As part of 343 Industries’ ongoing behind-the-scenes reveals for the upcoming Halo Infinite, the studio held yet another #Ask343 roundtable to answer a myriad of fan questions. Following last month’s focus on weapons and sandbox items, March’s recent presentation was decidedly themed around Zeta Halo, the game’s titular ring-shaped space installation, confirming the setting will have dynamic weather and revealing considerable details about its varied environments.

During the Q&A presentation, ​​Halo Infinite campaign art lead ​Justin Dinges detailed what players can expect with Zeta Halo’s biomes, with much of the setting taking inspiration from previous Halo games and centering on the theme of the Pacific Northwest. While this has very evident from the rocky, forest-scape shown in promotional materials, the game will also include diverse “sub-biomes” such as swampy wetlands, war-ravaged areas called “deadlands,” as well as an array of cave systems.

Halo Infinite lead world designer ​John Mulkey also spoke on the game’s environments, revealing Zeta Halo also features some neat changes when the world’s day/night cycle shifts to night. In addition to altered enemy behaviors such as an increased presence of Phantoms and Grunts sleeping on the job, areas themselves were described as receiving “eerie elements,” with structures sporting a glowing effect in addition to the local wildlife emitting its own Avatar-like bioluminescence.

On the topic of wildlife, Mulkey confirmed the setting will indeed feature animals across its many areas. though, none of them will be hostile to the player as in games like Assassin’s Creed and Minecraft. Explaining the decision, the dev expressed the game’s intent to focus on the battle between the Banished and UNSC forces/Master Chief, rather than the local wildlife, with the various creatures found around the game meant to complement the environment and bring areas to life.

While ​​Halo Infinite still has yet to land a specific release date, it appears development is progressing well for the next-gen shooter. Since debuting its rough initial gameplay last July, the game appears dead-set on delivering a game fans can collectively enjoy. 343 has yet to provide an updated look at gameplay from the latest build of the project, but considering how much was revealed in this Q&A session, perhaps it won’t be too long before the developer finally shows off the goods.

Halo Infinite is set to release for PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S in Fall 2021.

What do you think? Are you excited to get your hands on Halo Infinite, or do you feel that the hype might be too astronomical to deliver? Let us know in the comments below and be sure to follow Don’t Feed the Gamers on Twitter and Facebook to be informed of the latest gaming and entertainment news 24 hours a day! For more headlines recently featured on DFTG, check out these next few news stories:

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