Highly anticipated: Halo Infinite got off to a rocky start with its first gameplay reveal, but developer 343 Industries has turned things around now. Fans who've participated in its various closed beta events have praised the gameplay, art style, and weapon variety, among other things. Now, you don't need to get lucky to join in the fun: Halo Infinite's multiplayer mode is available now for all Xbox and PC users at no cost.

You can snag it on Steam, the Microsoft Store, and Game Pass. The full singleplayer (or coop) campaign experience is still launching on December 8, so if you're not too keen on PvP, you might prefer to wait for that.

Still, the multiplayer download is only 26GB, so it's probably worth a shot. At worst, you'll kill a few hours, and at best, you might come to love it. I haven't tested the full multiplayer mode yet, but I participated in a couple of the pre-launch "test flights," and I had a great time. Halo Infinite feels modern but still faithful to its roots. The way you move, the way vehicles handle, and the way the guns handle manage to be both familiar and fresh.

After a string of controversial Halo releases, Infinite is one 343 can finally be proud of. At least, from a gameplay standpoint -- as previously stated, the campaign won't launch till next month, so there's still time for the studio to disappoint. It does seem unlikely, though.

Anyway, Halo Infinite's multiplayer beta has launched with Season 1 of its Battle Pass, which includes a handful of maps and modes. Future seasons will presumably bring more ways to play, as well as new cosmetics and items for players to unlock.

As of writing, the multiplayer mode is sitting at "Mostly Positive" reviews on Steam, with 78 percent of players recommending the game. Top complaints seem to be the lack of an exclusive fullscreen mode and poor optimization.