Image: 343 Industries via HGG
My name is Gibson Vasela. I am a freelance writer who has been playing video games for almost 20 years now. I play all kinds of games, but I especially love immersive sims and RPGs.
Reviewed by Benjamin Barr
With the surprise release of Halo Infinite’s multiplayer back in November, now is the best time to jump into the game. If you’re a Halo veteran, you’re most likely familiar with most of the game’s weapons, but new players may not know which weapons are wroth picking up. Considering Halo Infinite’s lack of a loadout system, some players haven’t even gotten the chance to try out every weapon!
Luckily, we’ve got you covered. We’ll be ranking all the weapons in Halo Infinite from best to worst. We’ll cover the best guns in Halo Infinite, discussing how they fit in with the sandbox and how they compare to other weapons.
All Halo Infinite Weapons Ranked from Worst to Best
(Interested in a ranking of the best new weapons in Halo Infinite? You can check that out here.)
Let’s begin!
23/23
Ravager
If you’ve played Halo Infinite for any number of hours, this shouldn’t be a surprise. The Ravager is a plasma launcher with burst fire and a charge-up attack that deals area of effect damage to enemies. Before its nerf, this was an impressive weapon, but its regular firing mode is now practically useless.
Still, it makes a good secondary weapon if you’re playing Strongholds or Total Control. The area of effect damage from its charge-up attack is great for keeping enemies away from objectives. Aside from that niche situation, the Ravager is terrible in every other game mode and situation.
22/23
Plasma Pistol
It really pains me to put this gun in such a sad spot on the list. But there’s no denying it: the Plasma Pistol is a shadow of its former self. The base attack is okay for shields, but it’s terrible when attacking unshielded targets. It has one of the slowest time-to-kills out of any gun in the game.
The charge-up attack — where the Plasma Pistol has always shined in past entries — has been nerfed to the ground. It can no longer EMP vehicles (an effect now reserved for shock weapons), and the tracking has been greatly reduced. You can still pull off a noob combo with it, but it now takes more skill to do.
21/23
Disrupter
Alright, I actually kinda like this weapon, but there’s no denying it’s not that great. This is an auto-pistol with a less-then-ideal TTK when going up against other players. Its main appeal is the EMP effect it dishes out against ground and air vehicles. It will disable their engine after enough shots, which is pretty useful for Big Team Battle.
The Disrupter isn’t that good for fighting enemies on your own, but it can be handy if used right. I like to use it as a support weapon instead of a regular firearm. I’ll stick close to my squad and fire at enemies, causing them to take damage over time. The damage can even arc with nearby enemies, making it good for crowd control.
20/23
Commando
While it’s a shame to say goodbye to the classic SMG from past Halos, I’m personally really happy that we have the Commando. It has a slower rate of fire, but it’s much more accurate and has a better range. This is a good weapon for landing headshots on enemies if you manage to drain their shields.
Its current state does leave something to be desired, however, as its bloom gets very heavy at longer ranges. This problem can be negated somewhat if you rapidly press the fire button instead of holding it down. I still can’t recommend you swap out your AR for this gun, but it does make a good secondary.
19/23
Pulse Carbine
The Pulse Carbine is a very unpopular weapon, and that disdain isn’t entirely unjustified. However, when used the right way, this gun shreds enemy shields. It fires fast, and its projectiles are great at tracking targets at medium range. Despite this, it is a very niche weapon that requires specific circumstances to be useful.
This gun falls behind in close quarters, as the projectiles can be easily dodged. This is why many people dislike this weapon, and I have to agree with them. In practice, you are better off using one of the other, more versatile weapons. If you use this gun in multiplayer, I recommend you keep a good close-range gun to switch to when fights get too close for comfort.
18/23
Stalker Rifle
Personally, I don’t like this gun, but I’ve seen some good plays with it and I feel it would be unfair to rank it any lower than this. The Stalker Rifle is the replacement for the DMR. It’s a Banished marksman rifle that encourages you to pace your shots thanks to its overheating mechanic that requires regular venting to fire effectively.
While this gun has basically no bloom, it lacks the rate of fire the DMR had. This can make it difficult to pull off kills from certain angles, as enemies will just dash behind cover and let their shields recharge. If you manage to pull off a few headshots, this gun can be incredibly deadly at all ranges.
17/23
Bandit Rifle
Now it’s time to talk about the Bandit Rifle! This is a brand-new weapon introduced to the game in Season 3 as a spiritual successor to the classic DMR. 343 took a totally different approach with this weapon from the DMR, removing the scope and making it only able to fire from the hip. Was this a good idea?
Yes! The weapon feels balanced and like a more well-designed, less overpowered version of the DMR. It has a high skill ceiling and feels satisfying to use when you get into the right situation for it. It feels fairly niche — it’s a good medium-ranged weapon, but it has trouble going up against certain other weapons in the game. It’s definitely fun to shoot with, but takes some practice to get used to.
16/23
Sidekick
Ahh, the Sidekick. I love this weapon. Not necessarily because of its stats or its TTK, but because of what it adds to the sandbox. This is the perfect sidearm that Halo has always needed. Its rapid and (mostly) accurate fire makes it great for headshotting enemies after you drain their shields.
Despite its great utility as a secondary weapon, it’s not the kind of gun you’d want to use on its own. There are many more weapons with a better TTK for you to pick up. And while it can be accurate at long ranges, its bloom requires players to pace their shots accordingly.
15/23
Shock Rifle
Next up on our list for all weapons in Halo Infinite ranked, let’s take a peek at the Shock Rifle. This is a sniper rifle (believe it or not) that can EMP vehicles after only a few shots. Headshotting an enemy is a one-hit kill, and if shot at a group of enemies, the damage will arc between them!
While this sounds like the perfect gun, it does have a few drawbacks. The gun goes through ammo fairly quickly. This is thanks to the fact it fires multiple rounds at once, instead of just one. Unlike the Sniper Rifle, the sight on this weapon only has one zoom level, making it less versatile.
14/23
Assault Rifle
The Assault Rifle. The weapon that started it all. This is one of the oldest weapons in Halo and has been a reliable and deadly firearm in every game. Well, not really, but it’s really good in Halo Infinite! Its range and accuracy have been buffed, making it incredibly good at close and medium engagements.
The farther a target gets from you, the more you’ll need to pace your shots to combat its bloom. This gun is good, but it can’t solve every problem you come across. I recommend keeping your Sidekick for longer ranges, or grab a precision rifle when using an AR in your primary weapon slot.
13/23
Bulldog
For spot number thirteen, we have the Bulldog shotgun. Many people dislike how 343 reworked the shotgun, believing that the one-shot one-kill from past entries was better. I disagree. While the damage per shot may be lower, its fire rate and extra range more than make up for it.
While I do like the changes made to the shotgun, there is no denying its damage is not what it used to be. No longer can you camp doorways and one-shot enemy Spartans as they come in. You’ll need to follow up your first strike with a melee attack, or hold your aim and finish them off with 1–2 additional blasts in order to get a kill.
12/23
Hydra
Returning from Halo 5: Guardians, we have the Hydra. This is a UNSC missile launcher with two different firing modes. It’s default mode shoots out missiles as-is and can kill an enemy in just three shots. When pressing the ADS button, these missiles will lock onto targets (including Spartans!) at the cost of some damage.
While the missiles are good, they don’t offer nearly as much splash damage as other explosive guns in Halo Infinite. So while you can shoot the walls or floors to damage enemies instead of directly hitting them, there is a decent trade-off with damage.
11/23
Heatwave
Now for the first Forerunner weapon on this list for all weapons in Halo Infinite ranked. The Heatwave shares similarities to the Scattershot, with a few key differences. The gun sports a horizontal and vertical firing mode. Enemies can be eliminated in only two hits if you hit every shot with the vertical mode!
As for the horizontal mode, it’s not that useful. It can be good for taking down vehicles or hitting enemies at longer ranges (since the projectiles are more spread out, you are more likely to hit them). Aside from that, this gun might as well just have its vertical mode.
10/23
Gravity Hammer
What better weapon to start off our top ten than the Gravity Hammer! This heavy-hitting melee weapon received quite the rework in Halo Infinite. For starters, it now deals out splash damage to all enemy Spartans and vehicles nearby. This makes it a good weapon for crowd control.
When pressing the attack button, it takes a second for your hammer to actually swing down and deal damage. This isn’t too bad of a nerf — you’ll just need to be a bit more tactical and prepared for when you use it. As a melee weapon, it’s only useful in close-range engagements.
9/23
Skewer
Replacing the Spartan Laser from past entries, the Skewer is a Banished spike launcher. This heavy weapon sports huge damage, and can one-shot enemy Spartans! This makes a great anti-vehicle gun. It also has a sight for aiming at longer ranges.
Despite its high damage, this gun is far from perfect. Its reload time is incredibly long, and if you miss a shot it can be very punishing, often resulting in your death if you’re in the middle of a firefight. The bullet drop on this weapon is pretty intense as well, meaning it takes some skill to pull off shots.
8/23
Cindershot
Out of the hundreds of FPS games I’ve played, the Cindershot is by far my favorite grenade launcher of all time. This Forerunner weapon fires out spheres of energy that literally incinerate targets. The TTK is very good on this gun. Additionally, when aiming down the sights, you can steer projectiles around mid-air, making it good for hitting enemies farther away!
The reload time on the Cindershot is fairly slow. You need to load each shot into the gun one at a time, which adds up. Aside from that, there aren’t all that many downsides to this gun, making it an effective weapon in the hands of any Spartan.
7/23
Battle Rifle
The Battle Rifle is perhaps the most iconic weapon on this list, and has always been king in the world of Halo thanks to its precision and versatility. While it has much more competition in Halo Infinite, it still remains an incredibly solid weapon with great range, accuracy, and TTK.
There aren’t many downsides to this firearm. As a precision rifle, it does take some skill to consistently land all of your shots. It also isn’t a power weapon, so don’t expect to one-shot anyone anytime soon.
6/23
Sentinel Beam
Next up, let’s discuss a classic returning from Halo 3. The Sentinel Beam has been majorly buffed in Halo Infinite. Its beam has unlimited range, and its TTK is top-notch. Not to mention it received quite the visual makeover, and its kill effects are some of the best in the game.
The recoil on this weapon takes a little while to get used to. And, despite its good TTK, it’s often outclassed by weapons in the close-range category, meaning you might want to take a shotgun or a melee weapon with you in your secondary slot.
5/23
Mangler
Up next on this list for all weapons in Halo Infinite ranked is my personal favorite weapon — the Mangler. This is the closest thing we have to a revolver. It fires out deadly spikes at high velocity. You can kill an enemy in three hits if you land a headshot, or just one if you finish them off with a quick melee attack!
As with many Banished weapons, there is a bit of bullet drop. This only becomes an issue at long distances, as the effects are minimal up close. It also sports fairly strong recoil, which causes the firing rate to suffer as a result.
4/23
Rocket Launcher
Who doesn’t love a good rocket launcher? It’s a classic weapon that has appeared in many shooters throughout the years, but no game does it better than Halo. The Rocket Launcher remains more or less the same as its predecessors, with two rockets per reload and strong direct and splash damage.
As a power weapon, this gun tends to be rare out on the field. Because it can only hold two rockets per round, you’ll be spending more time reloading it than shooting it. Other than that, it is an excellent and satisfying way to get a kill in Halo Infinite, regardless of your skill level.
3/23
Needler
Another classic weapon first introduced in Halo: Combat Evolved. This is a fast-firing SMG with incredible projectile tracking at all ranges and angles. If you manage to land enough shots, your enemies will explode in a satisfying pink mist.
The projectiles — despite their great tracking — tend to move slowly when compared to other weapons in the game. This gun is best used at close and medium range, as you’ll find enemies dodging your shots at longer distances. For the most part, however, the Needler is at its best in Halo Infinite.
2/23
Energy Sword
The Energy Sword: does it even need an introduction? Ever since it became playable in Halo 2, the Energy Sword has been revered by the community as one of the finest weapons in the game. It’s a one-hit-kill against Spartans, and when combined with the Grappleshot it becomes ten times as deadly!
As with all melee weapons, it is only useful up close without the Grappleshot. If attacking targets at longer distances, you’ll need to get creative with how you use cover and close the gap to pull up for the finishing kill. My advice? Keep a precision weapon handy at all times.
1/23
Sniper Rifle
Finally, our number one pick for the best gun in Halo Infinite is the S7 Sniper Rifle. The Sniper Rifle is beloved by casual and pro players alike. It features high damage, able to kill an enemy in two hits to the chest (one to the head). It also has a two-level scope that makes picking off enemies at long distances a breeze.
I’m not quite sure why, but it seems to be harder to aim this gun in Halo Infinite than it was in past entries. Then again, maybe I’m just bad at the game.
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What did you think of our rankings? Did you agree with our picks for the best guns in Halo Infinite? Let us know your thoughts in the comments, and don’t forget to subscribe to our newsletter! We offer regular articles on all the best games, including Halo Infinite.
Happy gaming!
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