Halo 4

 Xbox 360
User Score
7.1

Mixed or average reviews- based on 3901 Ratings

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

    10/10    … Expand
  27. Barrack_Osama
    Feb 6, 2015
    10
    this game had a great campaign, a good mulitiplayer, and amazing graphics. i don't know why people are saying the multiplayer is uneven and bad. MOST maps, AND I MEAN MOST MAPS are symmetrical. there are a few that are not, like abandon. but most of the other maps are symmetric, like haven. also if you don't play infinity slayer, then there are no ordnance drops form players. thethis game had a great campaign, a good mulitiplayer, and amazing graphics. i don't know why people are saying the multiplayer is uneven and bad. MOST maps, AND I MEAN MOST MAPS are symmetrical. there are a few that are not, like abandon. but most of the other maps are symmetric, like haven. also if you don't play infinity slayer, then there are no ordnance drops form players. the mulitiplayer is even, I don't care what people say. and loadouts are even because everyone can have the same perks and guns as everyone else. great game… Expand
  28. Seamus100
    Feb 3, 2015
    4
    I've played previous Halo games that I enjoyed, but this one is not very good. Levels were boring, no new features or game perks. The AI was predictable, and after figuring that out the missions became easy to finish.
  29. Le__Xenomorph
    Jan 23, 2015
    9
    In my opinion, this is the best Halo game out of Halo 1,2, and 3. It has a strong story, very good voice acting, and spectacular graphics. The ending of the campaign will hit you hard, I guarantee it. The only thing this game lacks is the firefight mode, which is a really fun aspect of a Halo game. 9/10 (Awesome)
  30. somethingguy912
    Jan 10, 2015
    6
    I'm going to save my opinion on the whole 'necessity' to have a fourth installment of the Halo Franchise for a different time, as it is concurrently different from the opinion of the game in it's own context. Anyhow, before people start flagging my review down before their own sensibilities will bereft them from any kind of review that isn't a 9 or 10, I get why you guys like this game:I'm going to save my opinion on the whole 'necessity' to have a fourth installment of the Halo Franchise for a different time, as it is concurrently different from the opinion of the game in it's own context. Anyhow, before people start flagging my review down before their own sensibilities will bereft them from any kind of review that isn't a 9 or 10, I get why you guys like this game: It's got all this awesome lore to behold that any person with a pencil in hand will draw out soldier stories from the UNSC, I'm glad that you like all these visual graphics that have a huge scope on 'epic', but it's nothing to me. The graphics are just eye candy to hide all the uglier things about the game away. And the lore is only as important as you put your head into it, and if lore requires you to go into different mediums in order to understand anything, than you've failed at making a game worth of narrative, as is what this game does somewhat. Anyhow, as for the story, Master Chief and Cortana, after without any thought decided to go on into interstellar stasis for four years, come across an 'unknown' forerunner planet harvested by a new breed of alien to be feared (OOGA OOGA BOOGA) as the Promethians, which apart from their little surveyor drones and lights affixed like christmas ornaments around their body, work in AI almost the same way as the Covenant forces, meaning, bad. Enemies still go out in the daylight to greet your bullet barrel, which I would understand by the nature of the grunts, but the Elites? The Elites have been not only dumbed down but also lost a lot of their resilience to bullets, often being killable after their short-handed shields get depleted. Brutes are not present, for some reason, and the Promethein forces are not that variable, with nothing but "Knights", Surveyors and what I've been calling hell hounds, the little dog things that drop an infinite load of boltshots if you kill them, which usually takes one hit. Anyhow, for the weapons. A lot of the weapons from Reach and Halo 3 have returned in Halo 4, as you can now equip a DMR and Battle Rifle at the same time, including a touch of new weapons from all three forces, such as the Rail Gun, SAW, Storm Rifle and the famous Promethein weapons. The Promethein weapons are by far the best with the most stopping power and a neat little particle effect when you kill them (they distintegrate!). But other than the dialogue of the characters, which has seen a definite marked improvement, this game is colluded with a lot of confusing buzz words (composer, didact, forerunner, yadda yadda yah) and is not difficult in the slightest. Most of the time my friend and I got killed out of our own stupidity rather than by the difficulty curve (also, yet another QTE kill of the main boss). One small improvement is that the chief can now sprint (rather than being a 'pickable' ability), and some of the new abilities are much more helpful, such as a mobile drop shield and mini surveyor bot. And as I said, the graphic are pretty, but only serve to get you caught up in it so that they can mask away the aforementioned grievances above. I had my doubts about 343, but at least they didn't absolutely disgrace me with a pile of dog crap. They just gave me a rote, by the numbers game that attempts to pump more into it just to keep this aging franchise stagnant rather than dead.… Expand
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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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