'Halo Infinite' release delayed: five video games to play instead

Why not give 'Half-Life 2' or 'Doom Eternal' a chance?

Gamers were certainly disappointed when news came out last week that the release of highly anticipated Halo Infinite would be delayed until 2021.

This means the popular video game won't be available when the Xbox Series X launches later this year.

Halo, a military sci-fi first-person shooter game is one of the best-selling video game franchises of all time, and its latest iteration was set to be the sixth installment.

Here's a look at five other video games that Halo fans might enjoy giving a go while dealing with the delay:

'PlanetSide 2' (2012)

Available: PC, PlayStation 4

The free-to-play multiplayer online first-person shooter game sees thousands of players split into factions to try and fight for control over the planet Auraxis. Its large-scale battles are similar to that of Halo's, and gamers often note that the two games resemble each other (from the alien-like vehicles to armor worn by players).

However, despite these similarities, the games do feel different when playing. In  March 2020, PlanetSide 2 broke its own Guinness World Record for the biggest first-person shooter battle in a single game with 1,283 players (remember, Fortnite has the number of players in an actual battle capped at just 100). These days, PlanetSide 2 averages more than 2,000 players a day, meaning the community is still quite active years after its original release.

'Half-Life 2' (2004)

Available: PC, Xbox, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3

Once described as "the European arthouse answer to Halo and Call of Duty," players take on the role of Gordon Freeman in this game and must help save Earth from an alien force that has overtaken the planet. The single player, first person perspective game has similarly paced storylines and the same ramped-up challenges as Halo. While the graphics are a little outdated compared to the others on the list, Half-Life 2 is still regarded as one of the greatest games of all time, and for good reason.

'Destiny 2' (2017)

Available: PC, Playstation, Xbox

In this free-to-play online-only multiplayer game, players assume the role of a Guardian, tasked with protecting Earth's last safe city against different alien races. When footage from Halo Infinite was released, some gamers couldn't help but notice the similarities between both games, including the player's abilities as well as the behaviour of different enemies. But that shouldn't be too much of a surprise as Bungie (the developers of Destiny) also developed the original Halo video games before splitting from Microsoft and losing the rights to the franchise in 2007.

'Doom Eternal' (2020)

Available: PC, Playstation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch

The Doom series returns with its last release Doom Eternal. Players once again take on the role of Doomguy, and through a first-person perspective must battle demonic creatures who have overtaken Earth, wiping out 60 per cent of the planet's population. The game is more gory and violent than Halo and it's a bit more hectic in its gameplay. However, for those who don't mind a change of pace, it's a good one to try while waiting for the next Halo installment to come out.

'Call of Duty: Modern Warfare' (2019) 

Available: PC, Playstation 4, Xbox One

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare takes place in a realistic and modern setting in the fictional country of Urzikstan. Unlike in Halo, the game sees players deal with tactically-based moral choices while trying to stop Russian forces who have invaded the country. Characters respond to a player based on their actions throughout the game. But if you're looking for another first-person shooting game to try, you can't go wrong with Call of Duty. The debate still rages about whether this or Halo is the better game, so this is probably your best substitute.