Halo Infinite released in late 2021, and it marked a big departure for the series. The new open-world structure adds an extra layer of challenge to what is already one of the hardest Halo games, and that can make finding hidden items like Skulls almost impossible. Well, unless you get some help from us, of course.
Halo Skulls are back and once again set to tease players with their hard-to-reach hiding spots, and it's a big challenge to find them all so you can unlock their special effects. 343 has really hidden the game's Skulls well this time, thanks to the open-world setting that allows the team to tuck the collectibles in some really obscure places. We're still actively looking for all the Skulls in Halo Infinite and will update this guide once we find them all. In the meantime, here's an explainer of what Skulls are and how to find them.
Halo Infinite Skulls - general tips
There are 12 Skulls in Halo Infinite, but it's critical to note that five of them are found during campaign missions, in interiors that cannot be revisited. Since the game doesn't yet allow you to replay campaign missions, this makes it extra important to find these well-hidden Skulls on your first pass--or else you'll need to start a new game or wait for a patch that allows replaying missions.
Each Skull includes a gameplay modifier that can be toggled on or off once you've found its corresponding skull. These can be things that make the game harder, easier, or even affect things like the ambient dialogue you hear when exploring the open world of Zeta Halo.
When you take over a Forward Operating Base (FOB), you'll ping nearly all of the nearby items of interest on your map, but this isn't true of Skulls. For those, you'll have to get close to them in order to see them given an icon on your Tacmap. Even then, its icon won't tell you exactly where it is. You'll only know you've come within close range of it. You can, at least, ping them using your radar pulse and you'll see them appear in blue like other items of interest if they're within range.
As a general rule, understand that whenever you're going toward the objective in a story mission, you're probably going away from a Skull. These collectibles are tucked away like nothing else in the game, so each one takes a bit of extra digging to locate them. In the open world, you'll want to get experimental, especially with the Grappleshot--at least until you have a Wasp to fly around in. The very first Skull we found in Halo Infinite was atop a building that felt like we broke the game to climb. As it turned out, 343 was hoping we'd try, which became emblematic of how Skulls would be stashed in Halo Infinite.
With these tips in mind, you'll be able to find all 12 Halo Infinite Skulls on your own. But if you'd rather skip that part and just get their locations in your mind right away, here's that instead.
Halo Infinite Skull locations
1. Boom Skull - Warship Gbrakkon - Doubles explosion radius
When in the game's opening mission, you'll come to a room with several enemies and a gap above you in the middle of the room. On the sides will be small lifts. Use your radar pulse along the right wall and you'll notice a Skull one level above your starting level. You can either ride the small lift or Grappleshot right up to it. Just don't get crushed by the ever-moving lift.
2. Cowbell Skull - Foundations - Increases acceleration from explosions
After you retrieve The Weapon, you'll come to a massive open blue room. Use your radar pulse and look high above your original entry point to find the second Skull. Use your Grappleshot again (notice a theme?) to grab this one.
3. Catch Skull - Open world - Enemies use and drop more grenades
Heading to the north of Zeta Halo and pinging nearby the small lake will reveal the next Skull is inside a tree stump morbidly full of helmets belonging to UNSC soldiers.
4. Fog Skull - Open World - Disables motion tracker
On the edge of the map, just southeast of where the Foundations mission took place, is your next skull which will be mapped once pinged. As always, ping these when nearby so you can keep them on your map in case you get distracted.
5. IWHBYD Skull - Open world - Makes rare dialogue options more commonly heard
This was our first Skull, found atop a tower in the north-central region of the map. It's much easier to get once you unlock the Wasp vehicle--likely after you beat the campaign--but if you upgrade your Grappleshot, you can get it much sooner.
6. Blind Skull - Open world - Disables HUD and weapons
South of where you can aid Carrera Squad is a massive divide in Zeta Halo's surface. Grappleshot down the side of the terrain and use your radar pulse until you notice the Skull sitting in a small offshoot where Chief can safely stand.
7. Thunderstorm Skull - Open world - Upgrades the rank of most enemies
South of the easternmost Banished AA gun is this Skull, which sits atop a tall column. As always, grappling up to it is the way to go unless you have the Wasp.
8. Black Eye Skull - Open world - Makes shield recharge occur only through melee attacks
West of the southern mountain range (looks blue on your map) is a waterfall and--surprise!--this Skull is behind it. Look for the small cavern midway down the waterfall.
9. Famine Skull - Open world - Enemies' dropped weapons have only half of their ammo reserves
On the small eastern island-like landmass, you'll find this Skull on the far side in the hand of a dead Elite enemy in yellow armor.
10. Mythic Skull - The Command Spire - Enemies have increased health
When you get to the room where large hexagonal cyclinders are floating through golden light gates, head into the second room (where the cylinders turn right), then quickly grapple on top of a cylinder and continue grappling up to the ceiling until you see a secret door. Inside is this Skull.
11. Grunt Birthday Party Skull - Repository - Headshotting grunts causes celebrations
Cross the light bridge to a central landing pad surrounded by three red Forerunner doors. Interact with the panel to create a new light bridge, but then grapple to the door that does not have a bridge leading to it. Open the door and grab the Power Seed. Get the Power Seed to the door on the other side of your starting place with the panel. You can throw it from spot to spot, then grapple over to it each time. Head through that door and place the Power Seed in its compartment, then continue on your mission.
When you get to the room pictured above, head into the open space between the two large columns shown in the image. Without using the Power Seed, this room has glass covering it, but if you followed the previous steps, it'll be accessible. It's also guarded by cloaked Elites, so watch yourself. Thanks to Halo Canon for the help with this most complex of all Skulls.
12. Bandana Skull - Silent Auditorium - Grants infinite ammo and grenades, and removes cooldowns
Arguably the game's best skull, you'll need to find this on the last mission. When you get to the first room that spawns Sentinel enemies (flying robots firing Sentinel Beams at you), avoid killing any of them. Take out other enemies and get through to the room where you activate two short light bridges. Instead of going left toward the objective, head into the room straight ahead, which will be unlocked so long as you spared all Sentinels to that point.
Be sure to also check out the Halo Infinite mission list and get familiar with all upgrades and abilities.
