maps to play on. In this list, we’re going to go over the best maps in Halo Infinite to play on, and why they’re so darn fun.
5. Live Fire
Lively firing on Live Fire is always a blast.
Live Fire is an asymmetrical map that’s on the smaller side. However, it offers a decent variety of ranges , with medium-range gunfights happening around the edges and middle lane of the map, and short-range engagements spread around the rest. The map has an interesting power position, with one side of the map sporting a two-story tower where teams can set up Oddball holds.
Its art style is nothing to write home about, but it looks clean nonetheless. Objective modes play smoothly on this map, and its lack of super-long ranges encourages fast paced gameplay for slayer, which is always a plus. Thanks to these characteristics, this map plays well in ranked play and casual play alike.
Why Life Fire is Great:
- Objective modes like Oddball and Strongholds play smoothly
- Encourages fastpaced gameplay
- Interesting power positions and asymmetry create a dynamic flow
4. Forbidden
Forbidden offers beautiful art design.
Forbidden was one of two maps added in Halo Infinite’s Season 5 update. It’s art style is beautiful, reminiscent of the classic Halo 2 design. It’s rather large for a 4v4 map, but it’s unique size offers a good change-of-pace from some of Halo Infinite’s more hectic maps.
Despite its size, most of the map allows for only medium-range and close-range engagements. However, the middle of the map is quite open, allowing for long-range fights between Spartans equipped with snipers or rifles.
The map is symmetrical, with one side being overgrown and the other being dry to help players quickly identify which side they’re on. 343 primarily designed Forbidden as a Capture the Flag map, which shows when you play it. The map’s multiple levels and intricate passageways encourage players to use advanced movement to out-play and out-position the opponent, creating fun scenarios for flag runners.
But the map’s true beauty lies in its art design. 343 designs the aesthetics of their maps before designing the layout, and that design philosophy especially shows with Forbidden. The ancient forerunner architecture blends seamlessly with the map’s routes and objects.
Why Forbidden is Great:
- Beautiful art design
- Fun, dynamic routes and skilljumps
- Good variation of ranges and types of engagements for players
- Plays well with Capture the Flag
3. Catalyst
Here you can see Catalyst's long sight lines.
Catalyst was added in the Season 2 update of Halo Infinite. It sports a classic Halo design with its Forerunner architectural style, symmetrical layout, and emphasis on verticality. This map is great for slayer and objective modes alike.
The two bases on either side of the map support medium-range and close-range engagements, with the cavernous middle of the map encouraging long-range gunfights and information gathering. The map’s middle section being so open gives plenty of opportunity to observe the enemy team, making communication on this map paramount for competitive matches.
Why Catalyst is Great:
- Balanced design that rewards teamwork
- Wide spaces allow for interesting playmaking opportunities
- Good for both slayer and objective modes
2. Aquarius
The enemy's team base is in clear sight.
Aquarius is a small, symmetrical map that fosters a fast paced style of play. It plays well with Slayer and Capture the Flag. Its close-quarters layout encourages aggressive playstyles and tight coordination with teammates.
Due to its small size, be careful to not push too far up the map, as it’s likely that you’ll be quickly overwhelmed by nearby-spawning enemies. Instead, play with your teammates and control the middle of the map. This allows you to spawntrap the enemy team and widen your team’s lead.
Aquarius’ art design is excellent. Despite the fact that it’s completely indoors, the map’s greenhouse appearance gives players a vibrant and satisfying environment to look at.
Why Aquarius is Great:
- Combines fun map design with excellent art direction
- Small map that creates fast paced, exciting scenarios
- Coordination with teammates allows for dominant spawn control
1. Recharge
Recharge offers a cool, grimy atmosphere.
Recharge was Halo Infinite’s strongest launch map, and remains as probably the best map in the game. Its asymmetrical design creates free-flowing, rotation-heavy gameplay. This map is excellent for Slayer, Strongholds, and Oddball.
Asymmetrical maps haven’t always been Halo’s bread and butter, but this map is definitely an exception. Sporting an industrial art design, Recharge allows for hectic-yet-calculated gameplay that rewards teamwork, spawn control, and timely rotations.
Despite its small-ish size, it offers a plethora of environments for players to duel in. Tight hallways, open areas, flanking routes, two-story buildings, and even a massive pit can all be found on this map.
Why Recharge is Great:
- Excellent map design that fosters dynamic and fastpaced gameplay
- Variety of situations for players to fight in
- Fun but difficult-to-master skilljumps
- Plays well with both Slayer and objective modes
Honorable Mention: Oasis
Here you can see Oasis' unique map design.
I felt bad about not including a Big Team Battle map for all you 12v12 players out there, so Oasis finds itself a well-earned spot on this list. This map was added with Halo Infinite’s Season 3 update, and gave a good change of pace from Infinite’s launch BTB maps.
At launch, the big team battle maps were pretty subpar, with all 3 of the launch BTB maps sporting an almost identical art design. Oasis, while not being the first BTB map added to the game post-launch, shook things up with its fun and varied design, both visually and layout-wise.
Oasis’ sandy atmosphere gives way to a green oasis in the middle of the map, breaking up the visual monotony that is often seen in Halo BTB maps. It also gives players a great variety of areas to fight in, with one lane of the map offering a huge, wide-open area for vehicle combat, a second lane offering an indoor, close-range area, and a third lane offering a cave system that varies between medium range and long range.
Why Oasis is Great:
- Variety of situations for players to fight in
- Interesting and appealing art design
- Vehicle combat
