Halo 4

 Xbox 360
User Score
7.1

Mixed or average reviews- based on 3901 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 2,403 out of 3901
  2. Mixed: 725 out of 3901
  3. Negative: 773 out of 3901
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  1. hongkong97
    Aug 31, 2015
    10
    I love the halo series and 343 did an amazing job of this game. campaign was great and mulltiplayer was fantasic. its smooth launch on the 360. but if this game came out on pc. it will be more amazing but hey this game its still great!
  2. PINGUS
    Aug 31, 2015
    0
    Halo 3 tied all the loose ends in the Halo lore together then halo 4 throws that knot in a blender and gives it the middle finger.Also i found the multilayer to be mediocre and the forge is no where near as good as the forge in other halo games ive played and completed every single halo but im not planning on purchasing 343's next halo game.
  3. DronePGL
    Aug 22, 2015
    8
    Halo 4 is a very well done carry-on from the Original Halo Trilogy. Now With 343Industries taking over, we now see the advancements that they are willing to make, including amazing graphics, very precise map creation (forge mode), and customization options which exceed past Halo games. Halo 4 carries on the original trilogy's legend, but, instead of having the same Robot-Zombie-Alien FFAHalo 4 is a very well done carry-on from the Original Halo Trilogy. Now With 343Industries taking over, we now see the advancements that they are willing to make, including amazing graphics, very precise map creation (forge mode), and customization options which exceed past Halo games. Halo 4 carries on the original trilogy's legend, but, instead of having the same Robot-Zombie-Alien FFA cliche (Sentinels, Flood, and the Covenant), Halo 4 is beginning to dive down deeper into the lore. This game was created with new features, showing what 343industries can do to improve the Halo franchise. Sadly, this being 343's very first Halo game, there are a few minor problems that many people didn't like. The Campaign, for many, didn't feel as nostalgic as the original campaigns. Multiplayer has changed entirely to the point where Halo 4 may be considered closer to Call Of Duty than that of another Halo game, and Spartan Ops was a complete embarrassment when compared to Call of Duty's Zombies, Gears of War's Horde Mode, and Previous Halo Firefight games. Overall, this Halo game seemed like a transition, to a new company, and a new story.… Expand
  4. Hortie
    Aug 10, 2015
    10
    Wow! I had to write a review after playing this again! I first played it very casually on legendary and gota little frustrated i think. While waiting for witcher update to download decided to turn back on halo 4 and pit it down a notch in difficulty and BANG just loved it. Felt like halo, second level in ghost felt like last level in halo combat evolved. Just gorgeous, beautifulWow! I had to write a review after playing this again! I first played it very casually on legendary and gota little frustrated i think. While waiting for witcher update to download decided to turn back on halo 4 and pit it down a notch in difficulty and BANG just loved it. Felt like halo, second level in ghost felt like last level in halo combat evolved. Just gorgeous, beautiful graphics on master chief 1080p gives seriously next gen graphic games a run for their money, walking on the transparent floor will never leave my mind.. Game play is perfectly how halo to me is the best first person shooter, great enemies, story, vehicles and atmosphere.… Expand
  5. CoNn3r_B
    Aug 5, 2015
    5
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I felt a bit let down by Halo 4 story wise, gameplay wise and graphical wise and here's why.
    Story: The story starts good and I am willing to accept the Forerunners return, Cortana's rampancy is an interesting plot device and Master Chief has more personality this time round but (and this is a big but) it looses its traction very quickly, Del Rio is literally a copy and paste **** who is put in because drama, Lasky is the obvious nice guy and the I got sick of Cortana's voice near the end of the game I wanted to tear my ears out. Not to mention that you defeat the Didact with a single button press. And how Cortana (an incorporeal AI) manages to save you from a nuclear bomb that YOU WERE HOLDING. No, no and furthermore no. story 5/10

    The multiplayer is the games second fumble, Halo Reach had the most fun multiplayer around with balanced weapons and pre-set loadouts so it remains balanced yet varied but Halo 4 tosses that unceremoniously out the window and opts for the COD approach where you get "Ordnance drops" which are effectively care packages, instant re-spawns, a killcam that breaks the game, personalised loadouts where you can have TWO primary weapons and perks, it's just a mess a big mess. 2/10

    The look of the game, there is no denying the game looks pretty but the problem I have is with the armour. Again, to call back to Halo: Reach the armour was big and bulky and looked like it could stop a bullet but the armour in Halo 4...there is such a thing as too sleek, I would find myself scrolling through the helmets thinking "These all look crap", the shoulder pads are tiny and the chess pieces look like a bloody jigsaw puzzle.

    I had moments where I enjoyed Halo 4 but ever more moments where I hatted it, it's a perfect example of where a new developer tries to distance themselves from the original creators but ends up screwing it up. Nice going 343.
    5.7/10    … Expand
  6. umkara
    Aug 1, 2015
    10
    i am not saying the game is perfect, but it is the best halo campain in my opinion. far more cinematic and emotional than the oders. I think they did a great job in some new elements
  7. Muzzle131
    Jul 27, 2015
    7
    Alright before anyone get's their pants in a jiffy, I love halo, my favorite FPS series of all time, but frankly this...
    First off the game looks gorgeous, graphically the best looking xbox 360 game, but I have to stop everyone there and say it's not needed or wanted, looking at other halo's everyone of them is colorful and neat to look at, it has a little cartoony art style that is    Alright before anyone get's their pants in a jiffy, I love halo, my favorite FPS series of all time, but frankly this...
    First off the game looks gorgeous, graphically the best looking xbox 360 game, but I have to stop everyone there and say it's not needed or wanted, looking at other halo's everyone of them is colorful and neat to look at, it has a little cartoony art style that is always nice to look at, but in this case the graphics make the game look rather dull, but that's just graphics which shouldn't matter too much so what about story? You shoot aliens in the face in a linear corridor rinse and repeat, this game is weirdly very linear compared to other Halos and it's kind of boring, but the story is Chief and Cortana are trying to find a way off the planet but release an ancient evil alien called the Didact(?) that's wants to blow up humanity, so it dwindles down to "It's all chief's fault", other aspects of the story is chief no longer being the badass one liner who doesn't ask for orders only receives and get's the job done, for someone trying to have emotion which is troublesome sine he's giant super soldier who can lift tanks. Gameplay has changed dramatically and in my opinion it's worse, Halo was always different where usually FPS's are all generic and same now Halo has joined them, it's got the same control scheme as any other FPS and it's unwanted, and the multiplayer dramatically changed too, before (at least in Halo 3) it was always about skill rather than rank or anything, you had to be smart take your time remember things on the map and use them everyone started the same therefore who ever is the most intelligent wins, but now Halo 4's multiplayer is completely unfair, being high level is all that matters since you get the best loadouts which undermines Halo's entire PvP about being fair and using team work. Halo 4 is basically a generic shooter like Battlefield or CoD which ruins the game since the series was always different making it unique. Halo 4 all in all is average.    … Expand
  8. Croozen
    Jul 20, 2015
    4
    I had never been more hyped for a game in my life. And I have also never been so let down. Halo 4 delivered something that made me feel like I was playing call of duty with Halo weapons. Where did they go wrong? To start things off I can honestly say that Halo 4's multiplayer reminded me of a CoD game. It seems that 343 was trying to emulate some of the features like sprinting and customI had never been more hyped for a game in my life. And I have also never been so let down. Halo 4 delivered something that made me feel like I was playing call of duty with Halo weapons. Where did they go wrong? To start things off I can honestly say that Halo 4's multiplayer reminded me of a CoD game. It seems that 343 was trying to emulate some of the features like sprinting and custom classes into this game, which did not work. Speaking of things that did not work there is that ever so simple ranking system that lacked creativity and sense of accomplishment. 1,2,3,4,5........... Ranks going by numbers to me was always something I hated. It took absolutely no skill to even level up, all you had to do was play the game unlike Halo 4's older brother Halo 3 where skill was implemented into your overall rank. But overall the multiplayer was bland and I quickly lost interest in all of the new abilities and gadgets.

    Ahhh forge, probably the most bittersweet aspect of the game. Halo 4's forge introduced great new abilities like the "snap" feature which I absolutely loved. It also introduced some great maps to build on as well as tons of options to forge with. However that does not save it from it's errors. Dissapointment stuck me hard when I found that there was no UNSC flying vehicle. Only thing that was even capable of flying was a banshee. But that is nothing compared to that annoying intolerable "generating lighting" screen that pops up when you exit the forge ball. Now I am not sure about you guys but this completely killed my love for forge. Even though it was those few seconds I had to wait after only a few minutes of trying to build something I couldn't take it anymore. It was just so annoying.

    The campaign. I am actually completely neutral on this one. I did not think the campaign did an amazing or terrible job of moving along the story, I just think it moved it along. The game play during this was fun I must say but it didn't truly catch my eye.

    So with this I score Halo 4 a 4/10. It was an extreme let down to me personally and I really hope that 343 doesn't screw up with Halo 5.    … Expand
  9. Zachatastic117
    Jul 13, 2015
    4
    As a major fan of the Halo franchise, I was extremely excited for this game, as at the time of it's announcement Halo 3 was (and still is) one of my favorite games ever made. So, how did 343i do witha follow up? Horribly. The game feels like a clone of Call of Duty, with aspects of Metroid Prime, and some ideas from Halo past. The game starts with Master Chief waking up from cryo-stasis,As a major fan of the Halo franchise, I was extremely excited for this game, as at the time of it's announcement Halo 3 was (and still is) one of my favorite games ever made. So, how did 343i do witha follow up? Horribly. The game feels like a clone of Call of Duty, with aspects of Metroid Prime, and some ideas from Halo past. The game starts with Master Chief waking up from cryo-stasis, as shown in Halo 3 and Halo Legends. He then finds out from Cortana that she found an odd planet. A couple of minutes later, they find out the planet is of Promethean origin. I'll leave it there, in case anyone reading this wants to play it. As for the multiplayer, this is where the aforementioned Call of Duty kicks in. The game now relies upon a customized load-out system that you make yourself for multiplayer. While the idea is nice, it was poorly executed, as there are not as many weapons or customization options in Halo, making it feel to flat. In addition, there are now rewards for getting a bunch of points in a row. Sound familiar? Because it is extremely similar to the Kill-Streak system from Call of Duty, except in this you chose between a power up, weapon, or armor ability. In all, Halo 4 was a major disappointment to me and, according to the user score, many others. 4/10 is the highest I could give this game.… Expand
  10. DirtyDave
    Jun 29, 2015
    8
    The sigh of relief was so strong that 343 didn't butcher Halo. They did take the campaign in a more character driven story aspect though. And while this makes it feel slightly different from the old Halo feel along with the new character designs and equipment, it adds layers previously unearthed. The sounds pretty choppy without surround sound, but is more than made up for with the graphicThe sigh of relief was so strong that 343 didn't butcher Halo. They did take the campaign in a more character driven story aspect though. And while this makes it feel slightly different from the old Halo feel along with the new character designs and equipment, it adds layers previously unearthed. The sounds pretty choppy without surround sound, but is more than made up for with the graphic overhaul. And while the multiplayer has been getting plenty of hell, I find it adds demensions of skill having equipment. One of my most admired games so far.… Expand
  11. tginick
    Jun 27, 2015
    9
    343 did a fantastic job with taking over Halo. Some may disagree because of the differences Halo 4 had older Halos didn't, but this game was brilliant, from the gameplay to the story,
  12. Termin8ter
    Jun 23, 2015
    7
    If you enjoyed the previous Halo games im pretty sure you will be disappointed with this one. The story in Halo 4 continues freshly from when Halo 3 ended and the gameplay feels smoother and faster, but I couldn't help but just feel disappointed, the game feels linear and bland. The Promethean knights (the new enemy) are just annoying, they are an unwelcome edition to Halo, I enjoyedIf you enjoyed the previous Halo games im pretty sure you will be disappointed with this one. The story in Halo 4 continues freshly from when Halo 3 ended and the gameplay feels smoother and faster, but I couldn't help but just feel disappointed, the game feels linear and bland. The Promethean knights (the new enemy) are just annoying, they are an unwelcome edition to Halo, I enjoyed fighting brutes more. Don't believe those people giving this game 9's and 10's, they are probably working for 343 industries trying to get money off us or Halo 4 is their first Halo game they've ever played.… Expand
  13. Atomic_Flopper
    Jun 22, 2015
    5
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Although Halo 4 is great for those just arriving into the series, it didn't live up to expectations. At first, the story line looked amazing with the skillful work of 343 creating amazing cut scenes however, ambitions shortly fell after seeing that a forerunner had actually survived the Halo rings; Even more so after, when the game transitioned into somewhat of a love story between a spartan and a rampant AI. Spartans were built not to show feelings....
    Never before seen enemies that instantly join sides with Elites (which were previously the human's allies) seems to rid the Halo franchise of what it has become. Otherwise, the multiplayer was definitely an improvement.    … Expand
  14. HuxWard
    Jun 21, 2015
    4
    Dear all, after recently giving in to try 343s recreation of the Halo FPS and playing halo since the first game I think it is worth giving a review of this somewhat lacking game.

    First of all the campaign story feels unremarkable and has certainly lost some of the implied scale of the previous trilogy, quick time events, an unremarkable antagonist and a plot held together by string all    Dear all, after recently giving in to try 343s recreation of the Halo FPS and playing halo since the first game I think it is worth giving a review of this somewhat lacking game.

    First of all the campaign story feels unremarkable and has certainly lost some of the implied scale of the previous trilogy, quick time events, an unremarkable antagonist and a plot held together by string all work to undermine all the Story of the game.

    Each character acts to break immersion from the game, for example the librarian tells the Masterchief that she planned his coming many millenia ago, now this breaks the story, how can one individual anticipate the multitude of factors over those years, both genetic and environmental, acting as everything is predetermined undermines the entire experience and makes you want to put down the controller.
    Captain Del Rio is a complete jackass and the MasterChief licks his boots like some dog, it seemed like 343 forget that this game is meant to fulfill the gamers needs and wants and not be this quasi realistic drama where Cortana, a character I loved to hate in all previous titles, is humanised, I couldn't care for her before and especially don't now.

    Spartan Ops is repetitive on the same five maps and offers nothing new to the franchise, both it and the campaign seem to be very similar: Go here, Press X, Kill enemies, Press X, Listen to female narration and terrible commentary, end scene.

    Multiplayer is unbalanced and far from previous Halos Arena style combat, Everything needs to be more competitive.

    Upon writing this review I have completed this game solo on legendary, have a 1.9 K/D on War Games and completed every Spartan Ops episode that came with game.

    My final point is this: it seems like Halo 4 brings an end to the creativity of previous Halo titles, and fails to make an emotional impact unlike Halo Reach.

    I would say this game is regression to the generic first person shooter and not what Halo is, after sinking many hours into this game I can say it is worth a play and is fun but do not expect the same re playability the older games offered.    … Expand
  15. FloodSlayer
    Jun 21, 2015
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. For 343's first offial Halo title I believe they did a good job, but could of been better. Possibly the best campaign in terms of storytelling and also emotional (when Cortana died). The multplayer is fun but not competitive which is why so many Halo fans hated this game. Spartan Ops is fun when played with friends but kind of boring when played alone.… Expand
  16. Diegomata
    Jun 17, 2015
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. In the past, the Halo video game series started a revolution on the Xbox console and its latest version is now out, Halo 4. It was released in 2012 and it was one of the most awaited games of its time as fans were anxious to see what its new developer had to offer. Bungie, its original developer eventually split with Microsoft and 343 Industries was created to continue the franchise. It frightened fans who didn’t know what to expect but 343 Industries did not disappoint. It successful fulfilled and some may say surpassed its expectations by introducing a well-constructed game that did not fail to please the eye. 343 Industries was able to create a beautiful game that included a captivating story with harmonious music and several game modes.
    The story implanted in Halo 4 is genius as the proclaimed Master Chief tries to save humanity once again while his long known friend and AI, Cortana, is in the brink of “thinking herself to death” and insanity. The story continues where Halo 3 left off; Master Chief drifts in space while in hyper sleep aboard the Forward Unto the Dawn ship. He is awakened by Cortana as they are being sucked into an alien planet, known as Requiem. His shipped is boarded by an old alien enemy, the Covenant, and he is forced to shoot himself out the ship. He begins his journey by unraveling the mystery of the unknown planet and unintentionally releasing an ancient evil. This is a trilling ride with many ways of getting through each level. The campaign is only about 8-9 hours long but with the diversity that each level offers, it always seems to keep you on your feet. In one level you are trying to escape an exploding planet on an alien vehicle while in another you search for fallen allies in an alien infested forest. From commanding tanks to flying warships through enemy grounds, the game always manages to surprise and keep you interested. The new alien race that is introduced, known as the Prometheans, create a brand new experience. There are Promethean knights, crawlers, and watchers that each have a unique ability. While the crawlers create an ambush in walls above you, the knights are transported across the map by the watchers. These new enemies are smarter and will use their tactics against you, making it more challenging and interesting to get through a level. Put simply, the striking campaign of Halo 4 will not disappoint with its great intensity and variety of gameplay.
    Although the campaign is already action packed, Cortana’s anticipated death really creates a moving narrative in Halo 4. After being brought back from cryogenic hyper sleep, Master Chief immediately notices that something is wrong with his AI, Cortana. At first, her hollow gram begins to malfunction, followed by emotional outbursts that worsen throughout the game. Her condition, described as rampancy, causes her to slowly slither into insanity as her life span is long overdue. This adds a trilling and suspenseful feature to the game as she makes matters worst with her sudden outburst at the moments when she is most needed. For example, she falls into an emotional outburst while trying to disengage a bomb, causing many civilians to die and letting the enemy escape. Cortana’s situation allows for 343 Industries to implement great sentimental voice acting between Cortana and Master Chief. It also contributes to a touching connection between the two characters and the player, unseen in any of the previous Halo games. Master Chief is forced to make a promise he can’t keep while trying to save humanity. Cortana’s tragic condition adds a great emotional touch to the game’s action packed story.
    If the story ever seems a bit short, there is always the competitive multiplayer, which always seem to please. Besides what the previous Halos have had to offer, this game introduces great customizable loads outs and a point system that awards the player with unlockables. The load outs include new weapons, grenades, and fun armor abilities which can be upgraded. Although the multiplayer offers a different kind of environment, it still does not fully keep up with modern shooters, such of Call of Duty, which focus their attention on precision shooting and a realistic experience. Even so, the game still offers a great sci-fi multiplayer experience using large scale maps, various game modes, and extraterrestrial weaponry for each combat experience, such as for shooting down an aircraft or even for degutting an enemy from the back with the famous energy sword. Some of the few flaws that the multiplayer mode includes are the overpowered guns and the construction of various maps. At times, it becomes impossible to use a short range gun when you are continuously being blow into pieces with a giant missile or being shot by sniper. As for the maps, they are not always well-constructed for every weapon type. In contrast, when you are the one with the advantage, the multiplayer and can become rather addictive.
    For those who do not like playing with complete strangers, the game also offers two different coop modes. The first is campaign mode. Play through the epic story once more with your buddies, while increasing the difficultly. The other mode is new to Halo 4 and it is called Spec Ops, which features several team missions. It can be boring if you play it alone but is most enjoyed when played with friends as it add some variety. Sadly, this mode doesn’t offer a real story and most of its missions are based on simple task, such as capturing or destroying certain objectives, which can become a bit annoying. Overall, the coop mode offers a different way of playing the game with friends, which can be fun but get boring over time.
    As for the visuals of the game, they surpass expectation as the beautify presented in scenic scenes and vast locations. The second the story begins, you are presented with beautifully crafted images of people who do not seem a bit pixelated. The graphics in their faces are clean and contain natural textures, such as wrinkles. One the first cut scenes that truly expresses 343 Industries’ magnum opus is when the Covenant fleet is first seen drifting through space. All the details are vivid from a distance and the light perfectly reflects off each ship as it hovers through space. From deep jungles to mesmerizing panoramas, 343 Industries never failed to provide a flawless scene. There are times in the game where I would just stop and appreciate its majestic vast landmarks. These great visuals are not only presented in locations but also throughout the characters in the game. For example, Master Chief’s armor continues to rust while covered with detailed scratches and dents. In the end, the visuals of this game allow it to be one of the most beautiful games of its time.
    If there is anything that this game is known for, it’s its the compelling music and sounds that are found throughout the story. Every single sound is heard, from the enemy’s footsteps, to the sound of a bullet penetrating their armored covered bodies. These detailed sounds are perfectly balanced and add greater intensity to the game allowing us to feel as if we are there. These delicate noises increase you awareness and make sure you hear your enemies coming. As for the soundtrack, it brilliantly complements each moment throughout game without it ever being unnecessary or excessive. 343 Industries knowns perfectly when to add empowering music or keep complete silence. In conclusion, Halo 4’s harmonious music is definitely not something the game would have prevailed without.
    343 Industries was given the chance to continue of the most prominent series of its time and they definitely did not disappoint the fans. Halo 4 does contain a few flaws concerning its multiplayer modes but overall, the campaign makes up for these by introducing a finely crafted plot. It was a trilling, yet emotional as Cortana gradually deteriorates throughout the game and Master Chief tries to save the humanity from an uprising evil. It visually pleases the eye and its genius use of music creates galvanizing experience. In the end, this game surpassed the expectations that were expected from 343 Industries.    … Expand
  17. 017
    Jun 14, 2015
    4
    Halo 4 is, on its' own, a decent game. However, as a Halo game, it doesn't match up to its' predecessors. The gameplay is more or less solid, to its' credit, but 343 thoroughly butchers the lore of the universe for Halo 4 as well as in the novels surrounding it. Considering the barely tolerable characters like Sarah Palmer, whom is essentially a misogynistic Sergeant Johnson wannabe, theHalo 4 is, on its' own, a decent game. However, as a Halo game, it doesn't match up to its' predecessors. The gameplay is more or less solid, to its' credit, but 343 thoroughly butchers the lore of the universe for Halo 4 as well as in the novels surrounding it. Considering the barely tolerable characters like Sarah Palmer, whom is essentially a misogynistic Sergeant Johnson wannabe, the plot is incredibly cringeworthy, both for Spartan Ops and campaign, with lore issues as well as the cringeworthy acting for the "romance" or whatever nonsense that Chief and Cortana get into.

    Multiplayer is pretty solid in the basics but gets to be pretty awful when you interact with any of the call of dutyied game systems added in like prestiege armors or whatever the garbage is that they added. Multiplayer armor designs are also some of the worst ever, resembling power rangers more than military hardware. Most of the helmets have retarded visor designs, or look like wannabe copies of Recon helmets. Mix in the bizzare lack of a codplate and loads of greeble-ey design work and you get armor that generally looks awful.

    Overall, better off renting this game if you can, cause it's not worth buying for any long term interest.    … Expand
  18. Alex_27
    Jun 9, 2015
    10
    Halo 4, a game that I did not expected to be so good as Halo Reach is. First I want to say well done for the graphics, there are just great. The campaign is full of many new experiences and the multiplayer is awesome. There are lots of new things, like loadouts, weapons and abilities. As the last Halo game for XBOX 360 I really like it, but I think If Halo 4 had firefight and free to playHalo 4, a game that I did not expected to be so good as Halo Reach is. First I want to say well done for the graphics, there are just great. The campaign is full of many new experiences and the multiplayer is awesome. There are lots of new things, like loadouts, weapons and abilities. As the last Halo game for XBOX 360 I really like it, but I think If Halo 4 had firefight and free to play Spartan Ops without Xbox Live Gold it would be the best Halo game ever.… Expand
  19. Piedninny
    May 20, 2015
    4
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Want an in-depth explanation for why Halo 4 sucks? Look no further. I always played Halo for the campaign, so that's going to be the main focus of this review. The campaign in Halo 4 pissed me off for a multitude of reasons. First of all, the first thing you notice is the new and innovative introduction of quick time events (press rb to kill elite), and that they brought back the Covenant as an enemy. And not the Covenant from Halo 3, with brutes and no elites. No, they decided to bring back a Covenant that was almost exactly like the one from reach (except with fewer enemy variety), with elites (even though they allied with the UNSC), and all the weapons that the Covenant used in Halo reach, despite that game being a prequel to all of the other Halo games, and therefore the weapons and covenant armor types in that game would be dated by the time Halo 4 rolls around. But the weapons and enemies aren't the only thing dated about Halo 4. The graphics make it look oddly cartoony, the enemy AI is crappy (They don't even reload, so if they have a rocket launcher it gets to be rapid fire), and there are little to no innovations to be found anywhere. Well, unless you count the COD-ification that is rampant in the campaign and multiplayer modes. So, the Covenant sucks. But what about the much-hyped Prometheans? Surely they must be cool? Well... they aren't. There are only four enemy types (unless you count the slight differences n the colors of their back-spikes, which I sure as hell don't). There are only about eight Promethean weapons, which all function just like orange UNSC weapons. Worst of all, there are no Promethean vehicles. Not even giant monsters or anything. Just generic dogs, drones, turrets, and hunchbacked elites. Throughout the campaign, nothing really impressed me. I still remember iconic levels from Halo 3 and Halo Reach ("The Covenant" and "The Ark", anyone?), but this contained none of that. It was all just "go through an area that looks like you're tripping on LSD and hit a button so that you and the naked blue lady can go to a new area". It didn't help that the soundtrack was forgettable. Also, for some reason there was no Arbiter as player 2 (One of the coolest things about Halo 3). Instead, if you want to play with a buddy there's gotta be 2 Master Chiefs. The story also sucked. Basically, this generic alien wants to destroy the world and you have to stop him and the covenant are also there because they weren't creative enough to make a fully fleshed-out forunner faction. The ending is probably the worst part. It involves a single quick time event "boss fight" that makes the fight with Guilty Spark at the end of Halo 3 look like something out of Dark Souls. Then they proceed to kill off Cortana. Freaking Cortana! The Halo story pretty much already ended. Did Bungie give 343 permission to do this? This would be like if a different company made a new lord of the rings movie, and just killed off Gandalf or Legolas at the end. Not only does the campaign suck, 343 also removed Firefight, and replaced it with Spartan Ops, something you can't even use unless you've paid for Xbox Live. The multiplayer is OK I guess, but compared to games like battlefield and COD, Halo needs to actually innovate if it wants to be able to compete with these games. The one thing that pissed me off about it was the fact that you can no longer play as an alien. I gave this game a 4 only because the core gameplay is actually pretty fun, and there are a lot of cool ways you can customize your spartan now. Also, Forge is pretty fun, although still not on par with the map maker of, say, Far Cry (Why can't you spawn enemies or change the weather and terrain? That would be so cool!). Finally, Halo seems to be one of the few games these days that actually gives a **** about splitscreen multiplayer, so I respect it for that. Other than that, you would be better off playing one of the legendary Halo games of old, like Halo 3 or Combat Evolved.… Expand
  20. tmlorfing
    May 8, 2015
    8
    It's a good game, you should buy it. 10/10. It's an even better game if you have a bag of Nacho Cheese Doritos and an ice cold Mountain Dew next to you. Why do we have to charge so much for maps, yet have these extravagant marketing campaigns? Who cares? Doritos! Mountain Dew!

    OK, OK here's the serious verdict. It's a fun game, and it's HALO! I'm not a huge halo fan, but I very much    It's a good game, you should buy it. 10/10. It's an even better game if you have a bag of Nacho Cheese Doritos and an ice cold Mountain Dew next to you. Why do we have to charge so much for maps, yet have these extravagant marketing campaigns? Who cares? Doritos! Mountain Dew!

    OK, OK here's the serious verdict. It's a fun game, and it's HALO! I'm not a huge halo fan, but I very much liked Halo 3. I feel like this sequel is a bit underwhelming considering how great Halo 3 was, but this game still has much to offer and is lots of fun. When this game came out, I didn't like it. Now, in 2015, seeing how homogenized the shooter market is with our annual Call of Battlefields and their shameless copycats, how naive of me to hate on this game. People should look at this game and see how unique it is, and there should be more games that stray from the norm.    … Expand
  21. PsychoShane
    Apr 27, 2015
    7
    Halo 4's brilliant campaign, polished multiplayer and the new spartan ops makes this a good value purchase, even if it lacks a bit of innovation that Halo 3 was.
  22. RollingSquare
    Apr 15, 2015
    8
    First things first: I am a fan of Halo. Have been since Halo 1, and Halo 2 is still my favorite. When I found out that Halo 4 would incorporate some features first seen in shooters like Call of Duty, I was a bit scared it would lose that unique, well... Halo-ness. Thankfully, it didn't, and I dare say it's better than Halo 3.

    Sure, Halo 4 has the equivalent of perks from CoD, in the    First things first: I am a fan of Halo. Have been since Halo 1, and Halo 2 is still my favorite. When I found out that Halo 4 would incorporate some features first seen in shooters like Call of Duty, I was a bit scared it would lose that unique, well... Halo-ness. Thankfully, it didn't, and I dare say it's better than Halo 3.

    Sure, Halo 4 has the equivalent of perks from CoD, in the form of specializations. You can level up through multiplayer in these specializations, and get armor sets and armor abilities as rewards. There are also some armor abilities that you can just choose to supplement your play style, much like Battlefield's classes. In my opinion, these are great additions, because they increase the depth of the gameplay. Instead of being forced to start with a weapon you don't like, you can change your loadout, and even take on a role (such as medic). Unlocking armor through multiplayer feels very rewarding too, though IMO the armor sets could've added some technical effects -- as it is, armor is purely cosmetic -- but then, that was the case in previous Halo games too.

    Some abilities really add tension to the multiplayer mode, like one that allows you to briefly see opponents through walls, or one that predicts where a weapon drop is going to be, and when. Or even one that allows you to cycle through weapon drops until you get a weapon you like.
    The multiplayer, by the way, is still solid. When comparing it to Halo 3, you'll even notice that it moves more fluidly. Halo 3 was less accurate when aiming, and it was choppier and laggier.

    I don't see why some people hate this game. When I asked them why they hated it, the answer was always ''because it's got some features from Call of Duty'' or ''it's generic'' -- no explanation given. Or the answer was 'because 343 sucks'. Yes, because your loyalty to a company totally influences the quality of the game *sarcasm*. From what I can gather, the only reasons why people hated Halo 4 was because its gameplay was deeper than that of previous installments, and because those people are so close-minded and hateful towards CoD that they can't accept that CoD did get some things right. In a sense, they're right, the creators of Call of Duty are just churning out the same game over and over, but that has nothing to do with gameplay features such as perks or classes.

    Halo 4 takes the best from previous Halo games, and adds the best shooter mechanics, and features you would want in a next-gen shooter. The fact that those features (perks) were first created in CoD, doesn't mean they are exclusive to CoD or make up its identity. I am all for deeper, more rewarding gameplay, and Halo 4 delivers.    … Expand
  23. HungryHippo123
    Apr 14, 2015
    9
    i did expect more but it was well delivered, with an awesome campaign and fun muiltiplayer, but they took out some things that i wish where in it like some unsc air vehicles, BUT YOU GET TO DRIVE A PELICAN which is really cool making fans happy
  24. LongSlayer
    Mar 18, 2015
    9
    Halo 4 is an absolute glorious addition to the franchise. The main reason a lot of people get Halo is for the online. The multiplayer mode is excellent that has the combat more fast paced and exhilarating than previous Halo's. I just can't put my finger on it, but the game just feels a little Call of Duty-esque, just very little, but it is a true Halo game. One nice addition to multiplayerHalo 4 is an absolute glorious addition to the franchise. The main reason a lot of people get Halo is for the online. The multiplayer mode is excellent that has the combat more fast paced and exhilarating than previous Halo's. I just can't put my finger on it, but the game just feels a little Call of Duty-esque, just very little, but it is a true Halo game. One nice addition to multiplayer is the ability to make custom classes with different abilities and weapons with many possibilities. I also love that you can customize how your character looks in multiplayer, so each player will look unique. The game not only plays great, but looks and sounds fantastic. For 2012, the graphics are absolutely incredible with dynamic lighting, textures, and has a nice glossy look. The game score is composed by a different composer from previous Halo's, and the style of the music is definitely different. Past Halo's were very prominent with heavy percussion and simple orchestrations and synthesizers here and there. On the score, the music sounds a lot more in your face with lots of orchestrations and can sometimes feel a little over the top and overproduced but all in all, it's a very good score. Now to the campaign. The campaign adds new enemies, the Forerunners, which gives you a breathe of fresh air from always combating the Covenant. Each missions is awesome to play and fairly lengthy. The story really shines with the Master Chief and Cortana. I won't give to much away, but the developers really expanded with their connection and have a lot more personal dialogue between the two. Their chemistry in this game is superb and beautiful, and I've never seen any other two characters in video games or movies that has even come close to matching. You know a game is amazing when the story makes you cry, especially when it's the only game to make you do that. I won't spoil anything, but the game ending is so heartfelt and cordial that left me in tears and may leave you in tears. Halo 4 is a game that everybody should play.… Expand
  25. Fabrizzio1000
    Feb 22, 2015
    10
    The game is absolutely outstanding!!!! Visually maybe the best game in consoles. High quality sounds, it feels like you are in the real battlefield, excellent gameplay, jawdropping lightning effects, unbelievable music, awesome story. What else do you need? Congrats to 343!!!!
  26. ReviewScope
    Feb 16, 2015
    10
    The most under-appreciated game in the franchise.....why??????

    Pros: Halo 4 is without a doubt the best looking game on the Xbox 360. The lighting is beautiful, the art direction is astounding and the tone created by the graphics perfectly matches the setting, single or multiplayer. In the campaign, the cutscenes are absolutely mind blowing to watch, as the motion capture and    The most under-appreciated game in the franchise.....why??????

    Pros:
    Halo 4 is without a doubt the best looking game on the Xbox 360. The lighting is beautiful, the art direction is astounding and the tone created by the graphics perfectly matches the setting, single or multiplayer. In the campaign, the cutscenes are absolutely mind blowing to watch, as the motion capture and animations are spot on.
    The campaign is without a doubt the best in the series. There is a strong bond between Chief and Cortana that you don't see as clearly in the previous games. After playing (most of) Halo: CE and Halo 3 (Not Halo 2 as I do not have an original Xbox or Xbox One), I was slightly underwhelmed by the campaign modes as they just consisted of general gameplay and didn't expand the story. I felt like 343 industries got it right with Halo 4.
    The sound design is awesome. I complimented CE Anniversary for having excellent sound design and it is just as good here. The weapons sound killer and the soundtrack is to die for.
    Multiplayer has always been good in the Halo series, and like most things in Halo 4, the multiplayer is a huge evolution. While retaining classic game modes such as slayer, the multiplayer is expanded on with improved features. It is closer to Call of Duty rather than Halo, but it is still a lot of fun.
    There is a new mode called "Spartan Ops", which is an episodic co-operative or solo mode in which you take on 5 relatively short missions for each episodes which take place after the main campaign and while they are short, there are 10 episodes (5 + 5 as a free DLC pack).

    Overall, I think this is the strongest Halo game in the series and is truly underrated by fans. A stunning masterpiece.

    10/10    … Expand
  27. Barrack_Osama
    Feb 6, 2015
    10
    this game had a great campaign, a good mulitiplayer, and amazing graphics. i don't know why people are saying the multiplayer is uneven and bad. MOST maps, AND I MEAN MOST MAPS are symmetrical. there are a few that are not, like abandon. but most of the other maps are symmetric, like haven. also if you don't play infinity slayer, then there are no ordnance drops form players. thethis game had a great campaign, a good mulitiplayer, and amazing graphics. i don't know why people are saying the multiplayer is uneven and bad. MOST maps, AND I MEAN MOST MAPS are symmetrical. there are a few that are not, like abandon. but most of the other maps are symmetric, like haven. also if you don't play infinity slayer, then there are no ordnance drops form players. the mulitiplayer is even, I don't care what people say. and loadouts are even because everyone can have the same perks and guns as everyone else. great game… Expand
  28. Seamus100
    Feb 3, 2015
    4
    I've played previous Halo games that I enjoyed, but this one is not very good. Levels were boring, no new features or game perks. The AI was predictable, and after figuring that out the missions became easy to finish.
  29. Le__Xenomorph
    Jan 23, 2015
    9
    In my opinion, this is the best Halo game out of Halo 1,2, and 3. It has a strong story, very good voice acting, and spectacular graphics. The ending of the campaign will hit you hard, I guarantee it. The only thing this game lacks is the firefight mode, which is a really fun aspect of a Halo game. 9/10 (Awesome)
  30. somethingguy912
    Jan 10, 2015
    6
    I'm going to save my opinion on the whole 'necessity' to have a fourth installment of the Halo Franchise for a different time, as it is concurrently different from the opinion of the game in it's own context. Anyhow, before people start flagging my review down before their own sensibilities will bereft them from any kind of review that isn't a 9 or 10, I get why you guys like this game:I'm going to save my opinion on the whole 'necessity' to have a fourth installment of the Halo Franchise for a different time, as it is concurrently different from the opinion of the game in it's own context. Anyhow, before people start flagging my review down before their own sensibilities will bereft them from any kind of review that isn't a 9 or 10, I get why you guys like this game: It's got all this awesome lore to behold that any person with a pencil in hand will draw out soldier stories from the UNSC, I'm glad that you like all these visual graphics that have a huge scope on 'epic', but it's nothing to me. The graphics are just eye candy to hide all the uglier things about the game away. And the lore is only as important as you put your head into it, and if lore requires you to go into different mediums in order to understand anything, than you've failed at making a game worth of narrative, as is what this game does somewhat. Anyhow, as for the story, Master Chief and Cortana, after without any thought decided to go on into interstellar stasis for four years, come across an 'unknown' forerunner planet harvested by a new breed of alien to be feared (OOGA OOGA BOOGA) as the Promethians, which apart from their little surveyor drones and lights affixed like christmas ornaments around their body, work in AI almost the same way as the Covenant forces, meaning, bad. Enemies still go out in the daylight to greet your bullet barrel, which I would understand by the nature of the grunts, but the Elites? The Elites have been not only dumbed down but also lost a lot of their resilience to bullets, often being killable after their short-handed shields get depleted. Brutes are not present, for some reason, and the Promethein forces are not that variable, with nothing but "Knights", Surveyors and what I've been calling hell hounds, the little dog things that drop an infinite load of boltshots if you kill them, which usually takes one hit. Anyhow, for the weapons. A lot of the weapons from Reach and Halo 3 have returned in Halo 4, as you can now equip a DMR and Battle Rifle at the same time, including a touch of new weapons from all three forces, such as the Rail Gun, SAW, Storm Rifle and the famous Promethein weapons. The Promethein weapons are by far the best with the most stopping power and a neat little particle effect when you kill them (they distintegrate!). But other than the dialogue of the characters, which has seen a definite marked improvement, this game is colluded with a lot of confusing buzz words (composer, didact, forerunner, yadda yadda yah) and is not difficult in the slightest. Most of the time my friend and I got killed out of our own stupidity rather than by the difficulty curve (also, yet another QTE kill of the main boss). One small improvement is that the chief can now sprint (rather than being a 'pickable' ability), and some of the new abilities are much more helpful, such as a mobile drop shield and mini surveyor bot. And as I said, the graphic are pretty, but only serve to get you caught up in it so that they can mask away the aforementioned grievances above. I had my doubts about 343, but at least they didn't absolutely disgrace me with a pile of dog crap. They just gave me a rote, by the numbers game that attempts to pump more into it just to keep this aging franchise stagnant rather than dead.… Expand
  31. oDjento
    Jan 4, 2015
    6
    Halo 4 isn't as bad as everyone says it is. It's campaign story is Great at what it does - fleshing out chiefs character - and the multiplayer is different but still reasonably fun. Graphics look good especially baring in mind they're running on Reach's engine! The new set of guns are pretty cool, but AI was in the game was pretty average. Gameplay had a nice variety of stages, but tradingHalo 4 isn't as bad as everyone says it is. It's campaign story is Great at what it does - fleshing out chiefs character - and the multiplayer is different but still reasonably fun. Graphics look good especially baring in mind they're running on Reach's engine! The new set of guns are pretty cool, but AI was in the game was pretty average. Gameplay had a nice variety of stages, but trading the scarab boarding for the Lech boarding, awful move. It was so boring. Now multiplayer was pretty fast paced, but i didn't think it was on par with Reach's. The maps were pretty terrible for the most part too (the only good ones i can think of being are Longshore - i think it was called that, the snowy one - Haven and Ragnarok -a remake). The vehicles handles better though which was good online though, especially for races. However 343 did lie when saying races would be in the game (when they weren't). Forge was pretty decent though, i found it a lot better to create stuff in but i still found Forge World a better place to create maps in albeit being harder. It's still a fun game, but i think the series peaked at Reach.… Expand
  32. DudeUnknown
    Jan 3, 2015
    6
    Meh. It's a good game, but seriously, Call of Duty is actually better. Halo's weapon selection, gameplay, variety of enemies, storyline, graphics (sort of), etc. just make it a shooter that's not necessarily worth the $60.
  33. James120854
    Dec 29, 2014
    3
    This was a great game. However the reason that i am giving this game such a low review is because they got rid of firefight!!! Me and my sister had hours of fun through the halo series playing firefight!!! If spartan opp is the same thing then it still stinks because i just cant play it. I have to get Xbox live or something. I don't like this because of what happened after the update. IThis was a great game. However the reason that i am giving this game such a low review is because they got rid of firefight!!! Me and my sister had hours of fun through the halo series playing firefight!!! If spartan opp is the same thing then it still stinks because i just cant play it. I have to get Xbox live or something. I don't like this because of what happened after the update. I got sent back to sr1 after updating!!!! This ruined the game for me. Also during forge, there was a problem. I would be in forge mode and then i would turn back to spartan but i would take forever to make the screen load back.That was annoying. after i got sent back to recruit, i stopped playing this game. Not cool 343. not cool.… Expand
  34. TemplarQuacks95
    Dec 28, 2014
    10
    I've been a devoted fan of the Halo franchise ever since I was 9 years old. But the moment I heard that Halo 4 was in the hands of a new development team, you can be sure that I was worried about them ruining it. But guess what? Halo 4 is absolutely gorgeous in every conceivable way. An emotional story, beautiful soundtrack, fascinating sound design, and graphics that rivals even some ofI've been a devoted fan of the Halo franchise ever since I was 9 years old. But the moment I heard that Halo 4 was in the hands of a new development team, you can be sure that I was worried about them ruining it. But guess what? Halo 4 is absolutely gorgeous in every conceivable way. An emotional story, beautiful soundtrack, fascinating sound design, and graphics that rivals even some of today's next-gen titles are what this game delivers. Many people do not like the changes introduced in this game, and I admit I pity those poor souls who cannot appreciate change. Halo 4 is a masterpiece. This is a must-play for any Xbox 360 owner.… Expand
  35. Woojnwot
    Dec 22, 2014
    10
    A fresh and fun addition to the Halo franchise we all love while staying true to its predecessors. Halo 4 stylishly integrates new concepts with the old butt-kicking mechanics we enjoyed.
  36. Alpacalypse
    Dec 17, 2014
    0
    By far and large the worst Halo game I've ever played. It's definitely in the top 5 worst shooters I have ever played. I loved Halo Reach and made sure to pre-order this game. It looked like it had promise.

    Know who else looked like they had promise? Hitler. And look what happened because of him. Halo 4 is a broken, boring pathetic mess that isn't worthy of a 0/10. The story is    By far and large the worst Halo game I've ever played. It's definitely in the top 5 worst shooters I have ever played. I loved Halo Reach and made sure to pre-order this game. It looked like it had promise.

    Know who else looked like they had promise? Hitler. And look what happened because of him.
    Halo 4 is a broken, boring pathetic mess that isn't worthy of a 0/10. The story is predictable, the final boss is.... a single quick time even that gives you 20 seconds to press the button, the controls handle like ass, and the game runs like it was programmed on Windows 95.
    Sure, it has great graphics, but its horrid aesthetic makes it look like the fantasies of a bisexual 13 year old brony. I'm not kidding when I say that it took longer to install the **** game than it did to melt the disk in my microwave.
    Not gonna be buying another 343 game after this pathetic **** mess.
    The campaign is at least acceptable, but dear god.. The multiplayer. Halo has always thrived on being a unique experience. Thus, the "Combat Evolved" part of the first Halo's name. Now, it's more like "Halo: Call of duty RippedOff." Know why? It's a Call of Duty clone with a sci-fi skin, but it has vehicles. Unbalanced vehicles that are easily stronger than 7 assault rifles in one. Need proof? A railgun mounted truck than can instantkill almost any other vehicle from the end of the map with splash damage the size of a tank shell.
    The guns all have no recoil, they are 3-4 hit kills but fire way too fast, sniper rifles are overpowered as **** there is a "killstreak" in the form of ordinance drops containing... more overpowered weapons!
    It's Space CoD but badly executed. The matchmaking is worse than Titanfall's, as you'll have a team of level 1's up against a team of level 130's.
    This isn't mentioning the hackers, either. Over the course of 5 games, I saw 8 hackers. 1 noclipper, 3 godmoders, 2 people spawning in weapons or items and 2 who just nuked the map. That's **** PATHETIC.
    The soundtrack is a generic orchestra track ripped straight from Silence of the Lambs. I have sincerely seen flash games with better music. Spartan Ops, which is essentially just the campaign that removes story in order to make you move from point A to point B and shoot **** I learned more about Halo's backstory from one 3 minute cut scène than I did the entire 10 hour session of Spartan Ops.
    Here's a bit of a TL;DR
    Graphics: 7/10. Great graphics but ****ty aesthetic. I think this was the best part of the game.
    Story: 6/10. Generic and boring BUT innovative and new.
    Gameplay: 3/10. Go here, shoot thing. Nothing beyond this besides the occasional vehicle section with horrible controls. The UNSC vehicles feel like the tires are made out of liquid nitrogen, and the Covenant vehicles feel like there are no longer laws of physics. There are no forerunner vehicles, sadly. 343 was too cheap and just decided to rip all of its vehicles out of Reach, except for the aforementioned overpowered railgun truck of death.
    Multiplayer: 000/10. One zero wasn't enough to describe this **** mess. ****ty matchmaking that has you waiting for 10 minutes to find a game among 3000 other players (it tells you how many people are online in a specific gamemode) repetitive and boring gameplay where the semi-auto and burst guns are overpowered, any explosive is ridiculously overpowered and sniper rifles are gamebreaking, overpowered vehicles, nonexistent objectives besides "Take this flag! It will help the UNSC cause for some reason."
    I think Modern Warfare 3 did multiplayer better. This is inexcusable.
    Dialogue: 6/10. No real complaints. A lot of the lines sounded like they were made by a 2 year old, but halo isn't about dialogue. We're here to kill aliens like the space KKK.
    Soundtrack: 4/10. It works. It fits decently, but it isn't very good.
    That's basically it. I'd take any FPS game over this pitiful excuse of a game made by a company that doesn't give a damn about its customers.
    -Someone whose favorite console is the Xbox 360.
    (If this were ported to PC, it'd get an 8/10. Less hackers, better controls, better frame rate, better community. You name it, PC could do it better.)

    You know, I loved the first two halos to death. I personally think Halo: Combat Evolved is a **** masterpiece. So, I was disappointed to find that ODST was better than this. And ODST was some shiiiiit.
    I'll have to do my research before I buy into another Halo game.
    That, and hope I don't get matched up against a squad of hackers and a squad of people playing Halo 24/7.    … Expand
  37. ikereview
    Dec 14, 2014
    8
    graphics 10/10 abousity outstating controls perfect like every other halo game online i dont play online that much but the biggest flaw is the removal of the gamemode firefight it would have been perfect with the new enemies
  38. Red-Opposom-098
    Dec 9, 2014
    3
    What a disappointment, I've been a long time Halo fan, and in my honest opinion this is the worst in the series. Yes Halo Wars is better than this crap. The graphics and gameplay are save this game other than that I wouldn't play this. If they didn't change the Flood game mode I would have given this game a 5 because Flood was where I spent most of my time until they added the saw, assaultWhat a disappointment, I've been a long time Halo fan, and in my honest opinion this is the worst in the series. Yes Halo Wars is better than this crap. The graphics and gameplay are save this game other than that I wouldn't play this. If they didn't change the Flood game mode I would have given this game a 5 because Flood was where I spent most of my time until they added the saw, assault rifle and more to the mix because then what's the challenge this game just sucks… Expand
  39. flametail23
    Dec 9, 2014
    8
    I think that after Bungie had left Halo alone to pursue bigger and worse things, DESTINY. 343 should have left Chief's story alone as it's done and created a new character to follow. What I expected them to do was screw it up but they didn't. Halo 4 is a really good game that isn't quite as good as Halo 1 but is about on the same level as 2.

    Verdict: A great game that I expected not to    I think that after Bungie had left Halo alone to pursue bigger and worse things, DESTINY. 343 should have left Chief's story alone as it's done and created a new character to follow. What I expected them to do was screw it up but they didn't. Halo 4 is a really good game that isn't quite as good as Halo 1 but is about on the same level as 2.

    Verdict:
    A great game that I expected not to like but I did... a lot
    8/10    … Expand
  40. callumjsouth
    Dec 7, 2014
    7
    All the Halo you expect. This is a solid Halo entry and delivers everywhere a Halo game should. The lack of something significant that is new though limits it. It doesn't seem as addictive as Reach either. Hopefully Halo games aren't rolled out every year just for the sake of it like Call of Duty is (which is becoming increasingly tiring). I would like to see more thought go into the nextAll the Halo you expect. This is a solid Halo entry and delivers everywhere a Halo game should. The lack of something significant that is new though limits it. It doesn't seem as addictive as Reach either. Hopefully Halo games aren't rolled out every year just for the sake of it like Call of Duty is (which is becoming increasingly tiring). I would like to see more thought go into the next game in order to lift Halo back up to the level that Reach has made it's high point. The addition of new modes and features would make for a more enriched experience too.… Expand
  41. Poppeloppiluss
    Dec 3, 2014
    0
    It would go faster to just write the positive aspects of this game because that list is very short. Generally good visuals, a lot of weapons to choose from, some new and fresh enemies. That's pretty much all that i can think of as positive.

    This game feels so cheap and just poorly made especially if you have in mind the budget they've had for making this game, they had the chance to    It would go faster to just write the positive aspects of this game because that list is very short. Generally good visuals, a lot of weapons to choose from, some new and fresh enemies. That's pretty much all that i can think of as positive.

    This game feels so cheap and just poorly made especially if you have in mind the budget they've had for making this game, they had the chance to make a splendid sequel which in my opinion is something they failed very very bad at. There are so many aspects which are full of flaws. Items and weapons disappear out of nowhere, once you drop a weapon or if a enemy drop a weapon it disappear if you turn your back away, it even happens while it's on screen. There is no depth in the story and it kind of doesn't feel like halo at all. The game is very repetitive and also very short, sometimes it feels like they've used the same maps but just rearranged some things. In Spartan Ops is the same maps but just playing them in reverse.

    The respawn system in Spartan Ops is also crap, you literally respawn where you die which puts you in a spawn kill loop where you are surrounded with knights that simply kill you once you respawn and i just laughed at how poorly made this game is. You can't hijack banshees which i tried on several missions which also adds up on the negatives.

    When you buy the game, the only thing that is available is the campaign. Spartan Ops and all other things in Halo 4 requires Gold membership which is **** So technically when you buy the game you only get to play the short campaign and if you wanna play more you have to pay monthly to do so. I looked forward to Halo 4 and looked upon 343 industries as a new chapter who had the possibility to fix all the bad stuff with the previous games like the bad AI for instance, but instead they kept all the bad stuff and added some more just for the fun of it.

    I feel awkward on behalf of 343 industries who, with all the resources, people and finances to release such a disaster. I have been a fan of halo series and was really hoping for improvement but this is the end of the line for me. I'm not buying any other Halo games in the future, there are SO many better games to spend your money on which won't make you feel robbed.    … Expand
  42. Jonestastic
    Nov 8, 2014
    10
    The multiplayer is fine and that is all i could ask for but the campaign is breath taking the best game i have ever played. The emotion of the game is outstanding. how anyone could dislike this game even in the slightest is unfathomable.
  43. NinjaDylan
    Nov 7, 2014
    0
    Game was bad felt like I was in a Micheal Bay Movie, ddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddddd
  44. BanderaCoup
    Oct 29, 2014
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Nearing its 13th year anniversary, the “Halo” series, created by Bungie and now lead by 343 Industries, has become one of the most popular video games in the video game market today, and of its 13 year lifespan. Halo has become a staple or a “must have” for anyone who has an Xbox system. In 2012, 343 Industries released the latest installment of the series called “Halo 4”. What made this release so big is that it was the first time that the new company, 343 Industries, had created a Halo game that would continue the story from the questionable ending of Halo 3. At the end of Halo 3, Bungie left us wondering what will be of the majestic Master Chief as he falls into cyrosleep in the empty ‘Forward Unto Dawn’ slowly going into unaccounted space travel. Halo 4 brought much excitement to Halo fans around the world because the 5 year long wait was finally over, and the story of Master Chief could once again continue in a new trilogy. Many have called Halo 4 the best game yet, but what does it take for a game to be qualified as, “one of the best of all time?” The answer is, it would have to have amazing high-definition graphics and original designs, fast-paced multiplayer gameplay, and a unique story that would emotionally tie players into the game. In Halo 4, 343 Industries really outdid themselves in making this game “one of the best of all time” in all categories.
    To begin with, good graphics and original designs are important in making a great quality game because it makes the game worth looking at, and gives you a special feel that you wouldn’t feel from another game. Halo 4’s graphics and original designs keep you wanting to see more of what 343 Industries has in store for you. As stated from an IGN review, “Of course, gorgeous graphics are only one responsibility a console’s killer app must bear. Perhaps equal to Halo 4’s monitor-melting visuals is its bar-none, best-in-class sound design. If you think you’ve heard Halo, check your ears and listen again”. With new technology advancements in CG graphics, the characters, the environments, and even Master Chief look almost realistic. It is as if someone actually recorded this game in real life. The Forerunner structures in Halo 4’s campaign definitely give you this feeling because the designs are literally “out of this world”. The creation of the Forerunner designs are simply beautiful and makes the Forerunners seem “fancy” and the “high classed”. To tie everything together, the graphics and designs simply makes this game just amazing.
    In addition, fast-paced action gameplay is an important quality of making a great game, because it keeps you wanting more from the gameplay. This quality will most likely not make your game end up in your dusty CD pile. Halo 4’s multiplayer gameplay will keep you on the edge of your seat for hours. The fast-paced multiplayer action of killing opposing Spartans in the midst of explosions and bullets coming from every angle just makes the hair on the back of your neck stand on end. Even the disappointment you feel after losing your killing spree fuels you to play even harder to get the highest score in the match. The multiplayer matchmaking will keep you playing this game for the next few years, or at least until Halo 5 comes out in 2015.
    Lastly, a good story is important to making a great game because it keeps us emotionally tied into the game, its plot, and the characters. As quoted from Destructoid, a video game review website, “343 Industries have done a remarkable job at continuing the Halo legacy. They've gone all out, creating a fantastic sequel that brought forth a major focus on storytelling while upping the visual and audio direction to a level that will be tough for anyone to rival with these few remaining years of the current console generation”. Halo 4 is the fifth intake in the Halo story line. What makes this story different from the other prequels is that it puts more emphasize on Master Chief’s emotional being. The game starts off with Dr. Halsey being interrogated by a UNSC officer on the issue of destroying her Spartans, including Master Chief, mentally and emotionally through her Spartans illegal childhood military training. Because of this, Master Chief acts as a machine to the UNSC. Nearing the end of the story, Cortana asks Master Chief, "...before this is all over, promise me you'll figure out which one of us is the machine." This imposes that Cortana wants Master Chief to realize that he is not a machine, but is human like everyone else. This aspect of Master Chief’s story makes it different from previous installments, but makes it amazing to play through.
    In conclusion, Halo 4 is a fantastic game, which will keep you guessing what might happen next. Halo 4’s amazing high-definition graphics and original designs, fast-paced multiplayer gameplay, and unique story makes Halo 4 qualified to be “one of the best of all time”. I would definitely recommend this game to anyone who wants to see the full    … Expand
  45. herr_rosa88
    Oct 22, 2014
    6
    Halo 4 is a fairly good game, at the same time a massive disappointment. The good aspects is that it brings in new fairly interesting enemies, great cinematic cut-scenes and some really beautiful graphics.

    These are important improvements and this would have been a great game if they had not thrown out what made Halo what it is. The most important aspect of this is the horrible sound    Halo 4 is a fairly good game, at the same time a massive disappointment. The good aspects is that it brings in new fairly interesting enemies, great cinematic cut-scenes and some really beautiful graphics.

    These are important improvements and this would have been a great game if they had not thrown out what made Halo what it is. The most important aspect of this is the horrible sound system. The game doesn't sound like Halo any more, but a cheap call of duty wanna be. For instance the weapons sound like ordinary modern battle rifles (even some of the alien guns), instead of the futuristic sound they had in the previous games. If they had copy and pasted the sound straight from Halo 3 this game would have been vastly better.

    Secondly they have destroyed the unique multiplayer that defined Halo and changed it so that you customize your character (like CoD), which means that players don't have to search for better weapons. That later part was however part of what made Halo fun and made it stand apart from the rest of all generic shooters out there. Not only that but they have marked the location of all the weapons so there is no need to memorize the location of them any more. But that was also what made Halo unique: you don't start with a great arsenal, it is something that you find on the battlefield.

    To summarize it, 343 succeeded with many of the difficult parts such as developing the main characters (Master Chief and Cortana) and creating a good campaign (although not as good as Halo 2 and 3). However they ended up destroying the franchise by throwing out what made Halo the unique and great experience it was and that is a shame.    … Expand
  46. Rem
    Oct 22, 2014
    7
    Halo 4 in many retrospects is a game marred with sighed expectations. The question frequently asked is "Do we really need another one?". While it may sound arbitrary in contrast to how Master Chief's story ends, Halo 4 is a fresh and vivid, if not underwhelming game. To begin, Microsoft sent alot of money towards to the newfound caretakers of the Halo name, 343 Industries, to ensure itHalo 4 in many retrospects is a game marred with sighed expectations. The question frequently asked is "Do we really need another one?". While it may sound arbitrary in contrast to how Master Chief's story ends, Halo 4 is a fresh and vivid, if not underwhelming game. To begin, Microsoft sent alot of money towards to the newfound caretakers of the Halo name, 343 Industries, to ensure it looked its best. And boy it sure did. Halo 4 is stunning even on the aging Xbox 360, it stands as one of the best looking console games out there.
    The story this time around focuses on the human nature of Master Chief rather than the silent protagonist we are used to. His relationship with Cortana is a nuanced, if not an iffy one since I this is the only game with Master Chief saying more than 8 lines of dialogue. The plot moves at a brisk pace, but it reaches a satisfying conclusion that is marred by one of the more anti climatic boss battles in Halo memory. But how does it play? Well, if you consider the usual gun, grenade, and melee mechanics brilliant, then you'll love this game even more. However the weapons pack a better punch, and enemy A.I. is improved. That said it doesn't derail from the fact it's been the same thing we've been doing since 2001 with the first Halo.
    It certainly isn't the best of the series, but when you pack in a newly remastered forge mode. A rather dull Spartan Ops, and a reinvigorated multiplayer, people are bound to come back for more. For others like me, I feel the Halo train should've stopped with Halo: Reach, but who's complaining?    … Expand
  47. Fincasey
    Oct 17, 2014
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Well, I honestly can't say too much about the multiplayer. Not that I haven't played it, more that I don't find anything about it too different that makes it standout from the past two halo games. Multi-player doesn't feel exactly the same as say reach, but the differences are only subtle. Visually, the game is fantastic. Both in-game and cutscene wise, probably among if not the best the xbox 360 has to offer. The campaign was also very good. Some of the level designs themselves felt repetitive, but the narrative and overall story was great. My favorite Halo campaign since the original. The highlight of it had to be the relationship between Cortana and Master Chief. If there's one thing 343 Industries did right that Bungie did wrong in, was show Master Chief's persona. While still not showing much emotional depth yet as other video game characters to date, certainly made him act much more human than when Bungie was in charge (who used that BS idea of,
    "a silent protagonist allows the player to assume the role of-" blah blah, no it makes it boring and makes the story dull). Having the Chief talk during gameplay definitely made me feel more connected to the narrative than any of Bungie Halo games.    … Expand
  48. Knibbles
    Sep 15, 2014
    5
    Not good enough to keep me playing, unlike the previous instalments Bungie made. Halo 3 was probably the best of the series for me, and hopefully 343i will be able to bring it back to the same level, if not higher, with Halo 5.

    The campaign was fun to play with friends and on solo alike, a decent story, with some cool new enemies and characters, though no single part was really that    Not good enough to keep me playing, unlike the previous instalments Bungie made. Halo 3 was probably the best of the series for me, and hopefully 343i will be able to bring it back to the same level, if not higher, with Halo 5.

    The campaign was fun to play with friends and on solo alike, a decent story, with some cool new enemies and characters, though no single part was really that memorable. The spartan ops missions are also quite interesting, although they do reuse areas from the campaign a lot, and the majority of missions just have you press a button, pick something up, shoot a load of enemies, and that's it. Although a mini-story has been created for this mode, cutscenes included.

    Now the main thing people stay for with Halo is the Multiplayer, and i'm really disappointed and also quite annoyed what they did with the multiplayer. 343i have gone almost full CoD with this game, you can now unlock weapons and create loadouts for mutiplayer, which feels like every FPS ever does that now. Also borrowing from CoD's formula, they have added killstreak rewards in the form of a weapon drop, which takes away from how Halo's multiplayer works, or at least used to work.

    343i have put prominence on the CoD control scheme as well, allowing everyone to sprint as well as moving crouch over to the B button. You look at the top favourite Halo games, which are 1,2 and 3, and what are they? Balanced. Nobody was sprinting around the map, nobody had or could not get something the other players could. Everything the players could have was already on the map, waiting to be picked up. There wasn't any ordnace drops, there wasn't any special abilities or perks, it was a simple system and it worked great.

    The game is also missing firefight, a fun mode, and although it got boring after a while of grinding through it a few dozen times, why is it not in the game? another mode i thought was a great addition was the invasion game type from Reach, that's not in either. To be honest there's a heap of popular gametypes not in the game.

    Now other than all that, aswell as the new armor system being rubbish, the game isn't terrible and new players will find it fun to play for longer than returning Halo players in my opinion, and hopefully 343i will be able to reignite my interest with the next game, and hopefully keep me interested in all the ones after.    … Expand
  49. DrEggman
    Sep 13, 2014
    10
    As a long time fan of the Halo series, I can say that this game is fantastic. It is my favourite so far. The gameplay is the most refined in the series yet and has superior graphics to match. The story was interesting and introduced an intriguing new villain along with new enemies to fight, which mixes things up from the traditional halo games, whilst still keeping the well known and lovedAs a long time fan of the Halo series, I can say that this game is fantastic. It is my favourite so far. The gameplay is the most refined in the series yet and has superior graphics to match. The story was interesting and introduced an intriguing new villain along with new enemies to fight, which mixes things up from the traditional halo games, whilst still keeping the well known and loved covenant enemies.
    Definitely makes my top 10 games of all time list.    … Expand
  50. BITW_Commander
    Sep 12, 2014
    10
    This game is really well put-together, with a great story continuing from the previous games and great multi-player to wo with as well. The only reason people would down vote this game is they have their nose up Bungie's rear. I hope that 343 Industries will continue to take Halo to new heights and all of Bungie's future endeavors will fail time and time again. But enough of that, thisThis game is really well put-together, with a great story continuing from the previous games and great multi-player to wo with as well. The only reason people would down vote this game is they have their nose up Bungie's rear. I hope that 343 Industries will continue to take Halo to new heights and all of Bungie's future endeavors will fail time and time again. But enough of that, this is a great game for new players and old veterans of the Halo series like myself.… Expand
  51. Artur95
    Sep 10, 2014
    6
    Halo 4 has lack of identity. I really missed master chief but in Halo 4 it doesn't feels like the older versions. Now he has close emotions with Cortana, all story surrounds Cortana's problems and not clearly the story of the Forerunners. Also, the story is too short and enemies are really easy when you play it on Legendary. The covenant's armor is terrible, and the elites are very easy toHalo 4 has lack of identity. I really missed master chief but in Halo 4 it doesn't feels like the older versions. Now he has close emotions with Cortana, all story surrounds Cortana's problems and not clearly the story of the Forerunners. Also, the story is too short and enemies are really easy when you play it on Legendary. The covenant's armor is terrible, and the elites are very easy to kill.

    The good things are that graphics are the best ones on the xbox 360. The spartan ops are quite a challenge and the plot is good, the multiplayer i think it improved a lot, there are some good playlists.    … Expand
  52. JoshLuck1995
    Sep 10, 2014
    8
    I certainly enjoyed the game overall but not as much as i would of liked, great story as per usual and graphics were fantastic. just lacked that special feel of previous games such as Halo 2 and Combat evolved. 8/10
  53. TheAscendantOne
    Aug 18, 2014
    5
    When mentioning the word Halo in the video game industry is synonymous with excellence. When you make a game and call it "Halo" you are expected to hold that level of excellence. If you are a long time halo fan, like myself, this game deviates too much from the core of what kept us up for ridiculously long late night sessions and hours of unforgettable fun. I understand pressing the edgeWhen mentioning the word Halo in the video game industry is synonymous with excellence. When you make a game and call it "Halo" you are expected to hold that level of excellence. If you are a long time halo fan, like myself, this game deviates too much from the core of what kept us up for ridiculously long late night sessions and hours of unforgettable fun. I understand pressing the edge to try and uncover the next best thing, but you have to maintain the core of what drove the success in the past.

    Major Pros:
    Graphcs, the game is art, one of the best looking games ever on the console, hands down. Game makers will soon realize this only gets you so far.

    New game types that added some value.

    Major Cons:
    Weapon imbalance: No one should ever make a weapon that cannot be used in the game, some of the weapons are virtually useless. Random weapon spawns make for a more exciting experience perhaps, but no one likes to lose because of bad luck.

    Custom Classes: Having separate classes can have its advantages, but the proper amount of detail was not given to this feature, you really only needed 1 or two classes that you could use virtually for all situations. If you have a class customization ability, it has to be worthwhile to customize with a lot of USEFUL options. BR or DMR, not much else.

    Map designs: One of the best things about past halo titles was the maps. All titles had their memorable maps that fueled the white-knuckle gameplay. This game lacks creative maps designed to facilitate skillful play. It feels like being put into a box half the time to just duke it out. A multitude of skill jumps and shortcuts help with this, and some DLC maps had them but they were lacking throughout.

    Sounds: Some of the sounds of the weapons you shoot were less than impressive, when you have only one or two main weapons that are functional, and are being used 70% of the time, make them sound beastly. The BR sounds like a spring trap fill with stones.

    Campaign Plot and Dialogue: The dialogue in the very linear story line was kind of embarrassing. I was playing co-op with my friend and could finish the sentences before the characters in the story did. And never make a game ending move with the click of a button....actually making it require skill gives the gamer SO much more satisfaction. A monkey can click a button, and that is what you made me feel like when I beat the campaign.

    Overall, this was a VERY average game, you can use it to kill some time and have some fun. However, critically speaking, it doesn't quite hit the mark of high expectations that many have come to expect with its half-hearted attempt at employing a custom class system on poorly designed multiplayer maps and an average campaign.    … Expand
  54. Zecru
    Jul 28, 2014
    0
    To all of you giving "heartfelt" tens, I honestly cannot say I agree with you. I feel like your sheer amount of overhype for this game made it "good" for you. As a devoted Halo fanboy, I feel justified in my reasons to not like the game. Yes, the graphics quality was decent. That's basically the only thing I can hand this game.

    The soundtrack, story, characters, and multiplayer didn't    To all of you giving "heartfelt" tens, I honestly cannot say I agree with you. I feel like your sheer amount of overhype for this game made it "good" for you. As a devoted Halo fanboy, I feel justified in my reasons to not like the game. Yes, the graphics quality was decent. That's basically the only thing I can hand this game.

    The soundtrack, story, characters, and multiplayer didn't feel like Halo. In my honest opinion, having Chief be that outspoken really didn't fit his original "silent/speaks when he has to" persona. The story was short and unsweet and really betrayed the previous games and the canon in general. For one, the Covenant aren't supposed to be back! They were defeated in Halo 3, if anybody even paid attention. Sure, there could be rogues running around, but they wouldn't be ELITES of all things in their ranks! It's like a freakin' time paradox. It simply shouldn't have happened. Also, the fact that the Forerunner, Didact, was still alive, goes against all of the lore and backstory that Bungie built up, and that just doesn't sit well with me.

    The death of Cortana was a predictable cliche that we all knew was going to happen eventually, especially since half the Halo fanbase knew Cortana reached seven years of service in Halo 3.

    There also were a few plotholes, but what videogame doesn't have at least a tiny one? All in all, it didn't even get close to the privilege of licking the boot heels of Bungie's masterpieces.    … Expand
  55. Xineombine
    Jul 16, 2014
    0
    While it wears the Brand 'Halo' on it, it really just feels like an 'okay' game.
    The single player mode didn't meet my expectations. Other than a few parts in the single player, the campaign was really boring and forgettable with no noteworthy locations that caught my eye(unlike the previous halo games, this was a first). It's obvious that microsoft is pushing for this to be an 'online    While it wears the Brand 'Halo' on it, it really just feels like an 'okay' game.
    The single player mode didn't meet my expectations. Other than a few parts in the single player, the campaign was really boring and forgettable with no noteworthy locations that caught my eye(unlike the previous halo games, this was a first). It's obvious that microsoft is pushing for this to be an 'online experience' by locking away the spartan ops campaign only to those who have an xbox live subscription just rubs me the wrong way since the game lists it even though I haven't signed on Xbox live in months. I really feel like I didn't get my moneys worth this this title and since half of the single player experience is locked away because of microsofts greed I don't plan on purchasing another halo title until this predicament is sorted out, which judging by microsoft's obvious greed it will never happen...    … Expand
  56. darkspirezx
    Jul 14, 2014
    9
    This is the best halo game out there right now. Halo 2 was the best back then, Halo 4 is the best of this generation. It features war games, improved graphics, new gametypes such as flood. The first half of the campaign kept me interested but right around the second half I got bored immediately. What I really care about in this game is the multiplayer. Multiplayer is key to Halo right now.This is the best halo game out there right now. Halo 2 was the best back then, Halo 4 is the best of this generation. It features war games, improved graphics, new gametypes such as flood. The first half of the campaign kept me interested but right around the second half I got bored immediately. What I really care about in this game is the multiplayer. Multiplayer is key to Halo right now. Forge is more improved now to the point where I don't think it could go any farther now. The things I hate are how overpowered the grenades are, the loading screens, bugs from campaign and mutliplayer and the loading time to switch from forging or fighting.… Expand
  57. Yerczeys
    Jul 5, 2014
    5
    As an enormous fan of the original Halo, it's difficult to express my disappointment with how this series has been humped into mediocrity. The game-play itself is alright, nothing astounding, and the graphics are really quite impressive. My issues come from the story. I could have come up with a more compelling story with better dialogue, and that's not talking myself up as much as it'sAs an enormous fan of the original Halo, it's difficult to express my disappointment with how this series has been humped into mediocrity. The game-play itself is alright, nothing astounding, and the graphics are really quite impressive. My issues come from the story. I could have come up with a more compelling story with better dialogue, and that's not talking myself up as much as it's putting 343 Studios down. The Didact is a miserable villain, and his goons are bland / annoying along with their weapons. Bah I say.… Expand
  58. ITZZZPERRY
    Jun 30, 2014
    9
    Halo 4 is a game that Halo fans, like myself, have waited years to play. The campaign's story is compelling as it initiates a new era for the Master Chief. The multiplayer is great also, but some may not like a lot of the changes. All and all, this is a true Halo experience.
  59. Cale
    Jun 24, 2014
    5
    I've only recently become a fan of the Halo franchise (thanks to Red vs Blue), mostly due to the fact that I'm not a big fan of FPS games in general for one reason: I do not enjoy online multiplayer. Co-op is better than competitive, but I still dislike it. One of the major reasons I played WoW for a few years was because I knew people I could play with personally, and I could solo theI've only recently become a fan of the Halo franchise (thanks to Red vs Blue), mostly due to the fact that I'm not a big fan of FPS games in general for one reason: I do not enjoy online multiplayer. Co-op is better than competitive, but I still dislike it. One of the major reasons I played WoW for a few years was because I knew people I could play with personally, and I could solo the game front to back if they weren't around. The loss of Firefight-mode with nothing to replace it that I'm willing to play and don't have to pay more money for is a fatal one, and turns a game that would otherwise be something I'd keep for a long time into one I'll be trading in. Sure, the graphics are nicer, the story is great and it was a total blast to play, I just can't really play it more, as much as I'd like to. I'm just an old fart that likes to play alone, and you just can't do that with this game without playing the campaign over and over.… Expand
  60. torak11
    Jun 16, 2014
    10
    A great game, which is a sign that 343 will bring us more great games in the future. When i first played the game, and saw the new loadout system, I initially assumed that this game was copying CoD (in a "bad for Halo" context), however I soon found out i was wrong. While it may be drawing some inspiration from CoD games, I can assure you that Halo 4's loadout system couldn't be moreA great game, which is a sign that 343 will bring us more great games in the future. When i first played the game, and saw the new loadout system, I initially assumed that this game was copying CoD (in a "bad for Halo" context), however I soon found out i was wrong. While it may be drawing some inspiration from CoD games, I can assure you that Halo 4's loadout system couldn't be more different from CoD's. One common complaint i've seen about Halo 4 is that the Story wasn't all that great, I, However, respectfully disagree. Sure, it may seem to be shallow, but you to remember that Halo 4 is part of a TRILOGY and thus it's story would ONLY account for 1/3 of the forerunner trilogy's story, and thus would not be very deep. The story will truly shine when combined with the other 2/3's of the forerunner trilogy's story.

    As for the game-play, Halo has never been better. Halo 4 has a nice campaign and a great multiplayer that completely outclasses reach's. Not only that but i CANNOT be the only one who is GLAD 343 did NOT use that stupid credits system, which is one of the reasons Halo 4 has the best character customization in the series. Armor is no longer unlocked by purchase, but by EXP level ALONE. Not only that but the Level system is easy to get acquainted with and easy to understand. There a total of 8 Specializations, each spans only ten levels. The large variety of armor gives player almost endless possibilities.    … Expand
  61. Tristian98005
    May 29, 2014
    10
    I feel Halo 4 is like a breath of fresh air to the Halo series. I've been around since the beginning of the Halo franchise. So I know what I'm talking about. The story mode wasn't the best for a Halo game, however the multiplayer feels so much better compared to previous Halo games, there's barely any campers, the specializations are really awesome. The only downside is the ordinanceI feel Halo 4 is like a breath of fresh air to the Halo series. I've been around since the beginning of the Halo franchise. So I know what I'm talking about. The story mode wasn't the best for a Halo game, however the multiplayer feels so much better compared to previous Halo games, there's barely any campers, the specializations are really awesome. The only downside is the ordinance drops, but I admit I kinda like it cause I'm the killer, not the victim. So I get ordinance quite a bit. I didn't like the fact how whoever has the rocket launcher wins the game in previous halo titles In halo 4 YOU ARE THE WEAPON. I just wish they had elites, invasion mode, firefight, and better armor customization. I don't want a paint job, I WANT A ROBOT ARM!!!… Expand
  62. McTague
    May 27, 2014
    10
    This game has the only thing that really matters which is that is a fun game to play, if having fun isn't enoughfor you ton like something then cconsider the following.
    Graphics: 10/10
    Good cut scenes, a beautiful environment. Story: 7.5 The story was good but still felt like something 343 put out solely to make more money Gameplay: 10 I already said I think its fun Plus like most    This game has the only thing that really matters which is that is a fun game to play, if having fun isn't enoughfor you ton like something then cconsider the following.
    Graphics: 10/10
    Good cut scenes, a beautiful environment.
    Story: 7.5
    The story was good but still felt like something 343 put out solely to make more money
    Gameplay: 10
    I already said I think its fun

    Plus like most previous games the soundtrack was awesome to listen to, enough so that I bought it on CD    … Expand
  63. theBJK
    May 22, 2014
    9
    It's the fourth time i rewrite this review. I'm tired of trying to find something to explain why i think this game is one of my favourite, so that's all i going to say: buy it. Really, you won't be disappointed. So many of my friends started to love halo series because of this game. Are you searching for a fps with excellent graphics, good story and excellent gameplay? Well, you just found it.
  64. tidjo19
    May 15, 2014
    9
    9 or 10, out of 10. Nothing less. A must have in your game collection. One of the best franchise ever. A game made to be a remembered for sur. rased the bar for games to come.
  65. JonahGamer
    May 12, 2014
    10
    I grew up playing halo, which is why I'm such a big fan of the series. And let me just say, Halo 4 lived up to the hype. I was sad when Bungie left Microsoft, and didn't know what to expect on Halo 4. Then I saw the trailer, and was instantly hooked on it before I had even played it! The game has an outstanding storyline, and that goes for the voice acting as well! The gameplay is amazing,I grew up playing halo, which is why I'm such a big fan of the series. And let me just say, Halo 4 lived up to the hype. I was sad when Bungie left Microsoft, and didn't know what to expect on Halo 4. Then I saw the trailer, and was instantly hooked on it before I had even played it! The game has an outstanding storyline, and that goes for the voice acting as well! The gameplay is amazing, and there are SO many new weapons that weren't there in the previous games! The graphics have improved a LOT since the last game, and in my opinion are current gen worthy( Xbox One). I don't really have any issues with the game to be honest. I haven't noticed any flaws and I've had the game since it came out! If you're a Halo fan, and you DON'T own this game, you can't call yourself a Halo fan!… Expand
  66. Thewarrior43
    May 9, 2014
    9
    A really good game but lacked one thing the story chief and finished the fight and why was the covenant attacking us again i knew they were a cult but what started it? that is what we should need 2 know also mulitplayer is really awesome and spartan ops its just like the halo reach campaign (what i mean is you can use your spartan in a campaign) that is what i liked the most so anyway itA really good game but lacked one thing the story chief and finished the fight and why was the covenant attacking us again i knew they were a cult but what started it? that is what we should need 2 know also mulitplayer is really awesome and spartan ops its just like the halo reach campaign (what i mean is you can use your spartan in a campaign) that is what i liked the most so anyway it is a really fun no not fun AMAZING GAME YOU COULD SPEND 60$ ON! and I've read all the reviews its trying to be like COD but don't let that fool you cause its not. so what are you waiting for if your a big fan of halo and you got 60$ go get it!… Expand
  67. theeDarkhorse
    May 9, 2014
    10
    A breath of fresh air. Like REACH was to its predecessors. Simply the best looking and playing game i have experienced since probably Final Fantasy 7 on PS1. Better looking than Crysis 3. It will put a grin on your face. Elating/ emotional
  68. DatReviewGuy
    May 8, 2014
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Halo 4 was a beautiful game. But I was really hanged to dry seeing that the boss battle is a quick time event montage but multiplayer is fun so then thumbs up 343 you do have big shoes to fill in so i didn't really think it would do that good also damn firefight mode!… Expand
  69. Plaidman86
    May 8, 2014
    9
    I don't know why this game got an overall average of 87. This game is what Halo: Reach SHOULD HAVE BEEN. But nooooo... Instead, we got another serving of what Bungie thought was good which really gave us another short-changed game. Speaking of, I wonder how Destiny is going to be. If it's made by Bungie I have a feeling it's only going to be focused on online multiplayer with no effort onI don't know why this game got an overall average of 87. This game is what Halo: Reach SHOULD HAVE BEEN. But nooooo... Instead, we got another serving of what Bungie thought was good which really gave us another short-changed game. Speaking of, I wonder how Destiny is going to be. If it's made by Bungie I have a feeling it's only going to be focused on online multiplayer with no effort on story or character. Anyway...

    This is the Halo game I've been wanting to see: a Halo with story. Ever since I read the first Halo book, "Fall of Reach," I was deeply impressed with the vast, detailed history and universe that is Halo and it really upset me how Bungie didn't care to elaborate or tie in any of it during Halo 3 or Reach. I loved the refocus on the Master Chief, the original main character of the series. He actually has a vast dialogue this time (unlike 3)! I was taken away immediately with the fist opening cutscene; very impressive and on par with or better than the cutscenes from Halo Wars. I know, I'm one of those rare gamers who believes in story, plot, and character development.

    For the campaign, I was very pleased. Great variety of level design and elements, much better than Reach's levels. I thought taking control of the Pelican and fighter jet were very welcomed and were a nice change from the typical FPS role. I know I've been going on and on about the story, but 4's story just didn't sit well with me. It was alright, I liked how it was executed, but I didn't get WHAT the story was about. I didn't care for the Didact, he really seemed like a hollow villain since he and the Master Chief had little interaction. I thought it was silly how there were times where the Didact would be rattling off all this mystical jargon and the Master Chief wouldn't even say anything. To me, he might as well have been thinking, "Uh huh..." cause I had no idea what the Didact was talking about. Plus, everything about the Prometheans and the Librarian seemed confusing for me to follow. Shoot, maybe I need to play through the campaign again...

    Online multiplayer is still great; all that frenzied team play or free for all that is Halo. The different armor pieces are still there, even though they don't do anything just like Reach. I loved the "perks" or loadouts that you can customize; way more options versus Reach which allows you to tailor your own loadouts for any given situation or game mode. The search engine seems more refined as well, and it's nice there's a vote for three options.

    Spartan Ops is fun, loved the cutscenes that came with it and the story. Although, I wonder what's to come in the future. To be continued in Halo 5? I would have liked to see Firefight though, but a Firefight more true to Halo 3: ODST (hated Reach's version).

    Overall, I give this game a 9 and not a 10 because: it's still Halo. We know what it is and how it works. But a 9 because of how brilliant the story execution was, the graphics, the gameplay, the options... Need I go on? Again, this is what Reach should have been. This is a great display of what the Halo universe has to offer. Great job 343! Here's to hoping Halo 5 will be just as great if not better. And to hoping it will be available for 360 too, heheh.    … Expand
  70. TheChaser1985
    May 5, 2014
    9
    I love this game! This is by far the best Halo in the series!!! Multiplayer is well balanced and plays incredibly. I love the Halo story and this was a great part of it. The graphics were AMAZING for the 360!!!! and Spartan Ops is pretty cool too!
  71. Aheavypanda
    Apr 29, 2014
    8
    I enjoyed this game very much, immersing and entertaining ,both multiplayer and campaign. But I can't help but to feel that it doesn't have the same catch it did with me than reach.

    The graphics are wonderful for the Xbox 360, possibly the best graphics on the FPS genre towards the end of 2012. Loved the campaign, the story flows on nicely, and can't wait to play Halo 5 coming this    I enjoyed this game very much, immersing and entertaining ,both multiplayer and campaign. But I can't help but to feel that it doesn't have the same catch it did with me than reach.

    The graphics are wonderful for the Xbox 360, possibly the best graphics on the FPS genre towards the end of 2012.

    Loved the campaign, the story flows on nicely, and can't wait to play Halo 5 coming this (or next) year.    … Expand
  72. TheRiddler1948
    Apr 20, 2014
    10
    I genuinely don't understand why this game has been classed as 'bad' by thousands, if not millions of people worldwide. I honestly think this game is incredible and somewhat genius? actually yes, genius. They're geniuses for handling this game, 343. It's got a phenomenal, fun, thrilling and promising story-mode with beautifully-done graphics, astonishing sounds and well-done voice actors.I genuinely don't understand why this game has been classed as 'bad' by thousands, if not millions of people worldwide. I honestly think this game is incredible and somewhat genius? actually yes, genius. They're geniuses for handling this game, 343. It's got a phenomenal, fun, thrilling and promising story-mode with beautifully-done graphics, astonishing sounds and well-done voice actors. Yet again. Like Halo 3, but in my opinion, better. And different, in good ways.

    If you've not played Halo 4 yet, I seriously suggest you do, as you're probably going to love it. I recommend you buy it, complete it and then, y'know, just do whatever. Not to mention the online for it is pretty damn incredible. Yes, incredible indeed.

    Such an amazing game, therefore I rate it a strong 10/10. (A+).    … Expand
  73. kingofkoopas
    Apr 20, 2014
    1
    I believed the hype IGN said about the newest Halo game, calling it the best Halo yet! Hype works people, it really does and they know it. The hype got to me so bad that I ignored one of the most obvious things there is to this game, it is not made by Bungie. Hype works even better on people who don't have what it takes to spot all the terrible flaws that certain product can have, in thisI believed the hype IGN said about the newest Halo game, calling it the best Halo yet! Hype works people, it really does and they know it. The hype got to me so bad that I ignored one of the most obvious things there is to this game, it is not made by Bungie. Hype works even better on people who don't have what it takes to spot all the terrible flaws that certain product can have, in this case, Halo 4. Everything that made you a Halo fan is not to be found in this new entry to the franchise. This game is terrible, a true stinker. Bungie must be pretty angry for what they have done to their creation. After only two days, I traded this turd back to Gamestop, kept the case though, it's the only cool thing about this new Halo.… Expand
  74. SirMarty
    Apr 16, 2014
    0
    I have been playing Halo since Halo: Combat Evolved...

    Please do yourself a favor and do NOT buy this game! Do not listen to the positive reviews. 343i just killed the multiplayer, "CoD-ifying" it to steal players from its rivaling game, while the Halo player-base was awaiting for something to surpass Halo 3. However, not only did 343i fail in obtaining a CoD-like player-base, but they    I have been playing Halo since Halo: Combat Evolved...

    Please do yourself a favor and do NOT buy this game! Do not listen to the positive reviews. 343i just killed the multiplayer, "CoD-ifying" it to steal players from its rivaling game, while the Halo player-base was awaiting for something to surpass Halo 3. However, not only did 343i fail in obtaining a CoD-like player-base, but they also managed to lose and disappoint many loyal fans of Halo.    … Expand
  75. AHappyMetroid
    Apr 9, 2014
    9
    343 Industries took everything I loved about previous Halo games and multiplied it several times. The campaign has a great story and the multiplayer is balanced and fun. This game is one of the best shooters out there.
  76. TheQuietGamer
    Apr 4, 2014
    9
    343 Industries has done a fantastic job with this latest chapter in the series. This is my favorite video game series, and it is the series that got me into video gaming, so hearing that a new developer would be replacing Bungie worried me. Thankfully 343 made a game that is just as good as the majority of the Bungie made Halo games.

    The campaign manages to feel familiar and fresh all    343 Industries has done a fantastic job with this latest chapter in the series. This is my favorite video game series, and it is the series that got me into video gaming, so hearing that a new developer would be replacing Bungie worried me. Thankfully 343 made a game that is just as good as the majority of the Bungie made Halo games.

    The campaign manages to feel familiar and fresh all that the same time thanks to the way is holds onto the classic Halo gameplay while simultaneously adding it's own unique features. With new weapons to experiment with and new enemies to fight, there's always something exciting around the next corner. To make things better it is all backed up by some of the best looking graphics to ever grace the 360. The only complaint I have with the campaign is in regards to the story. Just like in Halo 3 the story dives off into the most confusing and under-explained sci-fi mumbo jumbo out there. That being said the campaign does manage to have some emotionality thanks to the complex look at the relationship between Cortana and Master Chief. So while the story does disappoint, the gameplay succeeds here making one awesome campaign.

    As far as the multiplayer goes I find it to be the most fun in the series yet. Everything is excellently balanced, the new features are excellent, the game modes are fantastic, and the maps are incredibly well done. The maps are only made better and more diverse thanks to the returning Forge mode. Honestly I am loving the multiplayer more than ever. It's tighter and it no longer feels like you are burning through a huge amount of ammo just to drop a foe. I think this is the best multiplayer the series has seen and it will keep you busy for countless hours. I really can't find a flaw with it.

    As far as cooperative gameplay goes the series Firefight mode has been replaced with the new "Spartan Ops" mode. This mode is a noticeable improvement of what the series has previously offered in terms of cooperative gameplay and is an absolute blast to play with friends or even by yourself. However this mode does come with one pretty big flaw: there's no way to play this mode offline either cooperatively or solo. This actually prevented me from being able to play it locally in couch co-op form and is a pretty big oversight on 343's part. That being said it's not a deal breaker and doesn't ruin the fun that can be had with this mode. It's just a disappointing non-inclusion, especially when you remember that Bungie's Firefight mode allowed for offline play.

    Overall this is a fantastic game and in a lot of ways one of the best games in the series. With a fantastic campaign, the series best multiplayer, and countless hours worth of content this is one of the best FPS games on the market and one of the best games on the 360. Halo fans no longer need to worry about whether or not 343 can handle the series, because they have proved they can even if they did include some minor flaws. I give it a score of 9.9/10-Near-Perfect.    … Expand
  77. Gearhart7302
    Mar 31, 2014
    2
    This game absolutely kills the Halo franchise by not only killing the Halo story but ruining everything else in the story. All of the guns were redone but the UNSC weapons are completely useless, and it gets better, the new Forerunner weapons are a copy paste of the UNSC weapons with little to no good atributes. The story is too emotional for a Halo game and the threat of Cortana dieing isThis game absolutely kills the Halo franchise by not only killing the Halo story but ruining everything else in the story. All of the guns were redone but the UNSC weapons are completely useless, and it gets better, the new Forerunner weapons are a copy paste of the UNSC weapons with little to no good atributes. The story is too emotional for a Halo game and the threat of Cortana dieing is the worst part. The final boss completely kills the game because instead of the Halo 3 boss battle or the newer Halo Reach standoff, guess what all of the fans get? A retarded quick time event that completely kills the Franchises amassing endings. Hey, do you like being able to customize your equipment and change your symbol? Well to bad because the new multiplayer function doesn't allow you to customize it, unless, you level up which if you have no friends to play with or now Xbox live gold, is hard, you better like that armor you're wearing.… Expand
  78. Karimchii
    Mar 31, 2014
    4
    This game completely shocked me, It was a massive disappointed, going from halo 3 to halo 4, it was like chalk and cheese. The maps had no depth to them and the online game play was very average. I gave it such a low rating because of how good the prequel was.

    Halo 3 10/10 ----> Halo 4 4/10 Hopefully halo 5 will redeem the series otherwise I will not be buying an xbox 1 as that is    This game completely shocked me, It was a massive disappointed, going from halo 3 to halo 4, it was like chalk and cheese. The maps had no depth to them and the online game play was very average. I gave it such a low rating because of how good the prequel was.

    Halo 3 10/10 ----> Halo 4 4/10

    Hopefully halo 5 will redeem the series otherwise I will not be buying an xbox 1 as that is the only exclusive I am interested in    … Expand
  79. Forgewolf
    Mar 23, 2014
    6
    -1 for non-existent custom game matches
    -1 for a lack of detail to the Forge mode
    -1 for a horrible Flood design and limitations to the Flood mode (Flood can't use weapons)
    -1 for obvious attempt to copy CoD

    It's not bad.. but it just seem like the Developers did not put their heart AND soul into their game..
  80. Khajiit2
    Mar 20, 2014
    0
    The Halo series we know and love is dead. Halo 4 is just a Call of Duty clone. With a 6 hour campaign and no Firefight Mode. The campaign is not creative at all. Promethean's talk about a Mass Effect rip off. It's funny and sad that Halo has to copy other game to be good now. Years ago it was the other way around. Half of this game is locked for online play which is very dumb, Pay to winThe Halo series we know and love is dead. Halo 4 is just a Call of Duty clone. With a 6 hour campaign and no Firefight Mode. The campaign is not creative at all. Promethean's talk about a Mass Effect rip off. It's funny and sad that Halo has to copy other game to be good now. Years ago it was the other way around. Half of this game is locked for online play which is very dumb, Pay to win OK.........errrrr No!. Spartan Op's sucks. Thanks 343 for ruining one of my favourite game series. I'm very surprised this game is getting good reviews, don't listen to them this game is trash. No real Halo fan would accept this pile of ****. I'm going back to playing the infinitely superior Halo: Reach and Halo Combat Evolved.… Expand
  81. y2jarmyofficial
    Mar 17, 2014
    10
    simply the best halo in my opinion, the multiplayer is better then ever, graphics are amazing, and story was more emotional.well worth the buy, for the xbox 360
  82. TheHonestJack
    Mar 17, 2014
    4
    With astounding graphics, immersive campaign, addicting multiplayer, and a surprisingly fun spartan ops mode, halo 4 is a fantastic entry to the halo franchise, and arguably one of the best halo games ever.
  83. ageofwinter
    Mar 17, 2014
    6
    Whilst the campaign was short and linear compared to past Halo games, the story and emotional attachment was good. The multiplayer is sub-par, and very shallow. Taking cues from Call of Duty whilst still trying to make it it feel like Halo was a tough task and it wasn't a good mix. The graphics (the only really good thing about this) are great for its time, some of the best I've seen onWhilst the campaign was short and linear compared to past Halo games, the story and emotional attachment was good. The multiplayer is sub-par, and very shallow. Taking cues from Call of Duty whilst still trying to make it it feel like Halo was a tough task and it wasn't a good mix. The graphics (the only really good thing about this) are great for its time, some of the best I've seen on Xbox 360, although when you play split-screen with a buddy, the console really shows it's age, having to dial back on the graphics due to having to render the meshes & textures twice on some really old hardware. All in all, the multiplayer gets stale after a few hours of play, and campaign was solid but a tad bit on the short side. As a classic Halo fan, I am disappointed in this project, although some may like it, and it does have some strong aspects.… Expand
  84. lox
    Mar 16, 2014
    8
    Graphically beautiful, fun campaign, fluid controls, great set-pieces and addicting multiplayer, Halo 4 is a welcome entry to the franchise. While it doesn't quite reach the heights of 1 and 2, and the campaign is fairly short, it's still entertaining as hell.
  85. jtfl2000
    Mar 14, 2014
    6
    Seriously? Halo 4 is the same game. The story isn't that interesting to the other halo games. The online play is mostly the same thing and, it's HALO. I like halo, but I seriously cannot keep hearing everyone saying it is a new version of halo. ITS THE SAME GAME!
  86. herbertlives
    Mar 14, 2014
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. i have been playing halo since halo 2 and i LOVE it! in halo 4 the master cheif returns to destroy the didact while his A.I, Cortana is facing rampancy, a virus A.I get in about 7-8 years. i personally 343 did a great job on the campaign, as they have added features fans have wanted for years. i personnaly think that 343 didnt bring the very best out in multiplayer and the all new spartan ops. i do not believe spartan ops and multipalyer are the WORST, but i think they can get old after a while. to me spartan ops is repititve with some twists from time to time. multiplayer is fun if you find a gamemode right for you. other than that halo 4 is an amazing game. i have to give 343 credit, because this is there 1st halo game and most studios new to a franchise dont do as well as 343. halo is a difficult game to master design wise. keep up the good work 343 and thx for making are halo dreams come true! P.S in halo 4 there are no UNSC air vehicles.… Expand
  87. nkanhai
    Mar 14, 2014
    6
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. (Minimal spoilers)

    I honestly can't give this game more than a 6 for the simple reason that throughout the entire playthrough, I couldn't help but feel bored and disinterested in the characters, the plot, the chief and Cortana, or the action. Please note, this is a review of the single-player campaign only.

    I've always loved the Halo series, in its prime the game was an incredible showing of what shooters could be. A combination of fun, semi-open field exploration with vehicles of all sizes, battling against untold odds. Halo Reach was a decent addition to a great series, adding important backstory to the Chief's grand adventure. Halo 4, on the other hand, adds little to the mythos of the chief, trying instead to forge a 2-dimensional relationship between the him and the AI Cortana.

    The gameplay felt tedius at times, where I'd often think to myself 'oh great, yet another section of the game that I don't want to complete', and I'd force myself through it because I'm that kind of gamer. That is, hopeful, wishing for this game to pick up the pace and throw some interesting combat at me. Instead, it was rehash after rehash, with repetitive enemy battles throughout. They basically introduce the principle enemies at you near the beginning of the game, and they recycle the same ones over and over and over again.

    As for the story, I still don't know what the hell happened. I'm no slouch when it comes to picking up on complex philosophical implications, but this story was way over my head. Who was the principle enemy? Why do I care? What's his motive for destroying humanity if humanity poses little to no threat to the galaxy? Why does human technology integrate so easily into theirs? This is basically how it goes: Chief wakes up from slumber, **** going down, somehow through the expanse of space he meets up with a human ship, they run into a giant mechanical planet thing, chief **** **** up, casualties of war happen, the chief blows a nuke and doesn't die, humanity wins and the chief loses.

    The one part of the game that kept me engaged was the visuals. I have to hand it to 343, they made a handsome looking game. The fidelity was sharp and the colors bright and vibrant. The enemies were well designed and the worlds felt real. While running through space stations you felt like you were there. The sound design was also top notch, with an excellent musical track to carry through the otherwise sleepy and predictable storyline.

    I bought it used for $15 on amazon. Personally the game didn't resonate with me, but it was worth what I'd paid for it. I don't think I would recommend this game to my friends, so I wouldn't recommend it to you. If you don't mind the lack of a story and gameplay that has regressed from its prior glory in order to play as the chief again, go for it. If you care about progress in gaming, leave this one on the rack.    … Expand
  88. DesNukem
    Mar 13, 2014
    5
    Two things up front. Firstly I’m a long-term Halo fan, having played all the games from the beginning -- not some PS3 fanboy. Secondly, both positive and negative User reviews on this site have been grossly over-exaggerated for dubious reasons. Let’s be realistic folks, few games deserve a zero and no game is worthy of a 10 because no game is perfect!

    I had high hopes for Halo 4 after    Two things up front. Firstly I’m a long-term Halo fan, having played all the games from the beginning -- not some PS3 fanboy. Secondly, both positive and negative User reviews on this site have been grossly over-exaggerated for dubious reasons. Let’s be realistic folks, few games deserve a zero and no game is worthy of a 10 because no game is perfect!

    I had high hopes for Halo 4 after the superb job that 343i did in revamping the original Halo. Perhaps they should have stuck to polishing other people’s games for a while because, sadly, they don’t seem to have the finesse (yet) to create an admirable game from scratch. When I first read the Quarter to Three review by Tom Chick in the Critic section, I felt it was a bit harsh but after playing Halo 4 for myself, I now consider it a tactful understatement.

    As far as I’m concerned, the only real improvements in Halo 4 are the more realistic sound effects and cut scenes. Clearly these two elements are a cut above previous Halo games but just about everything else is a backward step and second-rate for a AAA title. For all the hype from 343i about the game being a labor of love, there is a shocking lack of attention to detail not found in Bungie’s instalments. But of course, most fans won’t be prepared to admit that because a successful continuation of the series means so much to them. It’s an emotional investment – sort of like staying with a bad lover for old time’s sake.

    As others have stated, the Halo 4 story is boring and manipulative with unsympathetic characters and repetitive scenarios. Somehow, it also manages to be confusing and cliche-ridden at the same time – just what you don’t want in a game, particularly a FPS. (Unless it’s satire and this isn’t – it’s overblown seriousness).

    The superlatives being lavished on the graphics by many reviewers are way over the top. For me, good graphics are in the details and many in Halo 4 are noticeably absent. Gone, for example, is the superb purple and bronze pattern detail previously found in Covenant hardware. Some of the alien architecture may look impressive but the backgrounds are often foggy and indistinct. A close inspection of outdoor environments and objects reveals nothing but jagged, blocky and/or blurred textures. Those representing the terrain are muddy and ugly while foliage and fire look like they were rendered in a primary school art class! Decals (projectile damage) look nice but are inconsistent, appearing only on certain surfaces and sometimes they look sharper than those surfaces themselves, which is ludicrous. A useful graphics comparison can be found in some of the beautifully detailed weapons and environments of the Serious Sam HD games and they were made by a much smaller company on a fraction of the budget!

    Another aspect where Halo 4 falls short is the AI. For example, at the beginning of the Campaign chapter, Size Matters, I experienced a fellow Spartan continually running into a rock face. Belting him with a melee attack had absolutely no effect on his mindless course of action so I eventually threw a grenade at him and he jet-packed to the adjacent Mammoth. That glaring faults this basic were allowed through to the final build of a multi-million dollar project is an absolute disgrace and demonstrates a distinct lack of respect for the fan base! In addition, the beloved Covenant species have had many of their personality attributes that made them so interesting to fight, reduced or removed altogether. They now share the stage with generic new enemies which are highly reminiscent of those from other games. Anyone else notice a resemblance between the Promethean Watchers and Crawlers of Halo 4, and the Icarus and Parasite creatures from Quake 2? Or the Promethean Knight and the Bloodletter Daemon from Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine? The appearance and behaviour of these pairs is strikingly similar!

    Enough has been said about the multiplayer aspect by others – obviously a blatant blending of COD features to draw in that crowd. Firefight is sorely missed and Spartan Ops is a thinly-veiled attempt to increase Gold account sales on Xbox Live.

    Other major gripes include: the extremely bland game menus (hate the floating debris image), limited brightness control, rigid corpses, clipping, minor objects that can’t be damaged, invisible walls, and VERY weak grenades.

    I give Halo 4 a score of 5 for retaining a semblance of the enjoyable core combat of the series but if there’s genuine pride in the making of this game, it’s hard to detect from the final result. Perhaps it’s a case of "too many cooks spoil the broth" but it smells more like a money tree to me.

    NOTE: This review was initially posted in Nov. 2012 but somehow it was deleted from Metacritic so I've had to resubmit it.    … Expand
  89. Eole
    Mar 11, 2014
    10
    The first time you play the game, all you can say is: awesome. Not only the addicted shooting and action throughout the game, but also the very memorable story, and plus, the almost-unbeatable outstanding visual. You cannot help but falling in the famous multiplayer of the game. Without a doubt this game is the killer application, a genuine signature game of XBOX 360. If you intend to buyThe first time you play the game, all you can say is: awesome. Not only the addicted shooting and action throughout the game, but also the very memorable story, and plus, the almost-unbeatable outstanding visual. You cannot help but falling in the famous multiplayer of the game. Without a doubt this game is the killer application, a genuine signature game of XBOX 360. If you intend to buy a XBOX just for playing Halo 4, it's a good reason… Expand
  90. bxrHalogod
    Mar 11, 2014
    0
    This game is a disgrace to the series. Please support Halo 2 Anniversary. It's our only hope as 343i has let us down. Do not buy Halo 5 because it's clear they have killed halo. Only support past title remakes!
  91. roflhanz
    Mar 11, 2014
    0
    disgrace to the franchise. halo 2 anniversary is the only hope. bxr and button combos must return. halo 4 killed our community and destroyed all hope for 343. do not buy halo 5 or support anything, but remakes from bungie games.
  92. canadianidiot
    Mar 10, 2014
    10
    This was one of the best first person shooters that I have ever played, this was the first halo game I ever played and I'm glad that I got into the series. The campaign was incredible I loved the story and the multiplayer is just plain awesome even though the ps4 and xbox one came out me and my friends can play this game anytime if you haven't played this game you must play it immediately!
  93. lightbreathing
    Mar 6, 2014
    7
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. (First things first: this is a critique of the campaign. I am not a multi-player gamer.)

    I think there is a point when a video game or film franchise goes from being fun and made with enthusiasm and talent to being purely a cash cow.

    Halo 4 is such a game. Bungie rightfully designed, explored and closed their Halo games by incorporating a trilogy, a side-story and a prequel (Halo Wars is in another category). One can only imagine once Microsoft had 343 take over Master Chief's universe, they didn't so much see the mythology evolving and the story going deeper but more dollar signs. And let's face it, that's what the industry is all about, creating great games, making money.

    The trouble is when your audience sees through the ruse and realizes the game is less about them and more about the profit margin, there is a loss of spirit in the actual game playing.

    And that's what Halo 4 is: spiritless. Sure on the surface, the graphics, the sound, the story are all at Halo standards but here again, the game is beautiful while being less fun and the further players explore Planet Requiem and take down the Prometheans, the levels tediously pile on and the enemy onslaught becomes even more tiring.

    With the Covenant, at least there is a comedic character to them. The Prometheans, on the other hand, are rather dull and remind me of long-forgotten Happy Meal toys from the 80s. They are not so much menacing as unavoidable in their combat style. The only strategy in fighting them is perseverance if little else. And as for the Didact and the Librarian and the Composer, it all turns into a convoluted mess at times and you're really trying hard to care and at the same time forgive the operatic hyperbole of the mythology. Halo 4 is what happens when 'epic' becomes closer to ridiculous.

    What kept me playing is the story between Master Chief and Cortana. The voice acting is superb and on-par with the best Hollywood animated movies. With Cortana, especially, from the facial expressions to the gestures, we've come along way from Combat Evolved's clunky cut scenes.

    Yet, despite the small pleasures of the voice acting, this is just a barely-above average FPS. If it didn't have the Halo concept, the story and mythos, the gamer would be just playing any other action shoot-em up.

    It's good, but not great. At times, not even fun. 343 basically replaced The Flood with the Prometheans and took cues from The Flood stages to create similar bland levels to fight the bland waves of enemies. The Covenant levels were the best to play and thankfully there were more than I expected. The story and the relationship between Master Chief and Cortana were the only reasons I carried on. Otherwise, unlike Halo 3 or Reach, I won't bother to revisit this campaign. This game is beautiful to look at but for the most part (again, aside from the dramatic cut scenes), it's quite soulless. Halo fans deserve better and 343 and Microsoft have created their cash cow and will most likely continue to worship it and pump out more of the same. For the record, I probably won't bother with the next one in the series. Halo, from what Halo 4 shows me, rightfully belonged to Bungie and can't be crafted with the same care and passion by any other company.    … Expand
  94. Clarkeyy93
    Mar 4, 2014
    9
    I feel this is a brilliant start to a new saga with a new studio. I've read a lot of comments about this not being Halo but I believe it is a step in the right direction. With stunning visuals, pumped up audio and a compelling story I have played through the campaign many times. There is; however, room for improvement on the multiplayer side, especially when it comes to integrating DLCI feel this is a brilliant start to a new saga with a new studio. I've read a lot of comments about this not being Halo but I believe it is a step in the right direction. With stunning visuals, pumped up audio and a compelling story I have played through the campaign many times. There is; however, room for improvement on the multiplayer side, especially when it comes to integrating DLC maps better into play-lists so that players get to actually use the maps they have purchased. The new Spartan ops; although adding great story, leaves a lot to be desired with a lot of map recycling. Overall this game is definitely worth checking out and leaves you counting down to Halo 5.… Expand
  95. Billy_Benoit
    Mar 2, 2014
    9
    Maybe I liked this game because I'm a huge Halo fan, but regardless I believe that this game is worth a purchase. Even if you dislike its multiplayer, the campaign is so fun especially with friends. Not many games allow you to play the campaign with three others and still earn all achievements/trophies. This alone is why Halo is better than so many other games. You can spend countlessMaybe I liked this game because I'm a huge Halo fan, but regardless I believe that this game is worth a purchase. Even if you dislike its multiplayer, the campaign is so fun especially with friends. Not many games allow you to play the campaign with three others and still earn all achievements/trophies. This alone is why Halo is better than so many other games. You can spend countless hours having so much fun playing the campaign with friends. But after that's over you can always play multiplayer. New maps, new guns and same old Halo fun. In addition there is a new co-op campaign mode called Spartan Ops where you and friends can be part of an elite Spartan group and experience what it's like to be a Spartan other than Master Chief.… Expand
  96. Deusex
    Mar 2, 2014
    4
    343 destroyed halo.

    Pros:
    Great graphics.
    Good controls.
    Nice sound track.

    Cons:
    Bad level design.
    Like 5 hrs long.
    No fire fight...
    Map editor mode is worse then Reach.
    Master chief is the most over hyped protagonist of all time.
    Aliens suck.

    Recommendation: go buy crysis 3. Not this garbage.
  97. MechaMento
    Feb 26, 2014
    9
    343 Industries were given the privilege to continue Bungie's hit series Halo right from where they left off of. The hype and expectations for the next edition to the saga were extremely high so there was little room for error.
    And little error there was...
    The game opens with an extremely well crafted cut scene. It felt like I was watching a film and at some scenes it was hard to tell    343 Industries were given the privilege to continue Bungie's hit series Halo right from where they left off of. The hype and expectations for the next edition to the saga were extremely high so there was little room for error.
    And little error there was...

    The game opens with an extremely well crafted cut scene. It felt like I was watching a film and at some scenes it was hard to tell whether the characters were programed or living actors. Unlike games like Sonic 06 the rest of the game looks great too. We are not just greeted by something beautiful, the visuals last and last in true cinematic fashion.

    Along with the graphics the environment and world design is artistic.There is a sense of atmosphere you get while playing Halo 4. There is just the right balance between futuristic areas and natural which makes you remember that Halo takes place in the future of this universe and not in some completely new and unrecognizable universe, since there is so much relatable to Earth and our knowledge on other planets.

    The visuals and world design are complemented by the audio. From the Dramatic theme to the weapon sound effects this game sounds great. Great isn't one of my best words to describe something either. While Halo 4's audio is up there with some of my other top sounding games, it certainly can match with some of the Masterpieces like Half-Life 2, Legend of Zelda: Majora's mask and even Halo Combat Evolved for the original Xbox and PC. This is only a small fraction of the reason why I didn't give it a 10 out of 10.

    Most people complain that the gameplay in the Halo series is very repetitive and get generic as the series progresses. Having played through almost all of the Halo series I haven't really felt that there is any major repetivity. The concept has been the same throughout the series and there haven't been any minor evolutions in Gameplay but the game still feel fresh. 343 managed to keep the game new without ruining any game mechanics. It is mainly to do with the Level Design and World Design which I have already praised. There is a distinct feel to each halo game and in Halo 4 the levels are generally spread out and full of places to explore once you get past the open stage. While most area's are new and done in 343's unique styles in environment there are still one or two areas that I can relate to previous Halo titles.

    Halo 4's story is also a big role in creating this almost perfect masterpiece. It is a shame that most games these days, particularly FPS's, don't have stories you can get into. Most are multiplayer based and the focus on the actual game appears minimal. Halo 4 is one of the very few games that I can get into story wise. I didn't play the campaign just to get the achievements, I played it because it is good!

    The true reason for me to drop a mark is because of a certain enemy. That being the Knights. While I am a person who likes difficult games like CastleVania, Megaman that the more recent Angry Video Game Nerd Adventures but while playing in Heroic or Legendary the Knights are very cheap. In the games I just mentioned you are only to blame when messing up. The other enemies are like that in Halo as well and clearing a room of elites in legendary is very rewarding.
    The Knights are very over powered and they will only stress the player out. to my knowledge they have the same health and strength as the Elites yet they come with the assistance of bots that'll heal them besides they can heal themselves just like you and Elites can. Instead of running away from you they can teleport and by the time you find them they have or are beginning to recharge. This really becomes when there are more than one Knight around. I remember being stuck for a long time on this certain part of the third mission of the game. I have to say that part and other Knight encounters are rated high up in some of the hardest parts across the whole series and unfortunately the difficult was cheap and you never felt that it was your fault and you resort to blaming the game.

    The Knight is the concept to make me frown while playing this game. There are some other minor floors including some glitches but most of them have patched the only other flaw worth mentioning is the OP Mantis' but they don't bother me much at all. This leaves me to only drop one mark from perfection. 343 did an great job continuing the series. Though it may not be as good as Combat Evolved and Halo 2 I highly recommend this and I am eager to play Halo 5 when it is released.    … Expand
  98. Evman
    Feb 18, 2014
    10
    Halo 4 feels like the natural evolution of the series.
    It takes the best elements of Halo 3 and Reach and combines them into an authentic Master Chief experience!
    I'm coming back to the game now after about a year off. I've finished it on Legendary now and am getting into some multiplayer. As much as the player base has dropped over the last year or so, matches can be found with relative    Halo 4 feels like the natural evolution of the series.
    It takes the best elements of Halo 3 and Reach and combines them into an authentic Master Chief experience!
    I'm coming back to the game now after about a year off. I've finished it on Legendary now and am getting into some multiplayer. As much as the player base has dropped over the last year or so, matches can be found with relative ease.
    I was never big on the COD multiplayer. Halo 4 is where it's at for me until Titanfall drops. I want my futuristic machines, yo!    … Expand
  99. ArchiOshawott
    Feb 16, 2014
    8
    343 industries was tasked with producing a follow-up on the Halo trilogy, to add yet more into the universe known as the Halo Nation. They knew that what they would develop would automatically become canon, to be judged under intense scrutiny. Fans of thus franchise are among the most 'honest' fan bases out there, and there was no room for failure.

    Thankfully, 'Halo 4' largely delivers    343 industries was tasked with producing a follow-up on the Halo trilogy, to add yet more into the universe known as the Halo Nation. They knew that what they would develop would automatically become canon, to be judged under intense scrutiny. Fans of thus franchise are among the most 'honest' fan bases out there, and there was no room for failure.

    Thankfully, 'Halo 4' largely delivers on the experience fans have come to expect from this all-conquering franchise.

    What grabs you first, at least in my opinion, is the graphics. Compared to Halo 3, it feels as if a light covering of smoke had been cleared, bringing everything into sharper focus. It is superior than anything Halo 3 could muster in this department, made clearly by the rendering of Cortana. It is honesty surprising that both '3' and '4' were released on the same console.

    The soundtrack for this game is incredible, and there is no one here that can summon an effective argument otherwise. While the signature 'Halo' theme song will remain the best piece of all, '4''s piece takes on a variety of feelings, especially prominent when it highlights the intense danger Spartan 117 finds himself in, while also providing a suitable backdrop to Cortana's mental degradation, and the exchanges both she and her Spartan initiate in.

    The story, however, takes the shine off this game, just a miniscule, insignificant amount. While anyone with a heart would flinch from Cortana's fate, after spending the entire game attempting to find Halsey and repair her, introducing the Covenant was a bit of a misstep, considering both Humanity and they had formed a truce. True, runaway factions occur in real life engagements, but the game would have benefited from the sole attention of the main Antagonist, and his plan. While focusing on the Covenant, their designs were needlessly altered, looking nothing like the creatures that had graced the previous three Halo games ( not their armor, but the aliens themselves.)
    Other than that, however, Halo 4 remains one of the best releases for the franchise, as well as the most lucrative, which only shows that 343 industries had managed to fulfill the brief, satisfying 95% of fans.    … Expand
  100. dante_finn
    Jan 31, 2014
    10
    Best Xbox game I have ever played! The war games are feroucious and compettitive! the backgroumd design for the levels are amazing....................
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Awards & Rankings

17
#17 Best Xbox 360 Game of 2012
2
#2 Most Discussed Xbox 360 Game of 2012
2
#2 Most Shared Xbox 360 Game of 2012

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
87

Generally favorable reviews - based on 87 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 83 out of 87
  2. Mixed: 3 out of 87
  3. Negative: 1 out of 87
  1. Hyper Magazine
    Dec 17, 2012
    90
    Halo 4 eschews esoteric delivery for a sledgehammer story with a blockbuster aesthetic. Epic, engaging and sensorially awesome. [Jan 2013, p.60]
  2. Eurogamer Portugal
    Dec 5, 2012
    90
    In the end, this game is still a fairly conservative and faithful to the original spirit, even with some significant changes.
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  3. DailyGame
    Dec 3, 2012
    75
    The narrative is outstanding, even in spite of a few plot-point missteps, and the character evolution of Master Chief and Cortana deserves to be further explored with these wonderful storytellers (well, maybe one of them can't happen, but I'll avoid spoilers). However, the gameplay feels jilted, awkward and unrefined, three unforgivable sins in a landscape populated with other quite-capable FPS franchises. As a result, I'm going to average everything out: great story plus bad gameplay equals an average experience. And in this overcrowded FPS genre, "average" is isn't something I'd recommend buying.
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