Halo 4 Xbox 360
User Score
6.9 out of 10

Mixed or average reviews- based on 2263 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 1,546 out of 2263
  2. Mixed: 146 out of 2263
  3. Negative: 571 out of 2263

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  1. MasterChef234
    Nov 14, 2012
    8
    Halo 4 is another great addition to our collection. But it fails on multiplayer. Even though everything else is enjoyable I mostly prefer the multiplayer i think it gives soul to the game.
  2. PSDLOGiC
    Nov 14, 2012
    10
    To all the Halo fans since Halo CE. Favorited game of all time is still Halo. Although Bungie did veer off with ODST and Reach with the game engine and game play it was still an OK spin off but not the best. 343 has blown away the creators of HALO period! 343 are people with passion to provide the best quality and gaming experience possible. Gaming has changed after COD So evolving what Halo 4 stood for was inevitable. Glad it was for the Best. Cheers 343!… Expand
  3. WhistleBlower
    Nov 14, 2012
    10
    This game is as much as you can ask for from a revamp in the Halo series. The campaign is about as pleasant any multiplayer focused game can be expected. The Chief is back and on another epic adventure, yet the formula is mixed a little more this time around. Upon playing Halo 3 and Halo Reach's campaign, you can tell there was a clear formula Bungie Studios was sticking to to stay safe. The 4th mission always had heavy weapons and a run through with the Scorpion tank, as does Halo 4. The 3rd mission was always a Sniper mission, etc. It got boring.

    This game actually re-assembles the formula by simply creating a brand new game while throwing a little extra care into the batch. Prerendered cutscenes are used as well as some that use in-game graphics. A slew of new Forerunner weapons have been included, yet most are just rehashes of current Covenant and UNSC weapons. But what's most important to focus when reviewing this game is the multiplayer because that is what most players will spend most of their time with. The game now includes Specializations which include new armor, support upgrades (perks), and weapon skins as they become available when players rank up. This does take some of the CoD flare, yet it is done in a respectable way. The game still maintains much more balance than CoD. After all, we don't have to worry about killstreak rewards giving players free unearned kills, etc.

    The graphics have had a major rehaul and look amazing. The only thing slightly annoying is when the announcer says 'Control the hill to earn points!' or other obvious stuff that makes me feel like I'm in kindergarten. An increased amount of medals may be an issue now, although it's nice they included a Hail Mary medal (killing someone from across the map with a grenade) and a Snapshot medal (a no-scope kill with a Sniper). Another complaint may also be that Team Snipers and Double Team weren't included as default playlists for matchmaking, but I can't mark the game down because I'm sure 343 Studios is just withholding these playlists to give players more to look forward to. I can't wait to play Doubles on the new Impact map!

    As always, Forge has also received an upgrade and it's much easier to build, duplicate items, and snap objects together to form a crisp looking structure. I will not say much more because I've not had much chance to experiment in Forge because the mutliplayer is too fun.

    What's also great about the multiplayer is that players get to unlock the ability to customize their own loadouts. You can unlock 5 and unlock a 5th option for loadouts after reaching level 41, although I don't believe it's too necessary to have 5. I keep a primary loadout and an alternate for the 4v4 and 5v5 gametypes with more close quarters combat, and another for Big Team Battle (8v8). Users are able to choose their primary and secondary weapon, their grenade type (which can be frags, plasmas, or the new Forerunner grenade type, pulse), a Tactical Package and Support Upgrade.

    There are an array of Tactical Packages and Support Upgrades to choose from, but you can only use one per Loadout. Loadouts can be switched after you die so you can switch to another before you respawn.

    Tactical Packages include Mobility, which allows for infinite sprinting. Shield increases your shield recharge speed. Resupply allows you to pickup grenades from fallen friends and foes. Firepower allows you to have a primary type of weapon (such as the DMR and Battle Rifle) in your secondary weapon slot. AA Efficiency increases the rate at which your Armor Ability recharges and Grenadier increases the amount of grenades you can hold. I use Mobility.

    Support Upgrades include Dexterity, which allows you to reload faster. Ammo increases the amount of ammo you carry when you spawn and what's included in an ordnance package. There are others. And new support upgrades are unlocked as you rank up and unlock new Specializations. To be honest, the game has taken the best from CoD and made it its own, and done better. But it's still managed to birth a fresh new love for its campaign.

    What's always been great about Halo, though, is that even if the game turns out to rear its head as a very unbalanced game sometime in the future when people learn how to exploit certain aspects of the game, there is always an enormously intricate customization option if you prefer to play as you wish. And this also goes for map customization, not just for creating gametypes. Halo is back and at least as good as it once was.

    The series took a dive with the release of Halo 3 and slightly improved for Halo Reach, but with the latest installment of Halo 4, the series is as exciting as it once was during the era of Halo: Combat Evolved and Halo 2. I love this game. But one more thing, if you like your shooters fast paced, this game may be for you because it is definitely the fastest Halo multiplayer of the franchise.

    I love this game. Thank you 343 Studios.    … Expand
  4. MrTostados
    Nov 14, 2012
    6
    Within 12 hours of buying my copy of Halo 4, I was already rather bored and quite disappointed. The campaign begins with the Master Chief and Cortana aboard the surprisingly intact UNSC cruiser, Forward Unto Dawn. The player's first battles are against Covenant forces, and are rather simple. From there, you are teleported to a forerunner world infested with "Prometheans". The Prometheans glow orange and like to teleport. Otherwise, they're the covenant. The campaign is extremely repetitive and is simply the same two objectives one after another. It's either "Go hold X on this orange thingy" or "kill all the enemies in the vicinity. After a little while, the player learns that Cortana's AI is deteriorating. Despite the obvious scientific inaccuracy, the player is expected to believe this. Cortana's body looks far less clothed, and far more... Developed than it has in her other appearances in the series. On the other hand, her face looks more like that of a six year old. The health system included in the past two games has been completely dropped, as 343 opted for the tried and true system that utilizes only the shield, and doesn't display your health. After about two hours of the campaign, the gameplay becomes extremely tedious, even when playing co-op. Now, on to the multiplayer. The multiplayer system now includes "Spartan-Ops," 343's answer to Infinity Ward's "Spec-Ops" game mode. The first "chapter" of Spartan-Ops is easily completed within 30 minutes. The mode is simple and boring. It is simply the campaign, but with slightly more variation and constant updates. There is currently only one extemely boring "chapter" of Spartan-Ops available, and the mode doesn't really deserve a second look. Multiplayer follows the same general rule as all of the other games in the series, except for the addition of an official "Griffball" game mode (anyone smell money?) and progressive loadout unlocks. The loadout unlocks are somewhat interesting, but considering the amount of weapons that you can pick up, and the amount of game types that have preset loadouts, the progressive weapon/armor ability unlocks are almost a total waste of time. As for Forge Mode, Forge has been stripped of many of its key components and items. For instance, all of the new vehicles added to the series from Halo 3, Halo: ODST, and Halo: Reach have been removed, all except for the Mongoose and the Rocket Warthog. The only new vehicle is the "Mantis" a "James Cameron's Avatar"-style mech-suit. The Mantis has a machine gun and fires rockets. It's pretty much just a Hornet that's stuck to the ground and moves extremely slowly. It also has a completely useless "stomp" capability. A recap of all of the vehicles dropped: The Hornet, Falcon, Revenant, as well as a few other vehicles. There are many new weapons added to the game, including: The SAW, light rifle, binary rifle, scattershot, and boltshot, just to name a few. The new grenade introduced in the game, the "pulse grenade" is totally useless. I attempted to use the grenade multiple times to absolutely no avail. Forge mode is extremely lacking, and the vast majority of the available maps are bland and small. Last but not least, Firefight. Oh, wait... THERE IS NO FIREFIGHT. 343 decided to take one of the more recent games' biggest selling points and simply **** DROP THE WHOLE MODE. Firefight is gone altogether. It seems as though 343 hasn't learned from any of the previous Halo games' mistakes and successes, and simply attempted to make a Call of Duty game that somewhat follows the storyline of the Halo Series. This is just a repetitive on-rails shooter hiding behind the facade of the Halo storyline.… Expand
  5. Abr0ham
    Nov 14, 2012
    8
    Some say it is wise to end on a high note. 343 Industries says otherwise. This game is not Halo 3, but it is another opportunity to once again step into the shoes of Master Chief. If that's what you're looking for, you've found it. If you're looking for the epic space opera you remember, I've got bad news. When Master Chief's last words in Halo 3 were "Wake me when you need me", he wasn't talking to Microsoft's marketing department. The image of Master Chief, at peace floating somewhere out there in space had found its place in our minds for the last 5 years. It was a beautiful image. Unfortunately, Microsoft is willing to disturb that to make a quick but very large buck. Halo 4 is not a bad game, but it can't escape the air that it is a product more than a work of art as its predecessors were. I want to call it uninspired, but that is too narrow a definition of inspiration. A cattle prod can be inspiring if you happen to be cattle and so can a multi-billion dollar company breathing down your neck when you are a video game developer. "This game needs drama" says Microsoft; 343 adds a commander who's only character trait is getting pissed off. "This game needs conflict"; so fabricates an entirely new villain with motives no more complicated than "destroy all humans". Most elements of the story seem to have been thought up in this manner, right down to the whole "Cortana is dying" subplot, I assume the though process to this was "This story needs to engage the player emotionally" "Alright, lets threaten to kill off a character established by much more skilled writers". This is the only aspect of the story that really connects with you and it only works because they glom off character development done by Bungie for the better part of a decade. As for the multiplayer; it's still Halo, but they seem to have spilled some "Call of Duty" on it. If you like either of those games you'll have fun. This may be were you find your entertainment if the story falls short. This is Halo 4's redeeming quality; it's an all you can eat buffet. You don't like the story? Try war games. Bad at war games? Play spartan ops. Still not entertained? Build something in forge. Have no imagination? Join 343 Industries.… Expand
  6. AnEpicMan
    Nov 14, 2012
    10
    Let me start by saying ignore the user score, it is mostly from butthurt CoD/PS3 fanboys. Now, onto the game, when 343i took over the Halo franchise I expected more of the same but what I got was something much better, see unlike Bungie before them 343 actually developed the Master Chief and Cortana something that was missing from the original trilogy and delivered one hell of a story with an awesome villain who kind of reminded me of Darth Vader unmasked. Now for the visuals, the character and gun models may not look as great as something like Crysis 2 but the backgrounds are truly unmatched by any game out there and will have you staring in wonderment with each new outdoor level. The sound is much improved from Reach making guns specifically from the UNSC sound more powerful and Forerunner/Covenant sound very unusual as alien weaponry should. Fortunately, Firefight was replaced for something more meaningful which is Spartan Ops that actually give more to the story and you even get a great CGI episode which each entry. Lastly, the multiplayer, there are a few unbalances specifically with the DMR but overall it's a fair game and the maps are fantastic unlike Reach where it looks like a Hobo got a hold of forge and sold maps to Bungie, now with Halo 4 the maps actually feel like time went into them, like something you would of expected from Halo 2 or 3. Overall best shooter I've played in a long time and I think you would love it.… Expand
  7. mongz79
    Nov 17, 2012
    9
    This is a great game, but it is not perfect. First, the cons. The weakest part of this game is the campaign. Although I liked the fact that they are trying to change things up, the story is confusing. I own, and have beaten, all of the previous FPS Halo games. 343 Industries put terminals in the game that you have to find to understand the story properly. Unfortunately, they are not easy to find, so you end up being a little confused about the story plot. Also, you end up either doing "three things" to beat a certain area, or beat a bunch of enemies down a long corridor, hallway, or trench. The level design could have been fleshed out more. The Spartan Ops, are a nice addition, but consist of "kill bad guys, move forward, beat bad guys, and move forward." Some of them are fun, but not at the cost of replacing Firefight. Now the pros. Graphically, this is the best looking game on the 360. The opening cinematic is jaw-dropping. I was amazed that this was a 360 game. The sound is AMAZING. Generally you expect a game to have good sound design. I've never had a game have such good weapon sounds, that it made me feel like it was real. 343 Industries did a masterful job with the weapon sounds. Also, the music is new and refreshing. Some complain that they didn't use the old music. I don't. It sounds appropriate, and has wonderful tracks. Multiplayer. Multiplayer is refined and, unlike previous Halo iterations, fast-paced. Some, again, complain about the change. Halo needed a shot in the arm, and 343i handled it splendidly. I think the only thing I want is more maps, which will be coming down the pipes in a few months. All in all, this is a great new Halo. I think 343i did a wonderful job, will tweak some of the mechanics, and make Halo 5 perfect.… Expand
  8. Throwmetheus
    Nov 15, 2012
    9
    343 has managed to bring back the huge scale and epic feeling of Halo 2. They have also managed to make some modern multilayer tweaks to pander to gamers who need innovation and change with new games to make them worth buying. Halo 3 didn't have enough new elements, while Reach had too many and was unbalanced. Here they have managed to strike a good balance between old and new, with how the game feels and the added running, abilities etc. Some would say they are making it like Call of Duty but I would say they are showing a little humility and just taking the best (and most obvious) elements from other popular and successful modern shooters and building on their core gameplay with them. It's still hard to say why I have a 'Halo 2' vibe from this, but I do.

    I'm halfway through the campaign and I'm only level 24 on multi player, but I can already tell I will continue to play for months to come. Fighting the covenant still feels largely the same with the mediocre a.i and same vehicles, but the new Promethean race feels fresh. They are challenging to fight and not mindless like the flood. Multiplayer maps feel instantly better than Reach. They are well designed. They're don't seem to be a lot of them, but Haven among others already feel like instant classics with awesome site lines to explore. This takes cues from all Halo games and builds on them. It's exciting that this is the first game in a new trilogy. When they start doing something really innovative with the match making and have MMO elements included like trading, interplanetary travel etc. I will give it a ten. Nine for now. The real chief is back.    … Expand
  9. 1urch
    Nov 15, 2012
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I dont always play xbox 360. But when I do I play Halo 4. **** I didnt realize this had to be at least 150 characters or the first two sentences would have been my review. But seriously Halo 4 does not disappoint at the slightest bit. Both multiplayer and campaign deliver what every (for the most part) Halo fan desires. This game helps one remember why he/she loves video games in the first place: Its ****ing fun, it looks amazing, and it transports you into another world where you stay until turn your console off and leave the room. with all **** talking and dumb comparisons to other games aside this game is a must buy/rent/borrow (just ****ing play it) if you enjoy having fun.… Expand
  10. Carbombgun
    Nov 17, 2012
    10
    Halo 4 is an enjoyable experience everyone should take part in.

    Campaign. 8 missions of good times. Don't want to spoil it for anyone, but it's definitely worth playing all the way through. More action scenes from the Chief's POV make it seem like you're doing it. Only complaint is Chief talks more in this installment.

    Multiplayer. Insane. The maps are balanced and quite enjoya    ble. You can now have loadouts, meaning you can choose to start with an automatic or precision rifle from UNSC, Covenant, or Forerunner. Different armor abilities and perks make multiple possibilities so you can play Halo the way you want to.

    Spartan Ops. Short, little missions you can play solo or with a friend. Only complaint is it's too easy as you have infinite lives, even on solo legendary. Luckily, 343 Industries is releasing new episodes which each contain 5 more missions.

    Customization is better here than in Reach. You can change helmets, torso, shoulders, forearms, legs, and visor. Completing different challenges nets you a different variant of most of the armor so you can choose your favorite design. 343 Industries, you did an amazing job with Halo 4 and I'll be patiently waiting for the next installment.    … Expand
  11. CODisFAIL
    Nov 17, 2012
    10
    halo 4 is the best game ive seen until now, its got probably the best multiplayer in my opinion and its the funest game.!........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................… Expand
  12. Tomahawk22
    Nov 17, 2012
    8
    Thought it would be a flop, 100%, best game since Halo 2. Brought the series back to life after the total disappointment of Reach, and no Halo games could ever be as good as the first two. Good job.
  13. Thatuserguy
    Nov 24, 2012
    6
    It's decent; not particularly amazing, but not bad either. Campaign is an alright length, but the story isn't particularly amazing. It leaves more questions than it gives answers, and more often than not, it feels like they came up with cool moments and just tried to string them together with an average-at-best story. It's somewhat annoying as well, as even on normal difficulty, most enemies act like bullet sponges, often with promethean knights taking a whole clip of ammo or more to take down. Because of this, ammo runs out quickly, more often than not leaving you with weapons unsuited for the particular occasion you're thrown into. The music, while somewhat interesting to listen to, is much different than past halo games, and none of them left a lasting effect on me. I only liked one song from the entire soundtrack a significant amount, and I don't even know the name of it. The graphics were pretty good, but there were times in both gameplay and cutscenes that it seemed 343 just gave up trying to make it look all pretty. For example, take a look at chief's armor at the end of the first mission: it looks extremely low res despite him being the main focus of attention. And as for the final boss fight that we were all waiting for throughout the entire game that we all expected to happen with the evil of the didact throughout the whole game? A quicktime event. A quicktime event leading to a cutscene that ends the game. Talk about a freakin' tease. On the subject of teases, a halo ring is shown in the game, but we never go on it. It's like they put it there so they could justify the halo in the title and nothing more. Overall, the experience is kind of disappointing despite cool moments, and the story isn't too particularly involving or interesting. It's lacking the magic of previous halo campaigns.

    Spartan Ops sort of makes up for the campaign, but at the same time, some of the locations they take place at are just recycled from multiplayer or campaign. Not to mention, there's only like 5 missions per episode, and they're so short that more often than not you find yourself asking "It's over already?" While 343 has boasted about custom games having more options than ever, they made this happen at the expense of several other options. Entire gamemodes such as race, juggernaut, VIP, invasion, and assault have been all but removed, something that hurts the experience greatly. Theater also remains a one person only ordeal, something that's truly disappointing. Forge has some improvements, but at the expense of previous improvements. You can magnetize objects, lock them, see which item you're hovering over, have dynamic lighting, and can place zones where spartans have specific traits, but in return, can no longer zoom or move an object slowly, both which serve to make forging a much more irritating experience. The 3 maps replacing forge world that are specifically built for forging are hardly even BTB maps in size, meaning you're very limited by size. It would be much more preferable to have forge world back with different palletes and more items at this point, as there's so little that you can do. And now for the big one: multiplayer. The maps are all fairly entertaining, but, again, are lacking something that every other multiplayer map in previous halos had. I don't know what it is, but they just don't play too amazingly well. The ranking system is basically the same as Halo Reach's, but with a new coat of paint. Custom loadouts are alright, but in engagements with them, more often than not the guy who was spotted first is usually the guy who winds up dead. Custom loadouts also allow for the noob combo of plasma pistol and dmr, a tactic I've seen much more of in Halo 4. As for this next part, I guess I can't blame the game as much as the players, but it seems nobody uses vehicles anymore unless it's a gauss hog, a mantis, a scorpion, a banshee, or wraith. Normal hogs and mongeese are often just left sitting there while players make a run for it on foot instead. Ordinance drops are also interesting, but hurt gameplay. There's no map control of the areas with the power weapons, because the power weapons could spawn anywhere, meaning instead of the game focused around map control that we all know and love, it's become a more run and gun game. Halo's multiplayer has definitely changed, and sadly, I don't think it's for the better. At least AA's are more balanced now though.

    Overall, the UI is cluttered and annoying to navigate. The new weapon sounds, while some have enjoyed them, don't seem to fit the experience too well. Everything just sounds...off. For example, the rocket launcher no longer has some meaty launching sound, but instead sounds like a unintimidating "woosh" noise when being launched, and the DMR sounds much more deadly than it is. Most of the armor in general also looks rather silly, and no longer is easily identifiable, as lots of the armor looks similar to one another.    … Expand
  14. Banned4rever
    Nov 21, 2012
    10
    Halo 4 atinge o ápice da sétima geração de videogames, e ainda da um pequeno spoiler da próxima gen. Os gráficos são de babar, o máximo já alcançado em consoles, com a mesma ia e mapas grandes de sempre. A relação Cortana e Chief está ainda mais forte
  15. MooseSpoon
    Nov 20, 2012
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I'm not the biggest Halo fan out there. As expected this will likely feel just like another Halo game. However, there are vast improvements. Gone are the days of camping weapon spawns. Here now are the days of getting care packages with random weapons. I feel this makes multiplayer more appealing since I don't have to worry about racing to a weapon spawn that someone has camped and timed. Also, the new weapons add an interesting touch. While they do operate the same as already existing weapons, they do add subtle nuances such as how the boltshot reloads. It gets better. The human shotgun, DMR, and battle rifle are all here. The major negative factor for me was the spawn points feeling random and aim assist not allowing me to do my own work.

    As for the campaign, it was short. That does not mean it wasn't good. It provided the continuation of the Halo story but with aspects often overlooked. It very well portrayed the bond and tension between the chief and cortana. Also, it portrays the chief as a human being who is not perfect or emotionless. Throughout the campaign it shows chief's struggle to get jobs done with a friend who isn't operating perfectly and how he deals with tasks going awry and not being completed.

    Other than that, the environments should be noted. While the engine is modified but flawed, the environments are far superior to those experienced by franchises with more clout. (Sorry, call of duty.)

    Also, at the end of the campaign is a little thank you from 343 to the gamers who follow Halo. Overall, it's the small and subtle things that count and there are plenty of them to make this game feel like one of the best Halo games produced with enough differences to consider it something new and polished.    … Expand
  16. Wakkorotti
    Nov 19, 2012
    3
    Halo 4 is absolutely a visually stunning game. The graphics are completely beautiful, the worlds look and feel real, and the new enemies, though there are only really three, at least interesting to look at. That being said, even on legendary, the campaign is painfully, woefully, short. I would almost classify it an EPIC failure. When you can turn on the Tough Luck skull and complete a board like Requiem in a little over a half an hour, there is something wrong. The odd thing about Halo 4 is that the plot and story line are arguably the best in the series thus far, save the possible exception of Halo: Reach. But the new ancient evil awakened, the Didact does not inspire fear or foreboding and you never truly get to battle him. The re-imagined grunts still look ridiculous, and I want to know what happened to the skirmishers and Brutes. I feel like there was so much of the Halo universe left untapped by the game that I can only describe my feelings about it as disappointed. The game is a rehash of the same boards over and over and over again. Massive boards that you often travel through both ways and face the same enemies over and over and over and over and over and over and over again. the AI (Game level, not Cortana) is weak at best. You can sit in certain spots on certain boards and head shot enemies until they perish without them ever moving. Glitches like this stand out far more than the beauty of the worlds that 343I created. The magnum has returned as a great, and viable option for reeking mayhem both in the campaign, on Spartan Ops and in the multi-player game, so I was pretty stoked about that. Another big disappointment is the score. There are none of the hauntingly beautiful melodies from the original trilogy or driving beats to get the blood pumping for bigger battles. As a Halo veteran whose first game on the original Xbox was Combat Evolved, I was really hoping to get back to the core of why I was a Halo fan in the first place. Halo 2 was a huge disappointment as the focus seemed to shift to the online universe. I truly hoped Halo 4 would get back to that innovation and creativity. The first level, in my opinion, does exactly that and really raised my hopes that whole game was going to be more than just running and gunning. The interactions between Cortana and Master Chief, the different parts of the board where you have to climb or kill an elite made me overly optimistic. If the game continued the way it started, I think it could have been something special. At the end of the day, though, i was as disappointed in Halo 4 as I was with the weak storyline in Black Ops 1.… Expand
  17. TannerIsGod
    Nov 20, 2012
    9
    Halo is just awesome ... and Halo 4 really sets the bar for where this genre should go next. Amazing stuff. There are certainly things it could do better ... but, yeah, it's really, really good.
  18. Leprechaun_exe
    Nov 19, 2012
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I've loved the Halo series since the beginning, and every single one has been great, this one as no exception. I was skeptical in buying it at first, because many game play videos made the game look like COD. Once you step in to the game, it feels much less like that. I agree that they really didn't need to add all of the COD mechanics that they did, but I can see past that. The graphics were stunning, I truly thought the characters in cut-scenes were actual people. The two points I took off of this game were due to the campaign seriously lacking. It was only four hours, and I felt that it was very repetitive. Many, many, many occasions on the lines of "go to each station and disable/activate something". Examples: The two light beams in Requiem, moving the lift in Shutdown, and overloading the shields during the ending. I also feel that the quick time event on the ending was unneeded. I was also excited for the Pelican mission, only to find out that you never even use the Pelican in the mission, you only use it to jump to the different stations in the level. Besides this, the game has been thrilling and enjoyable.… Expand
  19. Sparsh
    Nov 19, 2012
    10
    all the PS3 fans come here and put **** comments here that i am a halo fan but still this game is not good and blah blah grow up man please
    and if u do not like halo and u r not a fan of halo then please do not write in ur reiews that u are a halo fan because almost all halo love this game
  20. OverlordT
    Nov 20, 2012
    10
    The campaign overall is satisfying with occasional great moments that could only happen in a halo game. The covenant is still a fun challenge though on the other hand prometheans range from annoying to very irritating (when a knights shield is down and it teleports you will know what I mean). Multiplayer and Forge (map editor) is great (The forge system is very similar to Reach though) while Spartan ops is basically firefight with added objectives and plot. Overall a great game with plenty of modes and features.… Expand
  21. g0ddplay
    Nov 20, 2012
    9
    Halo your doing it right. What a fantastic game!!! The best graphics in a console FPS period. Killzone 2 looked just as amazing, just lacked COLOR. A story mode that finaly lives up to Halo: CE!!! Don't think about it just BUY IT. The thing I love about Halo is you pay for what you get unlike COD. Halo always changes and isn't the same game every year. Halo does share a lot of elements with COD now. But it still feels like Halo thank god.… Expand
  22. Awesome2daMax
    Nov 20, 2012
    10
    OK, this is my honest review on the game and I believe it is great! Anyone that believes that they copied Call of Duty outright hasn't played the game. Sure, some features were in CoD first, but some features in CoD were taken from Halo. This is what games do, take ideas from other games and improve on them, which Halo has done. Halo 4 is faster paced than the previous games, with instant respawns in some features, and contains custom loadouts. These loadouts are not in any way truly affected by rank. First of all, it takes 1 War Games Match to go from SR1 to SR2 (SR is the ranking system). At SR2, you can purchase either the DMR or the BR, the two best loadout weapons. If you want a Carbine or Lightrifle for PERSONAL preference, then you have to wait a bit. I prefer the Lightrifle because of its dual functionality, but it isnt BETTER to say the least. All the weapons have their range. Of course a DMR will beat an Assault rifle from a distance. But Assault Rifles will destroy DMR at close range. YOU need to get into position to get the kills, so stop complaining about OP weapons. And there are no "Prestiges" like someone else said, and Amour Abilities are not OP either. Neither are Tactical or Support upgrades. They make small changes for PERSONAL preference. So all in all, Halo 4 has a balanced multi-player.
    The campaign is short but very good. The levels are fun and exciting. So if you have 60$, buy this game NOW!    … Expand
  23. X-themask
    Nov 20, 2012
    0
    Well reason I gave a low rating was that this game felt like an alienation to actual Halo storyline. Not only did it greatly contradict the other storylines it just felt cluttered and jumbled. Honestly 343 should have spent a better time reviewing the storyline before it decided to adopt Halo as its new money baby. now they are just makeing the story for the money. It shows with lack of detail in the Covies and just the general graphics that are dulled by the immense glare on everything. [this was the first game i had turn down the brightness cause everything was TOO shiny]. By all means this is a great first person shooter game but in no way is this a great Halo. i personally will not be buying anymore Halos unless 343 can improve.… Expand
  24. Lord_Zorin
    Nov 20, 2012
    5
    I've spent hours, days, months, and much time of the last 8-9 years in the Halo universe. Halo 4, in my own eyes, had something special for the player, something that would amaze, and something that would tear apart our old beliefs, and fill it with something new. Like a new muscle, I expected the mass of the community, along with me, to feel some pain before it was built and accepted by us. "I Love Halo!" and that will not change, but I felt, that something was missing, that the Campaign was left with something missing, it felt short to me. But yet in another way, it felt long, but that was only because there were less missions, but each were dragged out longer.

    Graphics, Voice Acting, Animation, it was excellent, along with the barrage of Sounds, Music, and Cinematic Experience, I felt the Campaign dealt a real strong punch to the franchise, setting it up there to be something great. But overall, the Campaign itself, was a bit of a letdown, and not because I'm a die-hard Halo fan. Sure enough, I was one of the unfortunate people who saw spoilers before the game came out, but I don't feel it would have made any difference. Things were easy to predict. The plot, the storyline, was just kind of loosely-knit together. There was only one section of the campaign that created a strong emotional response from me, but that was basically the climax. In other words, I've played the first episode of Spartan Ops, and spent many hours online, only to feel that it's just, not as amazing as it sounded. On pen and paper, it sounded perfect, but when I started my Great Journey to the online world, I experienced many things, including massive lag. Regardless, of whether or not it was my Internet connection at the time, it took it's toll. Spartan Ops, was meant for a Co-Op experience, and was most definitely meant to be played on the harder difficulties. The fact that it was mostly a "cut and paste" of segments of Campaign levels, left me unsatisfied, along with it's inability to create a story, a plot, that seemed meaningful to me. From the views of some friends, I hear the second Episode has added to the plot, and I can only wait and see what is in store for us.

    Multi-player was enjoyable, and the fact that one got to relive memories from Halo 3, in an all new way on "Valhalla" or as it is now known as, "Ragnarok". The fact that armor is no longer credits focused, but rather, you unlock it by achieving some extreme commendation, or you rank up, it feels more open, that you don't need to wait 500 games saving credits to get that one helmet you desire. As for "loadouts" it's nothing new, if anything, it seems to be a Call of Duty rip-off, but in it's own way, it still changes the entirety of the online experience. Then you throw in "Personal Ordnance" and you get the feeling of kill streaks, from Call of Duty again.

    Instead of taking the step in making Halo unique, it's been created this time, to fit in. To pull players from other games, into the franchise. I can only hope that the future of Halo, is less of a disappointment. That being said, I will not give up my Limited Edition copy.

    I didn't hype myself up like others, and I was left wanting more, desiring more, from everything.    … Expand
  25. Oceanicus
    Nov 20, 2012
    5
    A bad case of too much hype, I must say it's beyond great compared to Halo Odst and legends, however that's not saying much. And for the name this game represents it could ' ve been a lot, and I mean it, better. I only recommend it to die-hard fans or to people who will only play on-line.
  26. RobertoAlbatraz
    Nov 22, 2012
    9
    The game is good. The singleplayer whilst missed out on some good opportunites **boss battles**, was fun to go through and only the 3 tower type of game missions were boring. A part of the story reminded me of 24 (when a super soldier has saved the world mulitple times and you havent done anything of that magnitude maybe just take his word for it and help the dude out). I wanted to see brutes and some larger enemies to take on. The guns sound and feel awesome well done to 343. Would love some diversity in gameplay though, such as a much slower mission that tries to put you on edge. Overall the game is awesome, well worth buying and playing. Its a fun game and the multiplayer and singleplayer will keep people going back to the 360 to play more.… Expand
  27. alpharowe
    Nov 22, 2012
    4
    I love the Halo storyline especially Reach. However this Halo 4 campaign was a disappointment. The story was convenient and one dimensional. You might have replaced the words UNSC (United Nations Space Command) with USSC (United States Space Command). Having one black dude and one Asian dude does not count for diversity in the world. At least Halo Reach had Spartans with more exotic names.

    The Game play was very repetitive. and it felt like playing a game of Pacman whereas playing Reach you felt that each level you were playing you were accomplishing a greater goal to the story line. I didn't have the same excitement I usually have will a Halo game. Games are more than just graphics, sounds and lighting. It missed that 4th dimension. Excitement. Despite this the MasterCheif/Cortana relationship was cool in this game. But overall I am very disappointment.    … Expand
  28. Eric_DeVr33z
    Nov 23, 2012
    9
    This game is incredible. Halo 4's multiplayer is the best that the series has ever offered, with exciting matchmaking and the ability to customize your loadouts to suit your play style. The campaign has an excellent story, fleshing out the relationship between Master Chief and Cortana more than ever before. My only real criticisms of Halo 4 are that the campaign doesn't provide a very wide variety of objectives, and I still prefer Firefight to Spartan Ops. But otherwise the game is fantastic, and well worth the money for both new and old Halo fans.… Expand
  29. ThatGuy92
    Dec 24, 2012
    9
    Halo 4's campaign is nothing short of astounding, truly the first Halo game that is consistently good. It's an example of quality over quantity, especially in comparison to Halo 2 which was considerably longer but no where near as good. The opening cut scene blew me away and the first mission introduced me to the dark and beautiful level design which became so distinctive to this game. Solid gameplay was a given, it doesn't feel entirely like Halo, it feels more like how Halo should have been - A Sci-Fi shooter set in a sophisticated and thrilling universe. An arsenal of kick ass human and alien weaponry finely compliments it's brilliant pacing. The games graphical achievements were an unexpected surprise, I've never been taken by a Halo games graphics before 4 but it seems that a mixture of incredible set pieces and crazy technical achievement have made this not just a cut above its predecessors but one of the greatest visual achievements this generation. Sound design, as expected is top notch. The weapons have very distinctive sounds, although there are some hiccups such as the the warthog sounding far too aggressive, Halo's sound design is overall a joy to listen too. The games soundtrack had some pretty big boots to fill. While it simply does not fill those boots, it does a great job in setting Halo 4 apart from the original games by giving it a drastically different approach. The electronic sound that dominates the majority of the game is dark and menacing which I love but it doesn't hold the same emotional value that previous Halo titles massive scores did. The reasons I haven't given this game a perfect 10 include minor issues such as the annoyances with pressing multiple switches, while the gameplay does a good job of being diverse, this feels like a lazy way to proceed through levels and makes it feel slightly tedious at times. But the big issue is that the game deserved a proper finale, the opening to the last mission was incredible and as the level proceeded I was almost certain a climatic boss fight would be the icing on the cake. I won't include spoilers but the ending was nowhere near as rewarding as Halo: Combat Evolved.

    Halo 4 is a reminder to naysayers just why the series became so highly regarded, and is not a game to be brushed aside as another sequel to an old franchise.    … Expand
  30. Vandral007
    Nov 25, 2012
    9
    I hate Halo. I've hated Halo for a long time. For me, Halo represents the beginning of mainstream gaming. As more and more people line up for their Halo or CoD releases, a piece of orginiality dies within the gaming industry, which is now dominated by megacorps out to make as much money as possible. (nothing wrong with trying to make money, but they don't seem to care about the quality of the game.)

    I could never attatched to Master Cheif, and I didnt' care about the overarching story. Just hated it. Didn't even play ODST or Reach. Halo 4 gets released, and I'm given a copy by a friend. For a laugh, I load it up, thinking I'll hate it like I hated all the others. 7 hours later I put down the controller having finished the campaign. I may have to go back and give the other games in the series a chance, because Halo 4 has blown me away! Graphically it is gorgeous, the sound design is probably the best of the year. The gameplay is quick and intuitive, but the story.... oh man the story is what has guaranteed a purchase of Halo 5 for me. 343 Studios should be commended for taking a faceless soldier lacking any basic personality, and using sublte (yes subtle in a Halo game) story telling, allowing the player to actually connect to Master Cheif and Cortana. It was brilliant... probably the best story in a game this year, barring maybe The Last Story. Multiplayer is great fun, and Spartan Ops are also great. Don't listen to Halo haters. I know... I used to be one.    … Expand
  31. iOnlySam
    Nov 26, 2012
    9
    Halo 4 is an amazing game, and with a great campaign and multiplayer behind it, there's no doubt that I think the game is an exhilarating experience for any Halo fan, new and old.

    The campaign surrounds Cortana more than Master Chief this time around, giving the Halo series a flip on perspective. Cortana has a rare disease, which is running herself into insanity, giving the mission to M    aster Chief to solve her issues. The campaign is a great experience, which I think everyone who hasn't tried it should definitely give it a go. With a fantastic layout of each mission and a great balance of huge fights and small gun fights to banshee hijacking opportunities, it makes Halo 4's campaign the greatest Halo campaign in its series, if not one of the best on Xbox 360.

    The graphics, are as great as ever. Master Chief looks stunning, the guns look realistic, and the locations never see to amaze me, because they blow me away. One thing that I found in the game which created a level of immersion that no other game can give you is the small pieces of the helmet that you can see when playing as Master Chief in the campaign, unfortunately this doesn't continue into the multiplayer, leaving the immersivness as good as it always was, sadly not taking it to the level the campaign has achieved.

    Multiplayer couldn't be better... Than CoD... But it is... In some ways. Graphics far beat CoD, full stop, but I still am not getting that feeling of "The game was amazing, I need to play another". Or "I will play betters than that next round." Unfortunately I only find myself playing Halo 4's multiplayer for the daily challenges, I will play it, complete the challenges, then play maybe one or two more games and then swap to my playstation for Black Ops 2 or Borderlands 2. Although I have to say that the multiplayer is top notch in perspective of its customisation, spartan abilities, weapon load outs and great map designs.

    The spartan ops is one extra which I feel is a very good extra for the game and props to 343 for introducing some new style of gameplay. The forge world, as much as it is good, can be as repetitive as it always was and gets boring quickly as those awesome levels which you see are too hard to make by yourself. Verdict:
    Halo 4 is probably one of the greatest gaming sequels in history, winning me over with the enhanced graphics and the challenging Spartan Ops. Throwing me overboard with joy with an excellent Campaign with big time events and making me feel good about completing challenges in multiplayer. But not enough to make me play the game all day and night.

    A force to be reckoned with in 2012.    … Expand
  32. Augusto1029
    Nov 27, 2012
    10
    First of all I have played all halos, since the original Xbox, and this delivery did not disappoint. 343 did a fantastic job creating a robust experience, campaign and multiplayer wise. The visual experience was also fantastic, the controls remained classic but I love the feedback you receive the shooting and how different this feedback is from gun to gun. Also there is an story telling element from the campaign all the way up to Spartan Ops, a great idea that is keeping the game fresh and relevant. In regards of the story as other have said, the emotion created around the relationship Master Chief / Cortana, was well executed and it did let me, personally, craving for more Halo.

    Halo being an FPS, its a bench mark for games like Mass Effect 3, that are not able to handle the pressure of a high expectations ending. Thanks 343i, I am looking forward for other projects and of course: More Halo!    … Expand
  33. THE_KONGONATOR
    Nov 27, 2012
    9
    What... a... game. Considering a new studio developed Halo 4, this is stunning. Kudos to 343 Industries. They have just gained my support. Wonderful multiplayer like always, and the single player is fun and a great challenge on Legendary. The achievements are well set-out and they game is fabulous in each and every way. Halo is the King of Online FPS, this is coming from a COD Fanboy who has been playing COD since the first on PC. This time though, BO2 can do one, Halo 4 is the one.… Expand
  34. Joshsreviews
    Dec 1, 2012
    9
    343 industries has delivered. This game is outstanding in many ways. The graphics, for example, has stepped up gigantically. There is a clear contrast between the graphics of Halo: Reach and Halo 4. And it's Halo 4 that has the better side of the contrasting graphics even though both games are based on the same engine. The sound throughout the game is amazing and you can tell the time and effort that 343 industries has put into the sound on Halo 4. The gameplay is great and the AI are definitely much more sophisticated than in any Halo game before. The multiplayer gameplay is also great, the maps are well designed, the forerunner weapons are brilliantly brought into the game yet some gametypes are missing such as VIP, One Flag, Race, Infection, (this was replaced with Flood, of which isn't as good in my opinion). This has a downside to the fun Forge custom game maps that people make. The ranking system could also have reverted to the Halo 3 1-50 skill ranking yet that is believed to be brought in with a major update in January. Overall the multiplayer should definitely keep you playing for many weeks, months or even years. Spartan Ops is a mode which contains small missions which get updated every week (5 missions per week) and you can complete these solo or for up to 4 players. The best part? Every week it's free! Forge is also much easier to build yet there isn't a large scale envionment like Forge World on Halo: Reach. Overall I am loving Halo 4 and I will continue to do I'm sure. Graphics - 9.5
    Sound - 9
    Gameplay - 9    … Expand
  35. Kilzer
    Dec 2, 2012
    6
    Halo 4's story was impressive as Master Chief develops in his personality through his journey with Cortana, while short, it was nothing short of interesting and impressive. However, despite the campaign, the multiplayer seems lack-luster and bland. The old Halo style is no longer there, instead it is mashed up with COD game play style, everyone has sprint, you have support abilities which are "perks", and kill streaks called ordinances, the matchmaking playlists are very limited and there is no "Team Objectives" like in Halo: Reach or Halo 3, you have to pick to what you are feeling now, instead of picking random. The level designs are also boring and there doesn't seem to be enough for release. Some maps are even imbalanced for game types such as CTF where jet packs reign supreme or one team has the better base to defend . The graphics I give an A for consoles, but split-screen seems to cause major fps lag in larger games. Spartan Ops seems to be rehashed every episode and brings rarely anything new to the table except for the standard "kill this, defend this" which last only about 7 minutes each, while it is nice to have a co-op experience such as spartan ops, I feel they could have done better. Overall I give the story a 9/10 (Only because they seem to rush everything at the beginning). and the overall game a 6/10 because of the multiplayer and Spartan Ops.… Expand
  36. kolopop123
    Dec 4, 2012
    1
    This is no longer Halo, it has been sold out to the CoD kiddies. Its been sped up, sold out and now takes next to no skill to play. 343 have destroyed it

    RIP Halo
  37. airborne17th
    Dec 7, 2012
    8
    I rented this game at my local grocery store and only got to play this game for like 6 hours. 2 singleplayer in forever alone world and 4 in multiplayer with friends. My biases here? I fell out with Halo after Halo 2 and never got interested in it again till Halo Reach. So I'm missing Halo 3 and ODST. So when the story started I was rather confused so I had to wiki the story. The thing is even after two hours, the story still seemed a bit unexplained and the designers at 343 assumed that you know and accept everything that happened before Halo 4. Honestly, they could of weaved the narrative better and had a better 5 minute introduction (see Extra Creditz) Alright, that doesn't bug me that much because the game is smooth and controls extremely well. But that this point the combat of Halo has not evolved very much. I swear if there was more time and budget for it, Halo 1 could of had the same armor abilities as this Halo. This game actually is pretty boring playing alone, if I had time for co-op, I assume that I would of had a better time. The multiplayer? I had a lot of fun with. During my first match, when I got my first airdropped rocket launcher my first thought was, this was a hell of a lot like Call of Duty. After I got that feeling I couldn't shake it off, it didn't help there was custom classes, leveling, and unlock tokens. Interestly, Black Ops 2 and Halo 4 were developing at similar times. Were designers at 343 and Treyarch sharing ideas? Not to say this is a bad idea, taking what good design choices from other games and putting it in yours to improve the experience is a good idea. Overall, I don't feel Halo 4 improved much on the template of Halo. I'm probably going to get this during the holiday season, but there was always the feeling of slight disappointment while playing Halo 4. Still you did a relatively good job, 343. Halo 5 should be able to make some improvements...hopefully… Expand
  38. TheGeckOH
    Dec 14, 2012
    9
    Although I rated this game a 9 out of 10, which means its an amazing game. If I were to compare it to Halo 3 I would give it a 6. BUT as a new company with a new direction its heading, I think they did an amazing job. First off if you are buying this expecting it to be like halo 3, don't its the polar opposite of halo 3 which in a way sucks. But as its own game it is amazing, the campaign needed 1 more level in the middle to make the transition better, the campaigns ending (NO SPOILERS) is too embarrassing as a halo fan, although it is a really good ending it was extremely pathetic (you'll know what I mean when you beat it) The multi player is a 80% cod clone but still halo. It has specilizations, support upgrades, and armor abilities (3 "perks" like cod) sprint is with everyone and needs some weapon balancing but that can be fixed. With halo 3 having about 7 flawless maps (guardian, highground, pit, snowbound, avalanche, Last resort etc) and halo 4 having 2 (Exile, Haven) the maps aren't something to brag about, ALTHOUGH the maps are nice and exciting they aren't on par with halo 3 maps. With that said lets move onto the gamemodes, these following complaints will most likely be fixed soon so thats why it doesnt effect the score. But there are very few modes for online, no multi team, no rumble pit, no assault, no one flag, no "fun" modes like action sack from halo 3. But there are great modes added such as Dominion, Regicide (the only ffa mode atm) Extraction etc. With halo 4 being Big Team focused and having valhalla being remade there is no shortage of big team maps and gameplay, but with there being only 2 good small maps (haven, adrift) it lacks what halo 3 had that sense of (lets go **** around on guardian with snipers. Haven just doesnt cut it vs guardian. In ctf being able to wield a pistol while carrying the flag is stupid, and not having to HAVE the flag at base to score is stupid. My biggest complaint about this game, and this is half of the reason halo 4 is only a 9/10 not 10/10 is the forge. Oh man oh man this forge is 100% terrible, the features are nice, but the 3 small maps are absolutely trash, small spaces, tons of barriers, restrictions to the max. Forge world was massive, and had about 9 great areas for forging, with the 3 maps you get a crappy small "forge world" type space but it resemble the pinnacle rock from forge world... THATS IT its that small, the space one is the only viable map to forge on, but with unwanted holes in the ground, and an unremovable building it still isnt that great. Also one of the things they bragged about with forge was that it looked different then reachs. NO IT DOESNT instead of having all silver pieces we have all white pieces with shadows. The magnet thing is nice the gravity zones are amazingly cool, the playspaces are trash certain affinity did a horrendous job with forge. Now that I got that off my chest I will say this, although it looks like I have 9000 complaints about this game, I gave it a 9 because its still halo at its core, and thats what we want as gamers, that and most of the stuff I mentioned are fixable as in game type issues weapon balancing etc. But the forge maps im sorry to say but we probably wont get a sandbox type map as dlc in the future which sucks. But overall this game is outstanding despite the sucky forge and 1 level too short campaign with a predictable ending. If you are a ginormous fan of halo 3 and expect this game to be as fun, I'd say pass because this isnt "classic" halo its halo 2.5 (reach being 2.0) it adds alot of features, takes a couple out and overall wont appeal to the oldschool halo fan, it appeals to the casual gamer who wants to mess around and have fun (like me) I hope you read this review and took it with an open mind. In summary this games campaign needed one more level in the middle (hard transition), not for the oldschool halo fan, has stellar multiplayer for the casual gamer, needs a few maps similar to guardian/pit and a sandbox remake and this game will be a perfect 10. Thanks for reading.… Expand
  39. darkmauv
    Dec 16, 2012
    9
    this game present the best graphics in Xbox 360, the campaign is short but is very amazing, takes the good things the previous Halo is the best halo since Halo CE. This game is essential in any collection of a user of XBox 360
  40. Scholarch
    Dec 16, 2012
    7
    First off ill be clear, I have not finished the campaign but am 4 hours in and I have 10 hours in multiplayer and have played numerous rounds of each game type. From my experience here are the aspects that i enjoyed and those i do not. Campagin: BAD Inconsistent difficulty: some areas are boringly easy ( played on heroic) while other areas are controller throwing difficult.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

    GOOD: SWAT. SWAT still plays as vicious and frantic as always and the new instant respawn helps keep the game moving Overall while the game most definitely feels like a halo game it lacks that sense of razor thin balance that made the prior games so much fun. While the new graphics bring a greater feeling of realism failings in gameplay constantly break immersion. A shaky start to a new era of Halo.    … Expand
  41. dark_knight_98
    Dec 20, 2012
    10
    Possibly the greatest Halo game yet, not only does the campain provide an amazing gaming experience but the multiplayer is now much improved. Simply, if you are a Halo fan you need to buy this game. If you are not a Halo fan you also need to buy this game.
  42. TOBYSMG
    Dec 18, 2012
    9
    Ah, Halo, how I love you.
    Master Chief has returned in the new installment of the explosive blockbuster franchise, and I (like so many) am as happy as Larry to see that this game is so fantastic.
    Graphically, this is one of the best looking games on the Xbox 360, and in the first cutscene, I did mistake the CGI for reality. Honestly, it's that good-looking. Although textures are sometime    s a little on the dodgy side, and explosion effects are rarely just not exciting enough, this is undoubtedly a graphical triumph.
    The sound design is almost flat-out the best you will ever experience. Buy a good pair of headphones and you will drool at the sound of the DMR punching holes in enemies' faces. I actually start shouting "Pew, pew, pew!" in some sections of the campaign, in which voice acting (for most characters) is brilliant. 343 Industries took a leap of faith with an entirely new musical score, and let me tell you that on the way down, they grew a pair of wings and flew up high into the sky! The music sometimes doesn't complement the situation perfectly, but for the most part it was great.
    Let's think about the campaign for a second. This time around, I really began to care for Cortana and John 117 in a way that I never originally had before. Their bond grew so much stronger in the game, and it brought out who Master Chief really was, and what he thought of himself and others. Story-wise, this game is very memorable, with a good (if slightly under-explained) villain. Some of the secondary characters get lost in the thick of it, and the commander of the ship Infinity has some completely unjustified orders, which make you question his competence as the captain of the biggest human spaceship ever. These minor gripes do not affect the overall product, which is a beautiful culmination of everything Halo. A saddening (but definitely satisfying) ending ties things up perfectly, making this one of the best stories ever told in a Halo game. Gameplay-wise, the campaign retains the sandbox mechanics of previous Halos, but only widens the possibilities with the new enemies: Prometheans. These are fun new enemies to fight, as they employ new tactics to keep you on you toes: Crawlers climb around, pounding the player with light arms fire, Knights bring the heavy weapons and blast though Covenant and UNSC personnel alike, and Watchers (spawned by Knights) float about, spawning more Knights and Crawlers, and giving your forcefield something to think about. After a while, the campaign begins to get a tad repetitive, but the objectives can differ enough for it to stay almost perfect throughout, with the last mission putting a wonderful spin on the classic Halo Warthog run. The campaign is, in every sense of the word, incredible.
    A welcome change in Halo 4 is to the multiplayer, which allows players to create their own custom classes, with various weapons, armour abilities and armour mods. This creates the fear of unfairness in multiplayer, but that fear is crushed by how balanced the game seems. Gameplay is now faster-paced, with sprinting now a default for all players, letting the maps get bigger and bigger- some too big. Most maps in this game are enjoyable to play on, but the good-old medium-sized maps have almost completely disappeared, spare two or three that you could class as such. New gametypes arrive, however, such as Dominion, Regicide and Infinity Slayer, which bring the best kind of change to multiplayer, whilst catering to the sizes of maps and mixing things up perfectly. Altogether, multiplayer is wonderful.
    And now, the newcomer: Spartan Ops, an episodic series of missions, updated weekly for insane cooperative play, but replacing the much-loved Firefight. It's great, but there are several flaws. The maps are recycled several times (but are used for different objectives), the story is very basic and hardly exists outside of the eye-popping CGI cutscenes, and some of the characters are completely unlikeable, though to counter that, there are some that you'll like a lot. This was a very bold statement for such an anticipated game, and, overall, it is a blast to play with people online as well as friends.
    Forge remains relatively untouched, but with new (if smaller) Forge environments, making the possibilities for map design even more exciting.
    That just about wraps the review up. This game is an absolute must-buy for all Xbox 360 owners, as it pushes the system to its limits, delivering one of the best games on consoles!    … Expand
  43. sowhigh12
    Dec 18, 2012
    10
    Overall 343 did an amazing job at Halo 4.
    Now over a month after release and after I have spent several dozen of hours I can quite well say that I really like this game. The campaign is a little short but still provides a great and enjoyable experience. Haven
  44. Markiee
    Jan 4, 2013
    10
    I've been a fan of HALO since the very first game (Still own every copy of it). HALO was the very first game i played on my old XBOX. And I fell in love with the game. And I've always looked forward to the next HALO game (except REACH, that game was meh)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

    Either way, if you're a true HALO fan, you are going to love the campaign and the multiplayer.    … Expand
  45. TonyArnold2
    Dec 18, 2012
    10
    Absolutely brilliant game. Couldn't ask for more, except maybe a bigger Forge map and a helicopter in multiplayer. But to break it down...
    - The campaign is incredible and has possibly the best story I've ever played. You really feel like Master Chief.
    - The graphics are the best I've ever seen and are the best on the Xbox 360, hands down.
    - The multiplayer is incredibly fun, deep, and     extraordinarily balanced. Best multiplayer since Halo 2. - Spartan Ops is fantastic, and the cinematic pieces before each episode make the missions have meaning.
    This game is incredible. Games like Call of Duty are laughable in comparison. If you like games, pick this up. Now.    … Expand
  46. BrandonsZombie
    Dec 23, 2012
    2
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Firstly, I can't say I liked ANYTHING about Halo 4. The campaign was drole and boring, and it related to the original story line at the very minimum. The multiplayer is basically just those new Alien weapons and it ruined every game mode that the previous Halo's thrived in. The Campaign, as I said, was far too easy. It wouldn't of even been a problem, really, if the difficulty was too easy or hard if the game itself were fun, but no! You repeat the same cycle of activating switches to get closer to the origins of Cortana to attempt to save her from her decaying demise. The last level in particular was truly a "What the **** moment when you are, yet again, set out to set three different switches that are separated by little bridges and walkways. It's as if they wanted to make the campaign fun, in the aspect of just making you go back and forth to a switch. (Getting the hint?) This was, as you would guess, extremely boring and not challenging, as I beat Legendary Solo in under 6 hours. Now, I guess the best thing about the campaign was how relative it was to all the other Halo series.. Right? Wrong! It just throws some curveball at you where you aren't doing any of the norm. You're constantly being yelled at by Cortana to save her precious life, and I don't understand why they introduce another forerunner, since the ring story was going so well, especially in the books. But NO, it's like making a Family Guy special on Dora the Explorer. I suppose this could be because 343 took over after Bungie, but I don't care, they're paid to supply the best game and dammit this wasn't it. Also speaking, the multiplayer. Absolutely astonished at how much it's changed. I was a huge fan of Halo 2 and 3, so I expected (after a let down when Reach came out) a nice competitive gameplay where I wouldn't feel like I'm in a COD game. But what do you know, they changed it to be nearly identical. The class system is just contradicting to the Halo gameplay! How would you expect Halo to be the same when, instead of the regular weapons on map spawn, you spawn with a weapon of your choice. No, it shouldn't work like that. Also adding to the sour of the online is the killing of any team based games. "What, we're playing CTF? No, I just want to get some EXP to level up my ultra pro spartan." That's what it sure as hell seems like. Without team xp, instead of individual, Halo is at a ruin with the amount of COD players rushing in. It's just horrible now. I suppose the only few benefits are the graphics and maybe possibly the forging, though I was getting annoyed at the constant stoppage of the shadowing. Other than those two, Halo 4 has been the biggest let down yet. Back in Halo 3's prime, I wouldn't of ever assume the series would go the **** Now, well, I guess I thought wrong.… Expand
  47. jedi_khan
    Dec 26, 2012
    9
    Halo has been handed to a new studio. After a decade of producing this franchise, Bungie has handed the reins of Master Chief over to 343 Studios. If you're a Halo fan, you probably already knew that. If you're not, you still probably knew that. Any skeptics doubting 343's ability to make a game handed to it from a top-tier studio should fear, nothing, Halo 4 is the best game I've ever played for the Xbox 360. However, it is not perfect. The single player campaign is one of the best to date. From the very first step out of your cryo-sleep chamber to the end cinematic, you will be amazed. Gameplay (as it always has) revolves around shooting and shooting and shooting. Also shooting. There are few moments in which there is another element to the formula. This doesn't get boring, surprisingly, as (especially through the first half of the game) there are exciting twists to the battlefield or additions to your arsenal that will provide joy and make you stick around until the next one. The story is different from others, in the sense that it is not the story of Master Chief. It is the story of the AI Cortana. Cortana goes through what is called rampancy, defined as an AI deteriorating because of an informational overload, usually occurring after seven years of service. Cortana's voice screws up, and she has emotional outbursts that defy her programming. This is on occasion, mind you, so don't think that this is a continuous annoyance. But you notice it from level one. In past Halo games, Cortana served as the clear-minded one who thought clearly when the Chief couldn't. In Halo 4, this is reversed. It adds a strange reversal effect that past Halo fans will fall in love with. Cutscenes look fantastic, especially the humans. They look real- and it's not live action. The in-game graphics are almost on-par with the cutscenes, with vibrant colors and astounding detail, tapping into what I believe to be the best the Xbox 360 can do. One thing stands out among all the rest: sound. Every sound has been revamped, and for the better. Voice acting is incredible, and the weapons sound beefy and powerful. And they are. Halo 4's arsenal is not amazingly expansive, but it is big enough. Certainly a tad bigger than most shooter games. The only problem I've found is the learning curve. There is a dramatic increase in difficulty from the first chapter to even the third. 343 apparently tried to fit a full game's worth of a difficulty increase into a way-too-short campaign. There are also some moments when I didn't know where to go, but I got through. However, they are minor problems when you get used to them. Single player is excellent. Multiplayer is back for Halo 4, and radically different. Alright, not radically different, but there have been some changes. For example, on the main menu, multiplayer is called "Infinity," supposedly taking place aboard the UNSC Infinity. It took me a while to find matchmaking, now dubbed "War Games." These are just little notes to keep in mind, nothing major. Anyways, there are a lot of new game modes, like Flood and SWAT, as well as a downloadable series of co-op campaigns. Forge mode returns and is changed for the better. A variety of maps are present, a total of thirteen (ten normal maps and three for forge). The multiplayer gameplay is very similar to that of its predecessors, run and shoot at your enemies and use vehicles. Or maybe defend a base. The modes are excellent, down to every last one. This includes classics, like Slayer, or new ones, like Dominion. Everything works well, the loadout system, the "Spartan Hub," the matchmaking... all work just fine; not a single glitch. Finding a game is usually rather fast, and this time around you can join games in progress. Forge mode is better than ever, the primary adjustment being a system of "magnets" that help you attach pieces with smoother lines, for example: two floor pieces together stick on each side perfectly, no small change in elevation or one going through the other on account on the player not centering everything perfectly. There is still no custom game matchmaking, so if you create an amazing map or game mode, you have to find a buddy or two to play.

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

    --jedi_khan--PSN: jedi_khan--Xbox Live: Khan Jedi--    … Expand
  48. jkmako
    Dec 27, 2012
    3
    Sorry to say I was a little disappointed . Visually I thought the game was flat. Graphics too comic book like. Nice drawings but not the real feel we saw in Halo 3. The levels are uninspiring . Felt like I was playing an arcade video game. Sound track ok but not Halo great.
  49. aaronmwolford
    Jan 27, 2013
    7
    The Halo franchise has embedded the perfect dent in the first-person shooter genre, however while 343 has taken the series and knocked the multi-player out of the park the single-player takes a tremendous downward spiral into unavoidable oblivion. Mundane, repetitive, and monotonous are a few a adjectives to describe the campaign experience. Beauty cut-scenes and intriguing story are not a fault. The mere repetition of repeated metal "things" and disconnect from the world was the heaviest boulder to overcome. Halo used to be about expansive worlds and driving the warthog from point A to point B for the sake of; it was just to far to walk. Halo 4 puts the player in a metal box and says "hit that button." While the campaign was a disappointment the multi-player is hands down the highest contender of all prior Halos.… Expand
  50. AnalogReviews
    Jan 26, 2013
    7
    For the full review: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8FNfBg9pD3Q Halo 4 is the newest entry to the Halo franchise but does it live up to the standards set by its predecessors? How does 343 industries compare to Bungie and what have they added and left out in this new entry to the series? To see our full Analo Review please visit our channel on youtube, make sure to like and subscribe. Thanks https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8FNfBg9pD3Q… Expand
  51. Bobacritic
    Jan 21, 2013
    5
    Halo 4 is visually extraordinary, but it lacks the emotional depth and exceptional storytelling of it's predecessors. I can't help but call it a disappointment.
  52. Caedis
    Jan 24, 2013
    8
    As a longtime Halo fan, Halo 4 was an excellent addition to the franchise. 343i did a great job taking over for Bungie. The campaign was very well done with an excellent story that actually made you feel more for the characters. The gunplay and levels were all very Halo-esque. I was a little disappointed with the Promethean enemies simply because, while different than the covenant, you can deal with them in similar ways. For example, the Flood in previous Halo games required far different tactics...shotty helped made sure they stayed dead, you could remove limbs, and each "possessed" species behaved differently (i.e. flood humans vs. flood elites). With the Prometheans, you still just pump rounds into them until their shields go down, then you put a few more in until they're dead. The watchers and crawlers add some interesting interplay but aren't handled much differently. The multiplayer in Halo 4 is some of the best yet. Although they pretty much lifted the perks from Call of Duty, it's done very well with a Halo feel. I wish they would have taken it a step further and allowed you to customize your weapon as well. It would be cool to take the light rifle, for example, and make it your own. All in all, an excellent game and certainly a must-buy for any fan of the Halo franchise.… Expand
  53. nuckchuckler
    Jan 28, 2013
    0
    My actual review is a 9, a very solid game indeed. My actual score is just in retaliation for the negative reviews 'HaloBestFPS' had left on a variety of games that happened to be made by Sony.
  54. ncstatemike
    Feb 5, 2013
    5
    I will start of by saying I am a long-time Halo fan, and I do not wish to write a negative review, just a critical review.

    Halo 4 was the biggest disappointment of the Halo franchise, mainly due to the new developer's lack of experience. Before its release, 343 Industries gradually convinced me that they were worthy of continuing the Halo series, by making promises that appealed to long    -time Halo fans, as well as newer players, which they would ultimately not be able to keep. For the first few weeks after release, Halo 4 entertained players with a basic, but enjoyable multiplayer, an adequate campaign, and Spartan Ops, what seemed to be a fun, unique experience. After about three weeks, I was able to complete the campaign (with little effort, on the highest difficulty), milk the mutiplayer experience for more than it was worth, and suffered through the horribly repetitive Spartan Ops episodes. Although Halo 4 was not a bad game, its lifespan was extremely short. I haven't played it but maybe once in the last month, and I still play previous Halo titles quite frequently. Major problems:
    Halo 4's main problems mostly concern Spartan Ops and multiplayer.
    Spartan Ops: It's quite clear why this part of the game receives so little recognition. Although is has a premise that has many possibilities, 343 fails to take advantage of what could have been the highlight of the game. Spartan Ops is fun for about two or three chapters, and then you realize that you have been doing the same thing, often on the same maps, repeatedly. Multiplayer: By far Halo's weakest multiplayer experience, Halo 4's multiplayer is generic and forgettable. Leading up to the release of Halo 4, 343 employees said they wanted to add features to the multiplayer that would attract new fans, which they did very successfully. They completely forget what is most important in Halo games, and what Bungie always did best; satisfying long-time fans. Halo 4 multiplayer gameplay is completely dominated by the ordinance system, that changes the focus of the game from skill-based gameplay, to a frenetic, unbalanced war of power weapons. It also removes excitement of competition over weapon placements on maps. Possibly the worst aspect of the multiplayer is the ranking system. After all matches, you will receive a predetermined sum of experience points, regardless of how well you performed in the match. This means that experienced players can expect to level just as fast as those who are playing the game for the first time. I have not completely lost faith in the future of the franchise. 343 has acknowledged the mistakes they made, and have promised to work on them. As a long time Halo fan, I am happy to see the franchise continue, but so far it hasn't quite compared to what Bungie left behind. Altogether, Halo 4 didn't meet expectations, but I believe that the remaining games still have great potential.    … Expand
  55. ConnorAherne
    Feb 16, 2013
    5
    Halo 4 does little to help the franchise, whilst the game itself is enjoyable in the single player mode, the multiplayer is ruined. Halo reach's multiplayer was unique and fun, making gamemodes fun and fair, Halo 4 on the other hand feel too much like the fast paced multiplayer of a call of duty game. Halo reach had you work as a team in most gamemode, searching for weapon around the various maps that were different in their own way, not all of them taken from the campaign and having maps made by the developers themselves, Halo 4 has none of that, there is no heart to this game, 343 Industries has ruined the multiplayer. Forge mode is not much better, there is NO massive open world sandbox, just a collection of small, cramped and just down right badly made maps to be creative in, it saddens me to say this but Halo is now on a slippery slope down hill, unless 343 changes these problems, Halo will be like Call of Duty, old, senseless and just basically a bad game.… Expand
  56. Unreal_300
    Feb 24, 2013
    4
    Halo 4 soap hallway Kinto. In terms of multiplayer game plays very KIllzone 3, and then there is the second best part. Graphically, the game finally reached for Resistance: Fall of Man (even brought 720p) and thus the potential of Xbox 360 over. Gameplay Haltsa-Myltsa sucks the most innovative generation shooter Killzone 2.
    So the drain on all fronts.
    Billiboi comrades, I advise you to b    uy a PS3 and play it in best games.… Expand
  57. bradtheman123
    Mar 2, 2013
    10
    Halo has always been one of my favorite game series always fun and exciting. If you are a Halo fan you have probably already pre-ordered the game or have already bought it great GAME JUST AS usual Halo's.
  58. LunaRaven7
    Mar 6, 2013
    0
    There are too many plot holes and inconsistencies in the campaign, and the game really takes the "Halo" feel out of the combat, and shifts it more towards another generic Call of Duty spinoff. With predetermined loadouts, instant respawn, faster kills, and almost no map weapons, multiplayer aims to become a fast-paced experience, but really just ends up as a frantic mess of disorganized chaos. The few redeeming qualities of this game are brought down by the overall negative experience.… Expand
  59. Bass_Clef
    Mar 6, 2013
    6
    Visually, this game is amazing. In every other aspect, the game is severely lacking. From a frustratingly short campaign with a terrible QTE final boss to a multiplayer, this game just isn't the epic adventure 343 promised. I was so excited for this game and I loved what 343 did with Halo: CEA but this game is effectively raping a dead horse. I hope 343 will improve with 5, but it's better to assume that 5 as well as 6 will simply be half assed games designed to milk every cent out of an already dead series. One positive note I would like to make is that even though the campaign is short (it was about 6 hours for me) it was actually not that bad, but it has so little replay value that after I finished the campaign I just stopped playing it until my friend nagged me to do multiplayer with him. Spartan Ops was also pretty fun, but once again not the epic endeavor that 343 had us believe it would be, and it was mainly only fun because I played with a good friend. I would recommend renting it if you REALLY want to play it.… Expand
  60. greg6781
    Apr 28, 2013
    10
    343 has definitly taken care of microsofts baby.They followed bungies system and expanded on it to make it there own. The story is the best part of the game though by making smaller and more personal, this is cortonas story just as much as it is chiefs, and lets face it shes just as important as chief with out her chief wouldn't survive
  61. SirMauz
    Apr 30, 2013
    4
    Do YOU love Call of Duty? Do YOU paly Halo? Well, then 343 has news for YOU! Call of Duty: Master Chief! Congratulations 343, you successfully took the best of two worlds, and FAILED to combine them. Wow. The story is mediocre, very much a Deus Ex Machina. The Spartan Ops are fun, but hey, we're only giving you 10, wait till Halo 5 comes out. Ok. The Multiplayer is seriously unbalanced, even with the "new" CSR. Which is BS. The group I play with CONSISTENTLY STILL gets put with players who are either pushovers or MLG bosses. WTF. Balance means EVEN 343, not screw with it till folks give up. Personal Ordnance has a lot to do with this, as you may get rockets in a map and the enemy just sees 'nades. Great plan. OR you get on games like Valhalla and all and the other team ALL pulls Snipes/Beams whilst YOUR team gets Needlers/Shotties. Ok. Smart. If you're going to COPY CoD, at least let US choose our ordnance! Personal loadouts are another big BS thing. Hey new kid, you get any points to level up? No? Ok, enjoy your Assault Rifle while I Stealth Active Camo Plas Nade and DMR you. Really 343? If you continue this crap into Halo 5, expect me to NOT buy it, or any other product you make.… Expand
  62. mrgeebaby
    May 12, 2013
    1
    343 are armatures they have never made a AAA game yet, and it is something that still needs ticking off their 'To Do' list. Matchmaking (ignoring all the gimmicks and broken mechanics) is a laggy mess! It is broken simple as that. They sold me a game that does not work. Campaign Pathetic Patronising button push sequences stolen from CoD Why? Whole levels based around pushing a button at the end of a map and then going back to the start.
    A Boss you don't fight.
    Stupid enemy AI new Prometheans have no tactical manoeuvres like the covenant.

    Online population has seen a massive drop which makes finding a MM game even more difficult!

    Avoid this game!

    Destiny Awaits!    … Expand
  63. BremBird
    May 11, 2013
    10
    Possibly one of the best games i have ever played!
    Should be much higher than 6.9
    Enjoyable and rewarding combat
    great story
    Great Multiplayer and modes
    What is not to love!
  64. Jacob
    Jan 20, 2013
    8
    Overall, I really enjoyed Halo 4. While I did not enjoy as much as Halo 3 it was still a great game. It had its problems but it was a lot of fun. The single player was finally good. The multiplayer was fun and Spartan Ops adds legs to the game. While there are things I would have liked the game there is a lot of good stuff in here. Halo 4 is the best Halo since Halo 3 and hopefully 343 can keep it up with Halo 5 & 6.… Expand
  65. 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'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
  66. bioadam
    Mar 29, 2013
    8
    Halo 4 sits somewhere between Halo 3 and Call of Duty Modern Warfare 3. While Halo 4 is clearly a good game, it is not great game. Despite the flourish of new graphics, the series has lost some of its trademark character. The new enemies, the Promotheans, are mute tanks that flitter, scurry, and teleport. They do not, however, flank, retreat, or do anything memorable. The Promothean weapons are even more boring: every Promothean weapon is a futuristic looking version of one of today's weapons. The only new kind of weapons are a rail gun and a sticky detonator, and each shows up sparingly in the campaign. A prime opportunity to add some interesting new ideas to Halo has been squandered. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    In terms of progressing the series, I found it odd that "Halo 4" explicitly tells players to scavenge weapons from fallen combatants. In later levels, when combatants are many and dropped weapons are few, the game compensates by giving you crate upon crate of grenades and weapons. Placing the strategic choice of weapons in the hands of the player is a staple of Halo games, but those choices are meaningless if the game gives players an inexhaustible armory of the same kinds of weapons. At least 343 returned the health system pioneered in Halo 2. After your shields fall, you can take a few hits while you duck for cover. This system works and keeps the flow of the game moving. Halo 4 has a constant momentum to the point of providing dialogue and backstory through driving sequences rather than non-playable cut scenes. 343 did not entirely understand Bungie's snippets of fun mojo, and Halo's musical staple, the dun-dun-dun-dun guitar riff, was completely absent. In fact, pulse pounding music of any kind was absent, giving a sense of emptiness to many of the early levels. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------The game also abuses the mechanic of go to several places on the same level and press several buttons. I prefer the old challenges of figuring out how to fit a Warthog into a doorway. Nevertheless, Halo 4 provides several opportunities to run, drive, or fly past past enemies to the next check point.
    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    The story of Halo 4 is quite epic. As Master Chief, you relentlessly fight against the Covenant, the Prometheans, your human ally's incompetence, and the story driven failure of your A.I. pal Cortana. When mission failure is required, and it is required quite a bit in this story, the failure is never that of the player. We are never burdened with the awful cutscene of the player character cluelessly and impotently watching the action unfold and not participating. Master Chief is as competent as ever. By the way, the graphics in Halo 4 are the best ever on the Xbox 350 and the cutscenes are photorealistic. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Multiplayer on Halo 4 has been a mixed bag. 343 failed to provide popular game types and decent maps at launch, and exacerbated their launch failures with a lack of support for a good three to four months. In late March of 2013, 343 finally started fixing the multi-player experience, but the popularity of Halo has suffered. One of the positive changes 343 has made is leveraging the players' ability to make their own maps and adding the best of the communiy's maps to the on-line playlists. Few games provide map making tools and this is a stand-out feature for Halo 4 on the Xbox.    … Expand
  67. 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.
  68. matroycem
    Apr 26, 2013
    7
    I have never really felt the love for Halo that has been going around since its inception on the original Xbox. Yes it was modern but it never really gripped me. The Halo games of Bungie never really seem to have much of a plot of me and it bored me going from point A on a map, into a building to point B and then going back to point A again. It seemed lazy level design.
    Halo 4 however see    ms to be a big step forward. 343 have made a few changes and brought in some decent new weapons and enemies and it did grip me more than other games. Gone has the annoying drop out of scope when you are shot and SOME of the jumps to checkpoints when a team mate passes into a new area. There is also very little back tracking in the main campaign.
    The story of the game is still very similar and doesn't really go anywhere for me but its not completely missing like it was in Halo 3 ODST. I still think that Halo need to remove the respawn trick on COOP when you can have one person hang back and if the other dies they respawn next to their fellow. Mean that some of the difficulty is sapped from the game.
    I am not much of an Online Multiplayer so I cannot give much of a review of this area but the little I did play was enjoyable enough. I think there are modes for all different abilities and the learning curve is not completely stupid like i found in the COD games.
    Its worth a purchase in my opinion.    … Expand
  69. 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 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
  70. 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 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
  71. drlowdon
    Mar 7, 2013
    8
    Following the highly publicised change of developer the gaming world was rightly curious as to how one of its biggest selling franchises would fare following the departure of its creators Bungie. Despite now being developed by 343 industries however this is still, for better or worse, the same Halo we've all seen before and those that criticise the series for not really evolving since its Xbox debut over a decade ago certainly make a fair point. As a result this fourth 'mainline' title is not really going to be of any interest to those that didn't like previous installments.

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

    On top of the campaign Halo 4 also provides a series of 'Spartan Op' missions. Each of these lasts between 15 and 30 minutes and can again be tackled either alone or in multi-player. The idea seems to have been taken from the special ops missions featured in the Call of Duty series and provide the player with various tasks such as clearing an area of enemies or destroying set objectives. Admittedly maps are reused throughout these ops but it is hard to complain when they can all be downloaded for free.

    The final part of this generous package is the competitive multi-player. All the usual modes, as well as a few surprises, are present and correct and the solid gunplay still translates well. Controversially Halo 4 has again taken a page out of the Call of Duty handbook with weapons and perks now being unlocked as the player levels up. I was never a huge fan of the online multi-player in the previous installments anyway but purists will understandable be disappointed and it is certainly a shame to see yet another game attempt to imitate Activisions all conquering behemoth.

    All in all then this is a safe but promising start for 343 industries and the wealth of options and modes will provide most with hour upon hour of gameplay.    … Expand
  72. 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 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
  73. 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 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
  74. 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 overall this can stand proudly in the halo canon.… Expand
  75. 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, 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
  76. AfroThunda
    Nov 19, 2012
    9
    Halo 4 is an amazing installation in the Halo series that certainly rivals Halo 3. Halo has always been about story driven campaigns with amazing and varied enemy AIs, great set pieces, and an excellent musical score. All of these things have been pushed in the new game and the Promethean enemies bring much needed variety to the game. Also, the dialogue and character development exceeds anything done in previous titles. As for the multiplayer, Halo has ALWAYS changed up the formula. Come on fans, think about Halo 1 to 2. Dual wielding, online gameplay, playing as a covenant, two concurrent stories, and numerous gameplay changes led to a very different experience. In ODST Bungie tried the more open world approach and marine gameplay ideas. Reach obviously introduced armor abilities and much more. Not all the additions and changes have been popular, but the changes kept the series fresh. 343 Industries continues that tradition in Halo 4 and has reinvented the Halo series. Yes it has load outs, but this isn't Call of Halo. The way loadouts work is still distinctly Halo, and honestly this is the modernization the series needed while sticking to its core gameplay mechanics. I understand my fellow Halo fans griefing over this one. I've been a fan since Halo 1. This is taking the franchise in a new direction but honestly, I don't want a release of updated Halo 1s or 2s being made over and over again. I want new directions and I want the series to continue to being a foil for the more stagnant FPS series. So my vote goes for a changing series that keeps to core roots than more of the same.… Expand
  77. sinadoom
    Feb 24, 2013
    8
    Generally a solid game. It's what you would expect from Halo; high quality, good variety, well-balanced, insanely accurate hit detection in multiplayer and game modes to suit everyone. There are some new weapons to play with, and the cutscnes display the best facial detail imaginable in a video game. From a multiplayer point of view, it's become more like Call of Duty. You have custom classes with perks and guns (so not over-complicated) and ordnance (basically an instant care package for getting points without dying). There is also a sprint function at all times. From a controls point of view, it's fantastic. The game runs very smooth and looks polished (even though actual gameplay graphics quality aren't far different from Reach). Another CoDifying feature is the pacing. No longer does it take a clip to kill someone; you can move fast, shoot fast and kill fast. This makes the game feel more satisfying and intense; something missing from Halo 3. While the 'CoDification' isn't a bad thing, it does mean that it's not as unique as Reach. It doesn't make many major advancements in general mechanics or graphics (I'm sorry but those textures are hardly top-notch). If you're looking for a solid shooter or a Halo game you can't go wrong. But if you're looking for innovation you'll be stretched to find it here. Highly recommend to Halo fans, but if you're after a shooter generally this should only be one of the games that makes it onto the shortlist of the many great FPS games on the market.… Expand
  78. racinglightning
    Nov 20, 2012
    10
    Halo 4 is a jaw dropping, unbelievably beautiful, well thought out, masterfully assembled game. It is undeniably the best bang for buck game this year, if not of all time. Halo 4's campaign injects something that has always been lacking in the franchise, human emotion. It is the first Halo that actually seems like it was written for a more mature audience, the enemies are more fearsome, and aggressive, than any other Halo, even the Grunts are scarier looking, and meaner than ever. In addition, the co-op mode tells a completely different story than the campaign, is released over the next few weeks, is interesting, and fun. The multiplayer is the best so far. Halo 4 is a great evolution in the series, and a personal favorite so far.… Expand
  79. rykeith
    Nov 19, 2012
    7
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Bought this game expecting something great from a new developer. The campaign story was relatively good, though I don't feel as if I really gleaned much from the Halo universe by playing it. The story felt very concentrated to a very few narrow concepts and left me disappointed that it did not expand upon many different aspects of the story. It was essentially a story about Master Chief and Cortana. While this would have worked well as a backstory, it felt a little weak as the main theme throughout the game. The one outstanding aspect of the campaign was the superb graphics. It may be the best-looking game on the 360 to date.

    The multiplayer, at least compared to Reach, felt somewhat neutered. A few game types have disappeared, and Big Team Battle, my favorite, is also no longer a part of the multiplayer playlist. Also, I know that lag depends largely upon individual connections, but it seems that this game can especially suffer from it when compared to previous Halo entries. Overall, if you love Halo, you will probably like this game. If you just appreciate Halo, you may find this game average among a plethora of FPS out there.    … Expand
  80. rollersox
    Dec 13, 2012
    9
    This game is by no means the best, but this score of 7 is just ridiculous. Considering it as 343i's first Halo game, it's pretty damn amazing. The graphics are one of the best on console, no argument. The music, while lacking in some areas compared to O'Donnell's compositions, is, frankly, amazing, and the campaign is very good--especially the revelation that Master Chief has an emotional side as well. The multiplayer is fast-paced and more COD-like, for better or for worse is you to decide. Spartan Ops is fun as hell, especially as it provides a campaign-like co-op.… Expand
  81. MrArmageddon17
    Nov 20, 2012
    8
    I have really enjoyed my time on this game so far. The campaign is pretty good. I would have preferred more shorter missions rather than the few long ones. At times it gets to the point where you just want the mission to be over. However there are some pretty epic scenes and the game looks fantastic. It must be pushing the 360 to its limits. The multiplayer is also a good time. I like the random map drops. Takes away the importance of knowing the power weapon locations and the fastest way to get there. The personal ordinance drops are a blessing and a curse. It's nice to rewarded for playing well but it is unnecessary. I would prefer to have the map drops happen more often and get rid of the ordinance drops. The custom loadouts are ok. I'd prefer if you just picked a gun and the grenades though. I find everything else unnecessary. The guns you can pick from however are incredibly balanced. Anyone who says otherwise is just complaining to complain. I would also like to see them get rid of map voting or improve the system. There are about 10 maps and in the 30 or so games I've played I think I have played 4. Often I have played the same map 3 times in a row. Also after games if the majority of the party leaves it would be nice to have the remaining group search for more players. I have had games that started 3 vs. 1 which is pretty lame. Over all a good game. Any complaints I have are really just nitpicking and personal preference.… Expand
  82. Roweks
    Nov 15, 2012
    9
    While I was a bit skeptical of 343i beginning a new trilogy, Halo 4 delivers. The campaign is much better than expected. It's well paced, has decent plot development, and the villain is definitely an interesting twist and a solid approach to setup the new trilogy. Multiplayer has some issues, but is still very fun and will only get better with time as it is updated. After Halo Reach, I can say it feels great to play Halo again.… Expand
  83. 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. 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
  84. Kristoffer13
    Nov 15, 2012
    10
    Un juego verdaderamente chingon, Es algo nostálgico pero definitivamente ofrece algo refrescante para aquellos ya familiarizados con la saga de halo. La campaña es corta pero no hay que olvidar que cada semana se están sacando episodios nuevos que funcionan como una extencion de la historia.
  85. 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 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
  86. RighteousSteel
    Nov 28, 2012
    7
    This game is good. The only problem is that it feels more like Halo: Reach 2 than a sequel to Halo 3. There are not many maps to play on, and every always chooses the same ones every match. The campaign is interesting and fun, and worth playing through a second time with your friends. Maybe once some DLC comes out the multiplayer will be more fun. The spartan ops is a welcome addition, but everybody still misses firefight. Overall, a good game.… Expand
  87. Henrycsi
    Nov 21, 2012
    10
    Halo is back on its feet again. After a few mediocre entries into the series, namely, halo reach, Halo 4 delivers a surprising and rejuvenating jolt of wonder, fun, and solid gameplay that the series definitely needed.
  88. 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, 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
  89. Ordish
    Apr 16, 2013
    10
    Let me first start by saying that I have never been a Halo fan having only played Halo 1 on the PC and not being very impressed with it. I also finished Halo 3 ODST on the Xbox and wasn't particularly impressed with that either.. Until now I haven't seen anything from the Halo universe that was particularly impressive. I haven't played the multiplayer yet so this review is on the campaign. The storyline was intriguing and well adapted. Actually one of the best single player storylines I have played in quite a few years. The controls were a bit awkward at first, straying from the typical FPS control scheme but after some play they are manageable. The graphics and dynamic environments were simply beautiful. Overall the game provided an epic story with great game mechanics. I don't know if this studio has produced other titles in the Halo world but they knocked this one out of the park.… Expand
  90. kelraiser
    Nov 16, 2012
    7
    With 343 industries taking over the development of the Halo franchise from bungie I have to admit I had my doubts about the future of the halo franchise and the idea of bringing the master chief back after the ending of halo 3, and I have to say that my doubts we're cast aside as 343 have been true to the franchise and developed a game worthy of the halo name, the campaign is short if you play it on the easy or normal difficulty but if you got to the heroic or legendary difficulty it can prove to be very channel ging for even some of the best gamers if you try yo do it solo, the graphic are a vast improvement on reach with a lot of work going it to designing the gaming environments and multiplayer maps as well as the amazing cut scenes that go between the campaign missions, the story is a lot different from what people come to expect of the halo franchise and goes for a more personal story between the master chief and cortanna his AI companion who has been with him throughout the halo games to me this is an interesting direction to take the game as it try's to show the chief has a human side to him than just a soilder of war as we have seen in previous halo's, the sound has been improved as well and the guns all sound authentic and unique in their own style, the multiplayer has been improved with the introduction of spartan ops, the episodic co-op campaign which is expand with continuous episodes down loades from Xbox live tho I'm kind of disappointed firefight wasn't kept in there as well, I have to admit you can see where halo has taken some of its influence from the call of duty series but this isn't a bad thing really as they have made the game more accessible to a wider audience with custom load outs, their rank system is very similar to cod, and the ordinance drops are like call of duty killstreaks but these help to improve make the multiplayer better and balance the game out better as there are no longer people camping waiting for a power weapon like the rocket launcher or or that to spawn as it now comes in an ordinance drop. In my opinion 343 have kept halo 4 true to what the halo franchise is but have tried and succeeded in making it accessible to a wider audience.… Expand
  91. 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.
  92. Oxcart
    Mar 24, 2013
    7
    So, the sixth Halo game. I've been through Halo 1-3, ODST, and Reach. I've done my tours of duty with the UNSC, from the low-end low-budget beginning through the slick and polished latest. But this is different; Bungie has slipped its reins off the Halo horse, and MGS has taken over. How did they do? Very well, better than I expected. Let's take a look. Graphics are outstanding, with well-built levels that benefit from good artwork. Enemies (and allies) are correspondingly high-res, meaning that even on console, you won't have your immersion in the game wrecked by something on-camera that looks like a digital camera threw up on screen (we've all seen that...are you listening, Jurassic Park?). Weapon design has undergone a major overhaul, and one for the positive. I've previously had an intense dislike for non-human weapons in Halo, but this installment is different; Forerunner weapons are pretty sweet. Gameplay is well above average. Two missteps mar the game, though. First, the campaign is short. As in "we got it done on Legendary in six hours" short. Second, the storytelling, while not bad, is much thinner than previous Halo games. It's clear that Microsoft Game Studios wasn't as interested in telling an epic story as their predecessors. Even so, it's an enjoyable game that really is a must-play for Halo fans. Everybody else, it's a good shooter with challenge and finesse...just not a lot of single-player mileage in the tank. A fair 7 to Halo 4, and a "good job" to the folks at MGS responsible for it.… Expand
  93. BillySpandex
    Jan 6, 2013
    5
    The problem with Halo 4 is that it's a grossly overrated title. However to its credit, it is a better game to Halo 3 and dare I say it Halo Reach. The emotional connection between the Chief and Cortana was very well done, however the whole tale comes undone towards the end. The story's momentum just doesn't hold and at the end, the game feels weak.
  94. 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, 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
  95. glacier777
    Nov 24, 2012
    9
    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 over    look 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
  96. Larux18
    Nov 24, 2012
    10
    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 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
  97. 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 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
  98. 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.
  99. 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, then I do not buy it.… Expand
  100. zatch32
    Feb 13, 2013
    9
    Halo 4's campaign is right up there with the Combat Evolved campaign in terms of greatness. Spartan Ops is a fun new co-op mode that has only gotten better as time went on. Multiplayer introduces fresh new features to the Halo experience and will only get better and more polished.

    Overall, amazing game that is deserving of the hype. Haters gonna hate.
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Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
87 out of 100

Generally favorable reviews - based on 87 Critics

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.
    Read full review
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