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. TheWalrus2000
    Mar 25, 2013
    9
    Halo 4 brings back the ultimate Halo game experience with awesomeness and intensity. Halo fans will be pleased.
  2. TheGeckOH
    Dec 14, 2012
    9
    Although I rated this game a 9 out of 10, which means its an amazing game. If I were to compare it to Halo 3 I would give it a 6. BUT as a new company with a new direction its heading, I think they did an amazing job. First off if you are buying this expecting it to be like halo 3, don't its the polar opposite of halo 3 which in a way sucks. But as its own game it is amazing, the campaignAlthough I rated this game a 9 out of 10, which means its an amazing game. If I were to compare it to Halo 3 I would give it a 6. BUT as a new company with a new direction its heading, I think they did an amazing job. First off if you are buying this expecting it to be like halo 3, don't its the polar opposite of halo 3 which in a way sucks. But as its own game it is amazing, the campaign needed 1 more level in the middle to make the transition better, the campaigns ending (NO SPOILERS) is too embarrassing as a halo fan, although it is a really good ending it was extremely pathetic (you'll know what I mean when you beat it) The multi player is a 80% cod clone but still halo. It has specilizations, support upgrades, and armor abilities (3 "perks" like cod) sprint is with everyone and needs some weapon balancing but that can be fixed. With halo 3 having about 7 flawless maps (guardian, highground, pit, snowbound, avalanche, Last resort etc) and halo 4 having 2 (Exile, Haven) the maps aren't something to brag about, ALTHOUGH the maps are nice and exciting they aren't on par with halo 3 maps. With that said lets move onto the gamemodes, these following complaints will most likely be fixed soon so thats why it doesnt effect the score. But there are very few modes for online, no multi team, no rumble pit, no assault, no one flag, no "fun" modes like action sack from halo 3. But there are great modes added such as Dominion, Regicide (the only ffa mode atm) Extraction etc. With halo 4 being Big Team focused and having valhalla being remade there is no shortage of big team maps and gameplay, but with there being only 2 good small maps (haven, adrift) it lacks what halo 3 had that sense of (lets go **** around on guardian with snipers. Haven just doesnt cut it vs guardian. In ctf being able to wield a pistol while carrying the flag is stupid, and not having to HAVE the flag at base to score is stupid. My biggest complaint about this game, and this is half of the reason halo 4 is only a 9/10 not 10/10 is the forge. Oh man oh man this forge is 100% terrible, the features are nice, but the 3 small maps are absolutely trash, small spaces, tons of barriers, restrictions to the max. Forge world was massive, and had about 9 great areas for forging, with the 3 maps you get a crappy small "forge world" type space but it resemble the pinnacle rock from forge world... THATS IT its that small, the space one is the only viable map to forge on, but with unwanted holes in the ground, and an unremovable building it still isnt that great. Also one of the things they bragged about with forge was that it looked different then reachs. NO IT DOESNT instead of having all silver pieces we have all white pieces with shadows. The magnet thing is nice the gravity zones are amazingly cool, the playspaces are trash certain affinity did a horrendous job with forge. Now that I got that off my chest I will say this, although it looks like I have 9000 complaints about this game, I gave it a 9 because its still halo at its core, and thats what we want as gamers, that and most of the stuff I mentioned are fixable as in game type issues weapon balancing etc. But the forge maps im sorry to say but we probably wont get a sandbox type map as dlc in the future which sucks. But overall this game is outstanding despite the sucky forge and 1 level too short campaign with a predictable ending. If you are a ginormous fan of halo 3 and expect this game to be as fun, I'd say pass because this isnt "classic" halo its halo 2.5 (reach being 2.0) it adds alot of features, takes a couple out and overall wont appeal to the oldschool halo fan, it appeals to the casual gamer who wants to mess around and have fun (like me) I hope you read this review and took it with an open mind. In summary this games campaign needed one more level in the middle (hard transition), not for the oldschool halo fan, has stellar multiplayer for the casual gamer, needs a few maps similar to guardian/pit and a sandbox remake and this game will be a perfect 10. Thanks for reading.… Expand
  3. TOBYSMG
    Dec 18, 2012
    9
    Ah, Halo, how I love you.
    Master Chief has returned in the new installment of the explosive blockbuster franchise, and I (like so many) am as happy as Larry to see that this game is so fantastic.
    Graphically, this is one of the best looking games on the Xbox 360, and in the first cutscene, I did mistake the CGI for reality. Honestly, it's that good-looking. Although textures are    Ah, Halo, how I love you.
    Master Chief has returned in the new installment of the explosive blockbuster franchise, and I (like so many) am as happy as Larry to see that this game is so fantastic.
    Graphically, this is one of the best looking games on the Xbox 360, and in the first cutscene, I did mistake the CGI for reality. Honestly, it's that good-looking. Although textures are sometimes a little on the dodgy side, and explosion effects are rarely just not exciting enough, this is undoubtedly a graphical triumph.
    The sound design is almost flat-out the best you will ever experience. Buy a good pair of headphones and you will drool at the sound of the DMR punching holes in enemies' faces. I actually start shouting "Pew, pew, pew!" in some sections of the campaign, in which voice acting (for most characters) is brilliant. 343 Industries took a leap of faith with an entirely new musical score, and let me tell you that on the way down, they grew a pair of wings and flew up high into the sky! The music sometimes doesn't complement the situation perfectly, but for the most part it was great.
    Let's think about the campaign for a second. This time around, I really began to care for Cortana and John 117 in a way that I never originally had before. Their bond grew so much stronger in the game, and it brought out who Master Chief really was, and what he thought of himself and others. Story-wise, this game is very memorable, with a good (if slightly under-explained) villain. Some of the secondary characters get lost in the thick of it, and the commander of the ship Infinity has some completely unjustified orders, which make you question his competence as the captain of the biggest human spaceship ever. These minor gripes do not affect the overall product, which is a beautiful culmination of everything Halo. A saddening (but definitely satisfying) ending ties things up perfectly, making this one of the best stories ever told in a Halo game. Gameplay-wise, the campaign retains the sandbox mechanics of previous Halos, but only widens the possibilities with the new enemies: Prometheans. These are fun new enemies to fight, as they employ new tactics to keep you on you toes: Crawlers climb around, pounding the player with light arms fire, Knights bring the heavy weapons and blast though Covenant and UNSC personnel alike, and Watchers (spawned by Knights) float about, spawning more Knights and Crawlers, and giving your forcefield something to think about. After a while, the campaign begins to get a tad repetitive, but the objectives can differ enough for it to stay almost perfect throughout, with the last mission putting a wonderful spin on the classic Halo Warthog run. The campaign is, in every sense of the word, incredible.
    A welcome change in Halo 4 is to the multiplayer, which allows players to create their own custom classes, with various weapons, armour abilities and armour mods. This creates the fear of unfairness in multiplayer, but that fear is crushed by how balanced the game seems. Gameplay is now faster-paced, with sprinting now a default for all players, letting the maps get bigger and bigger- some too big. Most maps in this game are enjoyable to play on, but the good-old medium-sized maps have almost completely disappeared, spare two or three that you could class as such. New gametypes arrive, however, such as Dominion, Regicide and Infinity Slayer, which bring the best kind of change to multiplayer, whilst catering to the sizes of maps and mixing things up perfectly. Altogether, multiplayer is wonderful.
    And now, the newcomer: Spartan Ops, an episodic series of missions, updated weekly for insane cooperative play, but replacing the much-loved Firefight. It's great, but there are several flaws. The maps are recycled several times (but are used for different objectives), the story is very basic and hardly exists outside of the eye-popping CGI cutscenes, and some of the characters are completely unlikeable, though to counter that, there are some that you'll like a lot. This was a very bold statement for such an anticipated game, and, overall, it is a blast to play with people online as well as friends.
    Forge remains relatively untouched, but with new (if smaller) Forge environments, making the possibilities for map design even more exciting.
    That just about wraps the review up. This game is an absolute must-buy for all Xbox 360 owners, as it pushes the system to its limits, delivering one of the best games on consoles!    … Expand
  4. H360
    May 15, 2013
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Halo 4 is a masterstroke everyone can and should celebrate, and its two guaranteed sequels instantly make the next-generation Xbox a must-own system, with Halo 5 its most anticipated title. Halo has been rebuilt. It has been redefined. And it has been reinvigorated. The Xbox's original king has returned to his rightful place on the throne.… Expand
  5. gdmatt
    Apr 1, 2018
    5
    A complete departure from what made Halo games great, focusing on pretty graphics over anything else. If you're a Halo fan, you'll get some enjoyment out of it, but I can't recommend it to newcomers.
  6. sharksfan98
    Mar 17, 2013
    8
    Amazing. There are a few flaws in the programming, like the heath and stamina being depleted easily. It stands out from the other Halo games easily, almost giving it a unique touch. The campaign has an amazing story line and plot, which follows an odd pursuit never seen before in the Halo series. Multiplayer follows suit with a pimped-out GUI and exceptional game modes. Favorable, minusAmazing. There are a few flaws in the programming, like the heath and stamina being depleted easily. It stands out from the other Halo games easily, almost giving it a unique touch. The campaign has an amazing story line and plot, which follows an odd pursuit never seen before in the Halo series. Multiplayer follows suit with a pimped-out GUI and exceptional game modes. Favorable, minus some flaws that appears that the developers were eager to dish out a sequel too soon.… Expand
  7. diz30
    Mar 20, 2013
    8
    Good game. From a gamers perspective, the game was shipped before it was complete. Understandably though as the game needed to be sold that early in order to get a high amount of sales. The campaign is fun but short. Great graphics for a console. The multiplayer is ok. The randomness of all the power weapons gets annoying after a while and makes it hard to keep playing. Spartan Ops was funGood game. From a gamers perspective, the game was shipped before it was complete. Understandably though as the game needed to be sold that early in order to get a high amount of sales. The campaign is fun but short. Great graphics for a console. The multiplayer is ok. The randomness of all the power weapons gets annoying after a while and makes it hard to keep playing. Spartan Ops was fun if you had friends to play with. The first 5 episodes all feel the same. Even using a lot of maps multiple times. Other than challenges to increase your SR rank (which means nothing) there is no real reason to go back and play spartan ops after you've done it. 8/10, fun game but gets boring after you've tried everything.… Expand
  8. CurryLord114045
    Apr 2, 2013
    9
    Halo 4 is a fantastic FPS. It is far better than Halo Reach and outclasses it in every way. The campaign is slightly better with awesome enemies and a good storyline. The online multiplayer is far better than Halo Reach with good maps and some from older games. However, it wasn't as good as the classic Halo 3. I still highly recommend, but I still don't feel it was as classic and simple as Halo 3.
  9. Cdn1234
    May 2, 2013
    8
    "Halo 4: the epic start of the reclaimer saga" I'm thinking they have lost their zest throughout the games. its a good game, don't get me wrong, but the campaign is a little to repetitive, and (for once) Master Cheif seems a little under powered. That, or the enemies are over powered. I recall having to do the same thing over and over again, multiple times. Kind of defeated the purpose of"Halo 4: the epic start of the reclaimer saga" I'm thinking they have lost their zest throughout the games. its a good game, don't get me wrong, but the campaign is a little to repetitive, and (for once) Master Cheif seems a little under powered. That, or the enemies are over powered. I recall having to do the same thing over and over again, multiple times. Kind of defeated the purpose of a FPS game: to kill the enemies and then move! however, multiplayer is great! They often add new game types and the suit customization is great! the specializations aren't anything special, and you need to be something around lvl. 60 (i think) to unlock them. Spartan ops are fun, but, like the campaign, get boring after a little while.

    I would also recommend CoD games (even though you probably already have them)    … Expand
  10. unluckydice
    Jun 5, 2013
    9
    might not be as good as it's predecessor but it doesn't fall to far from the tree, although wish it had off been a few hours longer, the games soundtrack gameplay graphics are all spectacular, I did find the story a bit dry but I was just glad to revisit the halo universe again and play as the chief
  11. savagejoe444
    May 25, 2013
    8
    This is definitely the Halo game I was waiting for! I was disappointed with Halo 3, but found some enjoyment in the prequels: Halo Reach, Halo Wars, and Halo 3 ODST. However, Halo 4 will never be better than Halo 2!
  12. Beetleofbartlby
    May 25, 2013
    8
    With Halo 4, sound design and graphics really shine. Combat controls are still extremely good, tight, and feel that they're controlled by you. Fans of single player and multiplayer will be very pleased with this installment, but should Halo have just been left to die? The story is fast paced with its combat, dramatic with the story itself, beautiful in its presentation, and well paced.With Halo 4, sound design and graphics really shine. Combat controls are still extremely good, tight, and feel that they're controlled by you. Fans of single player and multiplayer will be very pleased with this installment, but should Halo have just been left to die? The story is fast paced with its combat, dramatic with the story itself, beautiful in its presentation, and well paced. Levels don't get stale or repetitive, and the classic Halo enemies are a joy to fight, and the new Prometheans are absolutely terrifying (impossible on Legendary). On the multiplayer side, it is both equally intense and rewarding. You still have the same old-same old FPS leveling up system and the basics of each match, even with an objective, is just shoot people until the match is over. Armor customization options like helmets and chest plates look cool, but are generally pointless other then identity purposes. However, the combat and game modes are addicting and offer a couple of new things to be seen. Forge, the number one draw for me, was lackluster and extravagant at the same time. Forge specific maps are tiny and seem rushed, and the objects are just reskined versions of Halo: Reach and Halo 3. Overall, Halo 4 was exciting, beautiful, and somewhat disappointing.… Expand
  13. Dreamshaker
    Jun 5, 2013
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I have every single Halo game, and this is the most polished as far as graphics and multiplayer inclusions go (except for the maps). The campaign continues to add a new story path but the gameplay is very very similar to all the other Halo games which is starting to mount now. The online Spartan Ops replaces firefight with similar type point to point mission sets needing to kill approximately around 100 various enemy combinations between point activations through each mission. These 50 mission sets (spanning 10 chapters) can be measured up with firefight as an alternative where time taken with death count, difficulty setting andoverall enemy kill score can be stacked/scored, but to me it felt more repetetive than challenging. The last 2 chapters were a grind (10 missions) but perhaps it would be more challenging if I went through them in heroic or legendary, as I did it in normal difficulty. I recently returned to the campaign on above normal, and the challenge is coming out now which will make the game last well and strong until Halo 5 on the new XBox One! Going through the campaign the second time now on the higher difficulty (legendary), I am picking up on the story better where Spartan Ops and even the TV series Forward unto Dawn has some very good linkages. Lastly, the upgrade system has improved from Reach with achievement inclusions with Halo Waypoint which points the way to Halo 5 on the new XBox One being even better with a TV series inclusion. Overall, Halo 4 is a good continuance, improvement and add on, though the gameplay is starting to wear thinner over time. Gameplay inclusions are better with capture the flag, weapon strengths, ordinance drops even though the maps are not as good. I want to give the game a 9, but give it an 8 because I liked the fact that firefight on previous Halo games allowed for 2 player split screen action without needing a second xbox live subscription, so it is missing that with Spartan Ops as a replacement. Had to pull my score down to 8 because this is a concerning detractor.… Expand
  14. Shortstack_519
    Jun 19, 2013
    9
    I enjoyed my time with Halo 4. The campaign was good but way too short, and i really enjoyed spartan ops with my coop partner. I would recommend it to people but me personally I am a bit tired of FPS games. It's a lot of better than Cod.
  15. Spongee
    Aug 16, 2013
    9
    Best graphics I have ever seen in a game, fun and thrilling campaign, and the new aspects of multiplayer add a lot of new mechanics and ways to play it.
  16. jabberdagger
    Sep 8, 2013
    10
    Game was awesome, i was extremely suprised on how well it turned out, despite it not being made by bungie. these people knew what they were doing. Story-line is a sequel to halo 3 but it doesnt really expand off of that, it focuses on more personal traits between chief and cortana after all they have been through in the war against the covenant, flood, brutes, and etc... the forerunnerGame was awesome, i was extremely suprised on how well it turned out, despite it not being made by bungie. these people knew what they were doing. Story-line is a sequel to halo 3 but it doesnt really expand off of that, it focuses on more personal traits between chief and cortana after all they have been through in the war against the covenant, flood, brutes, and etc... the forerunner npcs ya fight against are not as dull in character as brutes were but provide a good challenge. There isnt much change to the multiplayer feel to it but very slightly. why fix something if it's not broken? and that would have been a make it or break it factor despite everything else if 343 industries changed multiplayer way around. I cant wait til the next halo… Expand
  17. alecalger
    Oct 9, 2013
    9
    It's hard to follow up on a success like Halo 3, but Halo 4 has an awesome campaign and the best looking graphics I've ever seen. Halo 4 multiplayer is kind of a downgrade with the elimination of duel-wielding and boring maps, but if you play Halo for the campaign, get Halo 4!!!
  18. succumbed
    Oct 14, 2013
    10
    Halo 4 is an extremley amazing game that adds many new features,enemies,guns and multiplayer modes. The campaign is a great expirience and it tells a great story through very well done cutscenes. The graphics in Halo 4 are also very stunning. This a must buy for FPS fans.
  19. BaconConoisseur
    Nov 5, 2013
    10
    For fans of the Halo universe, this is an excellent continuation of Halo's epic story. The graphics are top of the line for 2012. The mechanics are extremely refined and well optimized for combat. Multiplayer offers a variety of game types and maps along with a multitude of weapons. Every weapon has its strengths and weaknesses that can be used for many creative strategies. This gameFor fans of the Halo universe, this is an excellent continuation of Halo's epic story. The graphics are top of the line for 2012. The mechanics are extremely refined and well optimized for combat. Multiplayer offers a variety of game types and maps along with a multitude of weapons. Every weapon has its strengths and weaknesses that can be used for many creative strategies. This game pushes you to be creative in combat and try new ideas. Have fun. I know I did.… Expand
  20. TheAscendantOne
    Aug 18, 2014
    5
    When mentioning the word Halo in the video game industry is synonymous with excellence. When you make a game and call it "Halo" you are expected to hold that level of excellence. If you are a long time halo fan, like myself, this game deviates too much from the core of what kept us up for ridiculously long late night sessions and hours of unforgettable fun. I understand pressing the edgeWhen mentioning the word Halo in the video game industry is synonymous with excellence. When you make a game and call it "Halo" you are expected to hold that level of excellence. If you are a long time halo fan, like myself, this game deviates too much from the core of what kept us up for ridiculously long late night sessions and hours of unforgettable fun. I understand pressing the edge to try and uncover the next best thing, but you have to maintain the core of what drove the success in the past.

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

    New game types that added some value.

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

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

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

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

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

    Overall, this was a VERY average game, you can use it to kill some time and have some fun. However, critically speaking, it doesn't quite hit the mark of high expectations that many have come to expect with its half-hearted attempt at employing a custom class system on poorly designed multiplayer maps and an average campaign.    … Expand
  21. Dirtymasterchie
    Nov 11, 2013
    10
    this game rocks a amazing feeling when you play al the fun mods brouht in a playlist

    Graphics: 10/10 Absolutely gorgeous. Cut scenes are better than Wars. Story: 9.5 Greg Bear definitely had a large part in this. Gameplay: 9.5 Slightly repetitive but it kept me interested throughout. Multiplayer: 9.5 Very, very fun, much better than Reach. Dialogue: 10 Brilliant Writing.    this game rocks a amazing feeling when you play al the fun mods brouht in a playlist

    Graphics: 10/10
    Absolutely gorgeous. Cut scenes are better than Wars.
    Story: 9.5
    Greg Bear definitely had a large part in this.
    Gameplay: 9.5
    Slightly repetitive but it kept me interested throughout.
    Multiplayer: 9.5
    Very, very fun, much better than Reach.
    Dialogue: 10
    Brilliant Writing.
    Soundtrack: 9.5
    Average is above 9.5, so it rounds up to 10.    … Expand
  22. huss2215
    Nov 14, 2013
    9
    Graphics: Graphics are updated compared to Reach but they are still not on par with other best looking console titles. 9.
    Sound: Nice Halo soundtrack, voice acting was good, no complains. 10.
    Gameplay: It feels more accessible, the controls seem to have changed similar to Cod. Although it’s still the Halo flavor, and the online is still competitive and better than other FPS    Graphics: Graphics are updated compared to Reach but they are still not on par with other best looking console titles. 9.
    Sound: Nice Halo soundtrack, voice acting was good, no complains. 10.
    Gameplay: It feels more accessible, the controls seem to have changed similar to Cod. Although it’s still the Halo flavor, and the online is still competitive and better than other FPS shooters. The game adds newer promethean weapons which I had a blast with; it’s a really polished Halo title, and probably the best yet. Biggest disappointment, no boss battles! Also, the gameplay is mainly fun in co-op, solo would need more of a mix up. 8.5.
    Story: The story is much more interesting than any of the previous Halo’s but that’s not saying much. Master Chief is back, new planet, new species, new main boss enemy, but disappointing ending. 8.0.
    Lasting Appeal: The game is worth the purchase, campaign, Spartan ops, and a competitive multiplayer much better than Call of Duty Black Ops 2. 10.
    Overall Score: 9.1 out of 10.    … Expand
  23. Danilouco
    Nov 19, 2013
    10
    Adorei esse jogo. Perfeito na minha opinião. Graficos muito bons e história aprofundada. Nunca imaginei que Halo cresceria tanto. Um jogo indispensável para os amanter da serie e do console Xbox
  24. lqdh
    Nov 18, 2013
    10
    Best looking game of the 7th generation, and a great installment in the Halo saga. 343 Industries really outdid themselves. The story is great! The emotional connection between Chief and Cortana is strong as ever. The enemy is real, and dangerous, and adds to the universe of Halo bunches. If you area a true Halo fan(yes, played all of them, including Wars), or a fan of FPS, you'll love it.
  25. f4llen4ngel
    Dec 26, 2013
    10
    Halo 4 is one of the best Halo games ever made...343i did a very good job... unfortunately the gameplay is very similar to others game of the series, but is still solid and very fun. The plot is emotionally engaging end the Team worked a lot on the characters personality...
    The Multiplayer introduces new elements and is continuously balanced by the team.
    This Halo is a product of Talent    Halo 4 is one of the best Halo games ever made...343i did a very good job... unfortunately the gameplay is very similar to others game of the series, but is still solid and very fun. The plot is emotionally engaging end the Team worked a lot on the characters personality...
    The Multiplayer introduces new elements and is continuously balanced by the team.
    This Halo is a product of Talent and Passion, Good Job 343i... Buy it!
    In my opinion the most approrpiate rate is 9.5 ;)
    0, 3, 4, etc. have no sense     … Expand
  26. Hellhammer
    Sep 4, 2020
    7
    Halo 4 is a game that really split the community. It looks and sounds amazing and feels good to play. What makes the game feel off to many Halo fans is the plot which now makes Chief into more of a "charcater" rather than the silent ass kicker we are used to. The plot itself is ok, but not too memorable. The online felt fine, but lacked a real lasting impression which made it hard for meHalo 4 is a game that really split the community. It looks and sounds amazing and feels good to play. What makes the game feel off to many Halo fans is the plot which now makes Chief into more of a "charcater" rather than the silent ass kicker we are used to. The plot itself is ok, but not too memorable. The online felt fine, but lacked a real lasting impression which made it hard for me to return to it. The new enemy types are also not satisfying to fight when compared to the covenant, being more comparable to the flood. Overall it is a fine shooter, but alienating for Halo fans.… Expand
  27. TimeOfTheChimps
    Jan 24, 2014
    5
    The main plot premise is great - The Chief wakes up after four years of cryrosleep, only to find himself stranded on a world full of robots. What is wrong, you ask?
    Story: 5/10
    The story starts off great, but devolves into extreme confusion. After the first level, you rarely know what's going on, so you're forced to run and gun like a madman without knowing half of the story line. You    The main plot premise is great - The Chief wakes up after four years of cryrosleep, only to find himself stranded on a world full of robots. What is wrong, you ask?
    Story: 5/10
    The story starts off great, but devolves into extreme confusion. After the first level, you rarely know what's going on, so you're forced to run and gun like a madman without knowing half of the story line. You literally end the game asking such questions as "Why is the Chief's armour changed?" or "Who was that Del Rio guy?"
    Graphics: 10/10
    Stunning and amazing, as usual with Halo games.
    Gameplay: 4/10
    Classic Halo + Halo: Reach + every COD game = Halo 4. This is a problem, because these are two separate gaming entities that should stay separated. It's just like putting Coke in a Mentos bottle, because it just doesn't mix, and the end result isn't too great. H4 retains the control scheme of classic Halo games with minor changes, but it introduces COD's cinematic sequences, perks, and care packages (called "ordinance" in this game). This in turn ruins the Halo feel of the game.
    Multiplayer: 2/10
    This is what really grinds my gears about Halo 4. Online has become a game of cat and mouse that is not longer fair, nor is it fun. Players can get a mini-shotgun of sorts almost from the beginning of their multiplayer experience, which makes the game very unbalanced. Whenever you try to play a game in the collectively called "War Games", the servers throw you in the middle of a match that you are losing by 40 or more points; you are often pitted up against players that are between SR100 to SR130. This happens so much in normal Slayer that I just play Infection, which is the only gametype to never have this problem. I hope this is fixed in H5, because I'm losing hope in 343.
    Overall: 5/10
    Halo 4 is not a bad game, as it is good in many aspects. However, there's more to hate than there is to like. Test H5 on a diehard Halo fan who doesn't like H4, just to see if they like it more than this game. If they do, test it some more and sell it. If they don't, take the game and throw it in the rubbish bin.    … Expand
  28. Knibbles
    Sep 15, 2014
    5
    Not good enough to keep me playing, unlike the previous instalments Bungie made. Halo 3 was probably the best of the series for me, and hopefully 343i will be able to bring it back to the same level, if not higher, with Halo 5.

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

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

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

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

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

    Now other than all that, aswell as the new armor system being rubbish, the game isn't terrible and new players will find it fun to play for longer than returning Halo players in my opinion, and hopefully 343i will be able to reignite my interest with the next game, and hopefully keep me interested in all the ones after.    … Expand
  29. Artur95
    Sep 10, 2014
    6
    Halo 4 has lack of identity. I really missed master chief but in Halo 4 it doesn't feels like the older versions. Now he has close emotions with Cortana, all story surrounds Cortana's problems and not clearly the story of the Forerunners. Also, the story is too short and enemies are really easy when you play it on Legendary. The covenant's armor is terrible, and the elites are very easy toHalo 4 has lack of identity. I really missed master chief but in Halo 4 it doesn't feels like the older versions. Now he has close emotions with Cortana, all story surrounds Cortana's problems and not clearly the story of the Forerunners. Also, the story is too short and enemies are really easy when you play it on Legendary. The covenant's armor is terrible, and the elites are very easy to kill.

    The good things are that graphics are the best ones on the xbox 360. The spartan ops are quite a challenge and the plot is good, the multiplayer i think it improved a lot, there are some good playlists.    … Expand
  30. PsychoShane
    Apr 27, 2015
    7
    Halo 4's brilliant campaign, polished multiplayer and the new spartan ops makes this a good value purchase, even if it lacks a bit of innovation that Halo 3 was.
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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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