A recent update to Halo Infinite brought in many playlists fans have been asking for, allowing them to pick and choose what they want to play to make completing challenges easier and welcome back some fan-favorites modes absent in the game's launch. Amongst those modes is the classic Free-For-All, which eliminates the team aspect from Halo and relies on your individual skill to win the match.
Free-For-All can be an offputting mode to some players, as teamwork and playing with your pals is one of the critical aspects of any good Halo title, but it's worth checking out if you like the fast-paced arena action Infinite offers. Even if you're a newcomer to the franchise, Free-For-All can be an excellent mode to hone your skills.
Map Positioning
One of the most crucial elements to a match of Free-For-All is your map positioning and how you decide to rotate around it. Staying in the same spot for too long will undoubtedly be troublesome as you can't predict spawns as easily as, say, the team-based modes and will constantly get challenged by opponents one after another.
However, if you choose a spot to post up and get a few kills, the general rule of thumb is to rotate to the next available room and avoid being out in the open. The goal here isn't to camp, necessarily. It's to get to a spot where you know a few enemies will pass through, dispatch them, and move on to the next one to keep them guessing. The more opponents you have focusing on you, the more you can lurer them to an area and finish off what someone else may have started.
Weapon Choice
Due to Free-For-All being a Quickplay mode, everyone will start off with the trusty AR and a Sidekick. But, as Halo tradition, there will be more weapons scattered around the map that you should absolutely consider picking up for a slight advantage over your opponents.
Aside from the apparent power weapons, we recommend snagging yourself a BR for mid-to-long distance engagements. Since everyone's starting precision weapon will be the Sidekick, they ultimately have no way of out-gunning you from any considerable range, giving you the upper hand in most battles.
Become A Thief
Yup, you read that right. It's time to lurk amongst the shadows, and Yoink kills from other players. If you have a decent precision weapon such as the BR or Commando, you can wait until you see someone's shields get weak, pop in to take credit for the kill, and then bounce. And, sure, that sounds a bit "dirty," but there's no such thing when it comes to Free-For-All.
Furthermore, if the enemy you finished off was in a battle with another player, you will also have the upper hand when taking them on as well, seeing as they were also weakened in the fight. While you cannot use this strategy to win, you can gain a few low-effort kills, which is always helpful in Free-For-All.
Be Patient
Halo Infinite is a fast-paced arena shooter that begs you to zip across the map with a grappling hook or sprint around like a crazed cat. But, when it comes to Free-For-All, learning when to engage with opponents or make a strong and loud push can determine if you win or lose. We recommend playing a bit passively in the early goings of the match, but if you can manage to snag a decent weapon or one of the power pickups, then all bets are off, and it is your time to shine.
Additionally, do not get complacent or careless if you are in the lead, no matter by how much. Remember, everyone is an enemy, and the person directly below you can feast on the others if you are nowhere to be found. You must find the rhythm of the match and be aggressive when it calls for it, but also learn when to dial things back a notch when the situation calls for it, which requires patience, intelligent plays, and a tiny bit of luck.
Nade Like No Tomorrow
The best part of Free-For-All in Halo titles is that everyone is an enemy, so you do not have to worry about where a shot from the SPNKR lands or if your grenade might blow up a teammate costing you valuable points or map positioning. This sort of freedom allows you to be careless with your grenades, enabling you to huck them into any room you see a confrontation going down in.
Traditionally, if you saw bullets lighting up a room, you would know the battle is between the enemy and a teammate of yours, but that simply isn't the case in Free-For-All. With both of them being the enemy, there is a strong likelihood a well-placed nade can net you two painless kills. Well, painless for you, at the very least.
