Halo Infinite is now less than a month away, and we now have some new 4K gameplay to pour over courtesy of a handful of previews making the rounds. First up from Game Informer, we have around 5 minutes of footage from an early indoor area and a Banished base invasion, featuring heavy used of the game’s grapple and the new Stalker Rifle. Check it out for yourself, below.

　　Meanwhile, here’s even more new footage, courtesy of IGN.

　　Game Informer has also published a new in-depth preview detailing Halo Infinite’s extensive side content. While Infinite isn’t a full-on open-world game – it’s more of a “wide linear” experience – a lot of its side content is clearly inspired by open-world titles. While there is more of a traditional story path to follow if you want, those who explore can look forward to extra bases and minibosses to conquer, and all manner of collectible items (audio logs, Skulls, Spartan Cores that will improve your equipment).

　　Basically, the world of Halo Infinite is partitioned into number of smaller areas, which are unlocked as you progress the story. Each of these areas has its own “forward operating base,” and once you free it from Banished control your map will be populated with points of interest. You can also use FOPs as fast travel/resupply points, and doing side activities will earn you “Valor,” which you can spend at FOPs on better equipment, support troops, and vehicles. It sounds like 343 has done a solid job of creating a game that will cater to both players who want a streamlined, traditional Halo adventure and those who want to immerse themselves in a more open-world experience.

　　Halo Infinite launches on PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S on December 8. What do you think? Is Microsoft starting to win you over?