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. Human
    Jan 17, 2013
    7
    The Master Chef returns with all new recipes and cooking supplies. I had an okay time with this game. The story was easily the worst part (but that's nothing new for Halo), but it looked great and played perfectly. The Multiplayer is very good as well, not much more to say about that. It's good. The score was a bit of a letdown and you can definitely tell this was not made by Bungie. It'sThe Master Chef returns with all new recipes and cooking supplies. I had an okay time with this game. The story was easily the worst part (but that's nothing new for Halo), but it looked great and played perfectly. The Multiplayer is very good as well, not much more to say about that. It's good. The score was a bit of a letdown and you can definitely tell this was not made by Bungie. It's lacking a certain Halo feel, which it makes up for in all new sounds for the guns (all sorts of pew-pews in this game, all sorts). Nothing revolutionary and will be quickly forgotten once Halo 5 comes out, but it's still fun.… Expand
  2. TheStranger
    Jan 26, 2013
    7
    If you play Halo for multiplayer I can't see this game sticking around for long. Something is just missing. I feel the level design of the maps left a lot to be desired. The visuals look really nice.
  3. VidsRule
    Feb 22, 2013
    10
    Copy/Paste to all Halo reviews after all these years: I didn't have a 360 for a few years (played 3 and ODST). In the meantime I played all sorts of fps- COD, BF, Killzone (which is awesome), Resistance, and every single other one. And coming back to Halo when I rebought a 360 was like the greatest homecoming ever. Unlike those other games, every Halo battle is like a chess match waitingCopy/Paste to all Halo reviews after all these years: I didn't have a 360 for a few years (played 3 and ODST). In the meantime I played all sorts of fps- COD, BF, Killzone (which is awesome), Resistance, and every single other one. And coming back to Halo when I rebought a 360 was like the greatest homecoming ever. Unlike those other games, every Halo battle is like a chess match waiting to happen. And once you truly know every enemy and every weapon, you fall into a sweet spot of gaming that is possibly the best of all action games ever made. It's just the best. Great now I have to copy and paste this 4 more times.… Expand
  4. TheQuietGamer
    Apr 4, 2014
    9
    343 Industries has done a fantastic job with this latest chapter in the series. This is my favorite video game series, and it is the series that got me into video gaming, so hearing that a new developer would be replacing Bungie worried me. Thankfully 343 made a game that is just as good as the majority of the Bungie made Halo games.

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

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

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

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

    Overall this is a fantastic game and in a lot of ways one of the best games in the series. With a fantastic campaign, the series best multiplayer, and countless hours worth of content this is one of the best FPS games on the market and one of the best games on the 360. Halo fans no longer need to worry about whether or not 343 can handle the series, because they have proved they can even if they did include some minor flaws. I give it a score of 9.9/10-Near-Perfect.    … Expand
  5. ragingridley
    Nov 13, 2012
    6
    Let me first start off by saying I have been a hardcore halo fan for so many years, having bought all the halo games and loving every one of them (including halo wars which I thought was a underrated game).I so desperately want to give this game a great rating,but I couldn't.The only thing that kept my review up to a 6 and almost a 7 was the fact that the online multiplayer kicked my assLet me first start off by saying I have been a hardcore halo fan for so many years, having bought all the halo games and loving every one of them (including halo wars which I thought was a underrated game).I so desperately want to give this game a great rating,but I couldn't.The only thing that kept my review up to a 6 and almost a 7 was the fact that the online multiplayer kicked my ass till my cheeks turned red.
    MULTIPLAYER:

    Some people might say that it ripped off COD, but I thought they kept that same halo formula, but made it more engaging and action packed.Sprinting was added because every modern game nowadays has sprinting and it makes matches more up tempo because there is more engagement spots.Another big thing added was the oradence drops and I don't remember COD having a choice of 3 random weapons or upgrades which came after a certain amount of points.In the end this multiplayer will keep me playing for years to come and has nothing but room to improve in the next 2 games.

    CUSTOM GAMES AND FORGE:

    This is the place where halo 4 really falls flat to me.In all my years playing halo the most important part to me was the customization.In halo 4 I would have to give this a 1.5. 343 took the whole new multiplayer to far and destroyed the one thing that made Halo the premier game on xbox over COD and what gave me so many great memories of playing Halo 3 until the sun came up. Creating new innovative maps and gametypes that have me playing to this day. Halo 3 might not have been the most visually stunning game but with all the customization and support bungie put into the game,Halo 3 was what you made of it.Now with Halo 4 they through that all out the window, they don't even have a file share anymore and no race gametype. They replaced infection with Flood which I could go on about the enormity of stupidity that is in this gametype. To say it bluntly the zombies are over powered, and you can't customize s***!You can't even give the zombies a gravity hammer or any other weapon plus you cant even change the loadout for the infection. All those great infection gametypes are gone.I haven't even gotten to the worst part of it yet,they took out all the classic halo gametypes.One flag, assault,juggernaut,the list goes on.The only positive was an improved griffball and thats it.I will give it to them though the forgeing in this game is phenomenal. The magnets make making maps so much faster, but warning they can make some things uneven if your making a flat surface. The only downside to it is that it is practically impossible to create a gametype for your map. I had spent all night creating this great one flag map and I tried every combination to even make it a regular CTF game, didn't work. Alright then maybe I can create a slayer map... nope. So lastly I resorted to dominion and it worked and but ohh was it glitchy. The shields worked when they wanted to, and the turrets switched teams every 30 seconds. It was so disappointing after all the work we put into that map to have it barely playable. If they they polish this I think Halo 5 could be a 10.

    CAMPAIGN:

    For me the campaign was well polished and full of action, but uneventful. I want to state the flaws strait out. One is that the ending was boring to say the least I want to finish it myself, not in some quicktime event.The other thing was that Halo 4 didn't produce any great moments that Halo 3 created so many of. Destroying the scarab, storming the beach against the covenant, that final driving scene while the ring was collapsing, and the list goes on. I will give them a pass here because it was their first time around, but I won't be so easy on the halo 5 campaign.

    CO-OP:

    This section I will be brief on but honest. The CO-OP in this game is mediocre at best. First off I have to say. They replaced firefight with this crap! This is at the peak of bull s*** mountain to me. Spartan Ops is dull and recycled maps every episode and is nothing but killing enemies and flipping switches. There is no altering of the game mode or point system giving you no satisfaction after a kill. I have played through the first two episodes and it is the same exact thing except you start out on a different part of the map.

    CONCLUSION:

    Halo 4 succeeds in creating a innovative and engaging multiplayer but falls short on co-op and customization. As for the campaign, they did a pretty good job for their first go around, but needs more wow moments.    … Expand
  6. MellerYeller
    Nov 15, 2012
    9
    It feels a little lacking in the campaign area compared to Bungie additions, however, the campaign is still fun, varied, and looks amazing. Topped with more brilliant writing and voice acting, the campaign is still a solid area of the game. My main issue is that it feels a little more repetitive at times. The multiplayer is a MASSIVE improvement over Reach though. Instead of being lazyIt feels a little lacking in the campaign area compared to Bungie additions, however, the campaign is still fun, varied, and looks amazing. Topped with more brilliant writing and voice acting, the campaign is still a solid area of the game. My main issue is that it feels a little more repetitive at times. The multiplayer is a MASSIVE improvement over Reach though. Instead of being lazy forge edits, all the maps are unique and interesting to navigate. I was originally skeptical about more armor abilities and loadouts, but the loadouts are limited and balanced and the stars of the game are still equipment you find on the map or call in as ordinance. A simple loadout system doesn't make this game CoD when the core gameplay is still Halo. Ignore any reviews on here attempting to make that point because it's just stupid.… Expand
  7. PlasmaPrestige
    Nov 19, 2012
    9
    Halo 4 isn't a perfect game, but it's a good example of how to revitalize a franchise whose success is in doubt as a result of transitioning developers. In fact, 343 Industries in many ways surpasses Bungie's in design and storytelling, and this is particularly evident in the campaign but can generally be seen everywhere in the game. Halo 4's campaign, albeit it a rather short journey evenHalo 4 isn't a perfect game, but it's a good example of how to revitalize a franchise whose success is in doubt as a result of transitioning developers. In fact, 343 Industries in many ways surpasses Bungie's in design and storytelling, and this is particularly evident in the campaign but can generally be seen everywhere in the game. Halo 4's campaign, albeit it a rather short journey even accounting for skill gaps, is the franchise's best when it comes to storytelling. The beauty is that Halo 4's story isn't just told through the cutscenes--as beautiful as they are--but through the living breathing world of Requiem and the ongoing battle Cortana faces--much of it in-game--with her own mortality. Fundamentally, Halo 4 is a game about humanity, more specifically, the humanity of the dynamic duo of the Master Chief. In Halo 4, we are posed with the interesting question of who is more machine than man: the rampant AI who is unable to distinguish between her cognitive self and human identity, or the one man tank who seemingly has no weakness, yet, at his core, is a human being. 343i sets this as the core of the campaign, and the consistent storytelling that results isn't simply good, it is quite honestly tear-jerking. Presentation wise, Halo--or any other game on the Xbox--hasn't looked better. The planet of Requiem pops with detail, from the vicious Promothean Knights to the structures that seemingly defy the laws of physics. The MC's character model is incredibly refined, with dents and scrapes signifying the journey of the MC not only as a soldier, but as a person--battered and self-questioning. The sound has nearly been redone, and everything sounds fantastic--from the intimidating weapons fire, phenomenal voice acting to the clunk of MJOLNIR armor on metal.

    Gameplay wise, Halo 4 is still Halo, even with all the additions 343i has made. The triangle of guns, grenades and melee is unbroken and those who master this triangle will consistently outcompete those who have not. Multiplayer is as dynamic as it has ever been, striking the right balance between a a worthwhile progression system and a balanced experience core to Halo. Spartan Ops, while great in concept, is ahit and miss with brief "missionettes" that aren't really cohesive. Luckily, 343i has room to improve this future episodes, but for fans of Halo's lore such as myself, Spartan Ops is certainly an improvement over monotonous AI killing characteristic of.Firefight.

    My biggest complaint about Halo 4 is the removal of some of the customization that made Halo 3 great. In the Forge, precision editing without the use of coordinates is no longer possible, and in gametypes, the classic Infection is no longer available. The latter is detrimental as this is the one gametype which spawned hundreds of very memorable custom experiences in Halo 3 and even Reach. Overall, Halo 4 is a massive win for not only 343i, but for Halo fans and the gaming industry in general. Anyone who owns an Xbox owes themselves to pick up this game.    … Expand
  8. greekaussie
    Jan 28, 2013
    9
    This review will be for halo fans and i can only say that if u love the other halo games you will certainly enjoy this one. Only a couple of things though,the battle areas arent as big as they are in reach or no.3 and some of the later stages are a tad repetitve but graphically is probably the best halo. I still think that reach is a touch better and halo 3 a little more epic but overallThis review will be for halo fans and i can only say that if u love the other halo games you will certainly enjoy this one. Only a couple of things though,the battle areas arent as big as they are in reach or no.3 and some of the later stages are a tad repetitve but graphically is probably the best halo. I still think that reach is a touch better and halo 3 a little more epic but overall this can stand proudly in the halo canon.… Expand
  9. Lordeldar
    Jan 5, 2013
    9
    Woah, just woah. I was expecting a pretty good campaign but no where near as good as it was. The story was amazing. Graphics are amazing, especially the scenery. There is nothing wrong with it all. For me, multiplayer was a slight step down from Reach. It's still great fun, if not better in areas. However, one thing I really was looking forward too that I didn't get was Firefight, whichWoah, just woah. I was expecting a pretty good campaign but no where near as good as it was. The story was amazing. Graphics are amazing, especially the scenery. There is nothing wrong with it all. For me, multiplayer was a slight step down from Reach. It's still great fun, if not better in areas. However, one thing I really was looking forward too that I didn't get was Firefight, which was one of my favourite game modes which I would love to have seen brought into Halo 4. Other then that, 343 Industries have done a great job taking over where Bungie left.… Expand
  10. kratos42585
    Oct 25, 2015
    10
    I actually played this years ago, But on the eve of "Halo 5" I felt I needed to give My two cents for what it"s worth. This game is AMAZING! Having now played through it multiple times and put in a healthy dose of MP, I can honestly say, IT IS THE BEST IN THE SERIES. Yes, 343i IMO made a better Halo game than Bungie ever could. Not that the previous ones were bad by any stretch of theI actually played this years ago, But on the eve of "Halo 5" I felt I needed to give My two cents for what it"s worth. This game is AMAZING! Having now played through it multiple times and put in a healthy dose of MP, I can honestly say, IT IS THE BEST IN THE SERIES. Yes, 343i IMO made a better Halo game than Bungie ever could. Not that the previous ones were bad by any stretch of the imagination (Halo 2 being a close close second) I've just realized without my nostalgia glasses on, That this game takes the cake. I love were this series is going under 343i"s reign, and I am MORE than confident that Halo 5 will set the bar even higher. 10/10, would recommend to anyone with a pulse.… Expand
  11. MrFluffyPenguin
    Nov 13, 2012
    7
    I have bought and played every halo game made. I love the franchise but to be completely honest, Halo 4 feels a little plain. The multiplayer is still well balanced but lacks any real improvement or innovation. Spartan Ops fails to really do anything except to put together short uneventful missions with amazing CGI shorts. Campaign is gorgeous visually but is really more of the same.I have bought and played every halo game made. I love the franchise but to be completely honest, Halo 4 feels a little plain. The multiplayer is still well balanced but lacks any real improvement or innovation. Spartan Ops fails to really do anything except to put together short uneventful missions with amazing CGI shorts. Campaign is gorgeous visually but is really more of the same. Though i can say the story is better than that of previous installments, Reach being my favorite still. Halo is still the game we know and love but 343 played it a little too safe.… Expand
  12. DarrkHawk
    Nov 15, 2012
    9
    It' been a while since I actually played a video game that got me stuck to my seat. Halo 4 has everything that a game needs to work. Outstanding graphics and cinematic, a fitting soundtrack and a solid story with strong emotion as a bonus. Sure, the story is short at around 7 - 8 hours of playtime on the hardest setting but what the game offers in game play and story definitely makes upIt' been a while since I actually played a video game that got me stuck to my seat. Halo 4 has everything that a game needs to work. Outstanding graphics and cinematic, a fitting soundtrack and a solid story with strong emotion as a bonus. Sure, the story is short at around 7 - 8 hours of playtime on the hardest setting but what the game offers in game play and story definitely makes up for this. 343 industries are certainly a worthy successor to the great Bungie and I am certainly excited about what is to come from this company.
    I do however feel that this game does focus way too strongly on the online multiplayer feature but today, that's a given with any game of this genre. I would have liked the story to be longer but for what we are given, it is definitely a worthy sequel.    … Expand
  13. Benti86
    May 8, 2013
    6
    I was so let down by this game. I watched all the trailer and listened to 343 say it would take Halo back to its roots and how it would be like Halo 3. the final product ends up being a Halo, CoD mashup which just dilutes the traditional Halo experience to near worthlessness and doesn't have the addictive arcade/CoD gameplay. Yes graphically it's beautiful, but the story is ehh, forgeI was so let down by this game. I watched all the trailer and listened to 343 say it would take Halo back to its roots and how it would be like Halo 3. the final product ends up being a Halo, CoD mashup which just dilutes the traditional Halo experience to near worthlessness and doesn't have the addictive arcade/CoD gameplay. Yes graphically it's beautiful, but the story is ehh, forge and customs were gutted, and matchmaking is a shell of what Halo once was. Halo 4 would not have been too bad as its own IP, but it is a dreadful Halo game. On the bright side, 343 seems to be listening and are implementing some changes and hopefully will fix Halo 4's issues for Halo 5.… Expand
  14. DrEggman
    Sep 13, 2014
    10
    As a long time fan of the Halo series, I can say that this game is fantastic. It is my favourite so far. The gameplay is the most refined in the series yet and has superior graphics to match. The story was interesting and introduced an intriguing new villain along with new enemies to fight, which mixes things up from the traditional halo games, whilst still keeping the well known and lovedAs a long time fan of the Halo series, I can say that this game is fantastic. It is my favourite so far. The gameplay is the most refined in the series yet and has superior graphics to match. The story was interesting and introduced an intriguing new villain along with new enemies to fight, which mixes things up from the traditional halo games, whilst still keeping the well known and loved covenant enemies.
    Definitely makes my top 10 games of all time list.    … Expand
  15. 2MucH1991
    Nov 7, 2012
    6
    Halo 3 multiplayer was the reason i had to buy an Xbox 360, and when i eventually did i couldn't put the controller down, years later and Halo 4 is finally here, but i'm slightly disappointed to say the least.
  16. CM8691
    Nov 6, 2012
    7
    I don't have live and this game, like so many FPS' these days was made more for the online player. The campaign was brutally short and not all that replayable. However, it was fun while it lasted. It was also quite polished, but that isn't enough to carry it on its own. Most people will give it horrible reviews just because they want to feel like they're keeping the Halo franchise back, asI don't have live and this game, like so many FPS' these days was made more for the online player. The campaign was brutally short and not all that replayable. However, it was fun while it lasted. It was also quite polished, but that isn't enough to carry it on its own. Most people will give it horrible reviews just because they want to feel like they're keeping the Halo franchise back, as they felt it should have ended with Halo 3. Although I agree the series should have stayed finished, 343 did a good enough job.… Expand
  17. glacier777
    Nov 24, 2012
    7
    It had a lot to live up to didn't it? I loved Halo:Reach and I give it a 10. I am giving Halo 4 a 9 and here's why:

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

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

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

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

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

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

    Overall halo 4 retains many features that make halo amazing and also the campaign is second to none. Unfortunately 342 have included too many new things which have ruined parts of the game.
    All of my scores added together and divided by 5 equal 8 but this game deserves a 9 because it is still an amazing game. There are just too many annoying features that detract from the beauty of halo.    … Expand
  18. Larux18
    Nov 24, 2012
    9
    Personally I thought Halo would die with Bungie, after a not-so-good remake of the first game by the hand of 343 I doubted the potential that this game would have, but I am happy to say, I was completely wrong. The first thing that stands out when you play Halo 4 are the visuals, this is by far the best looking game for the 360, it can even compete with PC graphics to a certain point sincePersonally I thought Halo would die with Bungie, after a not-so-good remake of the first game by the hand of 343 I doubted the potential that this game would have, but I am happy to say, I was completely wrong. The first thing that stands out when you play Halo 4 are the visuals, this is by far the best looking game for the 360, it can even compete with PC graphics to a certain point since the level of detail is amazing. The first thing I covered was the campaign, it was entertaining with a story now focused on Cortana and the forrunner awakening instead of Chief and the Halo rings. Prometheans stand out as the new enemies with some new challenges and badass weapons. Overall the campaign was great but it was a little short with only eight missions. However the next part makes up for it. Multiplayer is the star of this franchise since Halo 2, and it does not disappoint. There are various multiplayer modes, both old and new, which have excellent, faster, and more aggressive combat. Load-outs can now be created and selected and there are now powerful weapon drops, or ordinances, that are rewarded with kill streaks. One new vehicle has been added called the Mantis, which is a mech that is balanced enough to be badass yet destroyable. There are some great maps present such as the remake of Halo 3's Valhalla called Ragnarok, which is amazing. Also, there are now more than a single map for forge, and since most of the big team maps are massive there are good spots to be creative. The other multiplayer mode apart from the competitive modes is Spartan Ops. This mode is basically co-op missions with a unique story and with new episodes being released with time, the only problem I have with spartan ops is that with a few players I've had a great delay, making the game unplayable. Again, forge is better than ever, with some awesome maps, great new tools, and new options promoting creativity. This game has so much that I assure it will be completely worth whatever price it is where you live, 343 has done an amazing job and created one of my game of the year candidates.… Expand
  19. wayneskylar
    Nov 18, 2012
    5
    They didn't really do anything to improve upon the Halo Universe - same (for the most part) weapons, vehicles, etc. The campaign was much more repetitive than any other Halo and the story was not very good (why can't these big game companies find decent writers??). Lots of button pushing, and inconsistencies with the space (for instance, you land on a "tower" which is maybe 200 yardsThey didn't really do anything to improve upon the Halo Universe - same (for the most part) weapons, vehicles, etc. The campaign was much more repetitive than any other Halo and the story was not very good (why can't these big game companies find decent writers??). Lots of button pushing, and inconsistencies with the space (for instance, you land on a "tower" which is maybe 200 yards wide, but the interior of it is about a mile deep... Not very well thought-out. Very small, annoying missions (lots of "activations" or "deactivations" at the end of each mission), which remind me of some of the more boring games out there - if it had not been Halo characters I truly believe this game would have gotten much worse critics' reviews.… Expand
  20. Fatspud
    May 1, 2013
    5
    The main problem with this game is the convoluted story, and the repetitive game play; so little change since Reach. The graphics are dated, and the new dialogue between the Chief and Cortana is cringey. The new enemies are also poorly designed and boring to fight- the flood was way more fun. Multiplayer is fun though, best yet in the series.
  21. gumpei
    Jan 1, 2013
    5
    Halo 4 is a real disappointment compared to the past.
    The final duel is horrible and lacking in originality.
    The single players has too many small arenas of multiplayer. Pitched battles in open places are ridiculous compared to the past. The campaign is too short. For Halo 5 343 should be guided by planetside 2, the real Halo 4 of this generation imho. If Halo 5 will like Halo 4,    Halo 4 is a real disappointment compared to the past.
    The final duel is horrible and lacking in originality.
    The single players has too many small arenas of multiplayer.
    Pitched battles in open places are ridiculous compared to the past.
    The campaign is too short.

    For Halo 5 343 should be guided by planetside 2, the real Halo 4 of this generation imho.
    If Halo 5 will like Halo 4, then I do not buy it.    … Expand
  22. legodinosandZT2
    Nov 6, 2015
    8
    Halo 4 is a very odd beast in that it has completely divided fans, with some proclaiming it as the best in the series thus far and others lambasting it as one of the most uninspired shooters ever made. And while both sides have valid arguments to be had, I can safely confirm that Halo 4 is neither incredible, nor abysmal - rather, it lies somewhere comfortably in the middle.

    The game's    Halo 4 is a very odd beast in that it has completely divided fans, with some proclaiming it as the best in the series thus far and others lambasting it as one of the most uninspired shooters ever made. And while both sides have valid arguments to be had, I can safely confirm that Halo 4 is neither incredible, nor abysmal - rather, it lies somewhere comfortably in the middle.

    The game's main issue comes from its profound lack of originality. With the exception of ODST, every Halo game thus far has added something new to the formula, and the fourth entry is desperately needing something to call its own. Even the multiplayer seems to be borrowing heavily from similarly-themed FPS's such as Call of Duty.

    Yet do these things detract from the fun? Not at all. The graphics are absolutely drop-dead gorgeous, and sound design is top-notch. As for the score, newcomer Neil Davidge unfortunately fails to deliver, but it's hard not to get swept up in the spectacle anyway.

    The campaign is great, adding welcome new elements that bring a much needed layer of depth to proceedings. The piffle involving the Prometheans is predictably trite and convoluted, but the newfound humanity brought to both the Master Chief and Cortana is very clever, well-written, and surprisingly heartfelt. As for multiplayer, while the lack of originality is at its worst here, it's still an incredibly fun romp with some interesting new mechanics. Unfortunately maps fail to live up as they are relatively dull (with a few exceptions) and don't really allow for any innovation.

    Overall, Halo 4 is an entertaining return for the Master Chief. While several issues still linger, none of them have a significant impact and the end result is a high-octane and occasionally moving journey through Covenant territory. Halo 5 can't come fast enough.    … Expand
  23. dragonbillz
    Dec 31, 2012
    10
    I must admit that this game had me worried. A new studio taking over a successful franchise. Well I think they have successfully justified the franchise. The first thing i noticed was that the graphics seem to have improved significantly. The controls seem even tighter and the game play fully intact. The next chapter seems to be well written and I can't wait to continue with this newI must admit that this game had me worried. A new studio taking over a successful franchise. Well I think they have successfully justified the franchise. The first thing i noticed was that the graphics seem to have improved significantly. The controls seem even tighter and the game play fully intact. The next chapter seems to be well written and I can't wait to continue with this new trilogy. The soundtrack is also as good as it could be. This fits perfectly into the Halo universe and should be recognized for it's detail. An incredible tribute to the entire Halo universe.… Expand
  24. DarkKnightG4
    Apr 16, 2013
    9
    I was never a die-hard Halo fan. I came onto the Halo scene a year or two after it was originally released and respected how technically sound it was. As the later installments came out I never bought into the story or characters and I never thought they were the best looking games at the times of their release (due to art style). I would go to LAN parties with friends and have a greatI was never a die-hard Halo fan. I came onto the Halo scene a year or two after it was originally released and respected how technically sound it was. As the later installments came out I never bought into the story or characters and I never thought they were the best looking games at the times of their release (due to art style). I would go to LAN parties with friends and have a great time playing with them, but outside of that, I rarely would touch those old Halos. That is until Halo 4. Halo 4 was a "changing of the guard" from the other installments, and in my opinion, for the better. More effort was put into giving the characters more depth through cinematic sequences and dialogue. I found this to be a great improvement over previous installments. The graphic level of Halo 4 actually met my standards for being one of the best looking games released at its time. The sound is also top notch, and the guns feel more powerful than ever thanks to the amped up sounds. The AI is smart and provides a challenge and the level designs provide decent variety in play-style. Multi-player runs smooth and the nasty "host powers" that plague these P2P games is marginalized well. I also enjoyed the new control schemes ,as I always preferred the COD style scheme with my play-style, and the customization/load-out options. There is a good balance between feeling that you have a unique character and having any load-out be viable. The new game mode, Spartan-ops is a decent addition however, like the game itself, the story is still pretty ho-hum. Now I haven't read any of the books for the added lore, but I don't believe I should have to in order to enjoy the stories of the games. This is an area that still could use some improvement. Overall, this is an excellent, high-production value game, and one of the best games on the Xbox 360. VERDICT: Must buy! You'll get you're bang for your buck quite easily with this game.… Expand
  25. yrcrazy
    Jan 12, 2013
    5
    halo but without the ability to download custom games on console. great visuals and better competitive play than reach but misses out on the key aspect of halo ... fun . A big dissapointment in hindsight but good in its own right.
  26. Evman
    Feb 18, 2014
    10
    Halo 4 feels like the natural evolution of the series.
    It takes the best elements of Halo 3 and Reach and combines them into an authentic Master Chief experience!
    I'm coming back to the game now after about a year off. I've finished it on Legendary now and am getting into some multiplayer. As much as the player base has dropped over the last year or so, matches can be found with relative    Halo 4 feels like the natural evolution of the series.
    It takes the best elements of Halo 3 and Reach and combines them into an authentic Master Chief experience!
    I'm coming back to the game now after about a year off. I've finished it on Legendary now and am getting into some multiplayer. As much as the player base has dropped over the last year or so, matches can be found with relative ease.
    I was never big on the COD multiplayer. Halo 4 is where it's at for me until Titanfall drops. I want my futuristic machines, yo!    … Expand
  27. a2toedmonkey
    Nov 6, 2012
    7
    I don't know, I feel like a lot of the negative reviews of this game are from the "hardcore" or "true" gamer crowd. I consider myself hardcore, and I like this game for the multiplayer, the singleplayer is alright. My gripes are that the multiplayer does feel a little strange compared to old games and, as a few have said, grenades don't seem to matter as much. The combat felt slightlyI don't know, I feel like a lot of the negative reviews of this game are from the "hardcore" or "true" gamer crowd. I consider myself hardcore, and I like this game for the multiplayer, the singleplayer is alright. My gripes are that the multiplayer does feel a little strange compared to old games and, as a few have said, grenades don't seem to matter as much. The combat felt slightly slower than previous entries in the series, but its not bad by any means. I think you should take all reviews as someone else's opinion for this reason, alot of the negative reviews probably went in expecting the game to suck and they only remembered it sucking. They want to seem popular and talk about how games have sold out without realizing that these companies do in fact want your money. This isn't some family fun time and realistically they don't owe you anything, so if you wanna be popular with the gaming hipsters who pretend to be hardcore, bad talk the game before you try it, and then remember the time you jumped off the cliff in game, not the gorgeous visuals.… Expand
  28. martijn
    Nov 12, 2012
    6
    This game has a great start which really sucks you in. The graphics and atmosfere are simply amazing. After a while though the level design gets a bit boring and repetetive. Also the lack of autosave prevents me from giving it a high a score. I had to replay to certain (difficult) parts multiple times because I did not save but turned off my Xbox (as I do with all games).
  29. Zucheto
    Nov 12, 2012
    10
    This review is a multiplayer only review.. I could care less about the campaign. I only play Halo games for the multiplayer and this is one of the best multiplayers I have played... I'm still trying to decide whether this game or Halo 3 is my favorite Halo multiplayer.. It's a tough decision.. but I'm definitely giving a 10 to make up for the COD trolls on here. This game is a greatThis review is a multiplayer only review.. I could care less about the campaign. I only play Halo games for the multiplayer and this is one of the best multiplayers I have played... I'm still trying to decide whether this game or Halo 3 is my favorite Halo multiplayer.. It's a tough decision.. but I'm definitely giving a 10 to make up for the COD trolls on here. This game is a great game.... get it if you like any Halo game ever.. and ignore the negative reviews from people wanting to one shot everybody in COD because they don't have enough skill to play Halo.… Expand
  30. PanthersFanStev
    Jan 2, 2013
    10
    After having played many great games in 2012, Halo 4 would be my pick for Game of the Year. By far the greatest Halo game. Good story, great presentation and pacing. Gameplay and weapons the best of any Halo game yet. This renders Halo 3 about unplayable and makes Halo Reach look dated, and that's just the stellar Campaign mode. Really just started playing multiplayer shooters lastAfter having played many great games in 2012, Halo 4 would be my pick for Game of the Year. By far the greatest Halo game. Good story, great presentation and pacing. Gameplay and weapons the best of any Halo game yet. This renders Halo 3 about unplayable and makes Halo Reach look dated, and that's just the stellar Campaign mode. Really just started playing multiplayer shooters last year BF3, Transformers FOC and I really enjoy Halo 4 Multiplayer.. Multiplayer is not as deep as BF3, but man it is awesome fun. Don't know what these low reviewers think they should have done better, probably prefer zombie or kiddie games, but I feel this is the must have Xbox game of 2012!… Expand
  31. Mattyice
    Dec 4, 2012
    6
    Game of the Year...This Halo is by far the best of the series. Stunning graphics, a great story, the usual amazing Halo Multiplayer, and Spartan Ops is a good addition. If you have an Xbox, you MUST buy this game! An instant classic. My choice for best game of 2012.
  32. Chiyou
    Nov 13, 2012
    10
    Great visuals, great single player campaign, great multiplayer modes.. The only negative i can think of is the final boss fight but this is my favorite Halo game to date.
  33. slappysfan
    Jul 7, 2013
    5
    I really wish that the Halo 4 we got was different from what we got. I did not enjoy the story nor the multiplayer for this game, which is disappointing because this was a highly anticipated game for me, but once I finished the campaign and got some play time in online... I realized this game is NOT for me. The story is pretty stupid, the new enemies they added are annoying. They changedI really wish that the Halo 4 we got was different from what we got. I did not enjoy the story nor the multiplayer for this game, which is disappointing because this was a highly anticipated game for me, but once I finished the campaign and got some play time in online... I realized this game is NOT for me. The story is pretty stupid, the new enemies they added are annoying. They changed almost everything from the original Halo series. I'm not anticipating Halo 5 or 6 even in the slightest.… Expand
  34. Funksatron
    May 5, 2013
    4
    I was excited to play this game. I had watched the Forward Until Dawn series and several of the other CG webisodes that had to do with special ops. It looked like they really wanted to take Halo to the next level and advance the plot. All of the marketing for this game was top notch, however the game was not. I was amazed at how little the game felt like it had evolved from the very firstI was excited to play this game. I had watched the Forward Until Dawn series and several of the other CG webisodes that had to do with special ops. It looked like they really wanted to take Halo to the next level and advance the plot. All of the marketing for this game was top notch, however the game was not. I was amazed at how little the game felt like it had evolved from the very first incarnation of Halo. The in game plot did not live up to the standard set by all the marketing. As far as I could tell there were only 3 cutscenes that were rendered at cinema quality, the rest seemed to be rendered with the in-game engine. I played the campaign co-op, and repeatedly had to deal with being respawned over empty space or in front of walls on vehicle levels. The AI was unimpressive for the current generation of FPS games. This is the Halo game that will make me stop playing Halo.… Expand
  35. gregthreet
    Jan 1, 2013
    8
    What do you expect from a Halo game? If you expect a rock solid Sci-fi shooter then your in for a treat. Halo 4 is one of the best shooters of the year, hands down. Overall, if you don't want a lengthy review, it excels in everything it does. Sound feels realistic and adds to the atmosphere. Guns sound like they should. Its something you don't expect, to be wowed by a games sound, but itsWhat do you expect from a Halo game? If you expect a rock solid Sci-fi shooter then your in for a treat. Halo 4 is one of the best shooters of the year, hands down. Overall, if you don't want a lengthy review, it excels in everything it does. Sound feels realistic and adds to the atmosphere. Guns sound like they should. Its something you don't expect, to be wowed by a games sound, but its something that really stands out and adds to the impact you feel when you fire a gun. Visually its stunning. The graphics are vibrant and often make you feel like you have to stop and appreciate the landscape in front of you. It especially shows when you look at the games guns. When you pick up the games guns they flick into life, bending and clicking into place on their own. Its amazing. The noise and style of these guns sends me back to my times playing Star Wars Battlefront, which certainly isn't a bad thing. The multiplayer is excellent. Matchs are perfectly paced due to the size of the maps and guns you possess. Much better than the unfair chaos of CoD. Co-op(i'll get to the story in a second) is so very, very fun. Plenty of laughs to be had here. But I had one problem with this though. We started from the beginning. Master chief is woken by Cortana. He gets out the cryo sleep and has a chat with her. "Jameson", as I was called, woke up just after chief and opens up his pod. WHO IS HE(/them if more than one)? They aren't ever talked to by chief or Cortana. I would have like it if 343 put the effort in to give this/these sidekicks a back story. I mean, in the cut-scenes where do they go? Is "Jameson" a forgotten hero? I remember you "Jameson". The story is a bit too much like Portal for my liking. Baring in mind that Portal is one of my favorite games. Cortana has over done her stay as a computer and is slowly turning crazy. Making things harder for you on your than they should be. But the story is still good, none the less. What you do in the story however occasionally lacks the innovation of the other Halo's held. It follows your generic FPS fashion in 2/3 of what you'll be doing. You know the drill? Walk down a corridor, in Halos case a very wide corridor, and shoot the baddies. But due to everything I previously said, it doesn't get as repetitive as I have previously seen. So overall is a consistent package which is definitely worth your buck.… Expand
  36. ProcrastinatorB
    Dec 30, 2012
    6
    The Single-player took a great turn for 343 Industries, but the Multi-player is lacking a lot (Bolt shot is overpowered, most guns are basically shooting peas at the thing you're pointing at). Halo was suppose to be a good balance between Grenade, Melee, and Weapons. But 343 just throws that out the window and says "Hey, lets make the most unfair, most hated multi-player ever. That'll sureThe Single-player took a great turn for 343 Industries, but the Multi-player is lacking a lot (Bolt shot is overpowered, most guns are basically shooting peas at the thing you're pointing at). Halo was suppose to be a good balance between Grenade, Melee, and Weapons. But 343 just throws that out the window and says "Hey, lets make the most unfair, most hated multi-player ever. That'll sure show those people expecting a good game." I actually think Call of Duty has a better multi-player than Halo 4, and that says a lot.… Expand
  37. NIntendoFan94
    Mar 6, 2013
    10
    Halo 4 is such stellar and the epic chapter of the new Reclaimer trilogy had finally begun! The multiplayer is absolute win. Campaign is still a thrill ride and it gotten soo much better!
  38. omgodslayer
    Apr 19, 2013
    4
    It is better than Reach but, what isn't better than Reach? The gameplay dynamics feel more refined than Halo Reach. The hit-scan weapons reduce multiplayer lag online. The load-outs still make the game feel like a watered down CoD rather than Halo. The lack of an in-game true skill ranking system really irks me as well. Over all I would give this a 4 out of 10 because it was a visibleIt is better than Reach but, what isn't better than Reach? The gameplay dynamics feel more refined than Halo Reach. The hit-scan weapons reduce multiplayer lag online. The load-outs still make the game feel like a watered down CoD rather than Halo. The lack of an in-game true skill ranking system really irks me as well. Over all I would give this a 4 out of 10 because it was a visible improvement over Reach but still nothing close to Halo 2 or Halo 3.… Expand
  39. Rumboom
    Jan 4, 2013
    8
    Graphics was a huge improvement campaign wise and I really like the direction they took with the legacy of Master Chief in campaign mode. I am huge fan of Halo Multiplayer and I thought the changes were pretty good improvements for the most part,but one thing kept nagging me, I felt like a lot of the new ideas were COD ripoffs (E.g. Drop packages, the prestige which not really prestige,Graphics was a huge improvement campaign wise and I really like the direction they took with the legacy of Master Chief in campaign mode. I am huge fan of Halo Multiplayer and I thought the changes were pretty good improvements for the most part,but one thing kept nagging me, I felt like a lot of the new ideas were COD ripoffs (E.g. Drop packages, the prestige which not really prestige, ranking to unlock item system). COD is amazing title but if I wanted to play COD multiplayer, I would go buy it. I think some ideas were needed to improve the competitive play (Ability to enter and exit games without handicapping teammates) but they lack originality. I personally thought the ranking system in Halo 3 was more impressive when a person's skill level was more important rather than his/her ability to not have a life and live on the game, just my opinion.… Expand
  40. Samotslayer
    Jan 26, 2013
    8
    The story was the big selling point for me and while the Campaign is very short the story made me feel the same kind of sadness I felt for James in Silent Hill 2. The multiplayer is fun but lacks the kind of community Halo 2 & 3 had. The only thing I don't like about this game is the fact that Spartan Ops REPLACES Firefight.
  41. EphemSyn
    Nov 6, 2012
    8
    Halo 4 showed us that 343 Studios can handle the series but I don't think they quite get it yet. Being a long time fan of Halo I noticed how Halo 4 felt and looked far too different from the rest. This could be the fact that it's made by someone other then Bungie but I still can't shake it off. QTE's are thrown in to change the pace and some cutscenes don't do the game any justice, theyHalo 4 showed us that 343 Studios can handle the series but I don't think they quite get it yet. Being a long time fan of Halo I noticed how Halo 4 felt and looked far too different from the rest. This could be the fact that it's made by someone other then Bungie but I still can't shake it off. QTE's are thrown in to change the pace and some cutscenes don't do the game any justice, they make it seem like a cruddy movie with poor shots and scenes. An hour in the game you're repeating some of the same things you had done earlier so it becomes repetitive and slow. The story to Halo 4 was also a dramatic change in the series. It goes from a simple super solider fighting off aliens to then giving him emotions for an A.I. Nothing is wrong with this but it doesn't fit the title of Halo at all. Enemy designs also don't fit the series and look as if the game is taking a serious Japanese anime turn. I mean really, a ridiculous flying orbs with an alien inside who has telekinesis and giant robots now? Halo has come a long way and 343 did a good job with Halo 4 but they have yet to grasp the series is really about. It was nice that they added a neat touch up to the multiplayer by adding a story line to it.… Expand
  42. guest1321
    Nov 21, 2012
    10
    I think I must have overhyped myself because I didn't feel stunned by the visuals when I first popped it in. Yes, they looks great but I think I had seen to many screen shots that I really expected to be blown away but when I popped it in it was what I had already seen. Having read the two Forerunner trilogy books prior to playing this I was excited to see how the forerunner, given thereI think I must have overhyped myself because I didn't feel stunned by the visuals when I first popped it in. Yes, they looks great but I think I had seen to many screen shots that I really expected to be blown away but when I popped it in it was what I had already seen. Having read the two Forerunner trilogy books prior to playing this I was excited to see how the forerunner, given there history with the human race, would be poised in this game. For those of you have read both and then played the game you were certainly understand when I say that the game does a fantastic job of lightly tying into the books and then making major pieces of the game way better. Bottom line, the campaign was great and music made it epic, and it no way let me down which was a bit of a concern the month before launch. The online was quite a shock. It didn't feel like Halo, borrowed a lot from Call of Duty but it still felt true to its nature. It took some getting used to but now I love it. The various changes they made felt forced at first but once I though about it I felt like they fit better in the Halo universe than anything else I could imagine them doing and another online like 3 or reach was not an option so it was a good compromise. I dabbled in the first episode of Spartan Ops and I like that it was a fairly smooth experience and other than the occasionally crappy teammate who just killed everyone else, it was actually a lot of fun. Halo is definitely in my top 3 this year and with the amount I keep going back to it I expect it will continue to move up. As I know some people are Halo-adverse I can't say I would recommend it to everyone, but if you are the kind of person that has ever had the slightest interest in Halo, this is an awesome point to jump in.… Expand
  43. dante_finn
    Jan 31, 2014
    10
    Best Xbox game I have ever played! The war games are feroucious and compettitive! the backgroumd design for the levels are amazing....................
  44. umkara
    Aug 1, 2015
    10
    i am not saying the game is perfect, but it is the best halo campain in my opinion. far more cinematic and emotional than the oders. I think they did a great job in some new elements
  45. Al3xzandar
    Nov 16, 2012
    10
    Best Halo since Combat Evolved. I am not a Halo fan, ever since Combat Evolved you could say I've been a Halo Hater. Till now. I felt that Bungie squandered and incredible Universe by forcing us to play through campaigns with confusing and lackluster stories, that were set in a great universe with characters that had all the potential to be memorable. Also I felt that Bungie never took anyBest Halo since Combat Evolved. I am not a Halo fan, ever since Combat Evolved you could say I've been a Halo Hater. Till now. I felt that Bungie squandered and incredible Universe by forcing us to play through campaigns with confusing and lackluster stories, that were set in a great universe with characters that had all the potential to be memorable. Also I felt that Bungie never took any chances with updating Multiplayer. I can say with no doubt I trust in 343, they made em care about the characters, I actually enjoyed the story and the visuals and sound are second to none and did a great job of engrossing you. I also feel the Multiplayer with Spartan Ops is a great change and addition to Multiplayer and has had me fighting my way to 50 to get my first specialization… Expand
  46. y2jarmyofficial
    Mar 17, 2014
    10
    simply the best halo in my opinion, the multiplayer is better then ever, graphics are amazing, and story was more emotional.well worth the buy, for the xbox 360
  47. Imperium101
    Nov 7, 2012
    6
    343i has tried to infuse some 'Humanity' into the story & tell a more personal tale about Master Chief's relationship with Cortana, but Halo 4 fails to evoke any emotions. This is in no small part due to Steve Downes boring monotone voice acting as the Master Chief. e.g Master Chief and cortana are aboard a derelict spaceship being sucked into a giant artificial planet slaughtering Aliens343i has tried to infuse some 'Humanity' into the story & tell a more personal tale about Master Chief's relationship with Cortana, but Halo 4 fails to evoke any emotions. This is in no small part due to Steve Downes boring monotone voice acting as the Master Chief. e.g Master Chief and cortana are aboard a derelict spaceship being sucked into a giant artificial planet slaughtering Aliens and they're just casually talking back & forth like they're sat in the waiting room for a dentist appointment - it's literally comical!

    The campaign also suffers from some atrocious level design. For example there's a part near the beginning of the campaign where you(the player) must climb up an elevator shaft avoiding falling debris. This could have been a sweat inducing, heart pounding moment, that is, if if weren't impossible to fail. There's also precious little else like in the campaign which only serves to give the impression that 343 weren't given the creative freedom to experiment. This is a shame because things like more platforming is exactly the kind of variety Halo needs.

    Finally the "Spartan Ops" mode is just awful. Lazy 10 minute missions on recycled environments(without scoring by the way) is pathetic replacement for Firefight. Besides if there's already a 4 player Co-op campaign why is this mode even needed? What were the developers thinking?

    Just a quick summary of the some of the biggest negatives as the 'professional' critics seem to be totally incapable of intelligently critiquing the products they are given.    … Expand
  48. 0neL4s7H0n0r
    Nov 7, 2012
    6
    It's good, but it's not the Halo that I'm used too. First off, the campaign is fast and keeps you wanting to play. But 343i added some parts to the campaign that really shouldn't be there, mostly surrounding the Chief (Character depth, a "friend", and that brown-noser Latsky) Second: There was a lot of good customization, minus the lack of emblems. (Not too happy I can't have the emblemIt's good, but it's not the Halo that I'm used too. First off, the campaign is fast and keeps you wanting to play. But 343i added some parts to the campaign that really shouldn't be there, mostly surrounding the Chief (Character depth, a "friend", and that brown-noser Latsky) Second: There was a lot of good customization, minus the lack of emblems. (Not too happy I can't have the emblem that I have had since Halo 2) Multiplayer: Fast, fun, thought I wouldn't like the supply drops, but they add a good element. Disappointed that you need a certain trait to pic up ammo (Not to mention once you run out of ammo with your gun you're kinda screwed.)

    Overall it's a good game, but if you're used to the Halo made by Bungie, this is going to feel different.    … Expand
  49. solidusdeus
    Nov 7, 2012
    6
    Honest opinion about this game. Graphics gave received a very nice upgrade, visuals definitely push the 360 to the limit with the occasional hiccup. Game play mechanics remains the same. Exciting start to the story that cannot be maintained throughout the campaign and falls on the short side of time. New enemies are cool, but old enemies and repetitiveness champion through the game.Honest opinion about this game. Graphics gave received a very nice upgrade, visuals definitely push the 360 to the limit with the occasional hiccup. Game play mechanics remains the same. Exciting start to the story that cannot be maintained throughout the campaign and falls on the short side of time. New enemies are cool, but old enemies and repetitiveness champion through the game. Multiplayer is still the same, which is a good or bad thing if you are a fan, some minor tweaks to loadouts and such. Overall an ok experience, just not a new or groundbreaking game.… Expand
  50. Baltarin
    Nov 8, 2012
    8
    From the beginning of Halo 4's conception, 343 was trying to take the game in a new direction. They wanted to incorporate what they determined the fans wanted. They tweaked the style and added in a lot of lore from the series. It was inspired and very well advertised. Campaign : Overall, it was a lot of fun. Although, I found it a little easy at times even on legendary. The musicFrom the beginning of Halo 4's conception, 343 was trying to take the game in a new direction. They wanted to incorporate what they determined the fans wanted. They tweaked the style and added in a lot of lore from the series. It was inspired and very well advertised. Campaign : Overall, it was a lot of fun. Although, I found it a little easy at times even on legendary. The music composition was very well fitted to the environments within the campaign. The bits of story they planted into the game was nearly seamless. It was 8 missions long and each mission was adequately sized, but it didn't take us long to beat it. I really didn't expect some long, drawn out campaign with spartan ops making its debut.

    Spartan Ops : It's a pretty decent campaign spin-off. The ability to pick load-outs and respawn definitely adds an arcade feel to it, and it is much less frustrating to die when you spawn with your favorite weapons and armor abilities. The individual chapters are pretty short; they are comparable to the division of the campaign levels. Each one takes about 12-20 minutes. It is nonstop shooting. Just the way we like it.

    Multiplayer : The reason 90% of us play halo. It did not disappoint. It added a few abilities never seen in halo and eliminated a few of the unnecessary ones. The levels are well designed, beautiful and I enjoy the faster pace set by the lowered shields and shorter recharge delays. The ordinance drops could use some tweaking, but I heard rumors of specializations allowing you to focus them on the weapons/power ups of your choice. I have yet to see it though...    … Expand
  51. oldguy
    Nov 11, 2012
    6
    Sorry Halo Fans but the only game I like to play for the most part did'nt show up this time ! . I only play at Heroic level and found a lot of the game play sluggish, especially the flight segments. The flight controls
    are insulting and downright boring. Pretty disappointed I am but the story line was ok but left me questioning the logic of it all. The Diadec at the end changes it's    Sorry Halo Fans but the only game I like to play for the most part did'nt show up this time ! . I only play at Heroic level and found a lot of the game play sluggish, especially the flight segments. The flight controls
    are insulting and downright boring. Pretty disappointed I am but the story line was ok but left me questioning the logic of it all. The Diadec at the end changes it's apperance rather crudely. The graphics were pretty good at times but lacked depth overall. I hoped for more sadly not happily as a Halo fan should.

    Where's the firefight for the people that don't play xbox live.....really!!!    … Expand
  52. Jonnyblond
    Nov 11, 2012
    7
    Wow...is all I can say. 343 did a freaking fantastic job on this game. Goodbye bungie hello beautiful. The campaign was a riot. I had a lot of fun with the chief and that half naked robo-babe. The story was short but it includes spartan ops which is a fine addition to the game. Then there's the meat and bones of the game. The multiplayer is truly awesome. I tried getting into 3, odst, andWow...is all I can say. 343 did a freaking fantastic job on this game. Goodbye bungie hello beautiful. The campaign was a riot. I had a lot of fun with the chief and that half naked robo-babe. The story was short but it includes spartan ops which is a fine addition to the game. Then there's the meat and bones of the game. The multiplayer is truly awesome. I tried getting into 3, odst, and reach and they just didn't do it for me. They were great games but the multiplayer was made to cater to basement dwellers. This game I have jumped right in and have totally destroyed all. There's nothing better than hearing a hardcore teen scream in the mic how sucky the game is cause the battle rifle isn't the all end. It feels like 343 did the multiplayer right weapon wise. It seems all the guns have their own uses for different situations but the dmr and br are truly the killers. Whatever 343 did to stop the stupid bunny hopping players gets true nods from me. I love seeing someone jump all around to only get destroyed by me now. In the past if you bunny hopped, it seemed king. But no more. Anyways if your looking to get a truly awesome multiplayer game for the 360, then put your trust in 343. They eclipsed bungie. It's been a long while since I liked a halo multiplayer and I don't see me walking away from this one. I don't even think the new call of duty will get me away from this unless activistion does something truly great with black ops 2. But most likely it will all be nothing but hiding in buildings the whole game cause the sky is littered with helicopters, bombers, etc.… Expand
  53. mikeachu7
    Dec 24, 2012
    10
    Such an amazing game can't stress that enough, great physics, color, detail, lighting, vehicles, weapons, I could go on and on..........................................................................................................................................................
  54. popje
    Nov 12, 2012
    10
    Best campaign since Halo: Combat Evolved and best multiplayer experience since Halo 2. The graphics are amazing, the story is really good and there a ton of awesome moments worthy of the first Halo. My hopes were low for the multiplayer after the disaster that is Halo: Reach, but Halo 4 multiplayer is more than awesome, it really feels like Halo 2, the gameplay is fast and action packed,Best campaign since Halo: Combat Evolved and best multiplayer experience since Halo 2. The graphics are amazing, the story is really good and there a ton of awesome moments worthy of the first Halo. My hopes were low for the multiplayer after the disaster that is Halo: Reach, but Halo 4 multiplayer is more than awesome, it really feels like Halo 2, the gameplay is fast and action packed, the maps are awesome and flawless. People who say the game have been CODified, its not entirely false, but what make halo, halo and cod, cod ? its definitely not the small perks here and here. The ordinances push players to rush and not to camp like killstreaks are in Call of duty, perks are a small bonus and are nowhere near mandatory. The scoring system is well made and really reflect players skills. What else can I say ?… Expand
  55. BetaVudkovlak
    Nov 13, 2012
    9
    Halo 4 itself has managed to give me many feelings towards 343i and the franchise they will continue to create. These feelings are excitement, blissfulness, tolerance, prejudice, rage, anger, hatred, and despair. YOU WILL LOVE THIS GAME BUT HATE IT AT THE SAME TIME! There are so many parts that I liked. Now the people below me are probably CoD **** stating that the game sucks so bad cuzHalo 4 itself has managed to give me many feelings towards 343i and the franchise they will continue to create. These feelings are excitement, blissfulness, tolerance, prejudice, rage, anger, hatred, and despair. YOU WILL LOVE THIS GAME BUT HATE IT AT THE SAME TIME! There are so many parts that I liked. Now the people below me are probably CoD **** stating that the game sucks so bad cuz there is no innovation, claiming that they copied from CoD when in reality the things they added came from a plethora of shooters. The game is innovative by adding in Spartan Ops and especially Spartan Ops. While I would like to strangle Spartan Jared Miller to death in the game, it allows me to have fun with my pals without having the ease of jet-packing around with rockets as how you would in Matchmaking firefight on Reach. Another innovative thing they added in was the Prometheans and the Forerunner weapons. Come on guys, they added a fifth faction into the game, the bad Forerunners.

    So right about now you're thinking if I'm a noob or if I am biased. I am level 42 in the game so I've played a lot of Halo 4 since its release.

    Forge is disappointing due to the removal of crouching in monitor (Really helps when not using Coordinates or Magnets) and the lack of terrain and space in the 3 maps. While that is disappointing, that doesn't mean that the innovative approach forgers have is obliterated. I've seen many good games that TheHaloForgeEpidemic has created. For example 5 levels.

    Campaign is good for those who have read the books especially the Forerunner saga section. It will give you an inside look at people like the Didact, Master Builder, and the Librarian in the saga. So do the terminals in the game.

    Many are saying that the DMR is OP but in reality it's that the other rifles are just underpowered in the game while the Boltshot pistol is in my opinion too powerful for a sidearm.

    The Matchmaking are small but are lot's of fun. My favorite mode is Dominion while I hate Infinity slayer with a passion on BTB maps.

    Overall this game should not be hated as much as the 474 people giving negative reviews are saying it should be. This game is a worthy successor to the franchise and 343i should continue their job tending to the franchise.

    8.8/10 (Rounded to 9)    … Expand
  56. Hamburglar
    Nov 20, 2012
    8
    The game has incredible graphics, something I long wanted form a Halo game, the campaign is entertaining but feels short. The story is filled with potential but is lacks proper detail. The new enemies pose a new challenge and fun to kill just as much as the covenant, but some weapons feel useless against them. The sound is impressively good! The soundtracks are decent, a few stand out butThe game has incredible graphics, something I long wanted form a Halo game, the campaign is entertaining but feels short. The story is filled with potential but is lacks proper detail. The new enemies pose a new challenge and fun to kill just as much as the covenant, but some weapons feel useless against them. The sound is impressively good! The soundtracks are decent, a few stand out but don't compare to the classics. 343 did a really good job in half the game, but the other half is disappointing. Multiplayer is great, and people complain about not being able to pick grenades from ground without the perk but I've found them placed on maps, still better to pick them from dead bodies tho. What I have to complain is, that Spartan Ops is a good idea, and better than Firefight in some ways, it does not have the customizable options or sense of possible failure that drove Firefight to be fun and even intense at times. Another bad thing about Spartan Ops is it would have been better of as downloadable adds, or playable on disc like firefight so that I can still play and enjoy it EVEN OFFLINE, but no, instead i MUST have xbox life with a GOLD account just to play it, so i wouldn't be able to access it at all if I had no Live or internet. WHich for me is just terrible, not to mention that Theater mode only works only multiplayer and no campaign or Spartan Ops, and there appears to be no way to save an entire film. So so long for my proud no death legendary campaign runs I would save and later review on Theater lobby. Over all the game is a leap forward in Halo, but a step down in overall features. My review score would be 8.75.… Expand
  57. Lap
    Nov 16, 2012
    9
    This game is phenomenal, it has truly pushed the limits for the Xbox 360 and gameplay alike. It's graphics are astounding while the scenery can be jaw dropping. You feel amazingly small and that is a great feel for everything to be of an incredible size. The story is more in depth look at master chief and cortona. It was a nice change of pace to be fighting a new enemy and to see new typesThis game is phenomenal, it has truly pushed the limits for the Xbox 360 and gameplay alike. It's graphics are astounding while the scenery can be jaw dropping. You feel amazingly small and that is a great feel for everything to be of an incredible size. The story is more in depth look at master chief and cortona. It was a nice change of pace to be fighting a new enemy and to see new types of structures. The multiplayer was perfect, the weapons are all balanced in proportion for their use. Some maps feel a little sloppy in areas but for the most part are astounding and play well and leave no room for sitting around, which is fantastic. The change in loadouts, and passive/active skills have added whole new play styles to this already amazing game and will fit to any users liking.… Expand
  58. Faith12
    Nov 18, 2012
    9
    Halo 4 offers something new and something old both in the best of ways.The campaign, for the most part, feels like a well thought-out and well-weaved story in the huge Halo universe.
    The level design is fantastic, and varied, the last time a Halo game had this kind of variety in its campaign it was 2001 and Halo:CE was starting a FPS revolution on consoles. You are playing as Master Chief    Halo 4 offers something new and something old both in the best of ways.The campaign, for the most part, feels like a well thought-out and well-weaved story in the huge Halo universe.
    The level design is fantastic, and varied, the last time a Halo game had this kind of variety in its campaign it was 2001 and Halo:CE was starting a FPS revolution on consoles. You are playing as Master Chief of course and there are plenty plot lines being weaved in this campaign of which I won't spoil for you here, but its particularly amazing if, like me, you are a generally a big fan of great science-fiction. The campaigns variety in level design greatly benefits from the game-engine, which is arguably 343 industries greatest accomplishment in Halo 4. The lighting and textures in this game are the best to-date of any Halo game before it, and quite possibly the most beautiful looking game on the Xbox 360 console. Of course, the engine is not only responsible for the eye-candy but also for the game physics and the sandbox dynamics Halo games are well-known for by the hard-core Halo fans. The physics in the game are great, the game always makes you feel like you weigh a figurative ton, the weapons have the signature diversity to them as well as their place in the sandbox. Halo games have always had varied weapons of which nearly all must be mastered to escape tight situations in campaign and most importantly, in multi-player. The sniper rifle, Rail gun, and sticky detonator come to mind when talking about this, it absolutely feels like nearly every weapon in Halo 4 was included to fit a definitive role while also being flexible enough to be used in not-so ideal scenarios for said weapons. Which could not really be said about every Bungie-made Halo game, with Halo 2, Halo 3, and even Reach, there were a few weapons that were pretty much ignored by the player due to not having a role in the sandbox that could be more effective than another weapon, Not in Halo 4, from the fully automatic weapons, to the pistols, to the precision weapons and power weapons, every single one of them feels like it serves a purpose in the sandbox and that is impressive. The same could also be said for the vehicles in Halo 4, they all have a role, and they all feel properly balanced, no one vehicle feels over-powered, if you know how to identify its role in the sandbox you can be very effective with it. It all really is quite a testament to 343s abilities, but there are bits and pieces, campaign-wise, that feel out of sync with the rest of the generally fantastic story, there was a certain point in the campaign where I pressed a total of 3 different buttons on my controller to get through a scenario where I felt like I wasn't actually in control of anything. I was simply playing through a scripted event where hitting a single button would perform actions that could be enjoyed more-so if simply viewed. Any and all events like the one above have always been handled by a cutscene where you would see the chief (not in first-person) perform his bad-assery, to "play" through something like that felt quite unnecessary and also felt a bit out of place when considering how the rest of the campaign plays out, if you're going to make a cut-scene the best thing to do is not give the player mediocre control, either he absolutely controls the character or he doesn't, that idea is what creates great pacing. Another example of a stumbling is when I found myself watching a cut-scene that lead to a level, I walked about 30 feet forward and then was presented another cut-scene, that also kills pacing, good thing is it only happened that one time, but it's there nonetheless to show us that this is a development team still trying to master that Halo signature pacing Halo games have been known for as well as trying to place their own stamp on a franchise that they clearly love. Aside from those small gripes, the campaign is fantastic and should be a memorable one, some will undoubtedly find some of the dialogue strange and different but after playing through it a second time, you really start to understand what 343i was trying to do with these characters. The Multiplayer in Halo 4 is nothing short of a great advancement in the franchise, considering all I've talked about in the previous section, the weapon balance and roles in the multiplayer side of things is even more obvious, and (again) the same can be said for the vehicles. The map designs are also well rounded from the small-medium-large. The multiplayer is where the games balance absolutely shines. Of course there are a few things you will notice off the bat that will have you question 343s decision making, like removing friendly fire from 4v4 slayer on-line but after quite a bit of time playing through all of its game types, those concerns fade due to the fact that the game plays so well as-is. Add the weekly Spartan Ops episodic content and Forge and you get one of the most complete game packages.    … Expand
  59. sindronian
    Nov 14, 2012
    7
    If I have never played Halo before I would give this game a 9 or even 10/10. However since I am a longtime halo fan and now that I've reached rank SR-41 I can say that the multiplayer is pretty disappointing. The campaign is well deserving of a 9/10, spartan ops is trash online and threatre only works for multiplayer currently. So a 7/10 is pretty generous. The multiplayer does matter moreIf I have never played Halo before I would give this game a 9 or even 10/10. However since I am a longtime halo fan and now that I've reached rank SR-41 I can say that the multiplayer is pretty disappointing. The campaign is well deserving of a 9/10, spartan ops is trash online and threatre only works for multiplayer currently. So a 7/10 is pretty generous. The multiplayer does matter more than campaign to me because it's the multiplayer that I will invest most time into and get my moneys worth. The multiplayer is does not have separated social and ranked playlists. This means that people who try so hard with a coordinated team to kick your ass are going to be matched up with people who are for the most part screwing around. Halo 3 had the most lasting appeal because it separated these types of players. In halo 4 you are matched by skill and rank. So when I started to get higher rank, games got more and more frustrating. Every time I get in a gunfight now I have to perform a song and dance just to get out alive and wipe the sweat off my balls from trying so damn hard, but I can't actually have time to wipe off my balls because this game has instant respawn. So unlike the Halo 3 social playlist, almost every single game in Halo 4 is stressful as **** I rarely have close games usually I get **** taken onto me. I'm by no means a bad player. I'm quite good but there are many better than me and because I played more than most at launch I got matched up with a lot of the best players. Because there is no separation of the highly competitive players and the casual players this game will get so frustrating no one will play it I guarantee. I already stopped. If you think $60 is worth a good campaign, Halo 4 has one of the best campaigns you'll ever play. The campaign does have one big issue though. It's hard to follow and in order to understand it you'll need to do research before or after it. The story is not very clear but the cutscenes are great and the gameplay is fun! Great game overall but multiplayer sucks right now. Check out my full war games (multiplayer) review here: http://www.343industries.org/forum/topic/17780-my-honest-review-of-halo-4-war-games-rank-sr-38/… Expand
  60. pjams76
    Nov 15, 2012
    10
    Amazing Game! Best story and game play ever in a Halo game and I've played them all. Graphics and sound are truly awesome. Simply put this is the best shooter I have ever played hands down. Weapons, vehicles, enemies everything just pops and handles wonderfully. Forget wanting to fight a modern war in a shooter, the futuristic feel is awesome! welcome back Master Chief.
  61. CameronEric898
    Nov 15, 2012
    10
    When I first found out that Bungie was leaving my favorite franchise behind, I was a bit apprehensive. I've played every Halo game, and with the exception of Halo 2 I've loved them all. In the first weeks following the announcement of Halo 4, I scoured the Internet for concept art, gameplay, anything to give me insight as to what 343i was doing with my beloved Halo. I'm delighted to sayWhen I first found out that Bungie was leaving my favorite franchise behind, I was a bit apprehensive. I've played every Halo game, and with the exception of Halo 2 I've loved them all. In the first weeks following the announcement of Halo 4, I scoured the Internet for concept art, gameplay, anything to give me insight as to what 343i was doing with my beloved Halo. I'm delighted to say that the game is everything a true fan could have wanted out of a Halo game: the Chief is a badass, the bad guy is REALLY bad, and Cortana has her best performance to date. And that's in the first three levels. 343i absolutely nailed the facial animations, and the actors all do a spectacular job with their voice work. The regular Marines you fight alongside are as sarcastic and humorous as ever, and at no point in the campaign did any individual stand out to me as being annoying. On the multiplayer side, this is Halo perfection. Every map is distinct and beautiful, and they all play like a dream. Each weapon has its own unique strengths and weaknesses and no weapon completely outclasses another. The new Forerunner weapons, while different, are in no way overpowered; your BR skills from Halo 3 will still be serving you well. Your DMR skills from Halo: Reach will net you as many kills here as they did there. The addition to "Call-of-Duty-like" perks is surprisingly natural and is so well-balanced you'll probably only notice your own personal perks. At no point have I been killed and though "if only he wasn't using THAT perk". The in-game map editor, Forge, is in rare form in this game: it looks very similar to its Reach counterpart, but has been streamlined and altered to something much more usable and ergonomic. No longer will countless hours be spent mucking through coordinate sheets and menus, thanks to magnets and the duplicate option, respectively. If you liked Forge before, you'll love it now. If you hated it before, there's nothing new here.
    In all, Halo 4 is a triumphant achievement for a newly-formed company. In this case, they get the absolute highest praise: not only does this game not fall into the trap of simply reiterating the "Bungie-feel", they also don't alienate the things that make this franchise beautiful. 343 has succeeded in creating a game with an identity of its own, and that is the real wonder here. I would highly recommend this game to any video game player.    … Expand
  62. adrenilinmatt
    Nov 15, 2012
    10
    Well what can I say. Halo 4 has come along and absolutely blown me away. It's truly amazing. Graphically the best game I've seen on any console and emotionally gorgeous.. Touching
    . Sure people are trying to bring it,down all over the internet, but there are just as many if not more telling you how amazing it is. I've played every halo game since ce. and played halo 3 almost every day    Well what can I say. Halo 4 has come along and absolutely blown me away. It's truly amazing. Graphically the best game I've seen on any console and emotionally gorgeous.. Touching
    . Sure people are trying to bring it,down all over the internet, but there are just as many if not more telling you how amazing it is. I've played every halo game since ce. and played halo 3 almost every day since ltd release in 2007. In my opinion halo reach was the worst. and halo 4 brings it back to the classic halo feel. Sound effects are beautiful. 20k games of halo 3 and I loved every one. Halo 4 is gonna be the same. Ignore the trolling critics on here as well! Halo 4 has best black ops 2. Sorry trolls. Even your trolling can't bring this game down. Haha cyan    … Expand
  63. Smashsoul
    Nov 29, 2012
    10
    Halo may not be the king it once was nearly a decade ago. But I think it is safe to say that under the excellent supervision of 343, it
  64. Dragonred1700
    Nov 15, 2012
    10
    Story wise this is the most ambitious Halo game to date. Bungie had a rule that the gameplay came before the story but 343 has taken down that rule and instead made the gameplay and story even better. The multiplayer is amazing and the spartan ops is more fun that firefight. All the load outs feel natural as if halo has had them forever. Only down side, the story is a bit convoluted if youStory wise this is the most ambitious Halo game to date. Bungie had a rule that the gameplay came before the story but 343 has taken down that rule and instead made the gameplay and story even better. The multiplayer is amazing and the spartan ops is more fun that firefight. All the load outs feel natural as if halo has had them forever. Only down side, the story is a bit convoluted if you dont watch all the terminals. Great way to return to Halo and can't wait for Halo 5!10/10… Expand
  65. crazyc9
    Nov 30, 2012
    10
    Honestly one of the best Halo games yet. The only things i don't really like is that the Prometheans are crazy powerful and the DMR is also CRAZY POWERFUL
  66. BelgianTofu
    Nov 16, 2012
    8
    The story is quite good, it has stellar sound and looks, character development has increased tenfold over it's predecessors, and can be challenging due to decently smart AI. A little on the short side though.

    The multiplayer is somewhat derivative and hectic by Halo standards, but stellar by any other measure. (No pun intended) Verdict: Much better than Halo Reach, but this title    The story is quite good, it has stellar sound and looks, character development has increased tenfold over it's predecessors, and can be challenging due to decently smart AI. A little on the short side though.

    The multiplayer is somewhat derivative and hectic by Halo standards, but stellar by any other measure. (No pun intended)

    Verdict: Much better than Halo Reach, but this title doesn't quite match the glory days of Halo 3.    … Expand
  67. Vyse
    Nov 16, 2012
    5
    Halo of Duty. Anyone who doesn't think otherwise isn't a true fan of Halo. The campaign is what it is, and I'm not here to write a review about that. I'm talking about multiplayer. Seriously, 343? You're going to **** create a mulitplayer system with loadouts and kill rewards? How does anyone in the game industry NOT see the flaw of this system? Why reward players doing well with equipmentHalo of Duty. Anyone who doesn't think otherwise isn't a true fan of Halo. The campaign is what it is, and I'm not here to write a review about that. I'm talking about multiplayer. Seriously, 343? You're going to **** create a mulitplayer system with loadouts and kill rewards? How does anyone in the game industry NOT see the flaw of this system? Why reward players doing well with equipment to allow them to do even better? Why allow players to spawn with a weapon they are proficient and comfortable with? Does anyone else notice that deaths come MUCH quicker than any other Halo game? How often can you survive an encounter with 2+ enemies in Halo 4? Not at all. In Reach, at least you could pull some magic out of nowhere and survive on occasion. This game borrows from Call of Duty in all of the worst ways. Why does every single developer feel the need to try to emulate that series? We play games outside of Call of Duty when you're just going to get the same experience anyway? I cannot STAND how multiplayer is anymore. Death comes quicker than you can blink, and rewarding dominant players with better equipment is just flawed in itself. If people keep supporting games in this manner, there will be NO variety in 5 years. The genre will stagnant and people will wonder what happened. All I know is that this game was a huge letdown for a fan of the first 4 Halo games. Shame on your 343.… Expand
  68. Lex-Osheezy
    Nov 18, 2012
    6
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. After many sequels in this well known franchise, 343 manages to fall short of it's promises to re-invent the story and characters in a way that will fulfill all it's renown loyal fanboy's wildest dreams.
    The reality is that it's depressing to be able to see the intentions of the game developers as they fail.
    In the prologue of the game, 343 sets the tone of the game by laying down this thick emphasis on a moral question of Chief's ethics and emotions, and whether his success was based on his Callus nature.

    All of this is too much for the viewer, as the first thing they want to hear about their favorite character after years of absence isn't a diss from an old lady, (who's imprisoned for reasons that aren't explained in the game.) Nearly everything the campaign sets out to do it fails. Seconds into actual gameplay, it's clear that 343 have decided they'll try to make Chief less of a brooding character and more of a guy who thinks out loud and feels human emotions. The most obvious sign of this is the many many lines of dialogue throughout the campaign, compared to the under twenty he displayed in his last installment. Even the littler things make you think that this isn't a Halo game. The quick-times, the unexplained presences of enemies, and the stupid motivation for nearly every character.
    So putting the actual plot/execution aside for a minute, the actual core mechanics that are involved in a good campaign are either missing or broken. The game introduces new enemies into the Halo universe (The Prometheans), but these enemies are anything but fun to engage with. Your choices range between Shooting the Knight first, or the little support drone he constructs. Admittedly, some of them posses one of the armor abilities from multiplayer, and that can make things interesting, but the teleportation gimmick they all utilize exists only to annoy.
    This game misses the brilliance that some of the levels from Halo 3 demonstrated. Players of Halo Reach's criticism of the campaign was that it had no 'Big level'. It had no fight with scarabs, it had no scaling up the big metal pyramid to fight the monitor, and it had no Vehicle dependent level like Halo 3's 'The Ark'. Halo Four demonstrates this, and seemingly Less. Halo Four tries to add to this, but it's attempts come off as kind of dry. They put in a level where you get around via a powered-up Pelican, which is relatively cool, but they just make you fly from platform to platform, and don't really do anything with it. The Shooter on rails at the end of the game feels uncharacteristic of the franchise and kind of makes you wonder whether it was only put in to fit the expectation that every action game published in the last five years needs to have a mission where you're on a motorized vehicle with explosions and a million guys chasing you at the end for it to be fun and cool.

    Players from day one (Such as myself) are getting a little bit tired of the series' Go from A to B, and shoot everything in between' formula. Maybe it was old by the second or third game in the series, and I just didn't notice because I cared about the characters, and Chief/My Achievements were still impressing me. But the magic's just gone. Halo four tries to capitalize on Cortana and Chief's potential weird Romantic relationship that's based on trust and experience, but it does it in all the wrong ways. (Again, i'll make a comparison to Halo 3 as it's the most relevant Halo game) At the end of Halo 3, the metaphor for Chief's human side and what he's fighting for dies in the form of Srgt. Johnson. This powerful scene was executed brilliantly because of Chief's body language, and Cortana's very digital attempt at comforting Chief in a concept she shouldn't have a clue/care about. Johnson's characteristic one liner drove home the point, and the proceeding fast paced escape scene meant that much more because you felt like you had just experienced an influential time in the protagonist's life. Flash forward to Halo Four.

    Halo Four executes cutscenes by not having Chief pointing his gun aggressively, not defensively, not with him saying one line here or there, but by making him the tipsy blond in the room that can't keep up with the conversation. Making the player smarter than the character does not add anything to the experience, especially when the character's intelligence is inconsistent. Drawing impossible conclusions from prompts Cortana feeds him now and then makes no sense after you watch Chief fumble with the concept of authority and courses of actions.Play the ending yourself, decide if you want another Halo.(Regardless, it's on it's way) I should finish on a good note, and that's that I thoroughly enjoy the multiplayer. I'm not that great at online FPS's, but for some reason I find this one to be very easy. It could be the similarities it now holds to the Call of duty series, which has a debatable effect on the originality of it all.    … Expand
  69. csund14
    Nov 19, 2012
    9
    Let me first confess, that this is my first Halo. I have played combat evolved, but i was never extremely hardcore about the series. Everyone is reviewing after having extensive experience with the game, so this might be refreshing coming from someone fairly new to the series. I would just like to say I think this game is amazing. The multiplayer(which is all I've been doing) seemsLet me first confess, that this is my first Halo. I have played combat evolved, but i was never extremely hardcore about the series. Everyone is reviewing after having extensive experience with the game, so this might be refreshing coming from someone fairly new to the series. I would just like to say I think this game is amazing. The multiplayer(which is all I've been doing) seems extremely balanced. No guns seem overpowering. I like that if you are being attacked, you do not immediately die, but yet have a chance to turn around and defend yourself. There are no "unfair" armor abilities. The maps are done very well, and although somewhat limited, they are never boring. The graphics look just beautiful. Visually, nothing is cluttered. Everything has a sleek look about it. I think, if you just want to have a good time, and take the game as it is, 343 has done a wonderful job.… Expand
  70. adrian04morales
    Nov 19, 2012
    10
    Halo 4 is the best game ever because it take more skill, the story is awesome because there two enemies that you have to fight and have to fight a boss that is cool! The gameplay is beast. Master Cheif is BACK
  71. JNELY
    Nov 20, 2012
    9
    This game is excellent. Singleplayer: The story is lacklustre (but has real potential for sequels) and those flying things are a pain in this ass. Those two minor gripes aside, I loved the new campaign! Spartan Ops: It's revolutionary. It keeps the story going, offers great co-op content, and is a fun alternative to previous Firefight modes. Multiplayer: I love it. It seems like theThis game is excellent. Singleplayer: The story is lacklustre (but has real potential for sequels) and those flying things are a pain in this ass. Those two minor gripes aside, I loved the new campaign! Spartan Ops: It's revolutionary. It keeps the story going, offers great co-op content, and is a fun alternative to previous Firefight modes. Multiplayer: I love it. It seems like the majority of problems people have with it stem from the game being different than Halo 2. Since I never played much Halo 2, this isn't a problem for me! It brings modern standards to Halo, and keep it fun and exciting. However, I wish there wasn't so much overlap between different guns. I rarely find myself switching from the DMR to any other weapon.… Expand
  72. GregOnGames
    Nov 21, 2012
    8
    I most definitely approve of this game. I was impressed straight away by the noticeable beef-up in graphics. Halo has never been known for its land breaking visual content, but this game changes that within seconds of seeing that beautiful artwork, you realize this is what a Sci-Fi Shooter should look like. I found that campaign addictive, in single player and Co-op. Enemies are toughenedI most definitely approve of this game. I was impressed straight away by the noticeable beef-up in graphics. Halo has never been known for its land breaking visual content, but this game changes that within seconds of seeing that beautiful artwork, you realize this is what a Sci-Fi Shooter should look like. I found that campaign addictive, in single player and Co-op. Enemies are toughened and ready for a fight, and its noticeable that 343 did a fantastic job on setting the difficulties to what you'd expect, especially on Legendary. Gameplay feels splended as well, boasting new sounds for every weapon, and movements made by the player and the AI characters. The game just feels a lot better then most games I've played this year. Multiplayer has a whole new edge to it as well. The addition of custom load-outs made it feel like they were really passionate in kicking some Call of Duty ass this year, which is a big argument in itself. I did feel however that the storyline did not meet up to the expectations I quite had for a new company coming in with virtually limitless possibilities. Though, what they did add, they made it work great, leaving minor loop-holes that i'd hope are going to be told in the games to come. Overall, I feel a solid 8 is a great score for this great entry into a new world of Halo.… Expand
  73. massassim
    Nov 21, 2012
    10
    this game is amazing? no, it can't be defined with words how great this is... a masterpiece, mindblowing, 10 of 10 , a classic that your childs will have to play. I am from old scholl gaming, and this is so amazing like mario, zelda and lara croft! it's even better than that
  74. 25TonnesOfFun
    Nov 23, 2012
    5
    Anybody who gave this game anything more than an 8 must of never of played halo 3, which in my opinion was the best FPS multiplayer game ever made. Halo 3 is the most balanced FPS experience ever and 343 just shat all over that. extremely dissapointed with this game as it has way too much of halo reach in it with all these extra abilitys that make the game more complex then it need be. itAnybody who gave this game anything more than an 8 must of never of played halo 3, which in my opinion was the best FPS multiplayer game ever made. Halo 3 is the most balanced FPS experience ever and 343 just shat all over that. extremely dissapointed with this game as it has way too much of halo reach in it with all these extra abilitys that make the game more complex then it need be. it is just not fun now that everybody can have camo or start with a battle rifle. the maps are also kind of crap with exception to ragnarok, but thats a halo 3 map anyway so essentially all the maps are utter doo doo. most of the game modes are boring, they really need to bring back big team games like one bomb and massive 8 vs 8 flag games. im not gonna take the game back as its still playable but i had hoped they would of learnt their lesson from how dissapointing reach was.… Expand
  75. PulseEnder
    Nov 24, 2012
    10
    Halo 4 is an outstanding game and is a direct sequel to Halo 4 and is the first Halo game in the new Reclaimer saga and is the first original Halo game made by 343 industries and is backed up behind the recent Halo live action web series Forward Unto Dawn. Plot: after Halo 3, Master Chief has remained in cryogenic sleep upon the vessel known as Forward Unto Dawn, and has requested toHalo 4 is an outstanding game and is a direct sequel to Halo 4 and is the first Halo game in the new Reclaimer saga and is the first original Halo game made by 343 industries and is backed up behind the recent Halo live action web series Forward Unto Dawn. Plot: after Halo 3, Master Chief has remained in cryogenic sleep upon the vessel known as Forward Unto Dawn, and has requested to Cortana to be re-awakened when needed. Cortana realizes that their vessel is under attack by the Covenant who have broken their truce with the humans. When she awakens chief she warns him that they are orbited an ancient Forerunner planet, Requiem. The planet's Gravity Well intiates and brings the Covenant and as well as Chief, Cortana, and The Dawn into a collision course with the planet. On Requiem, Cortana reveals she is rampant and should be dead and will eventually think herself to death. They attempt to re-establish communications with the Infinity, a massive vessel that is home to the new spartan 4 program led by Commander Del Rio. In an attempt to clear communications lines they accidently free the ancient forerunner, Diadect, who is hell bent on eliminating humanity, and whose power manipulates the Covenant and the Prometheans into becoming his army. Comparison to Halo 3: Chief sports a new look in his mark 7 armor and is a bigger and better badass then he already was. Also their is more insight into Chief's legacy, Cortana's emotions, and the Spartan program itself. the Battle Rifle returns as well as the Covenant Carbine, the option to duel wield does not return. Comparison to Halo Reach: graphics are crispier, goes back to classic Halo 3 HUD, sprint is a default part of the experience as it is now not an armor ability, the DMR returns, and the infection game mode has evolved into the more gripping Flood game mode, Firefight mode does not return. New elements for the Halo experience: A new enemy known as the Prometheans are an interesting species that weild guns that shoot light and build right into your hands. Also the oppurtunity to pilot a Pelican is now here. Multiplayer: All multiplayer matches take place on the Infinity as training simulations for the Spartan 4s. Also Spartan Ops gives you 5 new missions for 10 weeks after Halo 4's original release as long as you have an Xbox Live Gold account which you get 2 weeks free for purchasing Halo 4. This game uses create a load out customization options which make for a customized experience as well as ordanance which gives the player random killstreaks in the form of a choice of weapon, grenade, or amor ability. My opinion: Halo 4 is a must play game that will be remembered as the most revolutionary Halo title since the original Combat Evolved itself. It reminds me of Call of Duty in terms of its easy to jump into play style, and its more interactive campaign, and killstreak like create a class like system. Even the Spartan Ops remind the player of Special Ops from Modern Warfare. I would reccomend this to anyone who wants to begin gaming or to anyone who owns an Xbox 360, even so I would find a way to try out this great game.… Expand
  76. jasir98
    Dec 24, 2012
    10
    (out of 100)
    Visuals: 97
    Game play: 98
    sound effects: 100
    Campaign: 97
    pacing: 99
    story: 96
    Multi player: 100
    Replay rate: 96
    Overall: 98
    Halo 4 is the best halo game ever created and probably the besthooter of the year or maybye even the game of the year
  77. Chron1cNinja69
    Nov 28, 2012
    10
    I easily give this game a 10/10 due to the fact that the game offers great graphics, has a slight mix of CoD, and Halo. And they've added the "Sticky Detonator" as well as some Forerunner technology with a great balance of teams and weapons. It is still rather easy to hack or mod in the game, considering I've seen a couple hackers myself and it makes me angry. The game is new though, andI easily give this game a 10/10 due to the fact that the game offers great graphics, has a slight mix of CoD, and Halo. And they've added the "Sticky Detonator" as well as some Forerunner technology with a great balance of teams and weapons. It is still rather easy to hack or mod in the game, considering I've seen a couple hackers myself and it makes me angry. The game is new though, and all new games have glitches and kinks that need to be worked out. The 343 Industries that created and developed it did an overall great job and I would play this my whole life if I could.… Expand
  78. GoodTasteGamer
    Dec 21, 2012
    8
    I played Halo 4 for a week and i felt like i didn't really receive the game that i was waiting for. This is NOT a bad game guys, definately not a bad game by a long shot: it has a fun multiplayer and an epic campaign, even being "asphyxiantly" short. The main problem is that it LACKS CONTENT. I can't even understand why i need two cds: The first cd has only the campaign, that it's epic butI played Halo 4 for a week and i felt like i didn't really receive the game that i was waiting for. This is NOT a bad game guys, definately not a bad game by a long shot: it has a fun multiplayer and an epic campaign, even being "asphyxiantly" short. The main problem is that it LACKS CONTENT. I can't even understand why i need two cds: The first cd has only the campaign, that it's epic but it lasts so much as a kid's popsicle on a hot day in the middle of the beach. Then you have Spartan Ops and Multiplayer, both of them requires you to install the cd 2 before you start to play. Why i need to install cd 2 ( that creates a file of more than 4 GB on the hard drive) to play Spartan Ops and Multiplayer ? Spartan Ops is only 1 f#cking episode, it's boring and it's impossible to play it offline so if you're not a gold member Microsoft f#cks you in the @ss. Then you have multiplayer, where you are allowed to choose between... what ?... 3 maps on the big modes - not even a half of what we had on Halo 3! The graphics are good, clearly not the best but in the top 5 of the console for sure. The scenarios are big and high detailed. I played sick battles on them with no frame-rate issues whatsoever. The "level up" system is unfair because it rewards the people who bought the game earlier than others, the sickest weapons and habilities will always be available exclusive to players with high rank level (but still a mile away better than any COD multiplayer). The game also doesn't have any punishment for friendly fire and that sometimes can be very frustrating. There are various modes for multiplayer and almost nothing for the campaign: skulls without points and some "movie only" chapters to give you the impression that the campaign was satisfactory: it wasn't. The history is incredible weak, to be fair it would be almost childish if wasn't for Cortana's drama. Unfortunately, it's not a journey because Halo 4's campaign is not long enough for the player to feel connected with the characters and the events. The motion capture doesn't add too much. The soundtrack is good but not even close of being excelent as the soundtrack from the original trilogy. Halo 4 is far from being bad but it's unable to hide the fact that you bought a blank and incomplete product, that surely doesn't live up to its ambitions. Buy Halo 3 instead.… Expand
  79. emoney
    Nov 28, 2012
    9
    Overall great game and i love the weapons although the campagin is short who gives a damn the multiplayer matters the most in games today its more like a 8.5
  80. Cure9269
    Nov 29, 2012
    10
    343 have more than equaled Bungie by delivering a sequel worthy of the Halo name. Not only that they have built an impressive new graphics engine which makes Halo 4 one the most stunning games ever made. Halo 4 may not feature as much inovation as people may have expected but they have crafted a slick and stunning shooter that more than rivals anything else out this year. The story has343 have more than equaled Bungie by delivering a sequel worthy of the Halo name. Not only that they have built an impressive new graphics engine which makes Halo 4 one the most stunning games ever made. Halo 4 may not feature as much inovation as people may have expected but they have crafted a slick and stunning shooter that more than rivals anything else out this year. The story has more focus, the charecters more depth. And a real emotional undercurrent has been added that asks some very interesting questions about Master Chiefs mental state. The multiplayer is so balanced and fun to play, the edition of classes and better integration of power weapons in the form of ordnance mean that even the weaker players out there will get a chance to play with cool stuff. The only downside is Spartan Ops. Hyped up to be a revolutionary episodic series spanning 5 weeks giving the player more insight to the background events of the main campaign. The problem is these levels are short lacking in any real personality and purpose. They feel more like training exercises than a supposed new adventure. This is a small issue that doesn't stop Halo 4 being the great package it is. 343 first game ever it frankly brilliant. And now the foundations have been built for the next 10 years who knows where we will end up in Halo 5. All I know is I can't to get there.… Expand
  81. CMM
    Nov 30, 2012
    9
    Halo 4 is fun, it has problems and glitches (my campaign progress was reset and it was solo legendary so I had to do it again) but overall it's a great game. I wish spartan ops was better and they had firefight.
  82. chrismagnani
    Nov 30, 2012
    8
    Good multiplayer like always but boring and repetitive campaign. The graphics are improved over the previous games and the sound also is a lot better. Campaign though is by far the weakest of all the Halo games to date. If you are buying this game just for the campaign just don't do it. You'll be disappointed and will have wasted $60. If you plan on playing multiplayer on Live then I guessGood multiplayer like always but boring and repetitive campaign. The graphics are improved over the previous games and the sound also is a lot better. Campaign though is by far the weakest of all the Halo games to date. If you are buying this game just for the campaign just don't do it. You'll be disappointed and will have wasted $60. If you plan on playing multiplayer on Live then I guess it's worth it.… Expand
  83. magician369
    Mar 8, 2013
    9
    Graphics:10///GAMEPLAY:10///Story:7///Soundtracks:10
    ----------9 masterpiece---------------
    a must have game for the Xbox,if you did not play the series before(like me),i highly recommend to watch all the cut scenes on YouTube to be familiar with the universe of Halo. the guns are absolotly amazing,vihcels are a little bit buggy,but also cool.best graphics for a seven generation consol    Graphics:10///GAMEPLAY:10///Story:7///Soundtracks:10
    ----------9 masterpiece---------------
    a must have game for the Xbox,if you did not play the series before(like me),i highly recommend to watch all the cut scenes on YouTube to be familiar with the universe of Halo.
    the guns are absolotly amazing,vihcels are a little bit buggy,but also cool.best graphics for a seven generation consol ,especially the faces of the characters are so real.the music is fantastic...
    there is only one big PROBLEM in this game,be sure to read this:NO AUTO SAVE IN CAMPAIGN,not even a save menu,checkpoints are not saved unless you press start and choose save and quit,i lost three missions when i shutdown my Xbox.
    also the story plot is not up to the game,but it is good.    … Expand
  84. F4c3m3n
    Dec 25, 2012
    9
    My hats off to 343, they managed to craft a unique but classically feeling halo title. Though it is not perfect, as it has minor weapon balancing issues, as well as forge not having as many improvements as it should. It has become more modern and fast paced, but at the same time juxtaposes this with old school shooter mechanics and does this so extremely well that fears of it becoming justMy hats off to 343, they managed to craft a unique but classically feeling halo title. Though it is not perfect, as it has minor weapon balancing issues, as well as forge not having as many improvements as it should. It has become more modern and fast paced, but at the same time juxtaposes this with old school shooter mechanics and does this so extremely well that fears of it becoming just another shooter are completely extinguished upon becoming an experienced player. The campaign story is fantastic but quick time events take you out of the mood sometimes just for cool screen effect but it doesn't detract a single think from the gameplay itself or its incredible story that's told. Spartan ops is an intriguing new mode that packs a lot of fun in a 15 minute level but suffers from reused environments though this is said to less common in later episodes, which by the way are weekly dlc. This mode is good but has much potential to be better. The multiplayer is one of the best in the series, second only to halo 3. As said before, it is more modern as it has load outs and perks. The perks don't break the game in any way and in fact only seem to help you work your way around the map your currently playing on. Though games such as cod have perks, halo does it slightly different in that they are just for style, with a few exceptions, such as dexterity which speeds up reload speeds. The game has also added random ordinance drops, which is a new spin on the classic halo tradition of finding weapons on the map, also tied to this is the personal ordinance, which at first may seem like a cod rip off, think again because instead of getting a bomber to fly over and get kills for you, you get a choice between 3 random choices of weapons grenades and power ups, all you need is 4 kills, thats it its not really a streak. As a whole personal ordinance is a great new addition and is perfectly original. Once again halo 4 is a great game that has old school shooter roots mixed with modern mechanics in its multiplayer and has evolved much since reach, while staying true to its own style rather than becoming a cod clone. It's definitely a must by for halo fans. Oh and check out halo 4 forward unto dawn, which is a live action 5 parts web series about the beginning of the human covenant war within the halo universe… Expand
  85. jul320
    Dec 26, 2012
    10
    Fan of the Halo franchise, and is a fantastic start to a new trilogy. Graphics, sound, combat, multi-player, everything was just great... except for Johnson not being there.
  86. bulbrook
    Dec 26, 2012
    10
    This review is from the perspective of a guy who is busy with life. My time is filled with working, traveling, going to the gym and cooking meals. I spend time with my wife and friends, and have a little time left over for everything else. Gaming is a one form of entertainment I enjoy, along with movies and sports. The original Halo on xbox was one of the best gaming experiences of myThis review is from the perspective of a guy who is busy with life. My time is filled with working, traveling, going to the gym and cooking meals. I spend time with my wife and friends, and have a little time left over for everything else. Gaming is a one form of entertainment I enjoy, along with movies and sports. The original Halo on xbox was one of the best gaming experiences of my life. I rate it up there with Mario, Zelda, Final Fantasy, and the like. It was mind blowing to play through coop with a friend. Driving the warthog, throwing grenades, flying, jumping, swarming enemies. It was a blast! Not only was it fun, but it was epic. The graphics were awe-inspiring. It was like being the lead in a science fiction movie. All of the love for Halo has been once again renewed for Halo 4. The previous follow ups have all been ok, but not able to capture the near perfection of the first game. Halo 4 does it. Graphics- mind blowing. How they taken a 5+ year old console and put together flowing work of art like this I do not know. Playing this on in my home theater, on a 120" screen is incredible. Sound again perfection. The music track, the weapons sounds- they sound powerful and heavy, but not overly booming. Story was actually interesting. Picking this up every few weeks for two months to beat it. I could actually follow along and get what the hell they were talking about (for the most part). I don't touch the multiplayer as busy lives don't leave time for that. For an epic, fun single player experience, on an old console mind you, it doesn't get any better than this. Buy it or rent it, and enjoy the heck out of it. Then get back to the real world.… Expand
  87. CursedNonos
    Dec 26, 2012
    10
    When I saw people's opinions were mitigated about Halo 4, I was expecting a medium quality game. It isn't that at all : one can see devs put a lot of efforts making it, and one can feel it. Indeed, it differs of the first games in some points, but my overall impression is very good : nice multi and nice campaign, plus another mode which extends game's life. I don't regret my purchase atWhen I saw people's opinions were mitigated about Halo 4, I was expecting a medium quality game. It isn't that at all : one can see devs put a lot of efforts making it, and one can feel it. Indeed, it differs of the first games in some points, but my overall impression is very good : nice multi and nice campaign, plus another mode which extends game's life. I don't regret my purchase at all!
    A big good point of the game is the splitscreen : it is one of the rare games in which you can play with three friends on the same console. And you have fun!    … Expand
  88. domhearne
    Dec 27, 2012
    10
    I went out today to go and buy this game. It was my first ever Halo game. It is the best game i have brought in a long time. I thought it would be hard to play as i have brought every call of duty game what has been out. I got the hang of this game very quick and i would recommend it to anyone. If you want anymore help finding out about the game or any other games add me on Xbox Pro Hearne
  89. mikenasty
    Dec 27, 2012
    7
    Great multiplayer even if you're a beginner. The campaign was way too repetitive where virtually every task was to go from point A to point B so you can do this (aka press a button)
  90. bsd12
    Dec 28, 2012
    7
    This is my first Halo game and the only reason why I played it was for the AMEX promotions (hehe). Anyway, the campaign was pretty good. I thought the graphics were great, music was good enough, gameplay was solid, but repetitive. The enemies were sponges and not that fun to fight. Many levels felt like repeats, however, some driving sequences broke up the monotony. I played about 2This is my first Halo game and the only reason why I played it was for the AMEX promotions (hehe). Anyway, the campaign was pretty good. I thought the graphics were great, music was good enough, gameplay was solid, but repetitive. The enemies were sponges and not that fun to fight. Many levels felt like repeats, however, some driving sequences broke up the monotony. I played about 2 or 3 rounds of multiplayer and I thought it was great. Despite, my first time playing, I did fairly well. My call of duty experience helped me a bunch and I thought it was quite noob friendly. The game is a solid 7/10 for newcomers.… Expand
  91. FreakyDan
    Dec 29, 2012
    10
    I personally found this game a blast. This is one of the few shooters that has come out lately that the story really draws me in. If you feel lost or confused about it, find the terminals in Halo 3 to learn more about the two main forerunners and Halo 4 terminals to fill in the gaps of Halo 4's main story. For this installment 343 definitely pushed the graphics as far as they good. WhileI personally found this game a blast. This is one of the few shooters that has come out lately that the story really draws me in. If you feel lost or confused about it, find the terminals in Halo 3 to learn more about the two main forerunners and Halo 4 terminals to fill in the gaps of Halo 4's main story. For this installment 343 definitely pushed the graphics as far as they good. While graphics don't make a game, I would like to note that there are no graphic glitches I am aware of and the frame rate is great. As for combat, the introduction of new weaponry and enemies keeps things fun. The knights are tough, and on legendary they are a great challenge. 343 is also giving us Spartan Ops, which for those not familiar are weekly installments of five missions and a episode explaining the events of the USNC Infinity. These provide lots of replay-ability with or without friends. Multiply player is still amazing. For those concerned about load-outs, relax they are ok. The guns you can have in a load-out are all the basic weapons, you can't have rockets, which means most players of all levels will have rather balanced load-outs. Overall I really enjoyed it and would recommend it to all who enjoy first person shooters. Hope this review helps.… Expand
  92. DEATH0NWH33LZ
    Jan 1, 2013
    8
    Halo 4 is an awesome game, it continues the story of Master chief precisely 4 years 7 months and 10 days after entering cryo sleep at the end of Halo 3. Chief awakes to find the Forward unto Dawn spiraling towards a mysterious forerunner planet. The story is great, and does a great job at provoking nostalgia. However the story revolves around Cortana more so than Chief, it raises someHalo 4 is an awesome game, it continues the story of Master chief precisely 4 years 7 months and 10 days after entering cryo sleep at the end of Halo 3. Chief awakes to find the Forward unto Dawn spiraling towards a mysterious forerunner planet. The story is great, and does a great job at provoking nostalgia. However the story revolves around Cortana more so than Chief, it raises some interesting themes, and those familiar with the novels will no doubt be excited about Halo 5 & 6 as it delves deeper into the wider narrative. Overall the story is great, and the level design helps keep each mission fresh. Spartan ops is a weekly episodic based series, it is great fun with friends and comes with excellent cinematic cut scenes that is slowly weaving a story of its own. However after the first 5 episodes, many areas have been reused, which has made this mode go stale, repetitive and at times tedious. Thankfully for the next 5 episodes 343 have created all new battlegrounds, so lets hope the 2nd half avoides the first halves shortcomings. Multiplayer has undergone some extensive changes, such as custom loadouts, kill cams and ordnance drops. Custom loadouts have been balanced quite well, with all primary weapons being ideal for certain situations, but no so much that one is necessarily better than another, same with armour abilities, tactical packages and support upgrades. some tweaks to make them more balanced would certainly be welcome, as i have found the DMR might just be a tad to powerful, and the boltshot pistol should take longer to charge. Overall the maps are great, spawning is not a problem in this game. The only map i dislike is exile, even then it is still not an evil map to play on. Kill cams are just that kill cams, while ordnance drops give you a power weapon, an upgrade or grenades after reaching a certain amount of points. these are a welcome addition as weapons such as the rocket launcher and binary rifle only showing up rarely. The upgrades consist of speed boost, overshield and damage boost, each offering only a slight edge, but can often be the difference in a firefight. Overall the multiplayer is fresh and interesting, and is quite balanced, but does cater for noobs a little to much, the maps are great, and it discourages camping. However i found that the multiplayer lacks the wow factor, i have not found myself addicted to this multiplayer as i did in Halo 2 & 3. The sound design in this game is top notch to say the least, each gun sounds badass, and yet sounds like it should. The clunking of your armour as you walk helps build immersion. The graphics are no different, pushing the limits of the xbox 360 to the max. It is the best looking game on xbox. Overall Halo 4 is a great game, with a fantastic single player, a muliplayer that successfully changes so much, Spartan ops being the only let down, but that looks like it could change, so i give this game an 8/10. This a great game and anyone who is on the fence i recommend you get this, it is the Halo you know and love, but with enough new content to keep it fresh. 343 have done a great job with this game and i can't wait to see what they do for Halo 5 & 6.… Expand
  93. castlesiege
    Jan 1, 2013
    10
    Amazing game i mean cortanas pretty much naked and the gameplay is at its peak graphics are at its peak real flood and bigger maps more destructive combat.
  94. MDG397
    Jan 15, 2013
    9
    This is a very good game, great multiplayer and great sound design and graphics. The only complaint I have about it is the length of the campaign, it's not as long as the other Halo games and you could finish it in a couple of days. Multiplayer should keep you busy for a long time though, and spartan ops is a good new mode that was added. Spartan ops is like a new mini campaign, theThis is a very good game, great multiplayer and great sound design and graphics. The only complaint I have about it is the length of the campaign, it's not as long as the other Halo games and you could finish it in a couple of days. Multiplayer should keep you busy for a long time though, and spartan ops is a good new mode that was added. Spartan ops is like a new mini campaign, the missions aren't long but they aren't meant to be long so I like it. Any Xbox player should pick this up.… Expand
  95. LostInRealms
    Jan 4, 2013
    10
    10/10

    Great graphics. Amazing gameplay. Diffrent armors guns everything. Only down fault in my opinion is the Story, I love teh cut scenes, But the gameplay itself could of been way better. They did very well on this game.
  96. BLINGCAMEL
    Jan 13, 2013
    5
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Halo 4 is supposedly the direct sequel to Halo 3, and it is in regards to the story. The campaign follows the story of Master Chief (as always) fighting some aliens on a new planet called Requiem. As Cortans slowly dies from her rampancy, Chief has to help her keep hope and defeat the Didact. This, in my opinion is extremely linear, and the Didact is one of those twirl mustache villains that ones to randomlyndestroy humanity. It doesn't help that every mission you're running around pressing buttons, for no apparent reason. Th campaign was boring and repetitive, and Requiem (the planet) is not as appealing as planet Reach. So yeah Cortana dies, other than that nothing memorable.

    I and many other Halo fans buy Halo for multiplayer, and well this one could use some work. Halo 4's multiplayer takes place on the UNSC Onfinity. A massive starship where the SPARTAN IVs train in the highly advanced war games simulation. Unfortunately, instead of Halo's traditional arena style shooter; this game is a class based arcade shooter. Skill isn't as needed here, as everyone spawns with an instant kill weapon (the Boltshot) if they wish. Halo 4 is shipped with 10 maps, and mostbof them are extremely large. The Kip times are faster, and the game is easier. Players will find an improvement in their K/D ratio and less of a skill gap between pros and lesser players. The DMR more or less dominates Halo 4's sandbox, and active camo is incredibly annoying. Halo 4 also lacks a 1-50 ranking system, giving you little reason to play for a long time. Little things like the inferior soundtrack, broken fileshare, CoD elements, and weak forge really hold the game back. Constant lag makes it a burden to play, and plasticy armor is plain boring. Halo 4 could get better with title updates and DLC but in it's current form it's practically Call od Duty in space.    … Expand
  97. sliceofmoon
    Jan 14, 2013
    9
    Halo 4 is a fun game with hours of enjoment to be had. The campaign is well thoughtout and has a very gripping story line, with graphics that are to die for. War Games is equally enjoyable and the many game types on offer prevent you from becoming bored of the same old team slayer, the loudouts give you a choice of what weapon you wish to bring to the battle field, instead of fighting withHalo 4 is a fun game with hours of enjoment to be had. The campaign is well thoughtout and has a very gripping story line, with graphics that are to die for. War Games is equally enjoyable and the many game types on offer prevent you from becoming bored of the same old team slayer, the loudouts give you a choice of what weapon you wish to bring to the battle field, instead of fighting with someone because they picked up the weapon you wanted. Spartan ops is also fun however compaired to the campaign it can seem a bit bland and too short missions leave the player wanting more. Therefore I think 343 have done an all round good job in carrying on the Halo 4 series that we all know and love.… Expand
  98. sergiomach5
    Jan 16, 2013
    8
    I cant fault the game for its presentation; this is probably the best the 360 can ever look, and add in a soundtrack where I went looking for the tracks on youtube. The sound effects are done brilliantly, where firing an assault rifle for the first time gives you eargasms, and the environments are varied and gorgeous.

    The game falls down a bit in the gameplay. Its added in modern    I cant fault the game for its presentation; this is probably the best the 360 can ever look, and add in a soundtrack where I went looking for the tracks on youtube. The sound effects are done brilliantly, where firing an assault rifle for the first time gives you eargasms, and the environments are varied and gorgeous.

    The game falls down a bit in the gameplay. Its added in modern annoyances that will deter veterans, but will have newer players looking to see if its for them. Sprint, new abilities, and choosing custom loadouts are a way to catch up with the Military shooters, but it loses the earlier games feeling of being on the same playing field at the start, and picking up powerups and weapons as you go. Having custom loadouts inherently changes players status on the battlefield, and as such loses that competitive edge from Halo 2 and 3. The lack of ranked playlists is the nail in the coffin for competitive types, but social still has its good clean halo fun.

    The campaign is deeper from a character narrative, but seems like it has less scope than Halo 3. It has new enemies to fight, and new weapons to fight them with to keep it from feeling ancient. The main problem is its overly linear feel, but aside from that its still a solid story for the fans.

    343 have done a great job with keeping Halo as a AAA shooter, and despite the complaints I have with the game, it does not mean I hate it. I like the halo feel, while questionning the new direction, and hope the next game they develop improves upon the linear nature of single player, and change the multiplayer somewhat.    … Expand
  99. Deadeyejones
    Jan 17, 2013
    8
    Playing halo 4 is like reliving the first time I played the original! The campaign is great the interaction between chief and cortana is engrossing to say the least. The graphics are absolutely gorgeous I spent a lot of time just looking around! The multiplayer is like I said earlier a great throw back with few tweaks thrown in. I think any Xbox owner should have this in there collection
  100. BradySmith
    Jan 20, 2013
    9
    An extremely good game with superb level design. Its storytelling and gameplay are also great with improved gunplay and movement mechanics. However, it doesn't match the original trilogy's quality. It's not as long and doesn't have nearly the same lasting impact those games left behind. You'll also miss the original trilogy's musical score because although this game's is good it's notAn extremely good game with superb level design. Its storytelling and gameplay are also great with improved gunplay and movement mechanics. However, it doesn't match the original trilogy's quality. It's not as long and doesn't have nearly the same lasting impact those games left behind. You'll also miss the original trilogy's musical score because although this game's is good it's not nearly as masterful. It also doesn't have as much epic grandeur as those games even if it has more than most others. The bottom line: An excellent game living in the shadows of its predecessors.… Expand
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Awards & Rankings

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

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
87

Generally favorable reviews - based on 87 Critic Reviews

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