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. Hotaru99
    Nov 14, 2012
    10
    Hands down the game of the year. Phenomenal graphics, fun and easy to grasp gameplay and sharp new visual design, yet it is absolutely Halo.

    Hail to the Chief
  2. Markiee
    Jan 4, 2013
    10
    I've been a fan of HALO since the very first game (Still own every copy of it). HALO was the very first game i played on my old XBOX. And I fell in love with the game. And I've always looked forward to the next HALO game (except REACH, that game was meh)

    I'm a huge fan of everything HALO, and I have to say I am NOT disappointed with HALO 4. It is everything I hoped for and more. The    I've been a fan of HALO since the very first game (Still own every copy of it). HALO was the very first game i played on my old XBOX. And I fell in love with the game. And I've always looked forward to the next HALO game (except REACH, that game was meh)

    I'm a huge fan of everything HALO, and I have to say I am NOT disappointed with HALO 4. It is everything I hoped for and more. The sounds/audio is amazing. And the voice acting is superb. Graphics are great for a Console Game. The plot/story is just how I imagined it would be after hours of speculation after Halo 3. And the forerunners look just great.

    They did change the sound of several weapons and in my honest opinion. A lot of the sound even better now, and more ear-gasm-ing sounding. You know, they sound epic.

    Level design is good, I love the environments and I found myself spending a lot of time looking around at different things. Love the attention to detail.

    343 has done a great job, and I admit I was scared they would butcher the series. But they have not. They have give HALO new life, and I hope they will give me many more hours of fun to come.

    Spartan Ops is a great addition to the game, I found it to be fun to play, especially with friends.

    I did play a little of the Mutliplayer Aspect in HALO 3 and HALO REACH but I never got into it that much. I enjoyed it but it wasn't for me I suppose. But for those worried HALO 4's multiplayer is going to be vastly different. Fear not, it still feels like the good old HALO multiplayer. and it's even more fun now! I love it!

    This is the first time I've really been playing HALO's multiplayer aspect and loving it A LOT. I never hated it, I liked it in the past. But it just didn't click for me that much. It does now. It feels just like I guess HALO 3 and REACH. But better, different. But in a good way. (No, it's not simplified. I still get my ass kicked as always) But I don't know. It feels like there's less BS with connections and such now. It runs more smoothly. I did spend a good couple of 100 hours playing REACH Multiplayer sure, I did enjoy it but it wasn't my thing for a while. I found it hard to get into. I suppose now that I know how it works, it was easier for me to get into HALO 4's multiplayer.

    Either way, if you're a true HALO fan, you are going to love the campaign and the multiplayer.    … Expand
  3. LunaRaven7
    Mar 6, 2013
    0
    There are too many plot holes and inconsistencies in the campaign, and the game really takes the "Halo" feel out of the combat, and shifts it more towards another generic Call of Duty spinoff. With predetermined loadouts, instant respawn, faster kills, and almost no map weapons, multiplayer aims to become a fast-paced experience, but really just ends up as a frantic mess of disorganizedThere are too many plot holes and inconsistencies in the campaign, and the game really takes the "Halo" feel out of the combat, and shifts it more towards another generic Call of Duty spinoff. With predetermined loadouts, instant respawn, faster kills, and almost no map weapons, multiplayer aims to become a fast-paced experience, but really just ends up as a frantic mess of disorganized chaos. The few redeeming qualities of this game are brought down by the overall negative experience.… Expand
  4. Love4Mets
    Nov 9, 2013
    0
    I wrote a longer review for this game but it was deleted" I'm writing simply to warn others NOT to buy this game. Its an outrage that this is allowed to be released as a Halo 4 release when it's a sub subpar COD clone.
  5. tehMoerz
    Jul 25, 2013
    4
    I'm a bit late to review the game. But I was hyped for this game from the day it was announced to the day it launched. The multiplayer is unbalanced and disappointing. It's a CoD mirror. The population has died so fast. Spartan Ops is recycled regions of the campaign (for the most part.) It also has very cheesy and bad voice acting. Most of the custom games options were removed. Forge hasI'm a bit late to review the game. But I was hyped for this game from the day it was announced to the day it launched. The multiplayer is unbalanced and disappointing. It's a CoD mirror. The population has died so fast. Spartan Ops is recycled regions of the campaign (for the most part.) It also has very cheesy and bad voice acting. Most of the custom games options were removed. Forge has no good maps. Campaign was the only good element. I don' recommend this game unless you're a campaign guy.… Expand
  6. Caanite
    Jun 11, 2013
    9
    Halo 4 is an awesome game. 343's first original attempt at creating a Halo game has succeeded. However the downsides are that they made flood too diluted compared to Halo: Reach and that Forge Maps don't have enough space.
    Concept: 8/10
    Graphics: 9/10
    Sound: 7/10
    Playability: 9/10
    Entertainment: 10/10
    Total Score: 9/10
  7. ZombieFrogHorde
    Jul 9, 2013
    4
    Good for a generic FPS but bad for a halo title. Campaign was short and boring. Enemies are cheap and boring. Its only kinda fun at best. If you really want it get it cheap.
  8. Poppeloppiluss
    Dec 3, 2014
    0
    It would go faster to just write the positive aspects of this game because that list is very short. Generally good visuals, a lot of weapons to choose from, some new and fresh enemies. That's pretty much all that i can think of as positive.

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

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

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

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

    I feel awkward on behalf of 343 industries who, with all the resources, people and finances to release such a disaster. I have been a fan of halo series and was really hoping for improvement but this is the end of the line for me. I'm not buying any other Halo games in the future, there are SO many better games to spend your money on which won't make you feel robbed.    … Expand
  9. Alpacalypse
    Dec 17, 2014
    0
    By far and large the worst Halo game I've ever played. It's definitely in the top 5 worst shooters I have ever played. I loved Halo Reach and made sure to pre-order this game. It looked like it had promise.

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

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

    You know, I loved the first two halos to death. I personally think Halo: Combat Evolved is a **** masterpiece. So, I was disappointed to find that ODST was better than this. And ODST was some shiiiiit.
    I'll have to do my research before I buy into another Halo game.
    That, and hope I don't get matched up against a squad of hackers and a squad of people playing Halo 24/7.    … Expand
  10. kingofkoopas
    Apr 20, 2014
    1
    I believed the hype IGN said about the newest Halo game, calling it the best Halo yet! Hype works people, it really does and they know it. The hype got to me so bad that I ignored one of the most obvious things there is to this game, it is not made by Bungie. Hype works even better on people who don't have what it takes to spot all the terrible flaws that certain product can have, in thisI believed the hype IGN said about the newest Halo game, calling it the best Halo yet! Hype works people, it really does and they know it. The hype got to me so bad that I ignored one of the most obvious things there is to this game, it is not made by Bungie. Hype works even better on people who don't have what it takes to spot all the terrible flaws that certain product can have, in this case, Halo 4. Everything that made you a Halo fan is not to be found in this new entry to the franchise. This game is terrible, a true stinker. Bungie must be pretty angry for what they have done to their creation. After only two days, I traded this turd back to Gamestop, kept the case though, it's the only cool thing about this new Halo.… Expand
  11. Karimchii
    Mar 31, 2014
    4
    This game completely shocked me, It was a massive disappointed, going from halo 3 to halo 4, it was like chalk and cheese. The maps had no depth to them and the online game play was very average. I gave it such a low rating because of how good the prequel was.

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

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

    Hopefully halo 5 will redeem the series otherwise I will not be buying an xbox 1 as that is the only exclusive I am interested in    … Expand
  12. Gearhart7302
    Mar 31, 2014
    2
    This game absolutely kills the Halo franchise by not only killing the Halo story but ruining everything else in the story. All of the guns were redone but the UNSC weapons are completely useless, and it gets better, the new Forerunner weapons are a copy paste of the UNSC weapons with little to no good atributes. The story is too emotional for a Halo game and the threat of Cortana dieing isThis game absolutely kills the Halo franchise by not only killing the Halo story but ruining everything else in the story. All of the guns were redone but the UNSC weapons are completely useless, and it gets better, the new Forerunner weapons are a copy paste of the UNSC weapons with little to no good atributes. The story is too emotional for a Halo game and the threat of Cortana dieing is the worst part. The final boss completely kills the game because instead of the Halo 3 boss battle or the newer Halo Reach standoff, guess what all of the fans get? A retarded quick time event that completely kills the Franchises amassing endings. Hey, do you like being able to customize your equipment and change your symbol? Well to bad because the new multiplayer function doesn't allow you to customize it, unless, you level up which if you have no friends to play with or now Xbox live gold, is hard, you better like that armor you're wearing.… Expand
  13. capthavic
    Nov 12, 2012
    8
    Let me just say this up front, Halo 4 is not a perfect 10 but neither is it a bad game either. While the game does have some flaws (AI noticeably dumber, new weapons are pretty meh, doesn't do anything really new) it still hits all the notes you would expect from a Halo game and it does them competently. The visuals are absolutely amazing especially on an aging console, and while not asLet me just say this up front, Halo 4 is not a perfect 10 but neither is it a bad game either. While the game does have some flaws (AI noticeably dumber, new weapons are pretty meh, doesn't do anything really new) it still hits all the notes you would expect from a Halo game and it does them competently. The visuals are absolutely amazing especially on an aging console, and while not as iconic or bombastic as something from Marty O'Donnell the new music here fits well and doesn't distract from the action. Four player co-op for the campaign and new Spartan Ops episodes are still a blast, and getting a party together for some MP action is great way to spend an evening.

    It doesn't do anything to break the mold or take any chances, but there is something to be said for not fixing what isn't broken either. Halo 4 isn't going to change your mind if you weren't a fan already. But for fans or those on the fence then I would certainly recommend at least giving a try. For a new studio trying to fill some pretty big shoes 343 certainly could have done a whole lot worse :3    … Expand
  14. Justinavery7074
    Dec 4, 2012
    9
    It's a great game but nothing like the previous excluding Halo Wars and Halo 3: ODST. the graphics kill in this game. It's go **** beautiful to look at. I really like this game and want to love it but there's not the same feeling as with the other 4
  15. Deathmonger
    Jun 27, 2013
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This game was pure gold until the end. The graphics, gameplay, sound, pacing, all fantastic. But then the plot got weirder and weirder. It didn't really pass the logic test. Chief not firing the missile into the ship made no sense. Why drive it in? Having to play all all CoD: Modern Warfare style where you have limited crawl controls and have to click one button that you've never had to click before to plant a grenade on the Didact felt cheesey. Cortana magically saving Chief from a NUDET...come on. The gamma rays would be out in microseconds, and how does she magically make a hardlight shield anyways? Reminds me way too much of Mass Effect 3's space magic that we rebelled against and got DLC for. Unlike ME3 though which was the last of the series, I have hope that 343 will explain this stuff and not leave us hanging which is why I still give this a 90%.… Expand
  16. Haon
    Dec 7, 2012
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I'd give this game an 8.75. There are a few overly cheesy sequences in the campaign (I'm sorry, but Cortana just hasn't been the same since HALO: CE) and I personally don't find all the loadouts useful. The music isn't quite as spectacular as the originals, but hey, blame that on US Trademark law, not 343. NOW, THE GOOD! With the exception of the cheesy speed bumps, the campaign is spectacular. As Reach was the eulogy of a planet and a squad, Halo 4 is the final moments of gaming's oddest love story. The relationship between Chief and Cortana is utterly amazing, as is their debate about the humanity of one another. The multiplayer is just, wow. 343 really did a great job at making the weapons balanced (and sounding awesome!) and the maps unique. But more than anything, the ability to subtlely change the loadouts (no power or weapon is overpowered), the addition of ordinance drops, and creating randomized power weapons on the map keeps the focus on the battle, not on finding the best uber-weapon to blow things sky-high. Having logged over 100 hours into multiplayer, I still find myself going back for more, something I NEVER do with multiplayer. Seriously, try out Big Team Battle; it's like no other BTB in Halo. Spartan Ops is also decent, but where Firefight was slightly better than multiplayer in Reach, War Games is far and above more engaging than SO. Oh, and I love how they have a rotating game mode each week; it's nice way to keep things fresh. So, no game is perfect, and Halo 4 has it's flaws. But as a test of skill and teamwork that stays fresh, it shines like few others.… Expand
  17. lionalio
    Dec 12, 2012
    10
    the first time you play the game, all you can say is: awesome. Not only the addicted shooting and action throughout the game, but also the very memorable story, and plus, the almost-unbeatable outstanding visual. You cannot help but falling in the famous multiplayer of the game. Without a doubt this game is the killer application, a genuine signature game of XBOX 360. If you intend to buythe first time you play the game, all you can say is: awesome. Not only the addicted shooting and action throughout the game, but also the very memorable story, and plus, the almost-unbeatable outstanding visual. You cannot help but falling in the famous multiplayer of the game. Without a doubt this game is the killer application, a genuine signature game of XBOX 360. If you intend to buy a XBOX just for playing Halo 4, it's a good reason… Expand
  18. NCCrank
    Nov 9, 2012
    8
    I have played every single Halo game - except for Halo Wars. And, I was quite worried about Halo 4, not being sure what to expect from 343 vs. Bungie. Overall, this is very solid game. I should note that this is a review for the single-player campaign as I'm not much of multiplayer gamer. As far as the campaign goes, I have some mixed feelings. As far as story goes, the story for thisI have played every single Halo game - except for Halo Wars. And, I was quite worried about Halo 4, not being sure what to expect from 343 vs. Bungie. Overall, this is very solid game. I should note that this is a review for the single-player campaign as I'm not much of multiplayer gamer. As far as the campaign goes, I have some mixed feelings. As far as story goes, the story for this outing is second only to the original halo as far as I'm concerned. I wasn't in love with some of the Cortana voicework, but I greatly enjoyed the story, the direction of the plot, and the focus on the relationship between MC and Cortana. To me the story was the highlight of this release. The graphics in some areas are also pretty incredible. In other areas - especially when inside the forerunner structures they were very meh. Kind of a Tron:Legacy feeling - but it was hard to distinguish see some barriers in the final flying section. Gameplay was solid - but somewhat of a let down. The gameplay is very solid - no complaints with regard to controls or how the guns handle, etc. But, I was really hoping for more innovation - especially in the forerunner weapons. But, basically, they fell into the standard tropes - I.e. Sniper Riffle, Assault Rifle, Shotgun. There were a couple of weapons that I didn't try - but pretty much we've seen and used them all before. While there were some interesting and new set pieces in this game - I'm hoping they will bring more innovation to the next two games. Yes, the Knights require a slightly different strategy - but overall you are doing the same thing from previous games. Fight grunts, fight elites, fight hunters, rinse/repeat. Changing out the flood for the forerunner units doesn't add that much for. Finally, I do wish the campaign was longer. I know I'm in the minority - but I want more for my $60 than 7-10 hours. I've little interest in multi-player and don't think its unreasonable to expect a 15-20 hour single-player campaign for a AAA title. That being said - I do not regret paying full price for this game. While I had hoped for more innovation - this is definitely the second best game in the series. Not as mind-blowing as the original Halo - but I'm not sure if that is possible. This game was a very strong effort - and will definitely bring me back for the next chapter. I wished for a stronger sense of "new & different" from this release, but otherwise I would recommend this game. Its a very worthy addition to the Halo franchise - and 343 really deserves to be successful. They put a lot of love and hard work, and it shows in the story that will keep you playing until the end.… Expand
  19. SpazzBrozz
    Jan 14, 2013
    5
    This is my Halo 3 review. THE BEST Halo game i have played so far. Campaign AWESOME. Multiplayer AMAZING. Forge INCREDIBLE. Theater BRILLIANT. Easy 10 in my mind and a lot of others. HALO FTW!

    This is my Halo 4 review. This game sucks. 343 took out the good and added crap. I have written enough negative stuff about this game on Halo Waypoint so i'm not about to write a whole    This is my Halo 3 review. THE BEST Halo game i have played so far. Campaign AWESOME. Multiplayer AMAZING. Forge INCREDIBLE. Theater BRILLIANT. Easy 10 in my mind and a lot of others. HALO FTW!

    This is my Halo 4 review.

    This game sucks. 343 took out the good and added crap. I have written enough negative stuff about this game on Halo Waypoint so i'm not about to write a whole paragraph on here. 5/10    … Expand
  20. JBo796
    Nov 17, 2012
    9
    Opening:
    )most of my comments are based on the multiplayer, as I have not played the campaign through yet). I could, for some reason, simply never 'get into' the Halo franchise. I wanted too, believe me. It had everything I want in a game; Sci-fi story, sweet armor, awesome guns, but something just didn't stick for me. Now, with Halo 4, I have realized the genius behind this franchise.    Opening:
    )most of my comments are based on the multiplayer, as I have not played the campaign through yet). I could, for some reason, simply never 'get into' the Halo franchise. I wanted too, believe me. It had everything I want in a game; Sci-fi story, sweet armor, awesome guns, but something just didn't stick for me. Now, with Halo 4, I have realized the genius behind this franchise. The controls are so simple, anyone could play it; and if that's the case, then why was I always getting pwn'd in multiplayer so horribly? Halo 4 takes skill, where as other shooters do not. This game is about getting headshots, not just about getting a shot off sooner than someone else (who chances are has a faster connection than you). While this isn't the most fun game I've ever played, it is a wonderful change of pace from what I'm used to.

    Pros:
    - The graphics look better than any other Halo game before it. Textures look and FEEL great.
    - It's simple. There aren't any over complex menus or settings here, but there is enough depth in customization and unlocks to keep you coming back for more.
    - Halo Waypoint is awesome. I can check real time data at halowaypoint.com for my stats (Time played, games won/loss, most used weapon, kill/death ratio, etc.) across not only Halo 4, but the whole franchise...for FREE.
    - Winability: Yes, I just made that word up, but it applies well. If you take your time in matches and play right, rarely will you get worked over so much to the extent that you need to rage quit every match for half your afternoon/evening. This seems to be a much more fair and realistic game than other online shooters. I never find myself asking "How did i just get killed? This is BS!". When I die, I know it wasn't someone "hacking".

    Cons:
    - Having not played previous Halo games, there is a bit of a learning curve to catch up to the rest of the community in terms of skill. This however, could be viewed as a plus however, since it may extend the playability with some hard work and dedication.
    - The weapon variation for multiplayer could be greater. There is a minimal amount of weapons to initially choose from and most of the others are available only as power ups mid-match. This also, could be a positive though, as it most likely keeps the player base fairly neutral in terms of unfair advantages between the n00bs and higher level players.

    Overall, I am enjoying Halo 4 and looking forward to playing it for quite some time. This game is definitely worth purchasing.    … Expand
  21. Magitek
    Dec 15, 2012
    10
    Halo 4 by 343 Studios is an attempt to win a race that began with a little outfit named Bungie. If nothing else, this title stands as the last solid breath of the XBOX 360- a final burst of energy from a console on its last leg. Morbid as that may seem, the result is a milestone for both the 360 and the Halo franchise as a whole. It doesn
  22. jsp41
    Dec 2, 2012
    9
    Ignoring all the people who didn't even give this game a chance, this game is incredible. Best campaign since Combat Evolved, it really had me invested and the ending was both brilliant and saddening at the same time. The graphics are absolutely stellar, one of the best looking games I've ever played on Xbox 360. the multiplayer is great as always, and 343 has finally integrated a rankingIgnoring all the people who didn't even give this game a chance, this game is incredible. Best campaign since Combat Evolved, it really had me invested and the ending was both brilliant and saddening at the same time. The graphics are absolutely stellar, one of the best looking games I've ever played on Xbox 360. the multiplayer is great as always, and 343 has finally integrated a ranking system that makes a lot more since than the previous Halos. The only thing that brought the game down in my opinion was the short length of the campaign (which almost has to be forgiven, since the campaign is amazing) and the new Spartan Ops integration falls flat. It's not nearly as replayable as Firefight, and is just kind of boring. Overall incredible game, don't let the negative reviews sway you in any way, the ignorance of people on this site should be looked down upon, this game is amazing and soiling it with scores of one and zero are just idiotic and juvenile. Play this game, I promise you won't regret it.… Expand
  23. 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
  24. milesk182
    Aug 14, 2013
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I am a huge Halo fan and read all the books, collect everything, etc. As much as I want to give this a score of 10/10 I'm afraid Halo 1 is the only one that lives up to that but this comes close. I don't know why there is a lot of hate on this game as they finally gave me the same feeling i had in 2001 when i first landed on Halo and experienced seeing the ring and the vast ocean of the planet. When you land on the Forunner world it gives you that same feeling and it's breathtaking. The game mechanics felt more in line iwth Halo 2 which is fine because in my opinion that was the best of the Halo series game mechanics. The action is fast and there is such a wide range a variety in weapons and enemies. The new forunner enemies are a lot of fun and the forunner guns are a blast. The scattershot makes the shotgun not as cool compared to it. The multiplayer is fantastic, you still get the armor abilities that reach game but to an imporvement. To be honest i am not a fan of armor abilites and enjoy the weapon control of the previous Halo's but what can you do.... Anyways the multiplayer is the funnest i have experienced since 2, it's fast pace again and not as slow as 3 and Reach.

    What i disliked most about the game was the ending (SPOILERS) boss that was hyped up for several books and even in the Halo waypoint videos just dies in a manner that makes the player feel disengaged on the last mission because you actually don't do anyhting to fight him except a few QTE Really 343...?
    Also the Spartan Ops is weak and Firefight would have been a better choice unless the random missions could actually be made with the same quality of the campaign.    … Expand
  25. GolferGuy
    Aug 30, 2013
    9
    Classic Halo game. Shooting and aiming is well balanced and I really enjoyed the story, but it did get a bit long in the tooth near the end. Maybe I was just getting tired and wanted to finish. LOL
  26. 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
  27. thewastedyouth
    Mar 30, 2013
    6
    (after watching Halo 4 Postmortem on gamespot)

    This is just a big insult to any long time Halo fan. I don't know why I bought H4. I played for less than 7 hours. It's a disgrace. And what made Halo amazing was not only the campaign, but how accessible the multiplayer is. No one talked about how "difficult" mp was (even though there was no online). Halo mp became a success was    (after watching Halo 4 Postmortem on gamespot)

    This is just a big insult to any long time Halo fan. I don't know why I bought H4. I played for less than 7 hours. It's a disgrace.

    And what made Halo amazing was not only the campaign, but how accessible the multiplayer is. No one talked about how "difficult" mp was (even though there was no online). Halo mp became a success was because you can play it casually or if you really wanted to play serious, you can get to the meat and bones of the game by learning power weapons timing, grenade tossing techniques, spawns, and all that make an FPS an FPS.

    Same thing applies with 2 and 3.

    But now... this whole ordnance drop and default sprint makes the game only accessible for casual play. All that strafing and timing and positioning doesn't matter. Sprint doesn't fit in the Halo games because unlike other games you don't die in 3 bullets to the toe. The kill time doesn't mix with sprint.

    screw you 343... SCREW YOU.    … Expand
  28. robozot
    Dec 11, 2012
    8
    Only playing for the campaign, no time for online...
    It's a beautifully presented game. Guns are awesome. Incredible SFX.
    Gameplay is smooth, involving, flow is flawless. Not much thinking involved, no emotion. Pure reaction, exhilaration. Fine by me. The sci-fi world and story is daft, and incomprehensible next to the sleek and involving sic-fi of Binary Domain. As a videogame fan and    Only playing for the campaign, no time for online...
    It's a beautifully presented game. Guns are awesome. Incredible SFX.
    Gameplay is smooth, involving, flow is flawless. Not much thinking involved, no emotion. Pure reaction, exhilaration. Fine by me.
    The sci-fi world and story is daft, and incomprehensible next to the sleek and involving sic-fi of Binary Domain. As a videogame fan and Halo agnostic, I enjoyed this game a lot though.    … Expand
  29. Plaidman86
    May 8, 2014
    9
    I don't know why this game got an overall average of 87. This game is what Halo: Reach SHOULD HAVE BEEN. But nooooo... Instead, we got another serving of what Bungie thought was good which really gave us another short-changed game. Speaking of, I wonder how Destiny is going to be. If it's made by Bungie I have a feeling it's only going to be focused on online multiplayer with no effort onI don't know why this game got an overall average of 87. This game is what Halo: Reach SHOULD HAVE BEEN. But nooooo... Instead, we got another serving of what Bungie thought was good which really gave us another short-changed game. Speaking of, I wonder how Destiny is going to be. If it's made by Bungie I have a feeling it's only going to be focused on online multiplayer with no effort on story or character. Anyway...

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

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

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

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

    Overall, I give this game a 9 and not a 10 because: it's still Halo. We know what it is and how it works. But a 9 because of how brilliant the story execution was, the graphics, the gameplay, the options... Need I go on? Again, this is what Reach should have been. This is a great display of what the Halo universe has to offer. Great job 343! Here's to hoping Halo 5 will be just as great if not better. And to hoping it will be available for 360 too, heheh.    … Expand
  30. Thatoneguy
    Dec 6, 2012
    8
    Im not an extreme die-hard halo fanboy, though I have played all the games, and I don't like CoD, so please try not to expect an overly biased review. The graphics here are undeniably beautiful, some of the best on the xbox, especially the lighting, absolutely gorgeous. The Campaign is long and engaging, my first play through on normal took me roughly 8-11 hours, which is pretty damn longIm not an extreme die-hard halo fanboy, though I have played all the games, and I don't like CoD, so please try not to expect an overly biased review. The graphics here are undeniably beautiful, some of the best on the xbox, especially the lighting, absolutely gorgeous. The Campaign is long and engaging, my first play through on normal took me roughly 8-11 hours, which is pretty damn long for a campaign in a modern FPS. Its nice to see a company putting proper thought into a good quality campaign these days, **** multiplayer is turning into a virus for FPS games. Though one major gripe I do have is the ending, I won't spoil it but it makes little sense, though it still is extremely sad. The multiplayer is definitely my biggest complaint, there are plenty of balancing issues, especially with those double XP mother **** who are all probably level 190s by now. The next problem is the loadouts, and the commendations, the loadouts is way too CoD like for me, and it ruins what I wanted this game to be, a traditional halo game similar to halo 3 or 2. If loadouts were completely irradicated, my major complaint would be wiped away. Next is commendations, its too much just to get one piece of armor, **** trillion splatters to get a green visor!? No thanks. I love the new specializations, the armor looks unique, the concept gives gameplay more depth, and its a much more awesome reward than being reverted back to level 1 and just getting the title of "Prestige." The sound design is marvelous, beautifully orchestrated music and amazing weapon sound effects, as in that's exactly what you expect that gun to sound like. If that wasn't enough we have spartan ops, weekly episodes of 5 missions, along with amazingly well done cinematics and superb voice acting, FOR FREE. And if THAT wasn't enough, they are constantly adding new modes to online multiplayer, and updating the game all the time, truly a devoted company. Overall I suggest anyone reading this review to go out and buy this game NOW.… Expand
  31. 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
  32. 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.
  33. Super_Ted
    Nov 14, 2012
    10
    The Halo franchise is certainly in safe hands with 343. The gameplay is varied, fluid and engaging. The narrative, while somewhat convoluted, was mostly captivating. Most importantly though, the game respects your time. Absolute brilliant release!
  34. Bassface
    Nov 8, 2012
    9
    This is coming from somebone who has played Halo since 2002 heres the pros and cons.

    PROS Amazing graphics that get better as you progress through the campaign. Brilliant sound design and musical score. Addictive gameplay. The series is in safe hands. Great story and voice acting. CONS The xbox 360 is starting to show its age (No fault of 343!) No control of audio mix No    This is coming from somebone who has played Halo since 2002 heres the pros and cons.

    PROS
    Amazing graphics that get better as you progress through the campaign.
    Brilliant sound design and musical score.
    Addictive gameplay.
    The series is in safe hands.
    Great story and voice acting.

    CONS
    The xbox 360 is starting to show its age (No fault of 343!)
    No control of audio mix
    No firefight The multiplayer should aim for 60fps + More player count in slayer in Halo 5 next gen (This is due to the aging 360 again)

    All in all its a great game and im suprised just how good! worth your money.    … Expand
  35. PoopshipDestroy
    Nov 7, 2012
    8
    well here we go. look at that dichotomy of scores! anytime you have something this partisan, you can bet the haters have other reasons to hate - I don't dare speculate at this point.

    Halo 4 is wonderful in most regards. Graphics, stunning. Sound, amazing. Story, very good. Gameplay, just right... note that point. Yes, it feels more like Halo CE than the others, and I like that.    well here we go. look at that dichotomy of scores! anytime you have something this partisan, you can bet the haters have other reasons to hate - I don't dare speculate at this point.

    Halo 4 is wonderful in most regards. Graphics, stunning. Sound, amazing. Story, very good. Gameplay, just right... note that point. Yes, it feels more like Halo CE than the others, and I like that. Let's get to the roots here people, and enjoy what makes this game great. That said - there are enough improvements to keep it interesting and fresh. Only dislike - too many of the ideas already used by COD and BATTLEFIELD type games for the multiplayer. Lame. But still fun.
    Laters... and don't listen to the haters. THIS IS A GREAT GAME    … Expand
  36. CoolestGuyAroun
    Nov 7, 2012
    8
    I don't think this game deserves a 10. I don't think it deserves a 0. I think if you chose either, your view is invalid. Pretty much all of these user reviews sadden me. You know what? Looking at all these user reviews, we don't deserve good games. We don't deserve developers working tirelessly to provide us with an entertaining experience. Not when we can't even be thankful for theI don't think this game deserves a 10. I don't think it deserves a 0. I think if you chose either, your view is invalid. Pretty much all of these user reviews sadden me. You know what? Looking at all these user reviews, we don't deserve good games. We don't deserve developers working tirelessly to provide us with an entertaining experience. Not when we can't even be thankful for the effort, regardless of if we like or dislike the game. Not everyone that can write is a critic. I'll ask you to think before you write your user review, because I think that's the least that the people who made this game deserve.… Expand
  37. Boberson
    Nov 8, 2012
    10
    Awesome game, and I've loved the Halo Franchise since Halo CE. It's similar to Call of Duty and Battlefield three, their fan's have joined a better game than Call of Duty and Battlefield. The multi-player platforms are great and campaign is fairly entertaining. I love all the new things they added to the multi-player experience! It's excellent. Definitely worth buying Halo 4.
  38. Masontheslayer9
    Nov 9, 2012
    8
    Overall, Halo 4 is a good game. There are many things, however, that make it less than perfect for any Halo fan that has been around for Halo 3 or longer. I'll start with the campaign. The first problem with it is that things happen much too fast without any build up, especially the first encounter with the Prometheans. Secondly, the introduction of characters is done much too fast as wellOverall, Halo 4 is a good game. There are many things, however, that make it less than perfect for any Halo fan that has been around for Halo 3 or longer. I'll start with the campaign. The first problem with it is that things happen much too fast without any build up, especially the first encounter with the Prometheans. Secondly, the introduction of characters is done much too fast as well and it never gets time to settle in. The cutscenes are spectacular; but a drop in audio quality often makes me annoyed. The cutscenes also fade too quickly, making the transition from scene to scene almost choppy. The overall problem I have with the campaign is that it isn't as memorable as Halo 3's. With everything redesigned, it almost feels like its not even its successor but an entirely new game of its own. 343's omission of many gametypes and customization options leaves much to be desired. I mean removing features from the game? Are you nuts? The thing that angers me the most is the limitation of emblems from the beginning. For one, there aren't as many as previous games to begin with, but two, there is only a limited selection from the beginning? How am I supposed to look different from other beginning players? Overall, 343 leaves much to be desired. The game feels more like something else than the start to a whole new trilogy. I hope 343 clears this up with updates (which they probably won't, if they follow Bungie's example with Reach) and learns from their mistakes with Halo 5.… Expand
  39. MarquisBlack
    Nov 11, 2012
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Allow me to just say this: I've bought and played every single Halo game released since Halo:CE. I have also played the CoD and MoH series, and yet I can say this about Halo 4: it is by far one of the most amazing first-person shooter games I've seen. And that's saying something. In a genre where the basic aim of the game is "point and shoot," it can be amazingly difficult to have the game portray any sort of substance beyond the passing thrill of shooting the enemy in the face or performing trick shots. So when I played through the campaign (admittedly on Normal difficulty), I was absolutely stunned by how magnificent the story they chose to portray shone through. The love story, tragic and moving without being sexualized: brilliant. The graphical display of the rich environment of Requiem: stunning. The suspense, which after the Flood would have had a high bar to surpass: thrilling. Even just the fact that 343 Industries decided to so deeply entangle the game with the novels being published (a concerted effort, if I recall correctly, between the authors and 343 Industries to expand the Halo canon ala Star Wars) made the game so much more interesting and intriguing.

    Now then, what about the similarities, one might ask, with CoD? Now, I don't personally understand the hate between CoD and Halo fans (thinking as I do that it is just plainly stupid, since both series are great in their own separate story frames), but I can also recognize that some of the complaints of long-time Halo players regarding similar motifs is true. The rotating UNSC shield is very reminiscent of the CoD loading screens. A few other things did remind me of CoD, but is that why my score is not a 10? No.

    These complaints are, at heart, irrevelant. FPS games, we must realize, run on the same generic platform framework. You have a gun, there are enemies, so shoot them in the face. Or anywhere else you want to shoot them. Everything else is just polish. Is your radar to the left or right, bottom or top, how the shield bar works, whether you have quicktime events or not...that's all just extras, so the idea that a game is inferior because similarities have cropped up with another game is ridiculous, as they all share the same basic idea.

    So why is the score 9/10 rather than 10/10? For me, it was the end boss. It wasn't the quicktime event, however. If done right, a quicktime event can become just as thrilling as an actual boss fight, particularly as it means the story requires that the boss die in a certain way (usually to later explain how he/she/it survived and is coming back to bite you in the rear for not finishing him off properly). Rather, it was that the entire sequence was so short. Even then, it melded so well with the campaign's story that it didn't even bother me all that much. That's my only real gripe with the campaign, and I've yet to see a problem with the Multiplayer, so I won't even go there.

    In short, 343 Industries have created a resounding success in their first foray into the Halo world. I can't wait to see what they'll come up with next. Hopefully, the 2nd Forerunner-Human War!    … Expand
  40. brick623
    Nov 14, 2012
    9
    This is the best xbox360 game since Mass Effect 2 and the best Halo since Halo 2.

    9/10 Gameplay Feels like an improved version of previous Halos - exactly what I wanted, with a wider range of weaponry but with the classic balance the series is renowned for. 8/10 Campaign Great way to kick start a new trilogy with a new faction of enemies, my only criticism is that the plot was    This is the best xbox360 game since Mass Effect 2 and the best Halo since Halo 2.

    9/10 Gameplay Feels like an improved version of previous Halos - exactly what I wanted, with a wider range of weaponry but with the classic balance the series is renowned for.

    8/10 Campaign Great way to kick start a new trilogy with a new faction of enemies, my only criticism is that the plot was a bit meandering but still was very entertaining. 10/10 Graphics The best graphics ever displayed by my xbox360 so has to be a perfect score.

    9/10 Soundtrack As always the music appropriate for the scenes in the campaign, theyve also updated the gun sounds and battlefield ambience which is real improvement (just compare sound of assault rifle in Halo 3 to Halo 4 to get what I mean).

    10/10 Multiplayer Perhaps the most important aspect of Halo 4. I can only compare it to other first person shooters out there so here goes: I own MW3, BF3, it is much better than these. Camping is punished and like in all previous Halos you cant just repeatedly run around a corner and auto aim no scope someone with a souped-up AWP for an insta-kill like on some other FPS's out there. Hence if you are smart your life expectancy will be much much longer than the average of 7 seconds you can expect from MW3 or any other CoD for that matter. The maps are great, allow for a good range of combat, if you want you can go for up close melee tactics or use rifles against anyone foolish enough to run across an open battlefield without cover. Also, vehicles arent overpowered and are vulnerable if the pilot/driver makes a mistake like flying a banshee too low or crashing a tank into a rock that has 3 Spartans waiting to pounce from behind, it whereas a skilled player will rack up kills with it before the opposing team has had enough and banzai attacks them or finds a suitable weapon (hello mr railgun) to eliminate the threat. I would say that the multiplayer aspect is on a par with Bad Company 2 for entertainment value so it gets a 10.

    Definitely worth £40 I would highly recommend this game to anyone interested in gaming.    … Expand
  41. MasterChef234
    Nov 14, 2012
    8
    Halo 4 is another great addition to our collection. But it fails on multiplayer. Even though everything else is enjoyable I mostly prefer the multiplayer i think it gives soul to the game.
  42. Ghosthacker
    Mar 10, 2013
    9
    This game is excellent. The Campaign is outstanding, continuing from the end of Halo 3 while refreshing it with some of the features from Reach. The graphics in Halo 4 look beautiful and the new sounds are much better than past games.

    The Multiplayer is much more fast pace and the whole new Forerunner weapons are very fun to shoot. it is a excellent Halo game and a much better    This game is excellent. The Campaign is outstanding, continuing from the end of Halo 3 while refreshing it with some of the features from Reach. The graphics in Halo 4 look beautiful and the new sounds are much better than past games.

    The Multiplayer is much more fast pace and the whole new Forerunner weapons are very fun to shoot. it is a excellent Halo game and a much better improvement to Halo: Reach.    … Expand
  43. Abr0ham
    Nov 14, 2012
    8
    Some say it is wise to end on a high note. 343 Industries says otherwise. This game is not Halo 3, but it is another opportunity to once again step into the shoes of Master Chief. If that's what you're looking for, you've found it. If you're looking for the epic space opera you remember, I've got bad news. When Master Chief's last words in Halo 3 were "Wake me when you need me", he wasn'tSome say it is wise to end on a high note. 343 Industries says otherwise. This game is not Halo 3, but it is another opportunity to once again step into the shoes of Master Chief. If that's what you're looking for, you've found it. If you're looking for the epic space opera you remember, I've got bad news. When Master Chief's last words in Halo 3 were "Wake me when you need me", he wasn't talking to Microsoft's marketing department. The image of Master Chief, at peace floating somewhere out there in space had found its place in our minds for the last 5 years. It was a beautiful image. Unfortunately, Microsoft is willing to disturb that to make a quick but very large buck. Halo 4 is not a bad game, but it can't escape the air that it is a product more than a work of art as its predecessors were. I want to call it uninspired, but that is too narrow a definition of inspiration. A cattle prod can be inspiring if you happen to be cattle and so can a multi-billion dollar company breathing down your neck when you are a video game developer. "This game needs drama" says Microsoft; 343 adds a commander who's only character trait is getting pissed off. "This game needs conflict"; so fabricates an entirely new villain with motives no more complicated than "destroy all humans". Most elements of the story seem to have been thought up in this manner, right down to the whole "Cortana is dying" subplot, I assume the though process to this was "This story needs to engage the player emotionally" "Alright, lets threaten to kill off a character established by much more skilled writers". This is the only aspect of the story that really connects with you and it only works because they glom off character development done by Bungie for the better part of a decade. As for the multiplayer; it's still Halo, but they seem to have spilled some "Call of Duty" on it. If you like either of those games you'll have fun. This may be were you find your entertainment if the story falls short. This is Halo 4's redeeming quality; it's an all you can eat buffet. You don't like the story? Try war games. Bad at war games? Play spartan ops. Still not entertained? Build something in forge. Have no imagination? Join 343 Industries.… Expand
  44. Tomahawk22
    Nov 17, 2012
    8
    Thought it would be a flop, 100%, best game since Halo 2. Brought the series back to life after the total disappointment of Reach, and no Halo games could ever be as good as the first two. Good job.
  45. 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.
  46. TannerIsGod
    Nov 20, 2012
    9
    Halo is just awesome ... and Halo 4 really sets the bar for where this genre should go next. Amazing stuff. There are certainly things it could do better ... but, yeah, it's really, really good.
  47. Leprechaun_exe
    Nov 19, 2012
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I've loved the Halo series since the beginning, and every single one has been great, this one as no exception. I was skeptical in buying it at first, because many game play videos made the game look like COD. Once you step in to the game, it feels much less like that. I agree that they really didn't need to add all of the COD mechanics that they did, but I can see past that. The graphics were stunning, I truly thought the characters in cut-scenes were actual people. The two points I took off of this game were due to the campaign seriously lacking. It was only four hours, and I felt that it was very repetitive. Many, many, many occasions on the lines of "go to each station and disable/activate something". Examples: The two light beams in Requiem, moving the lift in Shutdown, and overloading the shields during the ending. I also feel that the quick time event on the ending was unneeded. I was also excited for the Pelican mission, only to find out that you never even use the Pelican in the mission, you only use it to jump to the different stations in the level. Besides this, the game has been thrilling and enjoyable.… Expand
  48. Vandral007
    Nov 25, 2012
    9
    I hate Halo. I've hated Halo for a long time. For me, Halo represents the beginning of mainstream gaming. As more and more people line up for their Halo or CoD releases, a piece of orginiality dies within the gaming industry, which is now dominated by megacorps out to make as much money as possible. (nothing wrong with trying to make money, but they don't seem to care about the qualityI hate Halo. I've hated Halo for a long time. For me, Halo represents the beginning of mainstream gaming. As more and more people line up for their Halo or CoD releases, a piece of orginiality dies within the gaming industry, which is now dominated by megacorps out to make as much money as possible. (nothing wrong with trying to make money, but they don't seem to care about the quality of the game.)

    I could never attatched to Master Cheif, and I didnt' care about the overarching story. Just hated it. Didn't even play ODST or Reach. Halo 4 gets released, and I'm given a copy by a friend. For a laugh, I load it up, thinking I'll hate it like I hated all the others. 7 hours later I put down the controller having finished the campaign. I may have to go back and give the other games in the series a chance, because Halo 4 has blown me away! Graphically it is gorgeous, the sound design is probably the best of the year. The gameplay is quick and intuitive, but the story.... oh man the story is what has guaranteed a purchase of Halo 5 for me. 343 Studios should be commended for taking a faceless soldier lacking any basic personality, and using sublte (yes subtle in a Halo game) story telling, allowing the player to actually connect to Master Cheif and Cortana. It was brilliant... probably the best story in a game this year, barring maybe The Last Story. Multiplayer is great fun, and Spartan Ops are also great. Don't listen to Halo haters. I know... I used to be one.    … Expand
  49. airborne17th
    Dec 7, 2012
    8
    I rented this game at my local grocery store and only got to play this game for like 6 hours. 2 singleplayer in forever alone world and 4 in multiplayer with friends. My biases here? I fell out with Halo after Halo 2 and never got interested in it again till Halo Reach. So I'm missing Halo 3 and ODST. So when the story started I was rather confused so I had to wiki the story. The thing isI rented this game at my local grocery store and only got to play this game for like 6 hours. 2 singleplayer in forever alone world and 4 in multiplayer with friends. My biases here? I fell out with Halo after Halo 2 and never got interested in it again till Halo Reach. So I'm missing Halo 3 and ODST. So when the story started I was rather confused so I had to wiki the story. The thing is even after two hours, the story still seemed a bit unexplained and the designers at 343 assumed that you know and accept everything that happened before Halo 4. Honestly, they could of weaved the narrative better and had a better 5 minute introduction (see Extra Creditz) Alright, that doesn't bug me that much because the game is smooth and controls extremely well. But that this point the combat of Halo has not evolved very much. I swear if there was more time and budget for it, Halo 1 could of had the same armor abilities as this Halo. This game actually is pretty boring playing alone, if I had time for co-op, I assume that I would of had a better time. The multiplayer? I had a lot of fun with. During my first match, when I got my first airdropped rocket launcher my first thought was, this was a hell of a lot like Call of Duty. After I got that feeling I couldn't shake it off, it didn't help there was custom classes, leveling, and unlock tokens. Interestly, Black Ops 2 and Halo 4 were developing at similar times. Were designers at 343 and Treyarch sharing ideas? Not to say this is a bad idea, taking what good design choices from other games and putting it in yours to improve the experience is a good idea. Overall, I don't feel Halo 4 improved much on the template of Halo. I'm probably going to get this during the holiday season, but there was always the feeling of slight disappointment while playing Halo 4. Still you did a relatively good job, 343. Halo 5 should be able to make some improvements...hopefully… Expand
  50. darkmauv
    Dec 16, 2012
    8
    this game present the best graphics in Xbox 360, the campaign is short but is very amazing, takes the good things the previous Halo is the best halo since Halo CE. This game is essential in any collection of a user of XBox 360
  51. 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
  52. sowhigh12
    Dec 18, 2012
    10
    Overall 343 did an amazing job at Halo 4.
    Now over a month after release and after I have spent several dozen of hours I can quite well say that I really like this game. The campaign is a little short but still provides a great and enjoyable experience. Haven
  53. NaidoKlasBR
    Jul 23, 2013
    10
    Halo 4 might not be THE best game on Halo series but is probably one of the best. 343 Industries made a good job, but the multiplayer has lost a little bit of its essence that you can find on Halo:Reach. 343 Industries made the multiplayer look like CoD, because of the part of the ordnances. The campaign is awesome, it rans out a little from the original Halo theme, because of the HaloHalo 4 might not be THE best game on Halo series but is probably one of the best. 343 Industries made a good job, but the multiplayer has lost a little bit of its essence that you can find on Halo:Reach. 343 Industries made the multiplayer look like CoD, because of the part of the ordnances. The campaign is awesome, it rans out a little from the original Halo theme, because of the Halo Rings, but Halo Reach and Halo ODST didnt follow it, but (in my opinion) theyre the best halo game, but still the Halo 4 campaign is great. It's a good beginning of the new Halo Trilogy with Master Chief being the principal character. The DLC maps aren't so good. The Crimson Map Pack is the worst. The other two you can play 5 or 7 matches on them each, but then you want to play another game mode. It isnice because you can get many other diferent weapons. Some are to OP, like Incineration, that you can destroy EVERY vehicle with ONE shot, even Scropions and Wraiths. I'm a little dispointed because this could be the Halo that has every single vehicle, like Chopper, Falcon, as Brutes guns.… Expand
  54. 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.
  55. jedi_khan
    Dec 26, 2012
    9
    Halo has been handed to a new studio. After a decade of producing this franchise, Bungie has handed the reins of Master Chief over to 343 Studios. If you're a Halo fan, you probably already knew that. If you're not, you still probably knew that. Any skeptics doubting 343's ability to make a game handed to it from a top-tier studio should fear, nothing, Halo 4 is the best game I've everHalo has been handed to a new studio. After a decade of producing this franchise, Bungie has handed the reins of Master Chief over to 343 Studios. If you're a Halo fan, you probably already knew that. If you're not, you still probably knew that. Any skeptics doubting 343's ability to make a game handed to it from a top-tier studio should fear, nothing, Halo 4 is the best game I've ever played for the Xbox 360. However, it is not perfect. The single player campaign is one of the best to date. From the very first step out of your cryo-sleep chamber to the end cinematic, you will be amazed. Gameplay (as it always has) revolves around shooting and shooting and shooting. Also shooting. There are few moments in which there is another element to the formula. This doesn't get boring, surprisingly, as (especially through the first half of the game) there are exciting twists to the battlefield or additions to your arsenal that will provide joy and make you stick around until the next one. The story is different from others, in the sense that it is not the story of Master Chief. It is the story of the AI Cortana. Cortana goes through what is called rampancy, defined as an AI deteriorating because of an informational overload, usually occurring after seven years of service. Cortana's voice screws up, and she has emotional outbursts that defy her programming. This is on occasion, mind you, so don't think that this is a continuous annoyance. But you notice it from level one. In past Halo games, Cortana served as the clear-minded one who thought clearly when the Chief couldn't. In Halo 4, this is reversed. It adds a strange reversal effect that past Halo fans will fall in love with. Cutscenes look fantastic, especially the humans. They look real- and it's not live action. The in-game graphics are almost on-par with the cutscenes, with vibrant colors and astounding detail, tapping into what I believe to be the best the Xbox 360 can do. One thing stands out among all the rest: sound. Every sound has been revamped, and for the better. Voice acting is incredible, and the weapons sound beefy and powerful. And they are. Halo 4's arsenal is not amazingly expansive, but it is big enough. Certainly a tad bigger than most shooter games. The only problem I've found is the learning curve. There is a dramatic increase in difficulty from the first chapter to even the third. 343 apparently tried to fit a full game's worth of a difficulty increase into a way-too-short campaign. There are also some moments when I didn't know where to go, but I got through. However, they are minor problems when you get used to them. Single player is excellent. Multiplayer is back for Halo 4, and radically different. Alright, not radically different, but there have been some changes. For example, on the main menu, multiplayer is called "Infinity," supposedly taking place aboard the UNSC Infinity. It took me a while to find matchmaking, now dubbed "War Games." These are just little notes to keep in mind, nothing major. Anyways, there are a lot of new game modes, like Flood and SWAT, as well as a downloadable series of co-op campaigns. Forge mode returns and is changed for the better. A variety of maps are present, a total of thirteen (ten normal maps and three for forge). The multiplayer gameplay is very similar to that of its predecessors, run and shoot at your enemies and use vehicles. Or maybe defend a base. The modes are excellent, down to every last one. This includes classics, like Slayer, or new ones, like Dominion. Everything works well, the loadout system, the "Spartan Hub," the matchmaking... all work just fine; not a single glitch. Finding a game is usually rather fast, and this time around you can join games in progress. Forge mode is better than ever, the primary adjustment being a system of "magnets" that help you attach pieces with smoother lines, for example: two floor pieces together stick on each side perfectly, no small change in elevation or one going through the other on account on the player not centering everything perfectly. There is still no custom game matchmaking, so if you create an amazing map or game mode, you have to find a buddy or two to play.

    When all is said and done, Halo 4 is an excellent game. I gave it a nine out of ten because it is not flawless, but if I could give it a 9.9, I would. The few flaws don't at all remove from the fact that this is a truly excellent game, possibly the best Halo yet and maybe the best game of 2012 across any platform. If you have an Xbox 360, go buy Halo 4. If you don't have an Xbox 360, go buy an Xbox 360 and Halo 4.

    --jedi_khan--PSN: jedi_khan--Xbox Live: Khan Jedi--    … Expand
  56. 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
  57. Bobacritic
    Jan 21, 2013
    5
    Halo 4 is visually extraordinary, but it lacks the emotional depth and exceptional storytelling of it's predecessors. I can't help but call it a disappointment.
  58. Caedis
    Jan 24, 2013
    8
    As a longtime Halo fan, Halo 4 was an excellent addition to the franchise. 343i did a great job taking over for Bungie. The campaign was very well done with an excellent story that actually made you feel more for the characters. The gunplay and levels were all very Halo-esque. I was a little disappointed with the Promethean enemies simply because, while different than the covenant, you canAs a longtime Halo fan, Halo 4 was an excellent addition to the franchise. 343i did a great job taking over for Bungie. The campaign was very well done with an excellent story that actually made you feel more for the characters. The gunplay and levels were all very Halo-esque. I was a little disappointed with the Promethean enemies simply because, while different than the covenant, you can deal with them in similar ways. For example, the Flood in previous Halo games required far different tactics...shotty helped made sure they stayed dead, you could remove limbs, and each "possessed" species behaved differently (i.e. flood humans vs. flood elites). With the Prometheans, you still just pump rounds into them until their shields go down, then you put a few more in until they're dead. The watchers and crawlers add some interesting interplay but aren't handled much differently. The multiplayer in Halo 4 is some of the best yet. Although they pretty much lifted the perks from Call of Duty, it's done very well with a Halo feel. I wish they would have taken it a step further and allowed you to customize your weapon as well. It would be cool to take the light rifle, for example, and make it your own. All in all, an excellent game and certainly a must-buy for any fan of the Halo franchise.… Expand
  59. ConnorAherne
    Feb 16, 2013
    5
    Halo 4 does little to help the franchise, whilst the game itself is enjoyable in the single player mode, the multiplayer is ruined. Halo reach's multiplayer was unique and fun, making gamemodes fun and fair, Halo 4 on the other hand feel too much like the fast paced multiplayer of a call of duty game. Halo reach had you work as a team in most gamemode, searching for weapon around theHalo 4 does little to help the franchise, whilst the game itself is enjoyable in the single player mode, the multiplayer is ruined. Halo reach's multiplayer was unique and fun, making gamemodes fun and fair, Halo 4 on the other hand feel too much like the fast paced multiplayer of a call of duty game. Halo reach had you work as a team in most gamemode, searching for weapon around the various maps that were different in their own way, not all of them taken from the campaign and having maps made by the developers themselves, Halo 4 has none of that, there is no heart to this game, 343 Industries has ruined the multiplayer. Forge mode is not much better, there is NO massive open world sandbox, just a collection of small, cramped and just down right badly made maps to be creative in, it saddens me to say this but Halo is now on a slippery slope down hill, unless 343 changes these problems, Halo will be like Call of Duty, old, senseless and just basically a bad game.… Expand
  60. Newman
    Apr 23, 2013
    9
    The ending. Enough said. Halo 4 was saved by the incredibly emotional ending. MP is usual Halo so no real problems there. The game is overall probably the weakest Halo game in terms of varied gameplay, however the ending is so strong that it makes it quite memorable.
  61. ERB
    Aug 2, 2013
    9
    A game that is incredibly outstanding and exciting.Killing aliens and more more is very fun.I don't get it why it has a mixed review in the users.This should be high review,It is an excellent game.I am telling you guys go buy this or download this now and try playing It.It will be worth your time.
  62. HATEPOLICY
    May 28, 2013
    5
    I come from Gears Of War, Epic games, UT etc. Halo 4 is my 1st Halo,
    I dont play campaigns except for Gears, so my rating only goes for MP,
    Multiplayer bored me already and I just started playing it, People spamming weapons with no skill what so ever, COD is better and thats a joke also. Gears of War Judgement is the biggest joke though, hence me trying out Halo. We are all in the    I come from Gears Of War, Epic games, UT etc. Halo 4 is my 1st Halo,
    I dont play campaigns except for Gears, so my rating only goes for MP,
    Multiplayer bored me already and I just started playing it,
    People spamming weapons with no skill what so ever, COD is better and thats a joke also.

    Gears of War Judgement is the biggest joke though, hence me trying out Halo.
    We are all in the same boat, originality is a thing of the past now days in gaming,
    They all just rehash off each other.    … Expand
  63. megagodzilla328
    Aug 2, 2013
    10
    Halo 4 was an easy GOTY 2012. It lived beyond its expectations by bringing a spectacular campaign and a briallantly envigerated multiplayer. The multiplayer features great maps, far superior to the color pallet in Halo Reach, the design exceded as well in these maps. Halo has given custumizeble abilities
    but manages to inovate beyond cod in this but STILL manages to keep the game balanced    Halo 4 was an easy GOTY 2012. It lived beyond its expectations by bringing a spectacular campaign and a briallantly envigerated multiplayer. The multiplayer features great maps, far superior to the color pallet in Halo Reach, the design exceded as well in these maps. Halo has given custumizeble abilities
    but manages to inovate beyond cod in this but STILL manages to keep the game balanced and fun. Forge is great but in my opinion not quite in the glory of Reach. Still the matchmaking exceeds byond any halo except Halo 3 (I dont own an origonal xbox, but have played and loved the first 2 halos.).
    The campaign also brings the best pacing shown in the halo series. The new enemies are great, possibly better than the covenant, but the falcon, revents, drones, and skirmishers (halo reach) are sorely missed But you do take the control of a pelican. My only issue with the campaign was its end, as it brought simple gameplay. Even so the cinematics and story were moving, making me forgive as the very end still delivered. Spartan Ops, another feature of the game, doesnt live up to be as good as firefight, but as there are 50 missions and I will tell many are good. They are not all good, but there is something for everyone. In my opinion, spartan ops is like a jumbe of missions given as a bonus and 343 tells you "here you go, 50 missions, have fun." And you do as spartan ops is great fun with some friends and the generous spawn system allows it to be easy to complete (but not easy in the sense of not dying as the combat's difficulty is on par with the campaign.) In all, Halo 4 comes to be one of the best Halos as a great addition to the franchise and stands as a breath of life into the franchise, bringing
    innovations that shows that Halo is still the king. 10 out of 10/ 9.5 out of 10.    … Expand
  64. LadyJ
    May 23, 2013
    5
    Firstly, I want to say I LOVE the Halo universe. My brother and I spent many hours playing the first one and it holds a special place in my heart and on my shelf.... That being said, WHAT THE EFF DID THEY DO TO CORTANA?!?!!? OMG! I can't get over it! She went from being a serious side kick with a touch of sexy to just plain dumb, in all sense of the word. I didn't care about her at all inFirstly, I want to say I LOVE the Halo universe. My brother and I spent many hours playing the first one and it holds a special place in my heart and on my shelf.... That being said, WHAT THE EFF DID THEY DO TO CORTANA?!?!!? OMG! I can't get over it! She went from being a serious side kick with a touch of sexy to just plain dumb, in all sense of the word. I didn't care about her at all in this game. Give me back H3's Cortana!
    They gave her bigger, droopier boobs, more curves and to top it all off, a giant gap toothed grin that just refuses to stay behind her botoxed lips that constantly hang open. ok rant over. Back to the real stuff.
    I am very torn with this game. I want to love it because it's more Halo, more John FORERUNNERS!!; but at the same time, it's bad. You have a busted AI, hopping around this giant "installation" you just found and she's acting like she's the one who built it. I really felt like this was just a game of running around jamming a rampant AI into random holes and just going along for the ride. Turn this off! Go here! Blow that up! Oh, that's the Diadact!... wtf? And did I miss something? Because I thought that the Covenant were no longer against us...Or even a cohesive group since the Prophet's were overthrown.

    Now the Multiplayer. I could be wrong on some counts, I didn't play online since H2 but I much preferred being joined with people roughly my lvl. Not a party of 3 high levels all on the same team, meanwhile me and my last picked losers get utterly obliterated when they finally make full teams and decide to give the good guys, even better ones. Only other complaint is the Theatre. CoD Bo2 keeps several if not all of your games for you to watch and rewatch. It even gives a neat little option where you can see through walls and watch the enemy come to you from afar. I get stuck with only my most recent game and there are not many options for me to choose from to take screens. Which also means I have to back out of que if I had a particularly kick ass game I want to screen before playing again. Frustrating.
    Of course, it's got great sound and graphics, the extras are nice (Spartan Ops), and... it's more Halo, but not really in the direction I was hoping for.    … Expand
  65. kretell
    Jun 11, 2013
    5
    lets be honest with each other franchises at the moment are really milking it. This is one of them there is nothing in this game that stood out as a major innovation. Its just Halo that's it, remember when you played halo 3 well don't get halo 4 because you already played it I love halo i was a great franchise and it had a few spin offs that i also enjoyed. But there's nothing here ilets be honest with each other franchises at the moment are really milking it. This is one of them there is nothing in this game that stood out as a major innovation. Its just Halo that's it, remember when you played halo 3 well don't get halo 4 because you already played it I love halo i was a great franchise and it had a few spin offs that i also enjoyed. But there's nothing here i haven't seen before in other Halo games. What happened in the campaign besides cortarna getting p**sed off at people and i know people will say well bungie didn't make it no and that's probably why it wasn't anywhere near as good as past Halo games. Technically there's nothing wrong with the game. you get the odd glitch here and there but nothing new to the Halo series. The only draw here is multiplayer but it not even changed enough from the last game to make it OK to spend £40 on it. All i see with this game is a way for franchises that developers know people will buy becoming a way to make a quick buck.… Expand
  66. Scaryscores15
    Aug 20, 2013
    9
    when I first started to play halo 4 I was not so happy it looked bad back in 2011. When it came out it looked fantastic I played it and had lots of fun. There is one thing that the critics need to be focusing on is the lack of ranking and custom game options that seemed to be a major thing that came into the game.
  67. AlonsoFrag
    Jun 24, 2013
    10
    I really like this game, because of the campaign and the great multiplayer, also have a really good soundtrack and the best xbox 360 graphics of the year. i dont understand why too many people dislike this game
  68. Cloudlv9
    Jul 10, 2013
    9
    Absolutely amazing. Fresh and Crisp! The graphics blew my mind, they were as good as Rage. Combat was tight and satisfying. Multiplayer was perfected as it never had been before. My only complaint would be the story, some spots the story progression was a little unclear. Other than that I immensely enjoyed it. Plus with the story continuation with the Spartan Ops it makes for a game youAbsolutely amazing. Fresh and Crisp! The graphics blew my mind, they were as good as Rage. Combat was tight and satisfying. Multiplayer was perfected as it never had been before. My only complaint would be the story, some spots the story progression was a little unclear. Other than that I immensely enjoyed it. Plus with the story continuation with the Spartan Ops it makes for a game you keep picking up!… Expand
  69. colin8166
    Jul 15, 2013
    7
    Good game, but the campaign was way to short. Its 5 hours! It would be okay if the multiplayer had a little more longevity. I really do miss bungie. Halo doesn't feel the same.
  70. ajma420
    Jul 23, 2013
    9
    Graphics and audio are outstanding as is to be expected from a Halo game. It definitely felt like 343 tried to get back to the Bungie Halo 3 gameplay, but it wasn't quite there yet. Nevertheless, the campaign definitely tried to get away from Master Chief being a silent, almost robotic soldier and tried to give him more of a personality. This was a bit awkward at some points especially asGraphics and audio are outstanding as is to be expected from a Halo game. It definitely felt like 343 tried to get back to the Bungie Halo 3 gameplay, but it wasn't quite there yet. Nevertheless, the campaign definitely tried to get away from Master Chief being a silent, almost robotic soldier and tried to give him more of a personality. This was a bit awkward at some points especially as Cortana goes crazy, but at other points, it was a welcome change. The end of the campaign was not totally satisfying much like it was in Halo 2 where you felt like you resolved something, but at the same time, there is a lot more to the story. Aside from the story, the introduction of the Prometheans as well as their new weapons and strategy adds a welcome relief from fighting the Covenant (and it was never really explained why we were fighting the covenant again you had to research it if you didn't follow the non-game story).

    The multiplayer is a lot like previous Halo games. The difference is in the Co-Op multiplayer which replaced firefight with Spartan ops. Spartan Ops are basically co-op mini-missions that are released 5 at a time. These take the essence of firefight (killing lots of enemies with friends) and giving it it's own story that takes place 6 months after the campaign, and different objectives and settings. Also, Forge mode was improved with things like magnets to help objects line up, but initial launch had no forge world map (one was released at a later date).

    Graphics: 10
    Audio: 10
    Story/Campaign: 8.5
    Multiplayer: 9
    Gameplay/UI/HUD: 9    … Expand
  71. Reclaim
    Sep 18, 2013
    10
    This game is simply amazing. Beautiful graphics, spectacular campaign, amazing soundtrack, great multiplayer... Only few negative details, which are probably fixed in Halo Xbox One. I can't understand how all these "real" Halo fans rage here for this being so different. What did you expect? Halo 3 part II? This series has been around for over ten years, so I think everyone should acceptThis game is simply amazing. Beautiful graphics, spectacular campaign, amazing soundtrack, great multiplayer... Only few negative details, which are probably fixed in Halo Xbox One. I can't understand how all these "real" Halo fans rage here for this being so different. What did you expect? Halo 3 part II? This series has been around for over ten years, so I think everyone should accept the fact that it can't always stay the same. Personally I love this new a bit darker theme. I would rate this 9,5.… Expand
  72. devilmaycry4
    Nov 21, 2013
    10
    when I first got this game home, I was breathless on its graphics and story, halo 4 is a step up from reach, up to the end of 2013 I still play halo 4 multiplayer this game is meant to last you years, the only problem is I wished it was a longer game, but over all its perfect in my opinion.
  73. ITZZZPERRY
    Jun 30, 2014
    9
    Halo 4 is a game that Halo fans, like myself, have waited years to play. The campaign's story is compelling as it initiates a new era for the Master Chief. The multiplayer is great also, but some may not like a lot of the changes. All and all, this is a true Halo experience.
  74. Jern
    Mar 2, 2017
    4
    I'm giving this a **** because compared to the other Halo games this one is garbage. Everything unique and fun in the Halo series was taken out in favor of popular elements from other fps games. They managed to jumble everything together into a game that just doesn't play well. It's like Call of Duty with exo suits... which is actually another game that exists, and could even be betterI'm giving this a **** because compared to the other Halo games this one is garbage. Everything unique and fun in the Halo series was taken out in favor of popular elements from other fps games. They managed to jumble everything together into a game that just doesn't play well. It's like Call of Duty with exo suits... which is actually another game that exists, and could even be better than Halo. Breaks my heart.

    The only positives are the graphics and campaign was pretty good in the story department, but still a complete departure from the normal open style of Halo campaigns.    … Expand
  75. AHappyMetroid
    Apr 9, 2014
    9
    343 Industries took everything I loved about previous Halo games and multiplied it several times. The campaign has a great story and the multiplayer is balanced and fun. This game is one of the best shooters out there.
  76. Red-Opposom-098
    Dec 9, 2014
    3
    What a disappointment, I've been a long time Halo fan, and in my honest opinion this is the worst in the series. Yes Halo Wars is better than this crap. The graphics and gameplay are save this game other than that I wouldn't play this. If they didn't change the Flood game mode I would have given this game a 5 because Flood was where I spent most of my time until they added the saw, assaultWhat a disappointment, I've been a long time Halo fan, and in my honest opinion this is the worst in the series. Yes Halo Wars is better than this crap. The graphics and gameplay are save this game other than that I wouldn't play this. If they didn't change the Flood game mode I would have given this game a 5 because Flood was where I spent most of my time until they added the saw, assault rifle and more to the mix because then what's the challenge this game just sucks… Expand
  77. 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!!!!
  78. 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
  79. 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
  80. 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
  81. 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
  82. missael
    Jul 28, 2017
    10
    Uno de los juegos mas importantes del catalogo de Xbox 360, gráficamente es el juego que mas le saca provecho a su Hardware, jugablemente es una delicia y a pesar de no tener una historia como los anteriores si hace que quieras llegar al final, a pesar de que este no es un reto en lo mas minimo.
    Es uno de los juegos mas Infravalorados del catalogo de X360, tal vez no sea el mejor de la    Uno de los juegos mas importantes del catalogo de Xbox 360, gráficamente es el juego que mas le saca provecho a su Hardware, jugablemente es una delicia y a pesar de no tener una historia como los anteriores si hace que quieras llegar al final, a pesar de que este no es un reto en lo mas minimo.
    Es uno de los juegos mas Infravalorados del catalogo de X360, tal vez no sea el mejor de la saga pero cumple con lo que promete otorgándonos una buena campaña, nuevos enemigos, nuevos vehículos, nuevas armas y una buena campaña con excelentes graficos.    … Expand
  83. Phoenix123
    Nov 6, 2017
    10
    Honestly had a very underrated campaign. I thought the campaign was silently very good. It gave the Master Chief a whole new side, and we can really see his character and how much he truly cares for Cortana in this game. The multiplayer as well I feel is underrated. I always had fun playing Spartan Ops, Big Team Battle, and Flood with my friends.
  84. IDKWTPH
    Feb 22, 2019
    1
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This is bottom of the barrel, having played every single Halo game before this (including Halo Wars and Halo 3: ODST), I can tell you that this game is easily the worst of them all. I give this game the second lowest score, a 1. Where do we even begin...OH! THAT THE FORWARD ONTO DAWN LOOKS COMPLETELY DIFFERENT THAN THE END OF HALO 3. Yeah, if you look on Halo 3 at the end, it looks a lot like a...well, UNSC SHIP! Second of all, the graphics on this game were stunning for 2012, I have to give it that. If it weren't for that, this would easily be a 0. Third of all, Master Chief, you aren't the guy that is supposed to talk your ear off, but nope. Also, even Halo 4's online couldn't save this (besides Infection), everything about this game is utter crap. Halo 5 did slightly better (3/10), but I couldn't even give it that. This game is not just a crap game, but also a INSULT TO THE HALO FRANCHISE AND THE XBOX 360 CONSOLE ALTOGETHER! But, there is a way to fix Halo 4. And that is to.......well, COMPLETELY SCRAP THE THING! Not only that, but in some levels, at certain EASILY ACCESSIBLE PORTIONS, YOU CAN LITERALLY LOOK THROUGH THE WALL! In-fact, I have been going lighter than I could on this game, first of all, THIS GAME HAS SO MUCH BUGS THAT ITS UNPLAYABLE! THIS GAME IS SUCH A BROKEN MESS THAT I CAN'T EVEN CALL IT A GAME!!! IT IS UNBELIEVABLE HOW BAD THIS SAD EXCUSE FOR A GAME ARE! DON'T EVEN CONSIDER BUYING THIS GAME! IN-FACT, STAY WITHIN A MILE OF THIS GAME AT LEAST! THIS GAME HAS NO RIGHT TO BARE THE HALO NAME!! Basically, this game is a buggy mess that I wouldn't even send my worst enemy through.… Expand
  85. PandaPowGames
    May 19, 2020
    1
    The campaign is dry as a desert and a step back from all the other games it’s only thing good is the graphics which are beautiful and the multiplayer is OK but every is kinda bad
  86. isacXBX
    May 30, 2020
    0
    Gráficos insanos , porem a jogabilidade teve poucas alterações continuando horrivelmente tosca , pulos abaixar ,não tem cover , e etc infelizmente um jogo não e feito de gráficos ,nem vou jogar o próximo por que sei que isso vai continuar horrível como sempre foi
  87. HaloVeteran
    Jun 2, 2020
    0
    Says Halo when you launch the game but is in fact, not actually a Halo game
  88. FatherHay
    Nov 17, 2020
    3
    Halo 4 is such an immense diversion from what the Halo franchise once was, with the new enemies proving boring and endless copy-pasted 'boss fights', it's truly amazing to me, that anyone in QA allowed this dumpster-fire of a game to fall flat so immediately out the door. Truly, Halo 4, marked the beginning of the end of a beloved franchise, for many of those, who once said - they lovedHalo 4 is such an immense diversion from what the Halo franchise once was, with the new enemies proving boring and endless copy-pasted 'boss fights', it's truly amazing to me, that anyone in QA allowed this dumpster-fire of a game to fall flat so immediately out the door. Truly, Halo 4, marked the beginning of the end of a beloved franchise, for many of those, who once said - they loved Halo. Though, at least the visuals and sound-design is alright.… Expand
  89. Gorgoroth
    Oct 29, 2020
    4
    Cambia mucho como entregas de halo 3 que es oro, el final en mi experiencia es el peor que he jugado ya que en anteriores entregas los finales de verdad te estresaban está realmente es decepcionante
  90. KillFlesh
    Nov 6, 2012
    9
    Signed up to post this review, as I feel the user reviews here are not a true representation of the worth of this game.

    The multiplayer is nothing short of a return to form - fast paced, competitive, adrenaline fuelled fun. A far cry from the painfully slow and boring gunplay of Reach, and easily as good as [if not better than] Halo 3. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, this game's multiplayer    Signed up to post this review, as I feel the user reviews here are not a true representation of the worth of this game.

    The multiplayer is nothing short of a return to form - fast paced, competitive, adrenaline fuelled fun. A far cry from the painfully slow and boring gunplay of Reach, and easily as good as [if not better than] Halo 3. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, this game's multiplayer is quite easily the best in the series since the golden era of Halo 2. The only thing that stopped me from giving it a ten is the fact that sprint as a default for all players has rended the game somewhat more chaotic. It has also had a negative effect on the maps, which are now designed to complement sprint, being generally much bigger. This could be a barrier to the titles true competitve worth, especially in the tourny scene. In summation, I am overjoyed to finally be playing some high quality halo multiplayer again, after the proverbial brainfart that was Reach.    … Expand
  91. Geoffory2
    Nov 8, 2012
    10
    This game is incredible, Im a die hard halo fan and playing through this game was just amazing. The graphics and sound design are impeccable. So many people doubted 343 but they have delivered.
  92. RMW_Critic
    Nov 9, 2012
    8
    To be honest, I went into this game with a very skeptical mindset. Since 343 had also made Halo Wars, i thought it would have this problem, and this problem and this problem. To my amazement, however, it didn't. At all. The game is balanced, graphically superior to almost anything, definitely to anything on the Xbox. The dialogue can get a bit on the B-Grade side, but other than thatTo be honest, I went into this game with a very skeptical mindset. Since 343 had also made Halo Wars, i thought it would have this problem, and this problem and this problem. To my amazement, however, it didn't. At all. The game is balanced, graphically superior to almost anything, definitely to anything on the Xbox. The dialogue can get a bit on the B-Grade side, but other than that there's not much to complain about. The multiplayer is fast, but not too fast, the weapon system is different, but not overpowered. Its not perfect however. While it is hard to pinpoint these problems, they are noticeable when playing. So if you enjoy Halo, and halo, this is your game. If not, then not. 81%. (P.S. Why does everyone use the battle rifles? They aren't that good o.O)… Expand
  93. mustard_tiger
    Nov 9, 2012
    10
    Thanks to no stop nerd complaining the user review for yet another large release is ruined. I know for so many people a catty internet complaint fest is a one way ticket to fame it makes the score pointless. In this case the game is great, go buy it. Don't know why people do the lame buy/rent it when most rental places are long gone. If you are one of those I don't like halo just getThanks to no stop nerd complaining the user review for yet another large release is ruined. I know for so many people a catty internet complaint fest is a one way ticket to fame it makes the score pointless. In this case the game is great, go buy it. Don't know why people do the lame buy/rent it when most rental places are long gone. If you are one of those I don't like halo just get over yourself and play a cool game.… Expand
  94. Invader-Nik
    Oct 19, 2013
    1
    I've been with Halo since the beginning. I beat Halo 1 and 2 100 times, and I hyped the s**t out of Halo 3. The first three halos are the best. ODST and Reach were not my favourites. But this. This is not Halo. This is just a shell of Halo. When I heard they were making a Halo 4 I was rather excited getting to see what happens to Master Chief. But this is lousy. In terms of graphics andI've been with Halo since the beginning. I beat Halo 1 and 2 100 times, and I hyped the s**t out of Halo 3. The first three halos are the best. ODST and Reach were not my favourites. But this. This is not Halo. This is just a shell of Halo. When I heard they were making a Halo 4 I was rather excited getting to see what happens to Master Chief. But this is lousy. In terms of graphics and gameplay its nice and stable, but the story and the impact on the Halo universe it has is awful.
    I always wanted to see what Forerunners looked like, but now that I do know I wish I never saw them. I wish Bungie had left it at Halo 3, but no, Microsoft had to push for a 4.
    Screw this COD clone. I do not acknowledge this as a Halo game.    … Expand
  95. potatoes351
    Nov 9, 2012
    10
    *Stands up and claps* As a fan of Halo from the very first game back in 2001 for the original Xbox the formula was becoming tired, the levels bland and the action becoming recycled. After Bungie leave the Halo franchise behind 343 Industries has picked up the IP and made a masterpiece.
    Set 4 years after the finale of Halo 3, Cortana wakes Chief after the Dawn is attacked by a Covenant    *Stands up and claps* As a fan of Halo from the very first game back in 2001 for the original Xbox the formula was becoming tired, the levels bland and the action becoming recycled. After Bungie leave the Halo franchise behind 343 Industries has picked up the IP and made a masterpiece.
    Set 4 years after the finale of Halo 3, Cortana wakes Chief after the Dawn is attacked by a Covenant fleet for them then to crash land on a Forerunner planet named Requiem. After Chief accidentally awakens a Forerunner warrior, The Didact, it becomes a race against time to save Earth, get off Requiem and save the dying Cortana. A touching, well written and amazingly pieced together story with mind blowing graphical standard for a 7 year old console.
    The replacement of Firefight with Spartan Ops was a good swap with what will total to a free weekly download side campaign alongside the standard Multiplayer, Forge and Theatre makes Halo 4 a package well worth the pricetag with many months, maybe even years of re-playability in one £40 package.    … Expand
  96. dwellerman91
    Nov 7, 2012
    10
    awesome game. great graphics, smooth and fast gunplay, amazing sound effects, good story, and addictive multiplayer. what more is there to say? people will always complain about something in games. but let me assure you that there is nothing wrong with Halo 4. if you like firt-person shooters with a little bit of challenge, you'll like this game
  97. Chris90
    Jan 27, 2013
    4
    Over hyped as usual only protected by nostalgia and fanboyism. Yes it's great to look at but just like all games in the series are your basic and simple shooter. Strip away all the flashy lights and explosions and tell me this game is unique and worth the high praise it gets. Oh and the talking computer is bloody annoying and somehow ends up being center of attention which is a complete joke.
  98. Captiosus
    Nov 7, 2012
    6
    I've only gotten about 4 and a half hours of gameplay under my belt in the single player campaign of Halo 4 but I've come away with several early - and mostly negative - impressions. Remember these are just impressions and NOT designed to be a full review which means my score may change at a later date. Also, this will be long and Metacritic's lack of carriage returns may make it difficultI've only gotten about 4 and a half hours of gameplay under my belt in the single player campaign of Halo 4 but I've come away with several early - and mostly negative - impressions. Remember these are just impressions and NOT designed to be a full review which means my score may change at a later date. Also, this will be long and Metacritic's lack of carriage returns may make it difficult to read - as usual, I will delineate paragraphs with several pipe characters. |||| First, it's clear Halo 4 uses a modified version of Unreal Engine 3. This doesn't come as a surprise to me as I seem to recall that the engine, itself, was one of the few things Bungie got to keep when they broke off from Microsoft. However, typical Unreal Engine issues like texture pop in and terrible in game text overlays are prevalent throughout the game, often to the detriment of gameplay. |||| Graphically, the game looks nice except for the fact they went crazy with lens flares and bloom effects. I read one user review who made a similar complaint by stating that "if you try to scope in to snipe, your eyeballs will get burned out of your sockets". It may sound like an exaggeration but it is not. The game is heavy on in your face lighting effects which often blind you even when brightness is turned down to its lowest setting in the game options. The best way I can describe it is the same kind of effect you get if you're facing east as the sun comes up over the horizon or if you're driving east into the early morning sun. The glare blinds and washes everything out. |||| The music is decent but it lacks the punch and significance of the scores of the previous Halo titles. A lot of that is because the composer replaced orchestral arrangements with electronic ones. It's a better score than most games but it just doesn't live up to the quality we became accustomed to by the former musical masters of Halo, Marty O'Donnell and Michael Salvatori. Sound effects are disappointing overall. Guns, especially the human/UNSC ones, sound like toys rather than weapons and vehicles sound "off", for lack of a better way to describe them. |||| Speaking of weapons and vehicles, what a disappointment! The Forerunner weapons absolutely suck when you use them but they can two shot you when the enemy AI uses them. This is undoubtedly a byproduct of playing on Legendary difficulty, but that still doesn't excuse the fact that I feel as though I'd be more effective throwing stones than using a boltshot pistol or the lightrifle. Human weapons are vastly underpowered (except the Battle Rifle, which you don't find often) while Covenant weapons are quite powerful (remember, this is regarding campaign, not multiplayer). The Covenant Carbine, which has always been a single shot assault rifle (think of the M1 Garand), can double as a sniper rifle in this iteration of the game. Vehicles, by contrast, handle much differently than in past titles. The Covenant's Banshee and Ghost feel slow and sluggish while the UNSC's Warthog is quick to lose control and go flipping down the path. |||| I haven't really messed with multiplayer much but, so far, it looks like they've tried cloning Call of Duty's "loadout" style with Halo's sci-fi trappings. This doesn't surprise me too much as we started to see this with Halo: Reach while it was still under Bungie's leadership but multiplayer now feels like 343 simply cloned Modern Warfare and called it a day. Even Spartan Ops is basically just a copy of Call of Duty's Spec Ops mode. |||| As a self-confessed Halo fanboy (it's one of the few franchises that I have every single title for), I'm growing increasingly disappointed with Halo 4 as I play it. 343 Industries didn't take any real risks with the franchise nor did they attempt to make it their own. They merely copied elements of what made Halo popular, copied other popular shooter elements for multiplayer, then covered the game in high gloss. |||| Hopefully it gets better. Hopefully I won't run into more quick time events (which have no place in this franchise). At this point, hope is all I have.… Expand
  99. BloodyRandy
    Nov 7, 2012
    10
    Amazing they made it look this good on the xbox 360, where a lot of games are starting to look somewhat dated. Halo 4 looks really really good. Even see the trolls rating this 0 are stating that the game looks really good. I thought they game would introduce a new gun or two, but they brought in a whole new group of guns that all differentiate pretty well. When you start getting themAmazing they made it look this good on the xbox 360, where a lot of games are starting to look somewhat dated. Halo 4 looks really really good. Even see the trolls rating this 0 are stating that the game looks really good. I thought they game would introduce a new gun or two, but they brought in a whole new group of guns that all differentiate pretty well. When you start getting them from the forerunners you get a variety of weapons so you kind of have to figure em out. I haven't really been impressed with a Halo game since Halo 2, but this game really does the genre justice. It's almost like they rescued the franchise from Bungie who was turning into George Lucas with Star Wars. i'm not biggest stickler on graphics but after all is said and done, you walk away amazed at how they made a console game look so good.… Expand
  100. SirMarty
    Apr 16, 2014
    0
    I have been playing Halo since Halo: Combat Evolved...

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

    Please do yourself a favor and do NOT buy this game! Do not listen to the positive reviews. 343i just killed the multiplayer, "CoD-ifying" it to steal players from its rivaling game, while the Halo player-base was awaiting for something to surpass Halo 3. However, not only did 343i fail in obtaining a CoD-like player-base, but they also managed to lose and disappoint many loyal fans of Halo.    … Expand
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Awards & Rankings

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

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
87

Generally favorable reviews - based on 87 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 83 out of 87
  2. Mixed: 3 out of 87
  3. Negative: 1 out of 87
  1. Hyper Magazine
    Dec 17, 2012
    90
    Halo 4 eschews esoteric delivery for a sledgehammer story with a blockbuster aesthetic. Epic, engaging and sensorially awesome. [Jan 2013, p.60]
  2. Eurogamer Portugal
    Dec 5, 2012
    90
    In the end, this game is still a fairly conservative and faithful to the original spirit, even with some significant changes.
    Read full review
  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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