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. Tanner_Warren
    Dec 31, 2013
    8
    Halo 4 Typed Review By Tanner Warren

    When it comes to Halo 4, there is no denying that it has become the greatest of the great when it comes to multiplayer kick butt action but I found the campaign to be lack-luster final thought. It almost seems like 343 knew that the Halo fan base wouldn't like a new company taking charge of there beloved game the hold so fondly to there hearts so    Halo 4 Typed Review By Tanner Warren

    When it comes to Halo 4, there is no denying that it has become the greatest of the great when it comes to multiplayer kick butt action but I found the campaign to be lack-luster final thought. It almost seems like 343 knew that the Halo fan base wouldn't like a new company taking charge of there beloved game the hold so fondly to there hearts so they added in the return of John 177 or Master Chief as he's more commonly known, to reach a new level of hype surrounding Halo since the original game. The graphics were stunning and topped Black ops 2, MW3, and Battlefield 3 (The Xbox versions). As for the things I didn't like, pop in textures were a problem for me as well as the fact that it felt less detailed than Halo Reach. All of this in consideration, I give it a awesome score of 8/10 For graphics and textures!

    As for multiplayer gameplay, Halo 4 has a wide variety of maps and game modes with enough action to keep you hooked for hundreds of hours. I was shocked and a little excited to hear that multiplayer was now supporting custom loadouts and armor abilities. The ability to chose which guns and gear you want instead of scavenging for it is great. Some may say it is becoming to much like Call of Duty with the loudouts, but I believe its a step in the right direction. However the new ordnance feature feels a little out of place. In a game based on strategy and quick thinking, it feels wrong to call in a noobie one shot weapon like the binary rifle. Oh and speaking of noobish weaponry, how about them bolt-shots. If your going to let us have a secondary "pocket shotgun" then why not let us have a real shotty. There is also a spartan ops mini campaign that ties up the lose ends. Spartan ops consisting of 10 episodes with 5 chapters ranging form 10-20 minutes depending on the difficulty and number of players. All this in consideration, I give multiplayer gameplay a 8/10!

    Unlike the multiplayer, the campaign felt short and predictable. At all times I felt myself using the same tactics. Shoot the watchers at long range, move in and kill all the runners by shooting in the head and then take out the knights in single combat. As for the final boss fight? A quicktime event leaving us with a cheesy cliffhanger ending encouraging us to spend $499.99 on an Xbox one and wait for Halo 5 to conclude what the heck just happened with Master Chief. I regretfully give Halo 4's campaign a 4/10.

    Moving on to sound, the guns feel much more meaty and satisfying to shoot! The Halo orchestra really out did themselves with the music for this one! I felt like I was marching off to war against the filthy covenant! So basically, THE SOUND WAS FREAKING AWESOME! I give the sound a Bass drop'n 10/10!

    The multiplayer in Halo 4 was very addictive and hard to pass up. Even as I bought and played new games such as X-COM, I found myself putting in my Halo 4 disc within minuets giving the lasting appeal another awesome 9/10.

    Rounding Halo 4's total to a great score of 8/10! A truly epic game!

    -Tanner Warren    … Expand
  2. guitarguy001
    Jan 8, 2014
    8
    A really good shooter. A good story, memorable characters, a really good soundtrack, some of the best visuals on the 360 and an extremely fun and addicting multi-player experience. While not an innovative title and adds nothing we never saw in the previous Halo titles, it's still a fun game to play through and if you invite your friends over, prepare to spend hours in this game.
  3. 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
  4. 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
  5. 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
  6. 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
  7. 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
  8. 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
  9. 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
  10. 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
  11. 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
  12. sutekh
    Jan 14, 2016
    8
    Pretty much what you'd expect from another Halo game. If you liked Halo 3 and Halo Reach and all the other games, you'll enjoy this one. If you weren't a fan of the others this won't do anything to change your view.
  13. Mitya64
    Jan 14, 2018
    8
    Не интересный сюжет. Отвратительные противники. Хороший геймплей. Отличный графон. В целом хорошо, но скучно.
  14. PuppetMaster251
    Apr 25, 2017
    8
    A lot of people hate this game and i really don't see why. It seems like a solid halo game to me, and i have enjoyed it since its release. Specifically i like the longer range combat and greater focus on vehicles, which was a nice change for the series. And this game is just about as good as it gets for graphics on the xbox 360. My only gripes are the connection issues and sometimes theA lot of people hate this game and i really don't see why. It seems like a solid halo game to me, and i have enjoyed it since its release. Specifically i like the longer range combat and greater focus on vehicles, which was a nice change for the series. And this game is just about as good as it gets for graphics on the xbox 360. My only gripes are the connection issues and sometimes the player-base is annoying, consisting mainly of annoying under-13s.… Expand
  15. ViniVillela
    Dec 3, 2017
    8
    It has a great storyline, but can be really confusing if you don´t know the lore of the game. Has some problems in the design of the missions, who are very linear, but that are fun anyway. Multiplayer really annoys me, with some dumb decisions. But i am a fan of Halo for it´s campaign, so really liked it, but doesn´t surpass any Bungie game.
  16. JohnnyS89
    Mar 14, 2019
    8
    Multi player returns to a style closer to the originals and the story is thought provoking and pretty engaging.
  17. LeoChikis
    Jun 23, 2020
    8
    I understand why this is a hated Halo game, but for me is good, and is my 2nd favorite Halo game... don´t kill me.
    But honestly I love this game, the story is not the best but is ok, the gameplay is as good as the other Halo and the graphics.... delicious. For an Xbox 360, the graphics are so good.
    I know is not the best, but I really like it.
  18. Taylord99
    Aug 12, 2018
    8
    Personally, I don't understand why this game gets the amount of hate that it does. Sure, it's not Bungie, but it's an incredibly impressive first effort from 343 Studios, who in my opinion, did a great job advancing Master Chief's story and legacy. The campaign is outstanding and is a great story. The multiplayer is also fun and addicting. However, what this game sorely misses is thePersonally, I don't understand why this game gets the amount of hate that it does. Sure, it's not Bungie, but it's an incredibly impressive first effort from 343 Studios, who in my opinion, did a great job advancing Master Chief's story and legacy. The campaign is outstanding and is a great story. The multiplayer is also fun and addicting. However, what this game sorely misses is the Firefight mode. That mode is incredibly fun and would've added even more to the game. Overall, Halo 4 is a great game.… Expand
  19. Onask
    Dec 28, 2018
    8
    Halo 4 no innova en ningún apartado, pero todo lo que hace lo hace mejor que sus precursores: Halo 3 y Reach.

    Mecánicamente, Halo 4 es el mejor juego de la saga hasta ese momento de manera indiscutible. La sensación de disparo, la satisfacción, la mayor variedad de armas y el control de los vehículos, así como la posibilidad de usar un Jetpack y Sprint a la vez hace que todo sea mucho    Halo 4 no innova en ningún apartado, pero todo lo que hace lo hace mejor que sus precursores: Halo 3 y Reach.

    Mecánicamente, Halo 4 es el mejor juego de la saga hasta ese momento de manera indiscutible. La sensación de disparo, la satisfacción, la mayor variedad de armas y el control de los vehículos, así como la posibilidad de usar un Jetpack y Sprint a la vez hace que todo sea mucho más fluido, variado y divertido.

    La historia es sensiblera, pero cumple. Me gusta mucho más el corte épico de otros Halo en los que una gran misión les aguarda y no tiran tanto hacia el rollo sentimental como la propia palabra indica.

    En cuanto al apartado artístico, encontramos una sorprendente potencia visual con grandes modelos, entornos, texturas y efectos gráficos (recordemos que la querida consola en la que se mueve salió en 2005). Una banda sonora impecable como ya nos tiene acostumbrados la saga y unas cinemáticas que poco tienen que envidiar a los mejores del sector.

    Del multijugador no puedo decir nada, pero seguro que es tan bueno como en anteriores entregas.

    Imprescindible si tienes una Xbox 360.    … Expand
  20. MYP
    Jun 18, 2021
    8
    Halo 4 is the best halo since halo 2, the story is mature and magnificent and the Gameplay is fresh and new, but let's not talk about the multiplayer.
  21. Shimmeywill
    Feb 26, 2020
    8
    A marked step down in design, characters and enemy design. However, the strong gunplay, visuals and level design prop this title up.
  22. NycolaSnice
    Nov 1, 2019
    8
    MT bom mas eu preferi o 3 mas o jogo é MT bom vale apena comprar e ele tmb tá disponível na retro
  23. KlaatuHorror
    Jun 26, 2020
    8
    Un buen juego aunque le falta la épica del 3. Sigue siendo una gozada jugar con él.
  24. nightstroller
    Apr 30, 2020
    8
    Without bothering to scroll through the older reviews, I'm sure some/many will mention the developers, and how it's not bungie, but for me, this was a great game. It's hard to believe it has been eight years since it first came out. Seems like only a few years ago I was still obsessed with finding a way to make chief's armor from this game as a halloween costume.

    The way the story was    Without bothering to scroll through the older reviews, I'm sure some/many will mention the developers, and how it's not bungie, but for me, this was a great game. It's hard to believe it has been eight years since it first came out. Seems like only a few years ago I was still obsessed with finding a way to make chief's armor from this game as a halloween costume.

    The way the story was weaved in with the gameplay was mesmerizing. It took what halo had always done and put it up on a grand stage in terms of storytelling. It was because of playing this that I become invested in the lore of not only the games but the halo universe, reading the canon books about the chief's rise to legend.

    It's a weird wish/dream of mine, but if I could play as the chief but in a more open world with looting and more NPCs to interact with, that would be a game I could play for many years. But I guess a game like that, A) has kind of already been done and it was meh (Rage 2), and B) it would no longer be the halo I once loved.

    Halo 4
    Gameplay Enjoyability (0 - worst, 10 - best)

    Visuals - 7* (at the time of release, it was probably more like a 9)
    Combat - 9
    Story - 10
    Music - 10 (I don't know if much was done from the original score, but it sounds like halo music to me, rock on!)
    Steve Downes voice acting - 10    … Expand
  25. yangfanhong
    Oct 29, 2020
    8
    A great game, a great halo. Didn’t feel so much difference from the Bungie halo. The graphics is advanced.
  26. Cjmolina007
    Jul 21, 2020
    8
    I remember before I had an Xbox and after this game came out, a lot of fans weren't all that pleased with it. When I finally picked it up I was expecting this to be pretty bad, but to my surprise I actually found this do be pretty enjoyable. Not better than the original trilogy but I can appreciate what they were trying to do. Improved graphics with awesome sound, the technical side isI remember before I had an Xbox and after this game came out, a lot of fans weren't all that pleased with it. When I finally picked it up I was expecting this to be pretty bad, but to my surprise I actually found this do be pretty enjoyable. Not better than the original trilogy but I can appreciate what they were trying to do. Improved graphics with awesome sound, the technical side is just great. The story with the new set of villains kept me on my toes and actually made me want to continue with the story to see where they were going. If you LOVE the original trilogy, I can maybe see why those wouldn't like this game but honestly if you give it a chance I think you'll find enjoyment out of it as I did.… Expand
  27. JohnnArmstrong
    Feb 23, 2022
    8
    To be honest, I don't understand the hate for this game at all. Yes it is true that the campaign was the one that took me the least time to complete but the graphic progress of Halo 3 to 4 is something impressive. The narrative is good and sets the stage for what will happen in Guardians. I guess the hate is because the developer switched from Bungie to 343 but I don't consider it a badTo be honest, I don't understand the hate for this game at all. Yes it is true that the campaign was the one that took me the least time to complete but the graphic progress of Halo 3 to 4 is something impressive. The narrative is good and sets the stage for what will happen in Guardians. I guess the hate is because the developer switched from Bungie to 343 but I don't consider it a bad game at all.… Expand
  28. JLord701
    Sep 15, 2022
    8
    I'll be honest. This is not as good as the bungie games. The story and gameplay are both inferior to the masterpieces bungie crafted all those years ago. However, this is a very good and a very well made game. It really grew on me the 2nd time I played it. The first time, I did not enjoy the campaign. Maybe it was because I had covid. On the other hand, the 2nd time, my opinion completelyI'll be honest. This is not as good as the bungie games. The story and gameplay are both inferior to the masterpieces bungie crafted all those years ago. However, this is a very good and a very well made game. It really grew on me the 2nd time I played it. The first time, I did not enjoy the campaign. Maybe it was because I had covid. On the other hand, the 2nd time, my opinion completely changed. I don't know exactly what did it, but I was able to appreciate the story much more. The gameplay on the other hand, is still certainly what suffers. Don't get me wrong, I still enjoyed it, but it suffers from linear level design and unpredictable AI. Probably my biggest problem however, is the extremely low ammo count for some weapons. Some, like the battle rifle for example, stay , more or less the same, but weapons like the plasma pistol have such a low count compared to previous games. It's unfortunate, because you will likely use this weapon often on higher difficulties. I am also not the biggest fan of the art style. It isn't bad in its own right, but it more or less completely abandons the style of halo 3. From a technical standpoint though, this game looks and sounds incredible. It's crazy to think this game came out nearly ten years ago on the 360. It looks even better on 9th gen, and 120fps is greatly appreciated. Overall, while this did not live up to bungie's excellent halo trilogy, it is still extremely well made, and takes the series in new directions. I think it's the best game since reach.… Expand
  29. JKGamer76
    Sep 30, 2020
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I liked it very much. The gameplay is a very strong point in the game, the only thing I found a bit bad is the story, which is confused and dissolved in the campaign and a large amount of gameplay.… Expand
  30. CFMCritic
    May 16, 2021
    8
    Halo 4 is a very good game, it lacks some of the franchise's greatest strengths but it was a very good breath of fresh air, some of the level design in Halo 4 reminds me of Horizon Zero Dawn and that shows Halo 4 was way ahead of its time. 343's depiction of a Sci-fi military shooter was almost perfect and a true AAA experience.
  31. LeoMux2004
    May 27, 2021
    8
    Halo 4 é, na minha opinião, um dos melhores exclusivos do Xbox 360 senão O MELHOR! Os gráficos são lindos e a jogabilidade é fenomenal! O único ponto que ele peca na minha opinião é na duração, já que eu consegui zerar em um único dia, mas de resto é só amor! É obrigatório para qualquer dono de Xbox 360, até por que esse é o carro chefe da Microsoft, né, então pode esperar um jogo deHalo 4 é, na minha opinião, um dos melhores exclusivos do Xbox 360 senão O MELHOR! Os gráficos são lindos e a jogabilidade é fenomenal! O único ponto que ele peca na minha opinião é na duração, já que eu consegui zerar em um único dia, mas de resto é só amor! É obrigatório para qualquer dono de Xbox 360, até por que esse é o carro chefe da Microsoft, né, então pode esperar um jogo de qualidade!… Expand
  32. Cyborg_TDRK
    Jan 13, 2021
    8
    Saiu um pouco do rumo, ficou meio distante da trilogia original, mas ficou muito bom, realmente muito bom
  33. Mitch2611
    Mar 11, 2022
    8
    Good compelling story. Graphics are great. Campaign Level Design is mostly bad. Big Team Battle and infection are fun but the rest of multiplayer isn't very good. Overall a good game but not one of the better halo games.
  34. JavierGtz117
    Apr 16, 2021
    8
    Buen juego, buena historia, buen desarrollo, buenos gráficos os... Malos sonidos, mal multijugador y misiones repititivas.
  35. CloudStrife05
    Aug 19, 2021
    8
    Where the series began to go down but still an enjoyable game for FPS and Halo fans. Fans, NOT fanatics lol.
  36. Antonette_87
    Dec 7, 2021
    8
    Halo 4 es el primer videojuego de 343 Industries, y hace muchos cambios para empezar uno de esos cambios fue el diseño de personajes, donde el Jefe Maestro parece un puto tanque con extremidades y Cortana esta mas rica, así que punto doble. En Halo 4 añaden nuevos enemigos, y con ello un arsenal mucho mas amplio, y son muy diferentes a las demás y se siente muy bien al disparar. Yo creoHalo 4 es el primer videojuego de 343 Industries, y hace muchos cambios para empezar uno de esos cambios fue el diseño de personajes, donde el Jefe Maestro parece un puto tanque con extremidades y Cortana esta mas rica, así que punto doble. En Halo 4 añaden nuevos enemigos, y con ello un arsenal mucho mas amplio, y son muy diferentes a las demás y se siente muy bien al disparar. Yo creo que es el Halo que añade mas armas detrás de Halo 2, muy bien aquí por parte de 343. Falta hablar de la historia donde añaden mucha profundidad en los personajes en general, mas en el Jefe Maestro y en Cortana, y los enemigos me gustan en el apartado de gameplay (aunq el jefe final es una mierda xd) pero no me gusta como esta implementado en la historia, ya que no llega al nivel del Pacto ni mucho menos, que vuelve y no tiene ninguna relevancia en la historia, por cierto Halo 4 es una historia de ¿amor? entre el Jefe Maestro y Cortana, no me desagrada la idea pero tampoco es que me guste excesivamente, para mi lo que mas me atraía de Halo eran sus enemigos, conflictos, el anillo, etc. No esq me entusiasme si el Jefe Maestro se coje a Cortana. Como ves en este Halo cambian muchas cosas, y una de ellas es el multijugador, yo no lo jugue pero he escuchado que el multijugor estaba algo roto porq había una habilidad donde podías ver a tus enemigos detras de las paredes (q divertido) y se parecía mucho al COD, bien, PORQ HALO LE COPIA AL COD??? q desesperado tenía que estar 343 para copiar al COD, ah si por cierto este Halo esta roto y bugead completamente el modo historia donde literalmente hay un bug que literalmente te prohibe hace UNA MISIÓN ENTERA, en fin, una verguenza, aún así el juego es notable, tiene muchos fallos pero aún así se pude disfrutar, la primera obra de 343, no esta nada mal, a ver que hacen con Halo 5...… Expand
  37. JeffMen
    Oct 22, 2021
    8
    Halo 4 has its ups and downs, story wise halo 4 did a amazing job making master chief more human like and going into more lore about the forerunners then the other halo games did and looking into the relationship between master chief and cortana and the graphics was amazing for 2012. But the music of halo 4 didnt feel like halo music. It wasnt bad just not halo music, and the charactersHalo 4 has its ups and downs, story wise halo 4 did a amazing job making master chief more human like and going into more lore about the forerunners then the other halo games did and looking into the relationship between master chief and cortana and the graphics was amazing for 2012. But the music of halo 4 didnt feel like halo music. It wasnt bad just not halo music, and the characters didnt have that much life into them either. the game just didnt make me care enought about them, and the multiplayer felt too much like a COD wannabe. But halo 4 is a great play for a good story but would not recommend the multiplayer.… Expand
  38. L3Fari0us
    Nov 20, 2021
    8
    A drive for innovation that felt just right in some places, while it felt like it went too far on others.

    Halo 4 is the first one not developed by Bungie, but it's clear that those behind it were big fans of what had come before. The graphics are the best the series has ever seen, the art style and environments are top notch, for the most part, and the soundtrack retains the Halo magic    A drive for innovation that felt just right in some places, while it felt like it went too far on others.

    Halo 4 is the first one not developed by Bungie, but it's clear that those behind it were big fans of what had come before.
    The graphics are the best the series has ever seen, the art style and environments are top notch, for the most part, and the soundtrack retains the Halo magic but with a new spin.
    The gameplay is very strong and the abilities feel more useful than before, but the addition of sprint as a toggle instead of another ability might have been too much.
    The main focus of the story, which is the relationship between Master Chief and his A.I. companion, Cortana, is outstanding and it feels deeply personal, on a level that the series has never explored before and it resonates with the player. The main antagonistic force, however, was terribly implemented. A whole new enemy faction, which made no sense if you hadn't read or seen any of the extended material and throughout my playthrough I tried connecting the dots that from the information certain terminals would give. Their design also felt like something that did not belong in Halo and it was appalling when this new enemy faction appeared on the same place as the Covenant (original enemy faction). It was a night and day comparison.

    In conclusion, Halo 4 is at its best when it tries to be a small contained experience. The relationship between Master Chief and Cortana was the highlight of the whole experience, however the new enemy faction was so badly implemented and felt like a fish out of water. It was 343i's first big step and they tried to leave a mark. In my eyes, despite some sizable missteps, they succeeded.    … Expand
  39. DonldTrump_45Th
    Jan 26, 2023
    8
    Hello, this is a default review because i'm forced to use 75 characters. I'll edit this review in the future talking about the game, don't worry ;)

    My final rate is: 8
  40. CEOofPwnage
    Dec 13, 2021
    8
    Multiplayer wasn’t great however it was fun but not in the typical halo sense. Story was strong though not as good as previous entries.
  41. HuevoAlce
    Jun 26, 2022
    8
    343 Industries does a good job at keeping the legacy of Halo intact. The multiplayer is fun, and the single player is fantastic.
  42. goodgriff33
    Dec 24, 2022
    8
    Answer: 75 characters is between 10 words and 19 words with spaces included in the character count. If spaces are not included in the character count, then 75 characters is between 12 words and 25 words.
  43. Carlit3r
    Jun 27, 2023
    8
    11 años después vuelvo a jugar al juego desde su lanzamiento (esta vez en su versión de la MC Collection) y haré la reseña aquí porque hablaré específicamente de Halo 4, no de la MC Collection.

  44. emcoffey3
    Nov 14, 2012
    7
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. So how did 343i do with Bungie's baby? Here are my thoughts... GENERAL GAMEPLAY: - The core gameplay (95% of the game) is the Halo you know and love. - There is a cool "getaway" sequence similar to the end of Halo:CE and Halo 3, but in a Ghost. - There are a few quicktime sequences that are rather underwhelming. They should have either been more polished (and fun) or turned into cutscenes.
    - The flying sequences are a major letdown (more below). ENEMIES: - Grunts and Jackals remain unchanged. - Elites don't seem as tough as Reach, but they're basically the same. - Hunters seem the same, but there are very few of them. I complained about this in Reach, and it hasn't improved in Halo 4. - Sadly, there are no Brutes, Drones, or Skirmishers. Also no Flood, but I'm actually okay with that.
    - The new enemies (Prometheans) are fun to fight and offer some nice, new variety.
    - No Scarabs or boss battles.... boo. WEAPONS: - There are a LOT of guns. Most of the old classics are back, along with some great additions. - No dual-wielding, but most of those guns have been replaced, so you don't really miss it. - Grenades feel a bit underpowered, but not to the point of being useless. ARMOR ABILITIES: - Good mix of old and new. The much-hated Armor Lock is, of course, gone. - Running is no longer an Armor Ability and is always available, which makes sense. VEHICLES: - The Ghost, Warthog, and Scorpion all feel familiar and control smoothly. - The Banshee doesn't feel as polished as previous games, but it's passable. - MAJOR LETDOWN #1: You finally get to fly the Pelican, and she feels great, for all of 2 minutes. It goes: fly straight towards marker, take out Phantoms with extreme ease, enter building, repeat. 343i made flying the Pelican about as fun as my morning commute to work. Lamest flying sequence in a Halo game until... - MAJOR LETDOWN #2: Remember the mission in Reach that put you in a dogfight in space? Imagine the polar opposite of how awesome that was, and you have the Broadsword sequence in the final mission. The first part of this mess is basically an obstacle course where you die repeatedly until you figure it out and get the timing right. The second part involves flying around in a circle and shooting at stationary markers that you can't tell if you're doing any damage to. Eventually you figure out which angle to hit them from and this miserable sequence ends. This is officially my least favorite thing ever put in a Halo game. - The Mantis is a cool addition. The animation makes it seem rickety, but it ends up being pretty powerful. I knew they'd put a mech in Halo sooner or later... - No Falcon or Hornet... boo. VISUALS: - Amazing. This is the best Halo has ever looked. - MINOR GRIPE: The HUD is a bit difficult to read. It's a very light shade of blue, and can clash against some of the bright glowing environments (which there are a lot of). AUDIO
    - The music is very good, but doesn't surpass the classic O'Donnell score. It excels during the dark, emotional moments, but lacks the grand-sounding pieces that made for "big moments" in the original trilogy. - The sound effects are terrific. Guns sound amazing (even the Beam Rifle finally!). - The voice-acting is top-notch. STORY:
    - It goes in a new, interesting direction. - Dialogue is great. However, there are a few scenes between the Chief and Cortana that do feel a bit... uncomfortable. - I liked the ending, but it didn't really feel like the beginning of a new trilogy... CONCLUSION: Overall, Halo 4 is a great shooter. I liked it, but I'm not sure I loved it. It gets almost all of the big things right. The core gameplay is solid. Visuals, audio, and story are all top-notch. But the little things are what keep Halo 4 from perfection. Some suggestions for improvement next time: 1. The HUD should be crisp and easy to read. 2. Quicktime sequences should be polished, changed into cutscenes, or removed entirely. 3. Give me bigger stuff to kill. More Hunters, and maybe a Scarab or something similar. A boss battle or two wouldn't hurt. Also consider bringing back older enemy classes. 4. Bring back the Pelican, but give me a full-fledged mission! 5. If you're going to put me in space, give me a dogfight and leave out the obstacle courses.    … Expand
  45. Human
    Jan 17, 2013
    7
    The Master Chef returns with all new recipes and cooking supplies. I had an okay time with this game. The story was easily the worst part (but that's nothing new for Halo), but it looked great and played perfectly. The Multiplayer is very good as well, not much more to say about that. It's good. The score was a bit of a letdown and you can definitely tell this was not made by Bungie. It'sThe Master Chef returns with all new recipes and cooking supplies. I had an okay time with this game. The story was easily the worst part (but that's nothing new for Halo), but it looked great and played perfectly. The Multiplayer is very good as well, not much more to say about that. It's good. The score was a bit of a letdown and you can definitely tell this was not made by Bungie. It's lacking a certain Halo feel, which it makes up for in all new sounds for the guns (all sorts of pew-pews in this game, all sorts). Nothing revolutionary and will be quickly forgotten once Halo 5 comes out, but it's still fun.… Expand
  46. TheStranger
    Jan 26, 2013
    7
    If you play Halo for multiplayer I can't see this game sticking around for long. Something is just missing. I feel the level design of the maps left a lot to be desired. The visuals look really nice.
  47. Sh0dan
    Nov 22, 2012
    7
    This game is over hyped in my honest opinion. Not that its a bad game, its a solid shooter polished to a high sheen over numerous iterations since the original Halo: Combat Evolved. The problem for me is that it doesn't do anything new, fresh or innovative. Even the levels feel like they have been stripped directly from previous Halo games. Really, its just the same old Halo FPS many of usThis game is over hyped in my honest opinion. Not that its a bad game, its a solid shooter polished to a high sheen over numerous iterations since the original Halo: Combat Evolved. The problem for me is that it doesn't do anything new, fresh or innovative. Even the levels feel like they have been stripped directly from previous Halo games. Really, its just the same old Halo FPS many of us used to love, but are perhaps a bit jaded on and tired of now. The story doesn't do anything to reinvigorate the universe either. IMO some mysteries like the "who are the Forerunner?" should never have been answered. Pulling back the curtain reveals how poor the writers really are at science fiction. It really is an unnecessary addition to the universe and has thoroughly put me off the Halo universe for a lifetime. I'm not even interested in seeing a Halo movie after playing poor man Star Wars wannabe.... The levels and missions are some of the most linear and narrow of the entire Halo series, even worse than some of the horrendous railway tracks of Halo 2. There is only one level that stood out as expansive, choice driven mission, but after replaying it a second time that is actually a clever illusion and in fact you are kept on the critical path just as strictly as the first level. Add to that the inability to play the coop mode 'Spartan Ops' offline without a gold membership and the fact they only made the single player, secret terminal videos accessible via Halo Waypoint (which also requires a paid for membership - fu M$!) and unless your a Halo multiplayer PvP junky, then there isn't much to enjoy here.… Expand
  48. matroycem
    Apr 26, 2013
    7
    I have never really felt the love for Halo that has been going around since its inception on the original Xbox. Yes it was modern but it never really gripped me. The Halo games of Bungie never really seem to have much of a plot of me and it bored me going from point A on a map, into a building to point B and then going back to point A again. It seemed lazy level design.
    Halo 4 however    I have never really felt the love for Halo that has been going around since its inception on the original Xbox. Yes it was modern but it never really gripped me. The Halo games of Bungie never really seem to have much of a plot of me and it bored me going from point A on a map, into a building to point B and then going back to point A again. It seemed lazy level design.
    Halo 4 however seems to be a big step forward. 343 have made a few changes and brought in some decent new weapons and enemies and it did grip me more than other games. Gone has the annoying drop out of scope when you are shot and SOME of the jumps to checkpoints when a team mate passes into a new area. There is also very little back tracking in the main campaign.
    The story of the game is still very similar and doesn't really go anywhere for me but its not completely missing like it was in Halo 3 ODST. I still think that Halo need to remove the respawn trick on COOP when you can have one person hang back and if the other dies they respawn next to their fellow. Mean that some of the difficulty is sapped from the game.
    I am not much of an Online Multiplayer so I cannot give much of a review of this area but the little I did play was enjoyable enough. I think there are modes for all different abilities and the learning curve is not completely stupid like i found in the COD games.
    Its worth a purchase in my opinion.    … Expand
  49. Snipestrifer
    Dec 14, 2012
    7
    First let me get this out of the way. I don't hate Halo, I gave Halo 3 a 9 and Halo Reach an 8. The problem with this game was that it was very clearly rushed to meet BLOPS for release. The reason I say this is because it not only rips off ideas from COD and implements them poorly (Not always, mainly multiplayer) but that there are many positive aspects from the old Halo games that don'tFirst let me get this out of the way. I don't hate Halo, I gave Halo 3 a 9 and Halo Reach an 8. The problem with this game was that it was very clearly rushed to meet BLOPS for release. The reason I say this is because it not only rips off ideas from COD and implements them poorly (Not always, mainly multiplayer) but that there are many positive aspects from the old Halo games that don't appear in Halo 4. That said, the campaign was terrific. We had a much more personal adventure with Chief this time around, and to see his friendship and desperation to save Cortana as she devolves into rampancy is heartwarming. This works even better because you are constantly reminded of Cortana's rampancy throughout the narrative. Every few minutes her voice will change a little, she will have an angry outburst or blue lights will flicker around the edge of your visor. You really do want to help Cortana in ths campaign. Unfortunately, there are a couple of plotholes that bothered me, but it was never really an issue. The music was also outstanding and it has really become a trademark of the series at this point. Grass grows, the sun shines and Halo has fantastic music. The problems start with Multiplayer and Spartan Ops, which are really not as polished as they could've been. Multplayer has some balance issues. Melee doesn't work properly, DMR sniping and Ordenance (Although Ordenance does have some upsides) dis-courages map movement, and while most of the maps are good or even great maps, there are almost none at all for each game mode. In fact, the amount of maps available is tiny for each gamemode. The boltshot is OP, everyone already knows why, it is a sidearm shotgun. DMR's are still as OP as always, and there is almost no reason to use anything else as a primary weapon. As for the new Mantis it's... well... Just kinda annoying rather than an actual threat. I feel that Halo has lost some of its competitiveness while regainiing some of it at the same time (Reach did hit competitive gamers a lot harder), especially considering a skill system no longer exists but power weapons now hae to be earned rather than just. Yes you can go onto waypoint to findout, but going onto waypoint after almost every match is annoying as hell, and you're skill having no effect on your rank makes it irrelevant. As for joining mid-game, yay! But why didn't you improve it so we wouldn't enter games that are almost done? Lazy work just ripping out a feature of one game and shoehorning it in another 343. The progress system kinda sucks really. The biggest issue is it feels like a GRIND. Grinding for armour unlocks, for f***ing emblems and poses is beyond stupid. At least in Reach I generally could buy what I wanted and it didn't feel like a grind until General and onward. As for forge mode, I'm sad to say it has been butchered, and is one of the main reasons why I think this game was rushed. There are few options when compared to the last forge mode, and there is no forge world. WHY? I had no idea they could mess it up this badly. It's quite sad really. Finally there is Spartan Ops. It's... fun, but rehashing maps and just saying "Defend this, attack this"... I'd expect more for the removal of firefight, and the lack of story is disappointing considering they seem to want to do one, but never really do anything with the characters or setting. They do a bit, and they are doing more wuth each new episod they release, which is good. Overall, this game had (And still has) a ton of potential, but only really delivered in the campaign and on the Spartan OPs, which is a real shame.… Expand
  50. Sceptic
    Jan 5, 2013
    7
    343 has done a fine job with this title,adding a great deal of polish,but little more.It's still just Halo.Nothing more,nothing less.At least it's not a yearly title yet.
  51. aadms
    Dec 8, 2012
    7
    This game plays very similiar to the other Halo games with its face paced combat, excessive dying, same enemies and an addition to a few knew ones. In fact, the game plays out so "the same" that it seems like the Halo series is now "the never ending story". And I think this is the disappoint that I have with the game in the underwhelming adversary that follows the same potline as theThis game plays very similiar to the other Halo games with its face paced combat, excessive dying, same enemies and an addition to a few knew ones. In fact, the game plays out so "the same" that it seems like the Halo series is now "the never ending story". And I think this is the disappoint that I have with the game in the underwhelming adversary that follows the same potline as the first three games. There is a deeper interaction with Master Chief and Cortana, however, that alone is not enough to make the game really interesting. When a game is only six hours long, you need a story to compensate the short game play. This one wasn't as bad as O.D.S.T, but not much better.… Expand
  52. Tommy758
    Nov 6, 2012
    7
    Halo 4 is a pretty big disappointment. It is not a bad game by any means. The production values are high, the graphics are fantastic and the score is amazing. Where Halo 4 falls short on is gameplay that's too familiar and multiplayer that's too different. The campaign while it has an interesting story, the gameplay is far too keen to older Halo's. While some might think that's not aHalo 4 is a pretty big disappointment. It is not a bad game by any means. The production values are high, the graphics are fantastic and the score is amazing. Where Halo 4 falls short on is gameplay that's too familiar and multiplayer that's too different. The campaign while it has an interesting story, the gameplay is far too keen to older Halo's. While some might think that's not a bad thing because this is a Halo game. That is true, but you would think 343 would've taken more risks. The multiplayer fairs worse. While I admit it is fully playable and it's quite the bit of fun. It takes way too many queues from a certain other FPS franchise. Create a class, perks and kill streaks. While they have their own Halo style to them, it's just something 343 didn't need to implement just to appeal to the mass. Spartan Ops is 343's Firefight. Which is something I wished they'd put in instead because it would've kept me playing even longer. Halo 4 is a good FPS and is worth a purchase. However, they're is just disappointment after disappointment. I think my favourite FPS franchise is finally ending.… Expand
  53. drlowdon
    Dec 27, 2013
    7
    Following the highly publicised change of developer the gaming world was rightly curious as to how one of its biggest selling franchises would fare following the departure of its creators Bungie. Despite now being developed by 343 industries however this is still, for better or worse, the same Halo we've all seen before and those that criticise the series for not really evolving since itsFollowing the highly publicised change of developer the gaming world was rightly curious as to how one of its biggest selling franchises would fare following the departure of its creators Bungie. Despite now being developed by 343 industries however this is still, for better or worse, the same Halo we've all seen before and those that criticise the series for not really evolving since its Xbox debut over a decade ago certainly make a fair point. As a result this fourth 'mainline' title is not really going to be of any interest to those that didn't like previous installments.

    Having said all that Halo 4 is still undeniably a great package and certainly offers better value for money than many modern video games. The main campaign itself will last most players somewhere around the 10 hour mark depending on the difficulty setting and their level of skill and can be played either solo or with up to three other players. As with every previous game it is at its best when offering open areas in which to fight the array of enemies and their vehicles and to this day there are few better experiences in the FPS genre than when Halo gets the balance just right. For me the game forces players to spend a little too long inside long thin corridors and smaller indoor areas as in these instances the freedom to tackle the battle the way you want to is removed and it simply is not as much fun to play, hopefully this is something that can be addressed in the inevitable sequels.

    On top of the campaign Halo 4 also provides a series of 'Spartan Op' missions. Each of these lasts between 15 and 30 minutes and can again be tackled either alone or in multi-player. The idea seems to have been taken from the special ops missions featured in the Call of Duty series and provide the player with various tasks such as clearing an area of enemies or destroying set objectives. Admittedly maps are reused throughout these ops but it is hard to complain when they can all be downloaded for free.
    The final part of this generous package is the competitive multi-player. All the usual modes, as well as a few surprises, are present and correct and the solid gunplay still translates well. Controversially Halo 4 has again taken a page out of the Call of Duty handbook with weapons and perks now being unlocked as the player levels up. I was never a huge fan of the online multi-player in the previous installments anyway but purists will understandable be disappointed and it is certainly a shame to see yet another game attempt to imitate Activisions all conquering behemoth.

    All in all then this is a safe but promising start for 343 industries and the wealth of options and modes will provide most with hour upon hour of gameplay.    … Expand
  54. Necrotaur
    Dec 25, 2012
    7
    Single player wise, Halo 4 fails to deliver. I always appreciated the backstory for the Halo universe, and the concept of humanity being on the edge of extinction due to war with the technologically superior Covenant. Now, you're not only fighting Covenant for some reason but also Forerunner dudes (all 3 types) because of... a prophecy? I guess? I don't know. Apparently if I had readSingle player wise, Halo 4 fails to deliver. I always appreciated the backstory for the Halo universe, and the concept of humanity being on the edge of extinction due to war with the technologically superior Covenant. Now, you're not only fighting Covenant for some reason but also Forerunner dudes (all 3 types) because of... a prophecy? I guess? I don't know. Apparently if I had read Glasslands it would have made more sense, but I'm not going to buy a book just to get the backstory for an FPS. The campaign is at times pretty, until you set foot into a Forerunner level and your eyes are burned from their sockets by the overwhelming blue/orange contrast. Fortunately single player ends fairly quickly, but not before you see Cortana become Master Chief's crazy emo girlfriend. The multiplayer manages to make up for the single player, and ironically seems to be where 343 focused most of the story. You've got the standard Halo MP fare, with a few modes that have been more fleshed out. The biggest addition is Spartan Ops, which replaces Firefight from previous titles. It's pretty decent on it's own, and plays a bit like the standalone co-op missions found in other titles like BF3, though the loss of Firefight does kind of suck. Maybe it'll be re-introduced? We can always hope. Anyway Halo 4 is a solid game if you're looking for just MP stuff, but I'm a bit worried about the direction 343 is taking the storyline.… Expand
  55. sinadoom
    Oct 20, 2013
    7
    First of all, I'd like to just say that Halo 4 is perhaps THE BEST MULTIPLAYER SHOOTER on seventh-generation consoles due to the amount of variety. The weapons, game modes, extensive stats tracking, theatre mode, forge mode, awesome matchmaking and perfect pacing. Weapons are not only varied but balanced same with vehicles. The game modes such as SWAT are about barebones skill andFirst of all, I'd like to just say that Halo 4 is perhaps THE BEST MULTIPLAYER SHOOTER on seventh-generation consoles due to the amount of variety. The weapons, game modes, extensive stats tracking, theatre mode, forge mode, awesome matchmaking and perfect pacing. Weapons are not only varied but balanced same with vehicles. The game modes such as SWAT are about barebones skill and accuracy; whilst Griffball is plain fun. 24 player deathmatches with vehicles are hectic without being broken. The class system is not overcomplicated nor does it put players at a disadvantage. Killstreaks simply provide weapon drops not automatic kills. The excitement, health system and "perks" as well as the ability to sprint are all excellent additions to the already complete multiplayer package with a solid progression system. This is as complete as multiplayer shooters get. Not only are the game mechanics and controls perfect, the "menu" stuff such as file share and custom game modes which allow you to fully change every miniscule aspect of the game from health and speed to round system, objective and weapon damage and restrictions etc. However, whilst the multiplayer is a complete and highly refined package, the campaign is hit-and-miss. There are far too many enemies without a break at many points, and despite there being a new faction as well as the Covenant, their weapons feel like bland copies of Covenant weapons but with an orange glow. Furthermore, the new enemies take way too many shots to kill and it's hard to tell when they're about to die, so playing through the first three levels felt like a boring chore rather than exciting and intense. The story was promising but felt under-developed. There was just too much action but not enough explanation the story felt tacked on even though it could have been amazing. I couldn't feel any empathy for Cortana and Master Chief because there just wasn't enough cutscenes and storytelling. Gameplay and level design are a bit cliché compared to Reach, and in some levels I thought I was playing Prey rather than Halo. Sure, there are some good levels and I'm sure die-hard Halo fans will love it, but anyone who's only got a mild or passive interest in Halo should consider Reach instead. Overall Halo 4 is a fantastic shooter and perhaps the best game in the series, but it's not a huge leap from Halo Reach in any department.… Expand
  56. rykeith
    Nov 19, 2012
    7
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Bought this game expecting something great from a new developer. The campaign story was relatively good, though I don't feel as if I really gleaned much from the Halo universe by playing it. The story felt very concentrated to a very few narrow concepts and left me disappointed that it did not expand upon many different aspects of the story. It was essentially a story about Master Chief and Cortana. While this would have worked well as a backstory, it felt a little weak as the main theme throughout the game. The one outstanding aspect of the campaign was the superb graphics. It may be the best-looking game on the 360 to date.

    The multiplayer, at least compared to Reach, felt somewhat neutered. A few game types have disappeared, and Big Team Battle, my favorite, is also no longer a part of the multiplayer playlist. Also, I know that lag depends largely upon individual connections, but it seems that this game can especially suffer from it when compared to previous Halo entries. Overall, if you love Halo, you will probably like this game. If you just appreciate Halo, you may find this game average among a plethora of FPS out there.    … Expand
  57. MrFluffyPenguin
    Nov 13, 2012
    7
    I have bought and played every halo game made. I love the franchise but to be completely honest, Halo 4 feels a little plain. The multiplayer is still well balanced but lacks any real improvement or innovation. Spartan Ops fails to really do anything except to put together short uneventful missions with amazing CGI shorts. Campaign is gorgeous visually but is really more of the same.I have bought and played every halo game made. I love the franchise but to be completely honest, Halo 4 feels a little plain. The multiplayer is still well balanced but lacks any real improvement or innovation. Spartan Ops fails to really do anything except to put together short uneventful missions with amazing CGI shorts. Campaign is gorgeous visually but is really more of the same. Though i can say the story is better than that of previous installments, Reach being my favorite still. Halo is still the game we know and love but 343 played it a little too safe.… Expand
  58. darylicked
    Nov 11, 2012
    7
    Campaign: The campaign is a bit of a letdown, short at only 6 hours, new enemy types get boring and repetitive quickly, new weapons are essentially variants on already human/covenant weapons, lack of ammo in a lot of areas in the game which has NEVER happened to me during a Halo campaign that I would run out of ammo, enemy and friendly AI can be boneheaded quite often. Storywise its notCampaign: The campaign is a bit of a letdown, short at only 6 hours, new enemy types get boring and repetitive quickly, new weapons are essentially variants on already human/covenant weapons, lack of ammo in a lot of areas in the game which has NEVER happened to me during a Halo campaign that I would run out of ammo, enemy and friendly AI can be boneheaded quite often. Storywise its not too bad, altho I find the "emotion" they shove into it feels a bit forced and overboard, especially compared to Reach's campaign where it had a somber atmosphere without saying much.

    Spartan Ops: Spartan Ops is a neat idea, only 1 episode available so far but they will be releasing more, but for a first impression it hasnt been a good one. The good thing about spartan ops is that you can level up by doing those missions and you can use your MP loadouts as well, but the strange thing about spartan ops is the complete lack of challenge it provides because of the lack of checkpoint system, when you die you respawn like War Games multiplayer, so you could die an endless amount of times and not feel punished for it, so you can get through Legendary difficult without busting your brain which in my opinion is an odd choice as you can then complete each chapter in less than 20 minutes in co-op because of this instant respawn system. Another thing about the spartan ops missions is that they are all in locations from the sp campaign and there doesnt seem to be any original settings, now there could possibly be new episodes with completely different locations but I haven't heard anything on that.

    War Games: The main draw for most people is the MP and to be honest I was never a big MP guy when it came to Halo, I played some Halo 3 but the most I played was the Reach Beta which I loved because it wasnt such a chore to kill opponents but upon release they changed that and I didnt play the MP much after that discovery. Halo 4 on the other hand, has a very solid MP thats not without flaws of its own, whether you want to believe it or not its a CODified Halo, but thats not necessarily a bad thing, here Halo is faster and in a lot of ways tighter than it ever was and it can be VERY addicting but some of what they introduced can be game breaking in ways, for example the SAW is very overpowered, and they tried to balance it by not letting you start with it in a loadout, and keeping it exclusively as an ordinance drop, but put it in the right hands and you may as well admit defeat, ive killed countless people with it and have been killed by countless people using it, its an awesome gun but almost ruins the game when its used in the non-pro game modes. As well the grenade damage seems to be a finicky thing where sometimes it does what you expect but other times you can't understand why someone's shields did not drop or why they did not drop themselves. This could be contributed to lag, but without clear indication of lag its hard to determine that as the cause. As well the usual MP FPS hooplah such as campers, bunny hoppers, cheap tactics etc... that we all have to live with do make their appearances strong but its not as frequent, thus far, as ive experience in other FPS games I've played (non Halo), the maps arent too bad, I prefer close quarter combat most so the standout map for me is Haven as it keeps the action fast.

    I am actually giving the game a 7.5 but I can only select 7 or 8, but because I don't feel its a full 8 thats why I'm leaving it at 7. My reasons are as follows: - Way too strong of auto-aim or aim magnetism, I mainly play on PC so I rarely experience auto aim unless I play a console shooter on my xbox or ps3 but this games auto aim is WAY too strong and gives off the feeling that I'm not in complete control of the game.
    - While still on topic of controls is the lack of true customization of button mapping.
    -disappointing campaign it has some high points but can be pretty boring at times, new enemies became repetitive and lacked variety, new weapons are pretty much not needed as they are more or less counterparts to human/covenant weaponry, the story's forced emotion and some questionable characters who for whatever reason don't listen to the Master Chief when he saved humanity was cliche and non sensical.
    - Believe or not.... but the lack of Firefight to me leaves a big gaping hole in the game, i didn't think i would miss it after playing it to death on ODST and REACH but spartan ops just doesnt feel like a good replacement for one of the funnest game modes I've ever played
    - Speaking of spartan ops, essentially the lack of challenge, lack of variety (thus far) in mission structure and levels is disappointing and makes it feel tacked on despite the "weekly chapters" that will follow the launch of the game. The lack of punishment for dying especially for harder modes when it comes to respawn really makes it seem useless. Hopefully I'm proved wrong on this account and that more interesting levels will follow.    … Expand
  59. RighteousSteel
    Nov 28, 2012
    7
    This game is good. The only problem is that it feels more like Halo: Reach 2 than a sequel to Halo 3. There are not many maps to play on, and every always chooses the same ones every match. The campaign is interesting and fun, and worth playing through a second time with your friends. Maybe once some DLC comes out the multiplayer will be more fun. The spartan ops is a welcome addition, butThis game is good. The only problem is that it feels more like Halo: Reach 2 than a sequel to Halo 3. There are not many maps to play on, and every always chooses the same ones every match. The campaign is interesting and fun, and worth playing through a second time with your friends. Maybe once some DLC comes out the multiplayer will be more fun. The spartan ops is a welcome addition, but everybody still misses firefight. Overall, a good game.… Expand
  60. TrueCrazyHero
    Nov 14, 2012
    7
    I am a big Halo fan i have bought and enjoyed all of them that all had good story's and gameplay. When i got Halo 4 i was glad to see the series back to its roots with talk of the forerunners and the halo's, the campaign took me around 6-7 hours on Normal difficulty and it was really good it was a halo game as they where before though the ending is anti-climactic. You will go to manyI am a big Halo fan i have bought and enjoyed all of them that all had good story's and gameplay. When i got Halo 4 i was glad to see the series back to its roots with talk of the forerunners and the halo's, the campaign took me around 6-7 hours on Normal difficulty and it was really good it was a halo game as they where before though the ending is anti-climactic. You will go to many different locations and fight some new enemy's with new weapons, even some older guns return with upgrades, The game look grate the sound it good so if your a graphics makes the game person you will be pleased. After finishing the campaign i when online and that's where my problem came into it. Unlike previous Halo games this time they made a big change, gone are the on map weapon you needed find, this time its a class baced multiplayer. once you get to a certain level you make a class slimier to another hit FPS that comes out this time of the year. it takes a lot of its elements form the OTHER FPS and makes it feel not halo, the maps are good but with the unevenness of the classes i feel like its a drag to unlock all the weapons that the game should have at the beginning. but with that aside the co-op campaign is really good i had tons of fun playing them and with more on the way it keeps the fun for a while. So with the good story and co-op it makes the game wort a buy for a fan or just a rent for others who are interested, as i said i am a big halo fan but this installment didn't grip me much, its a good go for the new developers (343 Industry's) but ill like to see what that do for there next installment.… Expand
  61. kelraiser
    Nov 16, 2012
    7
    With 343 industries taking over the development of the Halo franchise from bungie I have to admit I had my doubts about the future of the halo franchise and the idea of bringing the master chief back after the ending of halo 3, and I have to say that my doubts we're cast aside as 343 have been true to the franchise and developed a game worthy of the halo name, the campaign is short ifWith 343 industries taking over the development of the Halo franchise from bungie I have to admit I had my doubts about the future of the halo franchise and the idea of bringing the master chief back after the ending of halo 3, and I have to say that my doubts we're cast aside as 343 have been true to the franchise and developed a game worthy of the halo name, the campaign is short if you play it on the easy or normal difficulty but if you got to the heroic or legendary difficulty it can prove to be very channel ging for even some of the best gamers if you try yo do it solo, the graphic are a vast improvement on reach with a lot of work going it to designing the gaming environments and multiplayer maps as well as the amazing cut scenes that go between the campaign missions, the story is a lot different from what people come to expect of the halo franchise and goes for a more personal story between the master chief and cortanna his AI companion who has been with him throughout the halo games to me this is an interesting direction to take the game as it try's to show the chief has a human side to him than just a soilder of war as we have seen in previous halo's, the sound has been improved as well and the guns all sound authentic and unique in their own style, the multiplayer has been improved with the introduction of spartan ops, the episodic co-op campaign which is expand with continuous episodes down loades from Xbox live tho I'm kind of disappointed firefight wasn't kept in there as well, I have to admit you can see where halo has taken some of its influence from the call of duty series but this isn't a bad thing really as they have made the game more accessible to a wider audience with custom load outs, their rank system is very similar to cod, and the ordinance drops are like call of duty killstreaks but these help to improve make the multiplayer better and balance the game out better as there are no longer people camping waiting for a power weapon like the rocket launcher or or that to spawn as it now comes in an ordinance drop. In my opinion 343 have kept halo 4 true to what the halo franchise is but have tried and succeeded in making it accessible to a wider audience.… Expand
  62. Oxcart
    Mar 24, 2013
    7
    So, the sixth Halo game. I've been through Halo 1-3, ODST, and Reach. I've done my tours of duty with the UNSC, from the low-end low-budget beginning through the slick and polished latest. But this is different; Bungie has slipped its reins off the Halo horse, and MGS has taken over. How did they do? Very well, better than I expected. Let's take a look. Graphics are outstanding, withSo, the sixth Halo game. I've been through Halo 1-3, ODST, and Reach. I've done my tours of duty with the UNSC, from the low-end low-budget beginning through the slick and polished latest. But this is different; Bungie has slipped its reins off the Halo horse, and MGS has taken over. How did they do? Very well, better than I expected. Let's take a look. Graphics are outstanding, with well-built levels that benefit from good artwork. Enemies (and allies) are correspondingly high-res, meaning that even on console, you won't have your immersion in the game wrecked by something on-camera that looks like a digital camera threw up on screen (we've all seen that...are you listening, Jurassic Park?). Weapon design has undergone a major overhaul, and one for the positive. I've previously had an intense dislike for non-human weapons in Halo, but this installment is different; Forerunner weapons are pretty sweet. Gameplay is well above average. Two missteps mar the game, though. First, the campaign is short. As in "we got it done on Legendary in six hours" short. Second, the storytelling, while not bad, is much thinner than previous Halo games. It's clear that Microsoft Game Studios wasn't as interested in telling an epic story as their predecessors. Even so, it's an enjoyable game that really is a must-play for Halo fans. Everybody else, it's a good shooter with challenge and finesse...just not a lot of single-player mileage in the tank. A fair 7 to Halo 4, and a "good job" to the folks at MGS responsible for it.… Expand
  63. CM8691
    Nov 6, 2012
    7
    I don't have live and this game, like so many FPS' these days was made more for the online player. The campaign was brutally short and not all that replayable. However, it was fun while it lasted. It was also quite polished, but that isn't enough to carry it on its own. Most people will give it horrible reviews just because they want to feel like they're keeping the Halo franchise back, asI don't have live and this game, like so many FPS' these days was made more for the online player. The campaign was brutally short and not all that replayable. However, it was fun while it lasted. It was also quite polished, but that isn't enough to carry it on its own. Most people will give it horrible reviews just because they want to feel like they're keeping the Halo franchise back, as they felt it should have ended with Halo 3. Although I agree the series should have stayed finished, 343 did a good enough job.… Expand
  64. glacier777
    Nov 24, 2012
    7
    It had a lot to live up to didn't it? I loved Halo:Reach and I give it a 10. I am giving Halo 4 a 9 and here's why:

    Campaign: The campaign in reach was its weakest feature but it is one of the strongest in Halo 4. 4's campaign is more imaginative, longer and is much more fun to play. The Campaign is up to the CE's standard and will not disapoint fans. 10/10 Spartan-Ops: I will    It had a lot to live up to didn't it? I loved Halo:Reach and I give it a 10. I am giving Halo 4 a 9 and here's why:

    Campaign: The campaign in reach was its weakest feature but it is one of the strongest in Halo 4. 4's campaign is more imaginative, longer and is much more fun to play. The Campaign is up to the CE's standard and will not disapoint fans. 10/10

    Spartan-Ops: I will overlook the fact that it is a rip off from COD. S-O replaced firefight which really annoyed me because firefight was fun. S-O is not as bad as I thought it would be because it ties in with the campaign and the missions are short. The only issue is that you re-spawn, no checkpoints etc.. This makes S-O slightly pointless, however I would not get rid of S-O, I would just bring back firefight as well. 9/10

    Multiplayer: 343 said that there were going to be changes and they were right., However, almost every change has made it worse. On reach less was more. 343 have thrown that out of the window and created gameplay that is too fast and frankly just boring and repetitive. On reach it felt like every game had a story and every game game slowly developed, where as now games are boring and too fast. There have been too many new features and too many classic features have been removed. 6/10

    Forge and Custom Games - There are three forge world's - great idea. However none of them are big enough! This also means that custom games is not as fun. Also where did the race game type go? I have given it a 7 because these are still unique parts of halo and forge is really good. There's just not enough space.
    7/10

    Other features and website: Waypoint is still good, the armour is as good as reach's, the commendations have improved the theater and file share are still good. The new website isn't as good as bungie.net though. 9/10

    Overall halo 4 retains many features that make halo amazing and also the campaign is second to none. Unfortunately 342 have included too many new things which have ruined parts of the game.
    All of my scores added together and divided by 5 equal 8 but this game deserves a 9 because it is still an amazing game. There are just too many annoying features that detract from the beauty of halo.    … Expand
  65. Bruce722
    Nov 16, 2012
    7
    This is a tough game to review because there are so many different elements to it so it really depends on perspective and priority. I'll explain. There are essentially three parts of the game, the campaign, the Spartan Ops, and the multiplayer. If I were to great them separately, I would have to give the campaign an 8, the Spartan Ops a 4, and the multiplayer a 5. The Campaign has greatThis is a tough game to review because there are so many different elements to it so it really depends on perspective and priority. I'll explain. There are essentially three parts of the game, the campaign, the Spartan Ops, and the multiplayer. If I were to great them separately, I would have to give the campaign an 8, the Spartan Ops a 4, and the multiplayer a 5. The Campaign has great plot and character development, which I love. The dynamic between Chief and Cortana is fascinating and is what moves the story along. However, it's ridiculously short, the gameplay is very fluid but repetitive and full of busy work, the enemy weaponry is scaled horribly, the AI is pathetic, and the ending is anti-climactic. The Spartan Ops has absolutely no story whatsoever and isn't at all what 343 made it sound like. As for the multiplayer, 343 ruined this experience. They essentially copied CoD in every way they could, which is also something they did with the ending of the campaign. All of that being said, I am more of a single player gamer so I can't judge each element of the game equally. The campaign takes priority.… Expand
  66. a2toedmonkey
    Nov 6, 2012
    7
    I don't know, I feel like a lot of the negative reviews of this game are from the "hardcore" or "true" gamer crowd. I consider myself hardcore, and I like this game for the multiplayer, the singleplayer is alright. My gripes are that the multiplayer does feel a little strange compared to old games and, as a few have said, grenades don't seem to matter as much. The combat felt slightlyI don't know, I feel like a lot of the negative reviews of this game are from the "hardcore" or "true" gamer crowd. I consider myself hardcore, and I like this game for the multiplayer, the singleplayer is alright. My gripes are that the multiplayer does feel a little strange compared to old games and, as a few have said, grenades don't seem to matter as much. The combat felt slightly slower than previous entries in the series, but its not bad by any means. I think you should take all reviews as someone else's opinion for this reason, alot of the negative reviews probably went in expecting the game to suck and they only remembered it sucking. They want to seem popular and talk about how games have sold out without realizing that these companies do in fact want your money. This isn't some family fun time and realistically they don't owe you anything, so if you wanna be popular with the gaming hipsters who pretend to be hardcore, bad talk the game before you try it, and then remember the time you jumped off the cliff in game, not the gorgeous visuals.… Expand
  67. Sakai
    Jan 17, 2013
    7
    Halo 4 is a very good shoot 'em up, but is lower than the other Halo Xbox 360 (maybe better than ODST) The story mode could be better, the online mode is not bad, perhaps the use of scores is a point negative. Moreover, it is a good game.
  68. TheSquirrel
    Nov 24, 2012
    7
    While every other game in the series is saving with world with some character secondary story, the campaign in Halo 4 is flipped. Saving the world seems to take a back seat to the Master Chief's quest to solve Cortana's rampancy. This makes for a more emotional story, but a less intense one as well. The saving the world story which I will not spoil doesn't seem to be given the attentionWhile every other game in the series is saving with world with some character secondary story, the campaign in Halo 4 is flipped. Saving the world seems to take a back seat to the Master Chief's quest to solve Cortana's rampancy. This makes for a more emotional story, but a less intense one as well. The saving the world story which I will not spoil doesn't seem to be given the attention it deserves. This is easily the most amped up storyline Halo series has seen, what with numerous leading up books and movies, yet the story in the game itself doesn't feel alive and fleshed out.

    That is my largest complaint in a game that I like very much. The music is incredible, the environments are beautifully detailed, and the facial CG is beyond incredible. I cannot wait to play more Infinity so that I can write a follow-up to this review.

    My final complaint is the complete stripped down content you get if you are not online. Never have I been so disappointed with offline content. It was an inevitability that the days of offline gaming were coming to an end, but I never imagined not even having access to a campaign scoring system, the elimination of offline firefight, just stripped down. Were it not for the lack of offline content, this game would have been a 9 for me. The lack of out-of-box value, however, has shown that 343 has largely abandoned the offline gamer, and considering that Reach, ODST, and Halo3 had plenty to keep one occupied unconnected, this step back has tarnished my view of this series;

    Until the Internet guy makes it to my house...    … Expand
  69. Terbo
    Nov 20, 2012
    7
    Overall not a bad game; I enjoyed the campaign but agree with those who feel it was too short. My first play-thru was heroic and I finished in under 5 hours. Graphics were improved; I wasn't crazy about the music. I like Spartan Ops, and if 343 continues to release new missions for an extended period of time, gamers will likely not feel so shafted over the minimal campaign content.Overall not a bad game; I enjoyed the campaign but agree with those who feel it was too short. My first play-thru was heroic and I finished in under 5 hours. Graphics were improved; I wasn't crazy about the music. I like Spartan Ops, and if 343 continues to release new missions for an extended period of time, gamers will likely not feel so shafted over the minimal campaign content. Multiplayer was fun, but I love grenades, and well, lets just say I could kill more spartans with a single fart than with 50 halo 4 grenades. Overall not a bad game, but something is missing. Something is missing from this halo, that makes it, well, less halo-ish.… Expand
  70. fluxmulder
    Nov 11, 2012
    7
    PROS:
    - Good graphics in general. Old armor and weapon designs have been revamped, some nice environment set pieces.
    - The Halo gameplay we know and love is back, with a few tweaks here and there. - Multiplayer is fun, with some nice updates to familiar modes. - Good sound effects. - Some very impressive cutscenes. CONS: -The gameplay is Halo by the numbers. Not much in the way of    PROS:
    - Good graphics in general. Old armor and weapon designs have been revamped, some nice environment set pieces.
    - The Halo gameplay we know and love is back, with a few tweaks here and there.
    - Multiplayer is fun, with some nice updates to familiar modes.
    - Good sound effects.
    - Some very impressive cutscenes.

    CONS:
    -The gameplay is Halo by the numbers. Not much in the way of innovation or brand new features, just the same old package wrapped in a shinier skin.
    - Bland missions, mostly consisting of Chief running back and forth doing various menial tasks. Not much in the way of pacing.
    - Art direction is typical sci-fi flair, nothing we haven't seen before. The forerunner planet didn't strike any awe or sense of exploration in me, which was disappointing.
    - There is alot of unexplained backstory. The game throws you right into it. Which is fine for Halo diehards, but completely unforgiving to newcomers.
    - There's an admirable attempt to humanize Master Chief and make him a more serious character. Nice try, but the character is little more than a walking tank that shoots aliens. Always has been, always will be. They pretty much wrote him into a corner by throwing a helmet over his face. - The character of Cortana annoys me to no end. The generic "sexy" voice that grated on me in the previous games is now front and center. She simply won't shut up. If you're going to use her so prominently, ditch this voice actress and hire someone whose voice has a little more character and imperfection.
    - Forgettable musical score. It's amazing how much O'Donnell's work added to the old games, and his presence is sorely missed here.

    SUMMARY:
    A by the books Halo wrapped in a shinier package. This series is in dire need of evolution or it will become another Call of Duty.    … Expand
  71. CyberEagle_1x
    Nov 12, 2012
    7
    I am here to tell the truth about halo 4 and that it is not a 9 or a 10, BUT it is not a 4 or a 5. It is a 7.5 and NOT GOTY. It is good game but a disappointment.for all the hype and all the reviews saying its the best game ever, most of it is lies but it is a improvement on Halo 3 and Reach. There is no middle ground in the war of fanboys vs haters I could not find a honest review aboutI am here to tell the truth about halo 4 and that it is not a 9 or a 10, BUT it is not a 4 or a 5. It is a 7.5 and NOT GOTY. It is good game but a disappointment.for all the hype and all the reviews saying its the best game ever, most of it is lies but it is a improvement on Halo 3 and Reach. There is no middle ground in the war of fanboys vs haters I could not find a honest review about (from Machinima with it 10/10 to Quarter to Three with it 2/10) so here's my honest about the game. It is a good game don't get me wrong but it a short 4 to 5 hours campaign with a interesting story but its kinda boring and cliche at times and is full of repetitive tasks like push these three buttons over and over again. 343 had added some emotions to master chief to give him more of a human role. The most disappointing part of the game is that there is only three new enemys,a dog robot,a new alien cyborg, and a UAV thing. I would like to have seen more types of enemy but nope. The multiplayer is fun, better the Reach and halo 3. it has killstreaks, Perks and Loadouts but that's where the similarities to Call of duty stop so the halo fanboy and Call of duty fanboys can stop fight. the has co op in campaign and a new mode which replaces firefight (why do that?) called spartan ops (OK one more Call of duty similarity), The graphics are great, amazing for a xbox. so in all it a good game which i recommend for a fun, great multiplayer and ok story but it is overhyped. i like the halo series i think the young fanbase may annoy you but thank you 343 for the mute all button.… Expand
  72. nms1215
    Nov 19, 2012
    7
    I was skeptical about this game. I have been a long-time Halo fan, since the start. I loved the original, Combat Evolved, and Halo 2 is what has made me an XBOX Live subscriber since the beginning. After Halo 3, ODST, and Reach, I was ready to abandon the franchise. 343, built for the Halo series, replaced Bungie and promised a return to the "epicness" of Halo: CE, with some realI was skeptical about this game. I have been a long-time Halo fan, since the start. I loved the original, Combat Evolved, and Halo 2 is what has made me an XBOX Live subscriber since the beginning. After Halo 3, ODST, and Reach, I was ready to abandon the franchise. 343, built for the Halo series, replaced Bungie and promised a return to the "epicness" of Halo: CE, with some real game-changing innovations. Bravo 343. The campaign suffers from weak story narration (it is tough picking up on the Forerunner backstory and the introduction of the main antagonist), but great character narration (your typical Master Chief-Cortana narration, with extra emotion). I had to (more like wanted to) spend a whole day on the Halo wiki to learn about the deep mythology that was ignored by Bungie. It can be a bit overwhelming at times, but it was eye-opening as well. The terminals throughout the campaign also unlock videos on Halo Waypoint that give some much needed Forerunner backstory. The graphics have gone miles since the awful graphics of the past games. Animations are greatly improved. The missions are a great mix of that world-discovery from Halo: CE where you are just in awe of what you see, and fast paced combat scenarios with multiple possible solutions and not just your classic run-and-gun boredom. The multiplayer is great. The inclusion of custom loadouts was very smooth, and not like CoD (what I feared). The loadout weapons/abilities are all very balanced, as are vehicles (except the Mantes). Certain asymmetrical maps have balance issues if played with symmetrical gametypes (duh, except Matchmaking hosts those all the time). The only real problem is the highly overpowering Mantes (singular is Mantis). They can take out any vehicle, survive multiple hits from power weapons, and kill foot soldiers from nearly any range. Also, the Oddball game is awesome. You can now toss the ball strategically (to occupy enemies so they cannot use their guns, or to hand it over to teammates so you can fight off the enemies). Halo 4 is the Halo that Halo fans have been dying for, while appealing to all shooter fans.… Expand
  73. PatrykG
    Nov 23, 2012
    7
    So after many spin-offs on Halo we finally got a 4th. Now the graphics are alot more impressive than the other Halos but the gameplay has not changed and the storyline I mean why did a fourth one have to come out so now we have a Quadrilogy and then probably a 5th and a 6th and a 7th, but in the end I will say that Halo 4 is the best Halo since Halo 3 and probably the best FPS game of the year.
  74. Ryanosaur2000
    Jan 1, 2013
    7
    Firstly, can I recommend that you ignore the silly reviewers giving this game 10's and 0's? Halo 4 is deserving of neither score. Like every Halo game to date, Halo 4 is a satisfying (if familiar) FPS that makes no attempt to reinvent the genre. This time around, there is a much stronger emotional edge to the story than we have seen previously in the series with Cortana's relationship withFirstly, can I recommend that you ignore the silly reviewers giving this game 10's and 0's? Halo 4 is deserving of neither score. Like every Halo game to date, Halo 4 is a satisfying (if familiar) FPS that makes no attempt to reinvent the genre. This time around, there is a much stronger emotional edge to the story than we have seen previously in the series with Cortana's relationship with the Chief being central to the plot. The gameplay has not changed, the new enemies are slightly frustrating to fight and the multiplayer is the standard Halo experience. So in other words, 343 have not "tried to fix what isn't broken". Keep that in mind when picking this game up and you will not be disappointed.… Expand
  75. Gomez
    Mar 28, 2013
    7
    Halo 4 is just another Halo out there, not much has changed from any of the others apart from updated graphics. I’m quite disappointed with 343 industries they need to step up and make it better game play. Not just updating the graphics then throwing it out there into the market, they need to make something original to draw us back into playing Halo. Don’t get me wrong I think that Halo 4Halo 4 is just another Halo out there, not much has changed from any of the others apart from updated graphics. I’m quite disappointed with 343 industries they need to step up and make it better game play. Not just updating the graphics then throwing it out there into the market, they need to make something original to draw us back into playing Halo. Don’t get me wrong I think that Halo 4 is okay to play but it is certainly nothing special in the gaming industry. I rember playing the old classic Halo and not alot has changed looking back to it. Halo 4 would be for people in their teenage lives such as people at college and universities. I would like it if 343 industries would make more new content into the game which will bring over the serious gamers from Call of duty and other well known games. So that more people will play it and so that I could have a challenge on there! I would rate the game of around 6.5 out of 10.… Expand
  76. ihatecheez
    Nov 17, 2012
    7
    i dont know how to explain this but, i am a big halo fan, no doubt, and when bungie left and gave the franchise to 343 industries i had mixed feelings. could they do better than bungie? well they didnt ruin the franchise thats for sure! the campaign is pretty short which kind of disappointed me, and the story does have some plot holes but the story its self at the end is pretty cool.i dont know how to explain this but, i am a big halo fan, no doubt, and when bungie left and gave the franchise to 343 industries i had mixed feelings. could they do better than bungie? well they didnt ruin the franchise thats for sure! the campaign is pretty short which kind of disappointed me, and the story does have some plot holes but the story its self at the end is pretty cool. apparently this is a start of a new trilogy but i dont see how they can continue from where it ended. another thing in the campaign is the new enemies. THEY ARE ANNOYING! they will piss you off like no other enemy in the franchise. if found the flood annoying. wait till you try this on legendary!

    multiplayer has had a change too, its a bit more like call of duty and battlefield with the custom classes and the sprinting. but it still does feel like halo and fans will be sort of like home, maybe a but more to their neighbors home. the annoying thing i found so far in the multiplayer is that when your playing online, the same maps keep coming over and over again. i find that there are not enough maps that come with the game, but if you want to spend a couple extra bucks, dlc maps are coming. over all i had a pleasant time playing the campaign and the multiplayer. i still have some mixed feelings cause it does and doesnt feel like a halo game. but thats just my opinion. halo ce is and so far has always been the definitive halo game in my opinion.    … Expand
  77. X-ICEMAN
    Nov 6, 2012
    7
    I was not fully convinced, perhaps an integration with kinect would have given the series that something new and appealing, perhaps influenced a little of the time it begins to be felt, however, remains a masterpiece.
  78. labtoy
    Nov 7, 2012
    7
    I was sort of bummed out by this game, maybe because my expectiations were too high. I mean, it is not bad in any way, but it is far from extraordinary. It looks amazing, the story is refreshingly different, the voice acting is top of the class: it is definetly Halo (SP campaign is not exactly long, tho).

    Where it fails for me is multiplayer; the heart and soul of Halo. First off, what    I was sort of bummed out by this game, maybe because my expectiations were too high. I mean, it is not bad in any way, but it is far from extraordinary. It looks amazing, the story is refreshingly different, the voice acting is top of the class: it is definetly Halo (SP campaign is not exactly long, tho).

    Where it fails for me is multiplayer; the heart and soul of Halo. First off, what happened to invasion? I loved that mode in Reach :( Slayer mode is fun as always, but the level design feels a bit off on some maps. The minimap colors isn't good enough either. All in all, I'm somewhat disappointed, but I should mention my expectations were sky high.    … Expand
  79. IM-harry
    Nov 7, 2012
    7
    I'm a fan of the halo series loved it to bits, however i feel that halo 4 is trying to be like cod there is nothing wrong with this but i loved halo because it was something different, something fun and engaging when you wanted to get away from cod. Visually its amazing, however its not as immersive as the other games in the halo series. I find the game play stale. there is a lack of mapsI'm a fan of the halo series loved it to bits, however i feel that halo 4 is trying to be like cod there is nothing wrong with this but i loved halo because it was something different, something fun and engaging when you wanted to get away from cod. Visually its amazing, however its not as immersive as the other games in the halo series. I find the game play stale. there is a lack of maps and game variety that the other games had the same maps get played over and over. For all these reasons i give halo 4 a 6.8 / 10.… Expand
  80. im_jvinny
    Nov 9, 2012
    7
    I have been playing Halo since the original, but this is no longer Halo. The campaign is incredible, I will give it that. However, the multiplayer is somewhat disappointing. Instead of Halo staying true to its roots, it copies Call of Duty elements that completely ruin the game. It copies the killstreaks, custom classes, etc. Instead of creating a unique and original experience, it simplyI have been playing Halo since the original, but this is no longer Halo. The campaign is incredible, I will give it that. However, the multiplayer is somewhat disappointing. Instead of Halo staying true to its roots, it copies Call of Duty elements that completely ruin the game. It copies the killstreaks, custom classes, etc. Instead of creating a unique and original experience, it simply feels like a confusing mixture of gameplay ideas that does not belong with the series. Not only that, but also it is unbalanced with armor abilities such as Promethean vision(allows player to see through walls) that hinder the experience. However, the multiplayer isn't bad, but it may disappoint long Halo fans who enjoyed the balance of the game. So if you're looking for a great campaign and are willing to take a risk on the multiplayer, you should definitely buy the game.… Expand
  81. RealMenDrinkTea
    Nov 10, 2012
    7
    I had fun playing this game but it is nothing amazing. It's Halo, a fun shooter with nice looking environments and flashy colourful explosions but it's also slow and monotonous at times. If you're expecting something completely different you're going to be disappointed, it's the same old game really but that isn't necessarily a bad thing. Fun with friends and an online multiplayer withI had fun playing this game but it is nothing amazing. It's Halo, a fun shooter with nice looking environments and flashy colourful explosions but it's also slow and monotonous at times. If you're expecting something completely different you're going to be disappointed, it's the same old game really but that isn't necessarily a bad thing. Fun with friends and an online multiplayer with multiple game modes make this playable after the campaign is finished. If you didn't like the original games then this won't entice you in and older fans should find some entertainment from it.… Expand
  82. Jonnyblond
    Nov 11, 2012
    7
    Wow...is all I can say. 343 did a freaking fantastic job on this game. Goodbye bungie hello beautiful. The campaign was a riot. I had a lot of fun with the chief and that half naked robo-babe. The story was short but it includes spartan ops which is a fine addition to the game. Then there's the meat and bones of the game. The multiplayer is truly awesome. I tried getting into 3, odst, andWow...is all I can say. 343 did a freaking fantastic job on this game. Goodbye bungie hello beautiful. The campaign was a riot. I had a lot of fun with the chief and that half naked robo-babe. The story was short but it includes spartan ops which is a fine addition to the game. Then there's the meat and bones of the game. The multiplayer is truly awesome. I tried getting into 3, odst, and reach and they just didn't do it for me. They were great games but the multiplayer was made to cater to basement dwellers. This game I have jumped right in and have totally destroyed all. There's nothing better than hearing a hardcore teen scream in the mic how sucky the game is cause the battle rifle isn't the all end. It feels like 343 did the multiplayer right weapon wise. It seems all the guns have their own uses for different situations but the dmr and br are truly the killers. Whatever 343 did to stop the stupid bunny hopping players gets true nods from me. I love seeing someone jump all around to only get destroyed by me now. In the past if you bunny hopped, it seemed king. But no more. Anyways if your looking to get a truly awesome multiplayer game for the 360, then put your trust in 343. They eclipsed bungie. It's been a long while since I liked a halo multiplayer and I don't see me walking away from this one. I don't even think the new call of duty will get me away from this unless activistion does something truly great with black ops 2. But most likely it will all be nothing but hiding in buildings the whole game cause the sky is littered with helicopters, bombers, etc.… Expand
  83. KevowOfRice
    Nov 13, 2012
    7
    I think out of all the Halo titles, this "Almost" falls as bad as Reach was. The biggest mistake developers of video games make is trying to add in new things that NOBODY (that loves halo) wanted in the game in the first place. You start with a single game that everyone loves, add in improvements and separate features (such as forge, skulls) in. But when you start to add in new things thatI think out of all the Halo titles, this "Almost" falls as bad as Reach was. The biggest mistake developers of video games make is trying to add in new things that NOBODY (that loves halo) wanted in the game in the first place. You start with a single game that everyone loves, add in improvements and separate features (such as forge, skulls) in. But when you start to add in new things that were NEVER asked for, well than you are going to have a bad time! Spartan Ops was literally a disappointment. It could be a big time waster for new players, but lack the freshness of diversity compared to the campaign. It was literally just firefight but with an ending and location movement, but you can't change what enemies there are and the play-style like firefight. You just spawn, leaving out the challenge of beating it with ease and its just plain crap for people who actually try not to get any deaths, not that it even matters anymore.

    Graphics are amazing, very rarely do I see any graphic clippings, and that was ONLY in the cutscenes in campaign. The lighting is amazing. But the generating lighting feature in Forge is so annoying I wish you had the option of turning it off!

    Multiplier is fast paced and I like it. But when you get over the fact of graphics, lighting, and features in-game, it starts to turn into **** Ordinance was the worst feature of all. Some players got rockets and shotguns, while unlucky players received mere needlers that need to be fired directly for a long time before getting a kill. Weapon balancing is a HUGE issue in this game! DMR is a 4 head-shot kill while the rest of the weapons take 6-10 shots. ALL of the forerunner weapons are **** like the Boltshot which is like a charged up shotgun capable of overtaking a primary weapon at close-mid range any day.

    Forge was amazing. The new interface made it 10x as easy and faster to build new structures. Needless to say, anybody can take the time now to create anything they want.

    The menu/lobby is to unorganized and clunky. It takes time to find other players and counting how many players takes effort. You can't find your buddy as easily as the ones in Halo Reach or 3. '

    The idea of prestiging in Halo just wants to make me burn down 343 for ALL of this **** they are copying from COD. I'm so disappointed how desperate they are to getting COD players to join in, they don't even care about the loyal fans out there whole love the HALO mechanics over COD and just makes everything less fun for everyone and makes everyone mad.

    The campaign was repetitive and boring like Gears of War 3. All you did was go somewhere, kill the enemies and move on. Just so many fillers that needed to be fixed.

    The armors in H4 were impressive looking but the idea of letting people unlock them and giving them out for free makes wearing those armors feel like you didn't even worked for it. No matter how cool that armor looks it just feels like you didn't earn it and that everyone has it. Id personally would of liked it if they did the opposite with spartan points to the load outs and put it on armor instead.    … Expand
  84. sindronian
    Nov 14, 2012
    7
    If I have never played Halo before I would give this game a 9 or even 10/10. However since I am a longtime halo fan and now that I've reached rank SR-41 I can say that the multiplayer is pretty disappointing. The campaign is well deserving of a 9/10, spartan ops is trash online and threatre only works for multiplayer currently. So a 7/10 is pretty generous. The multiplayer does matter moreIf I have never played Halo before I would give this game a 9 or even 10/10. However since I am a longtime halo fan and now that I've reached rank SR-41 I can say that the multiplayer is pretty disappointing. The campaign is well deserving of a 9/10, spartan ops is trash online and threatre only works for multiplayer currently. So a 7/10 is pretty generous. The multiplayer does matter more than campaign to me because it's the multiplayer that I will invest most time into and get my moneys worth. The multiplayer is does not have separated social and ranked playlists. This means that people who try so hard with a coordinated team to kick your ass are going to be matched up with people who are for the most part screwing around. Halo 3 had the most lasting appeal because it separated these types of players. In halo 4 you are matched by skill and rank. So when I started to get higher rank, games got more and more frustrating. Every time I get in a gunfight now I have to perform a song and dance just to get out alive and wipe the sweat off my balls from trying so damn hard, but I can't actually have time to wipe off my balls because this game has instant respawn. So unlike the Halo 3 social playlist, almost every single game in Halo 4 is stressful as **** I rarely have close games usually I get **** taken onto me. I'm by no means a bad player. I'm quite good but there are many better than me and because I played more than most at launch I got matched up with a lot of the best players. Because there is no separation of the highly competitive players and the casual players this game will get so frustrating no one will play it I guarantee. I already stopped. If you think $60 is worth a good campaign, Halo 4 has one of the best campaigns you'll ever play. The campaign does have one big issue though. It's hard to follow and in order to understand it you'll need to do research before or after it. The story is not very clear but the cutscenes are great and the gameplay is fun! Great game overall but multiplayer sucks right now. Check out my full war games (multiplayer) review here: http://www.343industries.org/forum/topic/17780-my-honest-review-of-halo-4-war-games-rank-sr-38/… Expand
  85. TheBestReview
    Nov 16, 2012
    7
    This is the best review for this game: Halo 4. The Good: brilliant visuals, balanced multiplayer, weekly content (spartan ops) and it feels like a halo game... except it isn't. The Bad: Campaign has missing levels, (You feel as you play through it that important introductions and information is missing) I hate to say it but the first-person "action sequences" that happen feel way too CoD,This is the best review for this game: Halo 4. The Good: brilliant visuals, balanced multiplayer, weekly content (spartan ops) and it feels like a halo game... except it isn't. The Bad: Campaign has missing levels, (You feel as you play through it that important introductions and information is missing) I hate to say it but the first-person "action sequences" that happen feel way too CoD, (not that CoD is bad mind you, but this is Halo.) The ending... as soon as Chief is crawling on a light bridge you will know what I mean... and I feel that 343i "left out" content that are stables in Halo as of this point. (Firefight, Theater Mode for Campaign, etc...) All in all, I'd say that if you are a Halo fan, you may have some reservations about lost content or lack of campaign varity (not in the vehicle mission but in all the others it feels like all you do is go to objectives and activate things...) but if you are a shooter fan and enjoy the fun of challenging enemies and the variety of very well-balanced weapons then this could be your cup of tea. The addition of CoD-like gameplay to the Halo franchise feels like the addition of the Arbiter missions in Halo 2; some people dig it, some people don't. Final Verdict: Halo 4 is beautiful game riddled with missing content, but if you can get past what could have been you will pick up this game with one thought: "I need a weapon." - The Best Review… Expand
  86. TheGamer31
    Oct 14, 2013
    7
    I would like to fix my review from a 5 to a 2. I played even more of this disappointment and its horrible multiplayer. Do not buy this game, if you want an FPS go pick up CS on Steam.
  87. wiles01
    Nov 21, 2012
    7
    There are lots of set pieces in this game that make you giddy with excitement at the new ideas. The Mantis combat walker, the Mammoth 6 wheeled sandcrawler type vehicle. Lots of neat ideas. They did a good job of revising the franchise.

    Then there are other parts of the game that make you want to beat your head against the wall in frustration. It is hard sometimes to see where you    There are lots of set pieces in this game that make you giddy with excitement at the new ideas. The Mantis combat walker, the Mammoth 6 wheeled sandcrawler type vehicle. Lots of neat ideas. They did a good job of revising the franchise.

    Then there are other parts of the game that make you want to beat your head against the wall in frustration. It is hard sometimes to see where you are supposed to go next and you just kind of have to search your way around.

    Good story though and great graphics and gameplay otherwise. If you are a fan of Halo it is a must buy, if you are not a fan, then it might be a pass for you.    … Expand
  88. Scholarch
    Dec 16, 2012
    7
    First off ill be clear, I have not finished the campaign but am 4 hours in and I have 10 hours in multiplayer and have played numerous rounds of each game type. From my experience here are the aspects that i enjoyed and those i do not. Campagin: BAD Inconsistent difficulty: some areas are boringly easy ( played on heroic) while other areas are controller throwing difficult.

    GOOD:    First off ill be clear, I have not finished the campaign but am 4 hours in and I have 10 hours in multiplayer and have played numerous rounds of each game type. From my experience here are the aspects that i enjoyed and those i do not. Campagin: BAD Inconsistent difficulty: some areas are boringly easy ( played on heroic) while other areas are controller throwing difficult.

    GOOD: Beautiful graphics. I died at one point because i walked out of a crevice into an open area and was standing just looking at the amazing scenery.

    BAD: The AI is simple: The enemies generally repeat a simple pattern and dont seem to act as if they have any tactics. ( shoot a grunt in the back and often they wont even turn around)

    GOOD: voice quality. I always felt in the previous games that the voice recording quality was lacking. However the voices in the campaign have been wonderfully crisp.

    BAD: overpowered weapons. It seems as though the method to make the game more difficult is to simply ramp up the enemy weapon damage. This leads to a jackal with a needler being your worst enemy rather than a skillful elite.

    GOOD: Controls: while the control layout has changed the fluidity of the control is such that the controller never feels like a barrier.

    BAD: Vehicle sounds: Every vehicle sound so far has been annoying to the point that I've actually left behind a ghost so I didn't have to hear it. The warthog is a military vehicle not an alcohol dragster. Any enemy within a half a mile would hear it coming. BAD: Checkpoints. Bungie was always careful to ensure that difficult areas had strategic checkpoints that would help you progress while still allowing for deaths. Halo 4 barely has any. If you cant get through a 30-40 minute section without dying, be prepared to see the same area and hear the same dialog, possibly for hours till you can find just the right sequence of maneuvers to get you through. Multiplayer:

    BAD: Locked Loadouts: The fact that those who have been playing longest get access to the best gear is frustrating beyond words. Dont like the jetpack at first? Tough. BAD: Dynamic game joining. More than once it seemed that one team got to start the game 10-30 seconds before the other allowing for advantages that were near insurmountable ( acquiring both mechs in capture the flag on Valhalla)

    BAD: Mechs. Any game that include the mechs regardless of the actual type becomes "capture the mech" these things are so incredibly overpowered its inconceivable they made it into the final game in this form. BAD: Map design. Most of the maps feel cluttered and lack a sense of flow, with many having a "perfect spot" eg. The tree near the crates on Abandon is so easily defended that an oddball match can be won in a blowout if the carrier stands behind it.

    GOOD: Player skill matching. Despite playing against opponents some 20 levels higher the game seemed to balance the teams well. Rarely did it feel like one person won the game.

    GOOD: SWAT. SWAT still plays as vicious and frantic as always and the new instant respawn helps keep the game moving Overall while the game most definitely feels like a halo game it lacks that sense of razor thin balance that made the prior games so much fun. While the new graphics bring a greater feeling of realism failings in gameplay constantly break immersion. A shaky start to a new era of Halo.    … Expand
  89. mikenasty
    Dec 27, 2012
    7
    Great multiplayer even if you're a beginner. The campaign was way too repetitive where virtually every task was to go from point A to point B so you can do this (aka press a button)
  90. bsd12
    Dec 28, 2012
    7
    This is my first Halo game and the only reason why I played it was for the AMEX promotions (hehe). Anyway, the campaign was pretty good. I thought the graphics were great, music was good enough, gameplay was solid, but repetitive. The enemies were sponges and not that fun to fight. Many levels felt like repeats, however, some driving sequences broke up the monotony. I played about 2This is my first Halo game and the only reason why I played it was for the AMEX promotions (hehe). Anyway, the campaign was pretty good. I thought the graphics were great, music was good enough, gameplay was solid, but repetitive. The enemies were sponges and not that fun to fight. Many levels felt like repeats, however, some driving sequences broke up the monotony. I played about 2 or 3 rounds of multiplayer and I thought it was great. Despite, my first time playing, I did fairly well. My call of duty experience helped me a bunch and I thought it was quite noob friendly. The game is a solid 7/10 for newcomers.… Expand
  91. aaronmwolford
    Jan 27, 2013
    7
    The Halo franchise has embedded the perfect dent in the first-person shooter genre, however while 343 has taken the series and knocked the multi-player out of the park the single-player takes a tremendous downward spiral into unavoidable oblivion. Mundane, repetitive, and monotonous are a few a adjectives to describe the campaign experience. Beauty cut-scenes and intriguing story are notThe Halo franchise has embedded the perfect dent in the first-person shooter genre, however while 343 has taken the series and knocked the multi-player out of the park the single-player takes a tremendous downward spiral into unavoidable oblivion. Mundane, repetitive, and monotonous are a few a adjectives to describe the campaign experience. Beauty cut-scenes and intriguing story are not a fault. The mere repetition of repeated metal "things" and disconnect from the world was the heaviest boulder to overcome. Halo used to be about expansive worlds and driving the warthog from point A to point B for the sake of; it was just to far to walk. Halo 4 puts the player in a metal box and says "hit that button." While the campaign was a disappointment the multi-player is hands down the highest contender of all prior Halos.… Expand
  92. Alptitude
    Jan 18, 2013
    7
    I bought Halo 4 about a month ago since at first I was not all that convinced that 343 would continue the Halo series that I loved. The game lives up to its hype. If you enjoy Halo games in the slightest then this game is fantastic. Despite the short campaign, Halo 4's story I believe is more engrossing than much of the original Halo trilogy. That said, I personally do not enjoy Halo 4 asI bought Halo 4 about a month ago since at first I was not all that convinced that 343 would continue the Halo series that I loved. The game lives up to its hype. If you enjoy Halo games in the slightest then this game is fantastic. Despite the short campaign, Halo 4's story I believe is more engrossing than much of the original Halo trilogy. That said, I personally do not enjoy Halo 4 as much as I did any of the previous Halo FPS installments. My main problems with the game relate to game-play. With respect to the campaign, in Halo: CE and Halo 2, I remember how difficult fighting elites were on legendary and how tactical at times fighting those enemies could be. It was always a relief to fight the flood but still exhilarating as waves of flood tried to overtake me. The Covenant in Halo 4 are easier than the flood were in Halos 1 - 3. Rarely do elites require switching to plasma weapons or require any other thinking than shoot until they die. I will admit groups of Covenant are far more effective in groups since grunts and jackals seem to have been upgraded to do more damage and often an elite is nearby. However, tactical thinking still can be required at points when facing Covenant. If the game's adversaries only consisted of Covenant, I might forgive the easy difficulty and merely add skulls to increase the difficulty. Halo 4's Prometheans really are the most aggravating adversaries. The elite-equivalent Prometheans need to be bursted down but they retreat or warp next to me right as I am about to kill them. Since they retreat so often, I end up wasting all my ammo for my rifle. Since the game constantly blocks previous paths (which had plenty of ammo), I have often found myself running like a madman around the battlefield looking for any type of weapon since my ammo has run out. I do not mind the burst requirement for the Prometheans but I do wish the game felt as open as the previous Halos. MULTIPLAYER (only competitive not cooperative):
    Halo 4's multiplayer is a far more mixed experience. While I find the game-play quite fun and the maps not altogether horrible, War Games really suffers from balance issues. Every previous iteration of Halo provided decent balance and competitive modes. From what I understand competitive modes will be added but I doubt that games will ever really feel balanced. The killstreaks or Ordinances are really overdone. At this point in the game, players mainly choose shotgun-type weapons and camp or they choose sniper rifles if given the option. In past Halo games, getting shot while zoomed in would cause the player to zoom out. Not anymore. This has made sniper rifles easily the best mid-long range weapons since it pretty much guarantees a kill. Yet this really is a minor flaw in the game and it rarely disrupts my enjoyment of the game. The presence of killstreaks, the lack of the ability to grab grenades off of dead enemies as default, and the removal of map and weapon control really augments the feeling that this really is not Bungie's Halo anymore. The game used to reward smart skilled play but really it just rewards people who get killstreaks the fastest which allows them to get more later. Until Halo 4, multiplayer required decent teammates and intelligent play. I cannot give this anything less than an 7 but also anything more than an 8 as this game really is more style than substance. It disheartens me that Halo has moved away from tactical game-play to run and gun idiocy. Hopefully, competitive play will be just that and until then I, regretfully, will probably not continue to play this mass-appealing drivel.    … Expand
  93. ParrotMuncher
    Feb 4, 2013
    7
    I have been a Halo fan since the Combat Evolved and though this game was not perfect I have very high hopes for what 343 will end up doing with the series. First of all this game doesn't deserve a 10 or 9, it deserves a 7 or 8, but also keep in mind this game in no way deserves the low scores people are giving it and some people don't know how to score a game if they give almost anything aI have been a Halo fan since the Combat Evolved and though this game was not perfect I have very high hopes for what 343 will end up doing with the series. First of all this game doesn't deserve a 10 or 9, it deserves a 7 or 8, but also keep in mind this game in no way deserves the low scores people are giving it and some people don't know how to score a game if they give almost anything a zero. Now to get into the game, the story is great. Cortana is starting to deteriorate as all AI's do eventually and your primary mission is to save her although you get sidetracked with saving the universe again from the new enemy the Prometheans. This game is very good at really showing emotion in Master Chief which I can't say I've ever seen in the whole series before. The missions are fun, but the first three missions feel pretty dull and like all you do is press buttons. After that the game really picks up and is a fun adventure. The next thing to review is the new enemy, the Prometheans, (I'm not going to bother going over the covenant). The Promethean knights and Crawlers are very cool enemies to fight. My only problem would be with crawlers having a sniper killing you in one shot and I feel the teleporting of the knights is more frustrating than entertaining. The thing I can't stand is the Watchers, or in other words the little flying guys. They give the knights shields and deflect grenades back at you, and when you shoot them they fly away. It's fine for a game to be challenging, but the watchers are just plain irritating. Spartan Ops is just maps being constantly recycled. There's an attempt at a story, but it's ridiculous and you won't find yourself caring. There's not much to it, I don't recommend it. I love the multiplayer, it is great and I don't care what people have to say about it. The new modes are great, there's no real problems with the classes and infinity slayer is very fun. There's tons of new armor and reasons to rank up. Ordinance isn't cheap and I like the power weapons scattered throughout the map randomly. I kind of wish they had a mode of just classic Halo but it's ok without it. I hate the Boltshot, almost like a mini shotgun, but it's not the worst thing and it won't ruin the experience. Please don't even acknowledge people saying this multiplayer is just COD, these are either just stupid 5 year-old COD fanboys or Halo fans who can't handle small changes. I haven't loved the multiplayer of a game to the point where I actually play it a lot and enjoy myself since Halo 3 (even though I liked Halo: Reach). In conclusion Bungie blessed us with a studio that knows what it's doing and remember this is their first game that they fully did! It will only get better and a true Halo fan should be able to stick with it instead of hating on it because it had changes. And if you are a huge Halo fan and don't like it than just don't complain and stick with the old ones… Expand
  94. Jangster
    Feb 11, 2013
    7
    As far as the Halo series goes, I must applaud 343 for daring to do new things. Chief is a lot more narrative. Cortana is naked as ever. The environments are gorgeous. Sound is ho-hum. Story is OK. In fact, the story is the biggest drawback of the game. I have no problem with Cortana needing Chief's help because she's losing her sh*t. What I do have a problem with is the awkwardAs far as the Halo series goes, I must applaud 343 for daring to do new things. Chief is a lot more narrative. Cortana is naked as ever. The environments are gorgeous. Sound is ho-hum. Story is OK. In fact, the story is the biggest drawback of the game. I have no problem with Cortana needing Chief's help because she's losing her sh*t. What I do have a problem with is the awkward relationship these two have. If I'm not listening to her crying about losing Chief, I'm listening to Chief saying, "It's OK baby, I'll take care of you." I want to shoot at things and be a hero, not watch a $60 soap opera.

    The multiplayer is all about shoehorning Call of Duty elements into Halo game play. I feel like 343 took all of Bungie's hard work and tried to dress it up as something new by replicating what put Infinity Ward on the map. This is just my opinion, of course.    … Expand
  95. WuTu_Phantom
    Feb 17, 2013
    7
    Halo 4 as a game isn't exactly what I was expecting from the series, with a poor campaign that doesn't stand up to the previous 3. Graphics are incredible, I will say, better than any of the previous games. Multiplayer gameplay is dominated by the DMR, an overpowered weapon that has no downsides, the Boltshot, a pistol that doubles as a shotgun, and grenade spam, players enjoy picking theHalo 4 as a game isn't exactly what I was expecting from the series, with a poor campaign that doesn't stand up to the previous 3. Graphics are incredible, I will say, better than any of the previous games. Multiplayer gameplay is dominated by the DMR, an overpowered weapon that has no downsides, the Boltshot, a pistol that doubles as a shotgun, and grenade spam, players enjoy picking the same maps over and over until they don't have that choice anymore, and this gets very boring, very fast. Overall, the game isn't worthy of the title of Halo, maybe Call of Spartan 4 would have been a better title, because it seems like they attempted to CoDify it as much as possible without completely changing the game, speeding up gameplay wherever they could, sacrificing quality in many cases. Spartan ops, as an honorable mention, is disappointing and boring, recycled maps and stale gameplay make for a dull gameplay experience that doesn't cut it.… Expand
  96. insanem0nk
    Apr 9, 2013
    7
    inherited a golden franchise and huge fanbase from bungie, and 343 squandered it by trying to make halo into their own. well guess what, people bought halo 4 for bungie, and stopped playing because of 343. they won't be tricked into buying halo 5, in hopes that 343 will be bringing it back to "halo roots" like they said. the only people that continue playing are the BTB scrubs, who'veinherited a golden franchise and huge fanbase from bungie, and 343 squandered it by trying to make halo into their own. well guess what, people bought halo 4 for bungie, and stopped playing because of 343. they won't be tricked into buying halo 5, in hopes that 343 will be bringing it back to "halo roots" like they said. the only people that continue playing are the BTB scrubs, who've changed halo into 8v8 into the traditional 4v4 arena shooter it is known for. A lot of false promises backed by nonresponsive PR rankings promised on day 1, comes 6 months after, fileshare promised day 1, comes 3 months after. 343 is a bad studio, and being a new studio doesn't give them some leeway, why did they give a new studio the reins to 360's best exclusive? and its not like those developers are new, theyve all worked on tripleA titles… Expand
  97. gorelequint
    Apr 24, 2013
    7
    While Halo 4 (Xbox 360) is a fantastic, enjoyable game with amazing graphics, it could have been so much more. I have loved the halo franchise from the original Combat Evolved to Halo Reach, but Halo 4 just didn't have the full package I was hoping for. The campaign was short, repetitive and linear. When I say linear, I mean canyons and corridors. You will know exactly what I mean if youWhile Halo 4 (Xbox 360) is a fantastic, enjoyable game with amazing graphics, it could have been so much more. I have loved the halo franchise from the original Combat Evolved to Halo Reach, but Halo 4 just didn't have the full package I was hoping for. The campaign was short, repetitive and linear. When I say linear, I mean canyons and corridors. You will know exactly what I mean if you have played the previous games. There is simply not enough open, widespread areas that make you gasp in awe at the size of them.

    There was one particular sequence that I loved, which involved riding on a giant tank (very similar to the sequence in Gears of War 2) while defending it but it didn't last long enough, and guess what?...The tank was driving through yet another linear canyon The sequence could have had so much more added to it to make it worthy of the Halo franchise. An example of a worthy Halo chapter was the epic final battle in Halo 3, where you are battling infantry, scarabs, ghosts, wraiths etc. That battle just made me jump for joy while I was playing it. Sadly there is no, i repeat, NO epic battles in this game at all.

    I got the feeling that the new makers, 343 Industries were too busy trying to put everything from the old halo games in that they forgot that the fans also want something new. The new enemies (rogue covenant and the prometheans) are boring and have absolutely zero personality compared to the Covenant in Halo 3, who I began to have respect for towards the end of the game. The new weapons aren't new they are just the same old weapons turned orange, with different sound effects
    The storyline was very vague in explaining what the enemies actually want which is, in my opinion a very important factor to take into account. Why are they doing what they are doing? The most disappointing part of the campaign is the boss battle. I was hoping for a showdown that would take me loads of attemps to beat but......no.....It lasted 3 seconds and most of it was a cutscene.

    The multiplayer is pretty much the same. The maps are uninspiring and I can't pick out anything new or innovative apart from changing the NAMES of some of the game types. Not very exciting....i mean...come on...game NAMES??? Who cares?? However, there is one new game type that I love: Dominion. It involves capturing bases, fortifying them with shields and turrets, and then defending them from the enemy. This involves tactic and teamwork, which is something that I think the previous halo game types didn't have enough of. But...This does not make up for the disappointment of the rest of the game.

    The fact is, halo has so much potential. The halo universe is a brilliant creation and there is so much that can be added to it. It's practically limitless...... so why didn't they add anything?? Beats me??!    … Expand
  98. 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
  99. ForeverFalling
    Nov 20, 2013
    7
    Pretty disappointing. The single player is boring to play through and the multiplayer just isn't as good as 2, 3, or Reach's multiplayer. Graphics are ok, but that doesn't make a game FUN to play. Btw, the end boss fight is a complete cop out and just plain sucks. Its just a slightly interactive cut scene.
  100. 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
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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

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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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