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. etfromsd
    Nov 21, 2012
    10
    Honestly, the best FPS in years. Near live action graphics, roaring gun sounds, immersive campaign and multiplayer with by far the best gameplay in the series. Keeps a typical Halo feel with a new edge. Even the skyboxes and masterful scores of music are done perfectly and are sure to turn heads. Oh, and did I mention that the greatest story on Xbox has been extended and even improved upon? The game is legit and will be around for years to come.… Expand
  2. KILLMN
    Nov 23, 2012
    10
    Awesome game maybe can't reach the level of Bungie games but it on the right path.Good beginning 343.
  3. getbacktogaming
    Dec 3, 2012
    0
    There is a lot of positive stuff about this game but what really irritates me is this : WHY DO I HAVE TO PAY GOLD TO PLAY SPARTAN OPS OFFLINE!?! This mentality at M$ earns this game a 1/10. It's outright disgusting. Costco will be taking my game back. I am not paying 60 $ to HAVE to pay another membership just to play OFFLINE! If I want to play online I can do it for free on my PS3 or play for XBL Gold... but now you guys are going to start charging for play Spartan Ops offline?!? I MEAN WHAT THE HELL??? It's not like this mode was not playable solo or local splitscreen... it is! If you start requesting Gold for this there is no end to your greed. Keep your video game. If I want to play it I'll wait for a price drop I am not paying full price to be ripped like this. Gosh even MW2 and MW3 special ops were all playable splitscreen... Black Ops can even have local splitscreen / LAN matches!?! Seriously shame on you Micro$oft and 343.… Expand
  4. Speed4Runs
    Dec 24, 2012
    1
    Always the same game. There are only 2 weapons, slow gameplay, same graphics level, boring game and overall bad done. Not recommended.
  5. Zorgon
    Dec 3, 2012
    10
    Regardless of the ubiquitous use of minute numerical values from overwhelmingly negative reviews let me state the absolute truth about this game. It is the best Halo title to date. However it is not without fault. Some textures are lacking in detail and some weapons like the "boltshot"
    are overpowered. The story however is compelling, epic and crisp. Despite its lack of a giant cast of     characters. The game IS worth the money by all means and spartan ops is an enjoyable ride. HOWEVER spartan ops requires Xbox Live, unlike firefight which was great for parties with friends who did not own an Xbox 360 or Xbox Live. The online multiplayer is the most fun engagement in modern gaming but it lacks in certain game modes I enjoyed from Halos Reach and 3. Like grifball. By the time this is read however there could have already been an update for matchmaking which included these game modes and more.… Expand
  6. sweatyfatfngrz
    Dec 1, 2012
    1
    Am I reviewing the right game? I keep reading all these positive reviews and I have to wonder how many bong rips you'd have to take to get that perception of this game. Seems like the only thing going for it is the huge fan base that the other Halo games established. The story was cheesy, graphics left a lot to be desired and the online game play was so lacking that I'm not sure why they even bothered. About the only thing that came out of this game is now I know which of my friends like purple, cyan and pink. Thank God the new Black Ops is out and I get $40 for trading this in! Would have given it a 0 out of 10 but that is just ridiculous.… Expand
  7. JohnnyP
    Dec 3, 2012
    8
    This game's campaign is amazing, just like every other game in the Halo series. However the multiplayer really lacks anything new, there are weapon balancing issues, and there are only 10 maps playable at launch, only 4 of which are playable in Team Slayer (the most popular game type of the series). It kind of feels like they left out maps on purpose so that you would be more inclined to purchase their map packs.… Expand
  8. popopooo
    Dec 21, 2012
    0
    Terrible. 343 killed Halo. Buy Halo 3 instead.
    If you are a long time Halo fan, you will hate this. It is just a casual noob fest that has been made too much like call of duty. They have removed all competitive elements and ruined the classic halo gameplay.
  9. Suicidio
    Jan 1, 2013
    10
    Para empezar para ser el primer juego de 343 industries es excelente, no obstante la ausencia de bungie deja un vació muy grande al juego en general .Visualmente cuesta trabajo creer que el xbox 360 es una consola del 2005 no es así ?. El juego es sin duda el mejor juego del 2012 no el mejor halo pero si es excelente. La campaña te atrapa en su argumento de principio a fin, ost increíble, multijugador impecable tanto el co op como el competitivo, y la IA vuelve tan feroz y tactica como antes. Es triste ver como ahí gente que se empeña en difamar tal vez el mejor juego de la xbox 360.… Expand
  10. BadGuyJack
    Jan 1, 2013
    2
    Story-wise, Campaign was acceptable, but gameplay flopped. It felt more like work than fun, and it was incredibly repetitive with no real "WOW!" moments like the previous Halo games.

    Multiplayer has changed. Old Halo fans such as myself would find it to play like Call of Duty. Custom classes? Perks? Kill streaks? Not the classic multiplayer that made Halo a big game in the first place.     343i said that they would include a classic playlist. There is no such playlist. They said the classes would be balanced. They lied. Spartan Ops is terrible. All of the maps are multiplayer rip offs. Bad animations, pointless story, and just plain boring.

    If you liked Halo for Custom Games and Forge, you will hate Halo 4. 343i took out many custom games options. You can barely edit the Flood gametype. You can't even change the Flood's weapons. This prevents probably 60% of the custom games that were made in Reach and Halo 3 from being made in Halo 4. If you want more info on the Halo 4 custom games situation, Check the following link: https://forums.halowaypoint.com//yaf_postst127421_This-is-completely-unacceptable--343.aspx

    In closing, Halo 4 is a joke. 343i did not listen to the community. They gave their fans no room for input. Instead, they had their mind set on money, and made a Call of Duty clone. 343i does not deserve the Halo franchise. They do not deserve to make more Halo games.    … Expand
  11. TheReal_UnreaL
    Feb 24, 2013
    0
    huylo 4 is fakin shet mazefaka vatafack? Sak mai bols fack! Kelzon 3 iz way beter than zis no kideng. grafiks in zis is soooooooo fakin ugly and huyagli camon gays geim saks
  12. emcoffey3
    Nov 14, 2012
    7
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. So how did 343i do with Bungie's baby? Here are my thoughts... GENERAL GAMEPLAY: - The core gameplay (95% of the game) is the Halo you know and love. - There is a cool "getaway" sequence similar to the end of Halo:CE and Halo 3, but in a Ghost. - There are a few quicktime sequences that are rather underwhelming. They should have either been more polished (and fun) or turned into cutscenes.
    - The flying sequences are a major letdown (more below). ENEMIES: - Grunts and Jackals remain unchanged. - Elites don't seem as tough as Reach, but they're basically the same. - Hunters seem the same, but there are very few of them. I complained about this in Reach, and it hasn't improved in Halo 4. - Sadly, there are no Brutes, Drones, or Skirmishers. Also no Flood, but I'm actually okay with that.
    - The new enemies (Prometheans) are fun to fight and offer some nice, new variety.
    - No Scarabs or boss battles.... boo. WEAPONS: - There are a LOT of guns. Most of the old classics are back, along with some great additions. - No dual-wielding, but most of those guns have been replaced, so you don't really miss it. - Grenades feel a bit underpowered, but not to the point of being useless. ARMOR ABILITIES: - Good mix of old and new. The much-hated Armor Lock is, of course, gone. - Running is no longer an Armor Ability and is always available, which makes sense. VEHICLES: - The Ghost, Warthog, and Scorpion all feel familiar and control smoothly. - The Banshee doesn't feel as polished as previous games, but it's passable. - MAJOR LETDOWN #1: You finally get to fly the Pelican, and she feels great, for all of 2 minutes. It goes: fly straight towards marker, take out Phantoms with extreme ease, enter building, repeat. 343i made flying the Pelican about as fun as my morning commute to work. Lamest flying sequence in a Halo game until... - MAJOR LETDOWN #2: Remember the mission in Reach that put you in a dogfight in space? Imagine the polar opposite of how awesome that was, and you have the Broadsword sequence in the final mission. The first part of this mess is basically an obstacle course where you die repeatedly until you figure it out and get the timing right. The second part involves flying around in a circle and shooting at stationary markers that you can't tell if you're doing any damage to. Eventually you figure out which angle to hit them from and this miserable sequence ends. This is officially my least favorite thing ever put in a Halo game. - The Mantis is a cool addition. The animation makes it seem rickety, but it ends up being pretty powerful. I knew they'd put a mech in Halo sooner or later... - No Falcon or Hornet... boo. VISUALS: - Amazing. This is the best Halo has ever looked. - MINOR GRIPE: The HUD is a bit difficult to read. It's a very light shade of blue, and can clash against some of the bright glowing environments (which there are a lot of). AUDIO
    - The music is very good, but doesn't surpass the classic O'Donnell score. It excels during the dark, emotional moments, but lacks the grand-sounding pieces that made for "big moments" in the original trilogy. - The sound effects are terrific. Guns sound amazing (even the Beam Rifle finally!). - The voice-acting is top-notch. STORY:
    - It goes in a new, interesting direction. - Dialogue is great. However, there are a few scenes between the Chief and Cortana that do feel a bit... uncomfortable. - I liked the ending, but it didn't really feel like the beginning of a new trilogy... CONCLUSION: Overall, Halo 4 is a great shooter. I liked it, but I'm not sure I loved it. It gets almost all of the big things right. The core gameplay is solid. Visuals, audio, and story are all top-notch. But the little things are what keep Halo 4 from perfection. Some suggestions for improvement next time: 1. The HUD should be crisp and easy to read. 2. Quicktime sequences should be polished, changed into cutscenes, or removed entirely. 3. Give me bigger stuff to kill. More Hunters, and maybe a Scarab or something similar. A boss battle or two wouldn't hurt. Also consider bringing back older enemy classes. 4. Bring back the Pelican, but give me a full-fledged mission! 5. If you're going to put me in space, give me a dogfight and leave out the obstacle courses.    … Expand
  13. capthavic
    Nov 12, 2012
    8
    Let me just say this up front, Halo 4 is not a perfect 10 but neither is it a bad game either. While the game does have some flaws (AI noticeably dumber, new weapons are pretty meh, doesn't do anything really new) it still hits all the notes you would expect from a Halo game and it does them competently. The visuals are absolutely amazing especially on an aging console, and while not as iconic or bombastic as something from Marty O'Donnell the new music here fits well and doesn't distract from the action. Four player co-op for the campaign and new Spartan Ops episodes are still a blast, and getting a party together for some MP action is great way to spend an evening.

    It doesn't do anything to break the mold or take any chances, but there is something to be said for not fixing what isn't broken either. Halo 4 isn't going to change your mind if you weren't a fan already. But for fans or those on the fence then I would certainly recommend at least giving a try. For a new studio trying to fill some pretty big shoes 343 certainly could have done a whole lot worse :3    … Expand
  14. frugal_frogger
    Nov 27, 2012
    9
    OK, to be honest I've never been a Halo fan. These titles are the most generic FPS you can play. However, for the MP value alone, they are worth it. Like COD, you can ALWAYS find a good MP scene online. You will ALWAYS find an arsenal of weapons and maps that will keep you addicted to your online gaming fix like nothing else. Outstanding online gameplay.
  15. yolandivisser
    Dec 11, 2012
    10
    I hate halo! but this one is a lot of fun for online play. I normally can't stand generic FPS shooters but let's be honest: where are you going to find the best online play? Halo pretty much...
  16. thegrave
    Nov 14, 2012
    10
    Play the game, figure it out.
    This game is worth all the pennies that make up the $60 price tag.
    Polished as hell. Very fluid controls. I'm saying this all about the game when I normally don't like the Halo series much at all since the first one.
    I bought this game because my friend was getting it as well, and I was pleasantly surprised when I found out it was nothing like Halo Reach     and is great!… Expand
  17. Justinavery7074
    Dec 4, 2012
    9
    It's a great game but nothing like the previous excluding Halo Wars and Halo 3: ODST. the graphics kill in this game. It's go **** beautiful to look at. I really like this game and want to love it but there's not the same feeling as with the other 4
  18. ZombieFan281
    Nov 13, 2012
    10
    Best Single Player and Multilayer Experience ever. This game deserves Game Of The Year by every means. Great Graphics, Physics, Engine, Controls and Sound. Really engaging story and the Cenamatics are so close to the real game play. I was blown away. Give this game a try before judging. Much better than Halo 3.
  19. Sh0dan
    Nov 22, 2012
    7
    This game is over hyped in my honest opinion. Not that its a bad game, its a solid shooter polished to a high sheen over numerous iterations since the original Halo: Combat Evolved. The problem for me is that it doesn't do anything new, fresh or innovative. Even the levels feel like they have been stripped directly from previous Halo games. Really, its just the same old Halo FPS many of us used to love, but are perhaps a bit jaded on and tired of now. The story doesn't do anything to reinvigorate the universe either. IMO some mysteries like the "who are the Forerunner?" should never have been answered. Pulling back the curtain reveals how poor the writers really are at science fiction. It really is an unnecessary addition to the universe and has thoroughly put me off the Halo universe for a lifetime. I'm not even interested in seeing a Halo movie after playing poor man Star Wars wannabe.... The levels and missions are some of the most linear and narrow of the entire Halo series, even worse than some of the horrendous railway tracks of Halo 2. There is only one level that stood out as expansive, choice driven mission, but after replaying it a second time that is actually a clever illusion and in fact you are kept on the critical path just as strictly as the first level. Add to that the inability to play the coop mode 'Spartan Ops' offline without a gold membership and the fact they only made the single player, secret terminal videos accessible via Halo Waypoint (which also requires a paid for membership - fu M$!) and unless your a Halo multiplayer PvP junky, then there isn't much to enjoy here.… Expand
  20. FD3355
    Nov 12, 2012
    10
    Fantastic, absolutly fantastic. A little short or the campaign side but it ozzes so much replayility it makes up for it. The worse part of this game is that it makes the wait for Halo 5 that much harder.
  21. David_wayne
    Nov 19, 2012
    10
    Halo 4 is the best Halo game in the whole entire series,I
    I wasn't completely sure how 343 studios would make this game,and I must admit I had my doubts.but after finally breaking down and going out to buy the limited edition halo 4 console,I must say it was worth ever penny.Halo 4 is a ground breaking marvel in the fps genre.and 343 studios did an amazing job with halo 4.the graphics are     some of the best yet on the xbox 360 (I wasn't sure if I was seeing animated charecters or live real people on cutscenes)everything was sooo realistic and even the sound track and gun fire explosions sound FANTASTIC.343 in my opinion beat Bungie's halo hands down.great job 343 I won't doubt you again in the halo franchise.TAKE THAT CALL OF DUTY, YOU'VE BEEN SERVED.… Expand
  22. L0stR3negade
    Nov 12, 2012
    8
    This game is not bad at all. No it does not revolutionize gaming but for a 60 dollar price point you will not be disappointed. Graphics are one of the best on this aging console and the music and sound is spectacular. The campaign is a bit on the short side but the multiplater really shines and you will be playing it for hours on end especially if you have a good group of friends to play with.
  23. Haon
    Dec 7, 2012
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I'd give this game an 8.75. There are a few overly cheesy sequences in the campaign (I'm sorry, but Cortana just hasn't been the same since HALO: CE) and I personally don't find all the loadouts useful. The music isn't quite as spectacular as the originals, but hey, blame that on US Trademark law, not 343. NOW, THE GOOD! With the exception of the cheesy speed bumps, the campaign is spectacular. As Reach was the eulogy of a planet and a squad, Halo 4 is the final moments of gaming's oddest love story. The relationship between Chief and Cortana is utterly amazing, as is their debate about the humanity of one another. The multiplayer is just, wow. 343 really did a great job at making the weapons balanced (and sounding awesome!) and the maps unique. But more than anything, the ability to subtlely change the loadouts (no power or weapon is overpowered), the addition of ordinance drops, and creating randomized power weapons on the map keeps the focus on the battle, not on finding the best uber-weapon to blow things sky-high. Having logged over 100 hours into multiplayer, I still find myself going back for more, something I NEVER do with multiplayer. Seriously, try out Big Team Battle; it's like no other BTB in Halo. Spartan Ops is also decent, but where Firefight was slightly better than multiplayer in Reach, War Games is far and above more engaging than SO. Oh, and I love how they have a rotating game mode each week; it's nice way to keep things fresh. So, no game is perfect, and Halo 4 has it's flaws. But as a test of skill and teamwork that stays fresh, it shines like few others.… Expand
  24. Makaveli
    Dec 7, 2012
    9
    I liked Halo 1, didn't care for Halo 2 and Halo 3 was okay. It's actually really refreshing to see a shooter other than Call of Duty. The game is leagues ahead of any CoD game, and what I don't understand is that the overall "Professional" scores of this game is on par with Black Ops 2??? That doesn't make any sense considering CoD has been the same since MW2. Halo 4 is in somewhat the same as Halo 3 was but also a lot different. I liked how they gave MC more character development which was lacking in the previous titles. The game looks great, the sounds are awesome, the multiplayer is even better than the previous games, even though it's always been pretty good anyways. If you give this game a low score but give any Call of Duty game a good score then there's something wrong with you. Even Halo 1 still has more things you can do with than any CoD game. I own a PS3 and a 360 and I usually play my PS3 more, but I have to give this game my recommendation, it's probably the only shooter that is different than the others and is one of the best to date IMO. Keep in mind that this franchaise is what made the original Xbox and without this franchaise we might not even have the Xbox 360 today :)… Expand
  25. lionalio
    Dec 12, 2012
    10
    the first time you play the game, all you can say is: awesome. Not only the addicted shooting and action throughout the game, but also the very memorable story, and plus, the almost-unbeatable outstanding visual. You cannot help but falling in the famous multiplayer of the game. Without a doubt this game is the killer application, a genuine signature game of XBOX 360. If you intend to buy a XBOX just for playing Halo 4, it's a good reason… Expand
  26. Triggern0metry1
    Nov 26, 2012
    10
    This game was fantastic I honestly don't know what a lot of people are complaining about. 343 industries have done a great job, and yes there may be some stuff in there that COD has but gaming evolves and if you don't evolve with it you'll end up with the dinosaurs.
  27. minharo200
    Nov 21, 2012
    9
    Halo 4 is not a perfect game. There are moments where it does outshine many other shooters like the previous Halos, but those moments [as grand and big as some as they are] do get bogged down in the details. To start, the campaign, is great, but not a game changer. The campaign has a really good story [not the best one in the series] and is more emotional and honest. Getting to know the Chief a little better and seeing the problems with Cortana and the such makes for a compelling story, intertwined with the Prometheans and the such. However, the threat itself was not... well, I felt they were tying to go for a more 'YOU MUST SAVE THE WORLD' sort of story and while yes, thats what Halo is about [like in 1 - 3], it was a dramatic battle to a countdown that really felt out of place [coming from the previous campaigns]. Still, it was a good story and everything was paced quite well. Prometheans are a fun lot to fight and the little variations in the missions left everything in a nice bow. Side Note: they couldve put skulls in the game that you actually had to hunt down, would have been nice but whatever. Also, the fact you cant view terminals in game but have to log into waypoint really doesnt motivate me to go looking for those. Easter eggs were one reason to replay the campaign and this campaign just doesnt motivate me.
    MULTIPLAYER: The multiplayer is faster and has a ton of replayability but I feel they could have tweaked the damage output of a few weapons a bit more carefully since a few are nerfed while others are OP. Zombies is a joke however, thats honestly something they screwed up. overall, a fun game, worth the money if youre a Halo fan.    … Expand
  28. Flowone
    Dec 13, 2012
    5
    Halo 4, one of the biggest disappointments of this year. Don't let that box fool you, you're not buy a Halo game. You're buying a game that not only does it rid itself of all content and quality that made Halo what it is they adopt elements from every other generic FPS on the market. Neither do they even attempt to make sure these elements work in the preexisting game play. Horrible maps from Certain Affinity, an asinine weapons sandbox that is littered with 1 hit kill weapons, no competitive ranking system to make sure a beginner doesn't fight against someone of same skill but someone who is light years ahead of them. Custom games setting basically got nurtured, almost 6 weeks after it's release and they still don't have file browsing up. It's a box of broken gameplay elements, false promises, poor execution. The only thing this game has been is one continuous promotion of Mountain Dew and Doritos.… Expand
  29. NCCrank
    Nov 9, 2012
    8
    I have played every single Halo game - except for Halo Wars. And, I was quite worried about Halo 4, not being sure what to expect from 343 vs. Bungie. Overall, this is very solid game. I should note that this is a review for the single-player campaign as I'm not much of multiplayer gamer. As far as the campaign goes, I have some mixed feelings. As far as story goes, the story for this outing is second only to the original halo as far as I'm concerned. I wasn't in love with some of the Cortana voicework, but I greatly enjoyed the story, the direction of the plot, and the focus on the relationship between MC and Cortana. To me the story was the highlight of this release. The graphics in some areas are also pretty incredible. In other areas - especially when inside the forerunner structures they were very meh. Kind of a Tron:Legacy feeling - but it was hard to distinguish see some barriers in the final flying section. Gameplay was solid - but somewhat of a let down. The gameplay is very solid - no complaints with regard to controls or how the guns handle, etc. But, I was really hoping for more innovation - especially in the forerunner weapons. But, basically, they fell into the standard tropes - I.e. Sniper Riffle, Assault Rifle, Shotgun. There were a couple of weapons that I didn't try - but pretty much we've seen and used them all before. While there were some interesting and new set pieces in this game - I'm hoping they will bring more innovation to the next two games. Yes, the Knights require a slightly different strategy - but overall you are doing the same thing from previous games. Fight grunts, fight elites, fight hunters, rinse/repeat. Changing out the flood for the forerunner units doesn't add that much for. Finally, I do wish the campaign was longer. I know I'm in the minority - but I want more for my $60 than 7-10 hours. I've little interest in multi-player and don't think its unreasonable to expect a 15-20 hour single-player campaign for a AAA title. That being said - I do not regret paying full price for this game. While I had hoped for more innovation - this is definitely the second best game in the series. Not as mind-blowing as the original Halo - but I'm not sure if that is possible. This game was a very strong effort - and will definitely bring me back for the next chapter. I wished for a stronger sense of "new & different" from this release, but otherwise I would recommend this game. Its a very worthy addition to the Halo franchise - and 343 really deserves to be successful. They put a lot of love and hard work, and it shows in the story that will keep you playing until the end.… Expand
  30. Necrotaur
    Dec 25, 2012
    7
    Single player wise, Halo 4 fails to deliver. I always appreciated the backstory for the Halo universe, and the concept of humanity being on the edge of extinction due to war with the technologically superior Covenant. Now, you're not only fighting Covenant for some reason but also Forerunner dudes (all 3 types) because of... a prophecy? I guess? I don't know. Apparently if I had read Glasslands it would have made more sense, but I'm not going to buy a book just to get the backstory for an FPS. The campaign is at times pretty, until you set foot into a Forerunner level and your eyes are burned from their sockets by the overwhelming blue/orange contrast. Fortunately single player ends fairly quickly, but not before you see Cortana become Master Chief's crazy emo girlfriend. The multiplayer manages to make up for the single player, and ironically seems to be where 343 focused most of the story. You've got the standard Halo MP fare, with a few modes that have been more fleshed out. The biggest addition is Spartan Ops, which replaces Firefight from previous titles. It's pretty decent on it's own, and plays a bit like the standalone co-op missions found in other titles like BF3, though the loss of Firefight does kind of suck. Maybe it'll be re-introduced? We can always hope. Anyway Halo 4 is a solid game if you're looking for just MP stuff, but I'm a bit worried about the direction 343 is taking the storyline.… Expand
  31. Cubic_Avenger
    Nov 13, 2012
    10
    Halo 4 isn't Halo... it's something new, and as hard as it is to say, it's something better. 343 brought Halo into the current generation of modern shooters without copping out and making a CoD clone. Halo 4 is still, at it's core, a pure shooters, without much digression due to loadouts, perks and so on. While all those things now exist in Halo 4, they have very little affect on the gameplay and all the little mechanics, functions and systems developed by players throughout the years, the systems and algorithms to winning matches, still exist and prevail over loadout specification in Halo 4. Every fan of Halo and gaming in general can and should appreciate this game. But that is matchmaking alone. The narrative and gameplay in the campaign and spartan Ops has been completely rebooted for this generation. Players always know the story and what is going on, without having it hammered into their skull with a gravity hammer. The art direction, dialogue and overall scheme of things are a great work of art and the way the story goes between campaign and Spartan Ops have completely opened up the universe for infinite possibilities within the universe. This game is the second coming of Master Chief and of Halo as a whole. long live 343.… Expand
  32. SpazzBrozz
    Jan 14, 2013
    5
    This is my Halo 3 review. THE BEST Halo game i have played so far. Campaign AWESOME. Multiplayer AMAZING. Forge INCREDIBLE. Theater BRILLIANT. Easy 10 in my mind and a lot of others. HALO FTW!

    This is my Halo 4 review.

    This game sucks. 343 took out the good and added crap. I have written enough negative stuff about this game on Halo Waypoint so i'm not about to write a whole paragrap    h on here. 5/10… Expand
  33. Brickthegrim
    Dec 1, 2012
    10
    Combat - Cleanest and most balanced yet with countless ways to play effectively even online. Whatever gun loadout you choose and power up you can always be effective
    Story - Pulled me back into the Halo universe and gives you A LOT of information and story content in a short time period and if you don't know the lore and have not watched some of the content on Waypoint or the in game term    inals than you might get lost pretty easily.
    Enemies - Unique combat in all game types makes it fun and on legendary forces you to be the perfect soldier
    Spartan Ops - Special mention because two reasons the first the cinematic is addicting I find myself anticipating it as much as I would my favourite TV series. However the missions can be generic.
    War games - Very well done good maps overall great new game types but I do miss big team objective.
    Forge - Very well done and can't wait to see what people can create!    … Expand
  34. JBo796
    Nov 17, 2012
    9
    Opening:
    )most of my comments are based on the multiplayer, as I have not played the campaign through yet). I could, for some reason, simply never 'get into' the Halo franchise. I wanted too, believe me. It had everything I want in a game; Sci-fi story, sweet armor, awesome guns, but something just didn't stick for me. Now, with Halo 4, I have realized the genius behind this franchise.     The controls are so simple, anyone could play it; and if that's the case, then why was I always getting pwn'd in multiplayer so horribly? Halo 4 takes skill, where as other shooters do not. This game is about getting headshots, not just about getting a shot off sooner than someone else (who chances are has a faster connection than you). While this isn't the most fun game I've ever played, it is a wonderful change of pace from what I'm used to.

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

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

    Overall, I am enjoying Halo 4 and looking forward to playing it for quite some time. This game is definitely worth purchasing.    … Expand
  35. Misasouza
    Nov 14, 2012
    10
    What is happening?Why would someone in perfect mental health, give a note below 8 for Halo 4? HOW? As a site is able to give a 2 for it? I do not know what's happening ... But I know that I give a 10 because that's what he deserves, if it were possible, i would give a 11 for Halo 4, because was way beyond my expectations, the best graphics I've ever seen are in it, this it the best story i've ever seen in a game, a competitive multiplayer and addictive are in it, finally, there are no perfect games, but this one borders on perfection.… Expand
  36. TheProCritic
    Nov 27, 2012
    10
    At first i was unsure about purchasing this game because of the many negative and few positive User reviews i've seen, but after watching gameplay i decided that Halo 4 was for me. After playing almost entirely through the campaign and over 5 hours of online multiplayer, i can certainly say that 343 Studios has succeeded in the creation of such a memorable and time consuming game. The campaign brought back the master chief in the the most epic fashion possible. The campaign is very fun and quite a challenge at times as well, it creates a perfect balance of challenge, gameplay, and story to generate what seems to be the most memorable of all the Halo campaigns. The multiplayer is fantastic, unlocking weapons, armor, and emblems is only half the game, but working towards unlocking these things gives a great sense of achievement, the multiplayer makes me feel like i'm playing the Halo we all love and remember, it makes me forget about how much i disliked Halo: Reach, and gives me that fantastic feeling that previous Halo titles have always given me. I have complete respect for 343 studios for being able to replicate and improve the Halo universe, and for that i give them props. If you have yet to find a great FPS, look no further, Halo 4 is here.… Expand
  37. CJ_Markhem
    Nov 13, 2012
    10
    Best Halo to date. The lighting is amazing, Animation looks incredible. New characters, new weapons, new everything. 343 has done the best job they could do given the circumstances. Can't wait to see where they go with the franchise next.
  38. Gups
    Nov 8, 2012
    10
    The game is incredible in every way, has an impeccable soundtrack, spectacular graphics and an extremely addictive multiplayer.

    Halo 4 can overcome even the supreme REACH HALF LIFE 2, for fans of HALO, is a must for game lovers of FPS, and still gets the crown along with the classics QUAKE, HALF LIFE 2 and DOOM.
  39. Magitek
    Dec 15, 2012
    10
    Halo 4 by 343 Studios is an attempt to win a race that began with a little outfit named Bungie. If nothing else, this title stands as the last solid breath of the XBOX 360- a final burst of energy from a console on its last leg. Morbid as that may seem, the result is a milestone for both the 360 and the Halo franchise as a whole. It doesn
  40. dharma
    Nov 7, 2012
    8
    The critics seemed to fall head over heels over this game; the fact of the matter is that it is a GOOD game, but not a GREAT one. I feel that it is a 'safe' sequel, one that doesn't deviate from anybody's expectations. Here lies the problem, FPS has evolved exponentially in the last couple of years. Sure, HALO 4 has the best graphics since UNCHARTED 3, but heck, it's no different from COD with its scripted events, and fast paced gun play. If you want innovation, try DISHONORED instead. Still a good buy though; but don't expect anything more.… Expand
  41. iloveFFC
    Feb 15, 2013
    0
    The worst installment in the series ever! A major disgrace to Halo! This game sucks! Bungie should have stayed as the developers! I hope 343 abandons the series now! They ruined Halo!
  42. mjthadw
    Nov 20, 2012
    10
    HALO 4 has a great emotionally charged new campaign with one of the most popular heroes in gaming. I couldn't play the multiplayer mode because of the lack of hard drive space but the campaign is very solid, challenging, and never frustrating unlike black ops 2. Halo 4 gets a 10 just for the campaign alone. I just wish I could have played multiplayer. Halo 4 is my third favorite game this year behind Mass Effect 3 and Borderlands 2.… Expand
  43. jsp41
    Dec 2, 2012
    9
    Ignoring all the people who didn't even give this game a chance, this game is incredible. Best campaign since Combat Evolved, it really had me invested and the ending was both brilliant and saddening at the same time. The graphics are absolutely stellar, one of the best looking games I've ever played on Xbox 360. the multiplayer is great as always, and 343 has finally integrated a ranking system that makes a lot more since than the previous Halos. The only thing that brought the game down in my opinion was the short length of the campaign (which almost has to be forgiven, since the campaign is amazing) and the new Spartan Ops integration falls flat. It's not nearly as replayable as Firefight, and is just kind of boring. Overall incredible game, don't let the negative reviews sway you in any way, the ignorance of people on this site should be looked down upon, this game is amazing and soiling it with scores of one and zero are just idiotic and juvenile. Play this game, I promise you won't regret it.… Expand
  44. Bruce722
    Nov 16, 2012
    7
    This is a tough game to review because there are so many different elements to it so it really depends on perspective and priority. I'll explain. There are essentially three parts of the game, the campaign, the Spartan Ops, and the multiplayer. If I were to great them separately, I would have to give the campaign an 8, the Spartan Ops a 4, and the multiplayer a 5. The Campaign has great plot and character development, which I love. The dynamic between Chief and Cortana is fascinating and is what moves the story along. However, it's ridiculously short, the gameplay is very fluid but repetitive and full of busy work, the enemy weaponry is scaled horribly, the AI is pathetic, and the ending is anti-climactic. The Spartan Ops has absolutely no story whatsoever and isn't at all what 343 made it sound like. As for the multiplayer, 343 ruined this experience. They essentially copied CoD in every way they could, which is also something they did with the ending of the campaign. All of that being said, I am more of a single player gamer so I can't judge each element of the game equally. The campaign takes priority.… Expand
  45. GeneralKumar
    Nov 11, 2012
    5
    The campaign is great and the story is finally back on track from that debacle that was "Reach". Spartan Ops is interesting and it's cool to see the story of the universe expand past campaign.......

    The reason why the score is so low is because the Multi-Player is "Turrible"... It is the worst bastardization of a solid franchise i have ever seen. The game copies so many other games that     it no longer feels like Halo. The maps are poorly laid out with poor spacial referencing for callouts. The small number of maps is appalling. The whole multiplayer experience is inconsistent with all the random weapon spawns, ordinance drops, and all the random variables and "perks" that the games are loaded with. The entire game could be great if they would just make classic playlists.... Personally it feels like a Beta, with 4 maps to choose from in any playlist and weapons that are polished but need some work on balance. The game feels noobie and too much like COD....… Expand
  46. j06
    Nov 17, 2012
    10
    This game does it all! real voice acting and actors check it's just fun the campaign is pretty long (9-10 hours max) and it has a great story plus multiplayer PLUS i have an excuse to drink moutain dew and eat doritos while playing a kick a== game heck YEAH!!
  47. thewastedyouth
    Mar 30, 2013
    6
    (after watching Halo 4 Postmortem on gamespot) This is just a big insult to any long time Halo fan. I don't know why I bought H4. I played for less than 7 hours. It's a disgrace. And what made Halo amazing was not only the campaign, but how accessible the multiplayer is. No one talked about how "difficult" mp was (even though there was no online). Halo mp became a success was because you can play it casually or if you really wanted to play serious, you can get to the meat and bones of the game by learning power weapons timing, grenade tossing techniques, spawns, and all that make an FPS an FPS.

    Same thing applies with 2 and 3.

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


    screw you 343... SCREW YOU.    … Expand
  48. robozot
    Dec 11, 2012
    8
    Only playing for the campaign, no time for online...
    It's a beautifully presented game. Guns are awesome. Incredible SFX.
    Gameplay is smooth, involving, flow is flawless. Not much thinking involved, no emotion. Pure reaction, exhilaration. Fine by me.
    The sci-fi world and story is daft, and incomprehensible next to the sleek and involving sic-fi of Binary Domain. As a videogame fan and     Halo agnostic, I enjoyed this game a lot though.… Expand
  49. BlackAryan
    Nov 17, 2012
    9
    Halo is back. The multiplayer is fantastic that is welcoming after that awful taste that Reach left. everything feels super balanced, the new class set up does not mess up halo. The only complaints I have for multiplayer are the armor abilities are back and perks. The single player wasn't there best or there worst, but is still entertaining. Spartan ops is uninteresting and I will most likely not play anymore of it. Wish they brought in firefight, the ODST one, not the reach one.… Expand
  50. Meridius
    Nov 19, 2012
    6
    Campaign: Good story and great graphics, but lacking in storytelling - no sense of emergency from the gameplay and quick-telling of the story, and the score wasn't up to the task. Essentially, a huge weakness was its quick-windedness. Multiplayer: Great weapon and ability diversity, but loadouts and ordinance drops make this game harshly unbalanced (and very difficult to balance from a developer's perspective). Character customization is awesome, as are the challenges and experience leveling up, but the small rotations of maps for each gametype via matchmaking make playing redundant quick. And the lack of individual gametype leveling makes for some unbalanced opponent and ally skills. Overall: I don't see the "343 making Halo their own" here. They took the basics of Halo, and threw in everything that people have liked in the CoD (and copycats) games. We've seen one of the more original shooters become one of the copycats. Now we're left with Team Fortress 2, Mass Effect, and Gears of War as the only viable unique 'shooter' experiences.… Expand
  51. mattnotley2004
    Nov 23, 2012
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. 343 Industries did an amazing job with Halo 4. I was quite intrigued by the campaign story line, which I felt was just as good as the original Halo, if not better. It's graphics and cinematics are stunning! Although, I'm a little divided on the multiplayer design, especially when playing online. It doesn't quite fit in compared with other Halo releases. I don't like the new ranking system, and the need to purchase abilities such as Jetpack and Hologram. I was also very disappointed they killed off Cortana in the campaign, although I somewhat feel this is part of a twist, moving the story into Halo 5. Overall, such an awesome game.… Expand
  52. theoffice
    Nov 25, 2012
    6
    Overall a strong entry into the series (6.5/10). Regarding the campaign: Definitely a significant improvement over Halo: Reach as you simply do not sit back and fight wave after wave of enemies. Harkens back to Halo CE to me, but without the sense of exploration and wonder. Here you actually make forward progress most of the time. Problem is that if you go off the beaten path you'll die quickly from the astounding increase in enemies and return far back as checkpoints aren't common. The covenant enemies are interesting and fun to fight as always but the new Promethean foes lack interesting characters and often stick to certain areas until you attack. There's also only 3 different types. Furthermore you're going to find yourself using mostly their weapons exclusively as there is no way you'll have ammo otherwise (get used to the lightrifle). Next, I felt the design and gameplay were decent, though it mostly revolves around moving from one button to the next to advance the story. Speaking of which... the story is weak. Very weak. And very difficult to understand if you have only played the games. It's just... strange. I felt the story in the previous 4 main games were good but this one was just kinda dumb and odd. I like the Chief but his relationship with the computer, Cortana, was weird and this new "threat"/ backstory (not explained in game at all though everyone seems to know it in the game) is dumb. This is obviously just my opinion......................... Regarding multiplayer: This is Halo 4's strong suit and will give it staying power. It's a strong experience with solid gameplay and options. Lots of character customization. Not much else to say. It's fun though still, imo, is not as good a Halo 2............................................. Regarding graphics and sound: graphics are fantastic. Best I've seen on xbox. The sound for some guns is great such as the DMR and sniper rifle. However on others it is totally horrendous such as the battle rifle............................... So overall a 6.5 as the campaign was an improvement but the lack of exploration/wonderment feeling, design mostly involving moving from one waypoint marker to the next, CG cutscenes used extensively, and the very weird, weak story really took away from the potential. The multiplayer is strong but I don't think it'll be something I keep going back to like Halo 2, a game I still find extremely satisfying. Personally recommend a rent.… Expand
  53. Thatoneguy
    Dec 6, 2012
    8
    Im not an extreme die-hard halo fanboy, though I have played all the games, and I don't like CoD, so please try not to expect an overly biased review. The graphics here are undeniably beautiful, some of the best on the xbox, especially the lighting, absolutely gorgeous. The Campaign is long and engaging, my first play through on normal took me roughly 8-11 hours, which is pretty damn long for a campaign in a modern FPS. Its nice to see a company putting proper thought into a good quality campaign these days, **** multiplayer is turning into a virus for FPS games. Though one major gripe I do have is the ending, I won't spoil it but it makes little sense, though it still is extremely sad. The multiplayer is definitely my biggest complaint, there are plenty of balancing issues, especially with those double XP mother **** who are all probably level 190s by now. The next problem is the loadouts, and the commendations, the loadouts is way too CoD like for me, and it ruins what I wanted this game to be, a traditional halo game similar to halo 3 or 2. If loadouts were completely irradicated, my major complaint would be wiped away. Next is commendations, its too much just to get one piece of armor, **** trillion splatters to get a green visor!? No thanks. I love the new specializations, the armor looks unique, the concept gives gameplay more depth, and its a much more awesome reward than being reverted back to level 1 and just getting the title of "Prestige." The sound design is marvelous, beautifully orchestrated music and amazing weapon sound effects, as in that's exactly what you expect that gun to sound like. If that wasn't enough we have spartan ops, weekly episodes of 5 missions, along with amazingly well done cinematics and superb voice acting, FOR FREE. And if THAT wasn't enough, they are constantly adding new modes to online multiplayer, and updating the game all the time, truly a devoted company. Overall I suggest anyone reading this review to go out and buy this game NOW.… Expand
  54. Nigelbillson
    Dec 15, 2012
    2
    There are very few games these days that change a genre, that provide new light and inspire everyone in the gaming industry, halo 4... ISN'T one of those games. It's sad that since halo 3 the halo series has become another generic yearly sequel, much like the previously excellent Assassins creed series and Call of Duty. I used to enjoy Xbox, this reminds me of how much I despise it now. I seriously thought this would be a change, all the reviewers were saying so. Of course not. Are we PS3 "fanboys" [I think you mean PLAYERS] envious? Of course not! I've just been down my electronic store and sold my Xbox. I used to like both, but this game proves how much money these people at microsoft get! Spoiler alert, the ending is another halo 2 ending! It's about as well made as
    Cortana: Oh no what are you gonna do chief?
    Cheif: I'll kill them all... tomorrow. Halo 5 comes out september 20th 2013 while stocks last.
    I don't understand why people would enjoy this game, especially with the convoluted canon! Also the fans are evil but it's not exactly 343's fault. Overall:

    Graphics 9.0 One of the few things this game gets right.

    Story 4.9
    Brilliant... if you read the entire wiki. Gameplay: 2.7 Generic at the best of times, downright awful at the worst.    … Expand
  55. Fullmetal
    Nov 13, 2012
    10
    I didn't expect to like this game so much. I love it how all of the trolls on here who are not really Halo fans have given the game 474 negative reviews. Good job guys, you had no sway over sales of the game. Regardless, I am having a lot of fun with this one. Reach and ODST were lame compared. The multiplayer in this title is as frenetic as Halo 3 with the fun gametypes of Halo 2. If you are a Halo fan, pick this up.… Expand
  56. Bnlf
    Nov 17, 2012
    9
    Great game as any of the other halos. If you are a fan of the franchise you won't be disappointed. Campaign is a bit short but Spartan ops compensates. I won't recommend for people who never played any of the games before specially Halo3. Many of the plots and Cortana story in special would be confusing for newbies. I recommend watching machinima forward unto dawn before playing as well. As for the gfx and audio its just beautiful. IMO its the best looking game in the market atm plus they really nailed it with awesome new audio effects and soundtrack.… Expand
  57. CyberEagle_1x
    Nov 12, 2012
    7
    I am here to tell the truth about halo 4 and that it is not a 9 or a 10, BUT it is not a 4 or a 5. It is a 7.5 and NOT GOTY. It is good game but a disappointment.for all the hype and all the reviews saying its the best game ever, most of it is lies but it is a improvement on Halo 3 and Reach. There is no middle ground in the war of fanboys vs haters I could not find a honest review about (from Machinima with it 10/10 to Quarter to Three with it 2/10) so here's my honest about the game. It is a good game don't get me wrong but it a short 4 to 5 hours campaign with a interesting story but its kinda boring and cliche at times and is full of repetitive tasks like push these three buttons over and over again. 343 had added some emotions to master chief to give him more of a human role. The most disappointing part of the game is that there is only three new enemys,a dog robot,a new alien cyborg, and a UAV thing. I would like to have seen more types of enemy but nope. The multiplayer is fun, better the Reach and halo 3. it has killstreaks, Perks and Loadouts but that's where the similarities to Call of duty stop so the halo fanboy and Call of duty fanboys can stop fight. the has co op in campaign and a new mode which replaces firefight (why do that?) called spartan ops (OK one more Call of duty similarity), The graphics are great, amazing for a xbox. so in all it a good game which i recommend for a fun, great multiplayer and ok story but it is overhyped. i like the halo series i think the young fanbase may annoy you but thank you 343 for the mute all button.… Expand
  58. Mastabrad85
    Nov 9, 2012
    5
    If you loved Halo Combat evolved, then loved Halo 2, then loved Halo 3, though Halo Reach was hot garbage....I am so sorry you will not like Halo 4. As far as the campaign goes it is standard halo with a little more backtracking than I would like however the multiplayer is just a mess. want to mute that annoying kid screaming into your headphone, no longer is it easy like halo 3, you have to do finger yoga to mute someone and play at the same time. Tired of getting beat by the guys who are 5 levels above you...sorry there is no unranked playlist and your rank only goes up not down so eventually you will be playing at a level that is just no fun. I had the same emblem for YEARS and YEARS in halo now....well maybe I will unlock it someday. Like zombie rule #32 enjoy the little things. Well 343 forgot all the little things and tried to steal as much as they could from COD. :( I gave a 5 because the audio and video is very polished and high quality. Halo 3 would be a 9/10.… Expand
  59. Lovecraft
    Nov 13, 2012
    8
    Its a very good, with an interesting story and really encaptulates the relationship between Master Chief and Cortana, which gives it much needed humanity, with its striking visuals, it makes this one of the best looking games out there. However, as much I enjoyed this game, I found the game rather short and no innovation and the final "boss" wasn't exactly much of a fight and rather one dimensional, but, you should really go find the Terminals, cause they flesh the villain more and his motivations which is why I don't understand it wasn't implemented in the first place, regardless that I said the story was interesting, this was poor judgement to not include this information for the villain. Anyway the game is worth checking out but I do think this is going to divide the fan base, I noticed a few COD elements in there but it didn't bother me… Expand
  60. PatrykG
    Nov 23, 2012
    7
    So after many spin-offs on Halo we finally got a 4th. Now the graphics are alot more impressive than the other Halos but the gameplay has not changed and the storyline I mean why did a fourth one have to come out so now we have a Quadrilogy and then probably a 5th and a 6th and a 7th, but in the end I will say that Halo 4 is the best Halo since Halo 3 and probably the best FPS game of the year.
  61. wotif
    Nov 9, 2012
    5
    This is a decent game. If you've never played any Halo games, or are a Call of Duty fan, go ahead and pick this up. However; if you're a Halo fan and you haven't bought this yet, DON'T DO IT. I was very excited to see 343 pick up where Bungie left off, hoping they could add their own flavor and fun to it. There are a few new features that are cool: the aesthetics of the game are great, the shield perk and the jetstrafe perk are pretty cool, the ability to make your hologram teabag is downright genius, players can join games in progress, custom armor is pretty cool. These features, though, do not outweigh the negatives that this game brings. Firstly: Cortana, what the hell? Previously, she was a likable character who was smart and sometimes would provide useful info or witty remarks. She is now a stereotypical damsel in distress who looks like a naked 14 year-old girl. Secondly, the campaign is very generic. It was cool to go to a new planet with a new enemy, but those enemies are incredibly BORING. I played on Legendary, and you literally just shoot, hide, repeat against the enemies. They aim well and hit hard, but have no tactical reasoning and they seem to be leashed to about 100ft of their spawn. Lastly, and worst of all, is the multiplayer. I hoped and hoped and hoped that the game would not turn into Call of Duty: Spartans, but it did. I don't mind borrowing good elements from other games, but 343 brought in what seems like EVERY Call of Duty element they could. 'Press X to respawn instantly,' 'Here's a killstreak drop,' 'Here's a kill-cam,' 'Here are some perks,' 'Spawn with any weapon you want,' 'Here's a killcam,' 'Here's lots of QTEs in campaign.' Multiplayer has no sense of balance with all the perks, ordinance drops (which are weapon/overshield drops rewarded after a random number of kills). There are no longer weapon spawns across the map, just 2-3 'weapon nodes' which spawn random power weapons intermittently.
    I was really looking forward to 343 taking their own spin on Halo, but the sad reality is that it's just a CoD clone in a Halo disguise. I'll say it again: this is not a bad game, but I can only give it a 5 because, to me personally, it took the Halo series too far in the WRONG direction. As much as it saddens me, I'll probably take it back for a refund today.    … Expand
  62. MegaCritic3000
    Nov 12, 2012
    10
    My first Halo game was Halo 3: ODST. I first played I when a friend came over and showed it to me. I was astounded. I had heard Halo was good, but not this good. Since then I've played Wars, Reach, and the Anniversary Edition. I have to say the best out of those three was Reach. With its stellar campaign and it's chaotic multiplayer, I thought Halo 4 would have a hard time beating it. I was wrong, very, very wrong. Halo 4 exceeds all expectations and shatters my idea of a good game. It combines the most emotional story of the Halo series, the best graphics that have been seen to this very day, and exciting new changes to multiplayer, to create the best Halo game that I have ever played, heck the best game I've played to date, which Borderlands 2 had the honor of being before. You hear this a lot, but Halo 4 is really Cortana's story. You see, after 7 years an AI becomes rampant. It's been 8. When an AI becomes Rampant, it literally thinks itself to death. So you can imagine how Cortana feels. Your main mission, throughout the story is to get Cortana to Dr. Halsey so she can be fixed. This goes hand-in-hand with defeating the Didact and getting Infinity off of Requeim. The Promethean enemies are so much fun to fight. I wonder how I stood fighting these Covenant after fighting the Prometheans. The new enemies are tactically smart, and aren't anything like the Covenant. For spoiler related reasons, I will move onto the robust, new multiplayer. Multiplayer is less vehicle based, and more gun based since the guns are now so much more badass. Each gun has brand new sounds, and some of them look different, too. I love the new sound of the Assault Rifle. Now with all these new Promethean weapons, that are extremely powerful and fun to use, I never use vehicles, and this is coming from a person who loved to drive vehicles. Instead of choosing large, expansive maps, like I would in Reach, I choose small, close up maps. I hated the guns and loved the vehicles, Halo 4 flipped that around, and it's a very good thing. Now there are Loadouts, which include Primary, and Secondary Weapons, Grenades, and Abilities. Their are plenty new weapons, both Promethean and UNSC to make the formula feel newer. Now there are more Abilities than ever before. The Run ability has been disabled, instead you can run by simply pressing on the joystick. The Armor Lock is gone, too. In fact, the only ones that they still have is Jetpack, invisibility, and the ability in which you make a duplicate. The new multiplayer is a refreshing new turn for the franchise. This game looks stunning. It feels stunning. Everything about this game is stunning. From its emotional story, to it's groundbreaking multiplayer, Halo 4 is what I dreamt what Halo should be. Looking back at ODST again, I feel like, what was great, is now archaic. 343i has accomplished something no other company could, even Bungie.… Expand
  63. BeardtobeFeared
    Nov 12, 2012
    1
    Got it as a gift and it's garbage. It's Halo: Reach COD-ified. Plenty of bugs (Certain maps aren't appearing in cycle, for one), short story, boring missions abound. I would return it if I could. It stings even worse knowing how far one of my favorite game series has fallen.

    Why not instead of trying to grab fanbases of CoD and Halo, you just make an original and intuitive f*cking game?
  64. HonoredBacon
    Nov 20, 2012
    10
    It is nice that 343i picked up Halo 3's HUD (so it really looks like we're wearing a helmet in-game) display and use it here, in Halo 4 and many other features too. To be honest, the campaign is quite short. 343i's design on this Halo is really artistic and it's sound effects for guns are incredible. CoD fans might not appreciate how the game's MP features are but it is enjoyable and still have balance in the games.

    The only flaw I have is it's short campaign and the somewhat unpleasant Promethean Knights and their flying companions. (They like to teleport away which makes it a little frustrating)
    *Actual score is 9.7    … Expand
  65. Super_Ted
    Nov 14, 2012
    10
    The Halo franchise is certainly in safe hands with 343. The gameplay is varied, fluid and engaging. The narrative, while somewhat convoluted, was mostly captivating. Most importantly though, the game respects your time. Absolute brilliant release!
  66. xNullxF
    Nov 13, 2012
    9
    Overall it's a REALLY NICE GAME; however, it's not without its flaws. One being a lack of a classical mode (as I personally hate how everyone and their mothers can grab a heavy weapon), and the other the over-powered binary rifle (something they've believed to be fine if you can see the laser light from the weapon). Yet I'm surprised by the hatred being spewed by some saying it's based off of "Modern Warfare". Do you actually believe each game is original? That they all start with new and innovative ideas? Games follow ideas from other successful games and no real game is original, so honestly, people need to calm down. The graphics are good, the gun audio is amazing, and the vehicles have a nice sound to them, Spartan ops adds more to a fairly short Campaign. Get this game, you will not be dissapointed… Expand
  67. ageofwinter
    Nov 16, 2012
    8
    Whilst the campaign was short and linear compared to past Halo games, the story and emotional attachment was great, I loved seeing John & Cortana actually have emotions haha I really missed those two. The multiplayer is probably the best it has been since Halo 2, taking cues from Call of Duty whilst still making it feel like Halo was a tough task but it was executed perfectly. Loadouts & customisation options really add some depth to the experience. Multiplayer still has its flaws though, the little lunge people get when they melee has always annoyed me & its still overpowered, I'm sad to see that its still there, I really wish melee would go back to being as weak as it was in Halo CE. Anwyay, the graphics are top notch, some of the best I've seen for consoles, although when you play split-screen with a buddy, the console really shows it's age, having to dial back on the graphics due to having to render the meshes & textures twice on some really old hardware. All in all, the multiplayer is as addicting as ever, despite its flaws. And campaign was emotionally gripping but a tad bit on the short side. I highly recommend this to any Halo fan.… Expand
  68. ryano9929
    Nov 10, 2012
    6
    Halo needs to stay halo. It obvious doesn't work when COD and other fps features are put into it. 343 should know that reach was no received well with the core fan base but yet they took it further. This new game has no identity. It is in the middle of halo and other fps' and it just doesn't play well.

    The campaign is very short. It is the shortest campaign of any halo game. Can easily     beat the game on heroic in 5 hours which is unacceptable for this series. Every mission has been ripped from other halo games which shows no creativity. Example being the flying falcon mission from reach, only this time its a pelican you fly. The mission plays exactly the same just with a new coat of paint. Also each mission has you pushing a button 3 or 4 times.

    Multiplayer is very unbalanced and is already being hacked by players with aim bot. The game requires no skill anymore. You no longer have to be good to rank up, as everybody will rank up just for playing. The game promotes the player who shoots first most of the time. WIth the glorious aim assist and the big hit boxes this game requires little to no skill.

    Unfortunately halo is on its death bad. While trying to broaden the audience, the developers have lost what has made halo a cultural phenomenon. Unless they fix this the series will die out.    … Expand
  69. XxpyrosmilexX
    Nov 30, 2012
    10
    All I can say about Halo 4 is that it is probably the best game I have ever played. The story is amazing, multiplayer is SEXY as hell and the Spartan Ops mode is juicy. I can never get enough of this game. If you are not a fan of Halo or have never played a Halo game, I don't care. Get this game. It's worth every penny. Hell its worth more than its retail price! 343i, thank you for this wonderful game and I can't wait for the next installment!… Expand
  70. ACEBOI
    Nov 6, 2012
    7
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. boi boi boi boi boi boi boi boi boi boi boi boi boi boi boi boi boi boi boi boi boi boi boi boi boi boi boi boi boi boi boi boi boi boi boi boi boi boi boi boi boi boi boi boi boi boi boi boi boi boi boi boi boi boi boi boi boi boi boi boi boi boi boi boi boi boi boi boi boi boi boi boi boi boi boi boi boi boi boi boi boi boi boi boi boi boi boi boi boi boi boi boi boi boi boi boi boi boi boi boi boi boi boi boi boi boi boi boi boi boi boi boi boi boi boi boi boi boi boi boi boi boi boi boi boi boi boi boi boi boi boi boi boi boi boi boi boi boi boi boi boi boi boi boi boi boi boi boi boi boi boi boi boi boi boi boi boi boi boi boi boi boi boi boi boi boi boi boi boi boi… Expand
  71. Bassface
    Nov 8, 2012
    9
    This is coming from somebone who has played Halo since 2002 heres the pros and cons. PROS Amazing graphics that get better as you progress through the campaign. Brilliant sound design and musical score. Addictive gameplay. The series is in safe hands. Great story and voice acting. CONS The xbox 360 is starting to show its age (No fault of 343!) No control of audio mix No firefight The multiplayer should aim for 60fps + More player count in slayer in Halo 5 next gen (This is due to the aging 360 again)

    All in all its a great game and im suprised just how good! worth your money.    … Expand
  72. Kevinuts
    Nov 7, 2012
    8
    The game has definitely taken a turn, but that doesn't mean that it's been driven into the ground. The improvements in sound and visuals are incredible and alone should be recognized for greatness. Everything is as fresh as can be. But, what I think bothers most people is the change in mechanics and more importantly, the change in developers. True, many elements have been taken from to Call of Duty. However, the core of the game is still Halo and these guys aren't stupid. They know Halo. An incorporated sprint and perks won't destroy the game. It's just something new and different. I'll be honest and say that it'd be nice to see some Halo 2 type of gameplay, again. Guns, vehicles, melee and that's it. But Halo 4 is not Halo 2. And the easiest way to understand that it's not Halo 2 is to observe the cover of the game case. It reads Halo 4. These advancements in gameplay are meant to broaden the horizon of possibilities. The elements set forth into this title may seem clunky and unoriginal, but please do us all a favor; be optimistic.Don't be like many of the butt-hurt die-hard players who will go on to say that 343 killed the series and that their childhood has been utterly devastated. The game that we all love is still there, but the Halo Hipsters refuse to recognize it. It's a fun playthrough with a compelling story and a solid multiplayer. Buy it.… Expand
  73. brightandblue
    Nov 7, 2012
    1
    I give this game 1 point, because it has the name Halo on it. Other than that, it doesn't live up to it's predecesors, let alone, makes for a good game on it's own. I hate to say this, but Halo is dead, my friends.
  74. Hellzera
    Nov 7, 2012
    0
    It seems that Halo 4 was made so that fans of the series happy and satisfied with what Halo was always, feel at home. It's a game that does not take risks, perhaps for fear of not pleasing - that's what he tries to do more with its beautiful scenery, high production value and cinematic sequences. It's a game of unquestionable artistic and technical competence, but that, at least in the first few hours, seems to be missing something. Or perhaps it is a sign that his formula for over 10 years, virtually unchanged here, since you no longer have the same breadth of before in a single campaign.… Expand
  75. PoopshipDestroy
    Nov 7, 2012
    8
    well here we go. look at that dichotomy of scores! anytime you have something this partisan, you can bet the haters have other reasons to hate - I don't dare speculate at this point.

    Halo 4 is wonderful in most regards. Graphics, stunning. Sound, amazing. Story, very good. Gameplay, just right... note that point. Yes, it feels more like Halo CE than the others, and I like that.     Let's get to the roots here people, and enjoy what makes this game great. That said - there are enough improvements to keep it interesting and fresh. Only dislike - too many of the ideas already used by COD and BATTLEFIELD type games for the multiplayer. Lame. But still fun.
    Laters... and don't listen to the haters. THIS IS A GREAT GAME    … Expand
  76. CoolestGuyAroun
    Nov 7, 2012
    8
    I don't think this game deserves a 10. I don't think it deserves a 0. I think if you chose either, your view is invalid. Pretty much all of these user reviews sadden me. You know what? Looking at all these user reviews, we don't deserve good games. We don't deserve developers working tirelessly to provide us with an entertaining experience. Not when we can't even be thankful for the effort, regardless of if we like or dislike the game. Not everyone that can write is a critic. I'll ask you to think before you write your user review, because I think that's the least that the people who made this game deserve.… Expand
  77. kapowaz
    Nov 8, 2012
    6
    A story that doesn't make a lot of sense; weapons that aren't as interesting; level design that's boring and repetitive (even by Halo's standards) and lots of small issues add up to a campaign game that just isn't that much fun. A disappointment, and not up to the standard that Halo sets. Multiplayer enthusiasts will undoubtedly get something from this, but for anyone who cares about the campaign this game just isn't that good.… Expand
  78. Boberson
    Nov 8, 2012
    10
    Awesome game, and I've loved the Halo Franchise since Halo CE. It's similar to Call of Duty and Battlefield three, their fan's have joined a better game than Call of Duty and Battlefield. The multi-player platforms are great and campaign is fairly entertaining. I love all the new things they added to the multi-player experience! It's excellent. Definitely worth buying Halo 4.
  79. armandothegreat
    Nov 8, 2012
    5
    I mostly bought Halo 4 hoping to have a fun campaign to play through, however, the campaign feels more like a chore than anything else. If you are going to buy this mostly to play the campaign...just wait a few months, and pick it up for $20 used instead... or rent it. I had to force myself to get through the first 3 levels - it's all the same **** and the whole time you'll be thinking "is this going anywhere?". The story is dull with plenty of crap that makes absolutely no sense. It's like they tried to take what was already a good sci-fi storyline and jumble in a bunch of garbage that's not really entertaining. I'll be glad when I finish playing this game so I can just trade it in. I have no idea where critics came up with the 9.0+ ratings for this game.

    I'll probably try the multiplayer...but I'm not a big multiplayer fan so I'll keep my expectations low.    … Expand
  80. Masontheslayer9
    Nov 9, 2012
    8
    Overall, Halo 4 is a good game. There are many things, however, that make it less than perfect for any Halo fan that has been around for Halo 3 or longer. I'll start with the campaign. The first problem with it is that things happen much too fast without any build up, especially the first encounter with the Prometheans. Secondly, the introduction of characters is done much too fast as well and it never gets time to settle in. The cutscenes are spectacular; but a drop in audio quality often makes me annoyed. The cutscenes also fade too quickly, making the transition from scene to scene almost choppy. The overall problem I have with the campaign is that it isn't as memorable as Halo 3's. With everything redesigned, it almost feels like its not even its successor but an entirely new game of its own. 343's omission of many gametypes and customization options leaves much to be desired. I mean removing features from the game? Are you nuts? The thing that angers me the most is the limitation of emblems from the beginning. For one, there aren't as many as previous games to begin with, but two, there is only a limited selection from the beginning? How am I supposed to look different from other beginning players? Overall, 343 leaves much to be desired. The game feels more like something else than the start to a whole new trilogy. I hope 343 clears this up with updates (which they probably won't, if they follow Bungie's example with Reach) and learns from their mistakes with Halo 5.… Expand
  81. Robocop666
    Nov 10, 2012
    5
    All I'm gonna say is its shocking the guns are rubbish and if you want a shooter wait till cod on Tuesday I have played all halos and this is by far the most unrealistic one two shots with a single shot bmr rifle kill you it's rubbish 10 out of 10 for the campaign 5 out of 10 for multiplayer
  82. satsumo
    Nov 10, 2012
    6
    Before I get trolled by all those fan-boys let me make it clear I'm not a Sony fan-boy or a COD fan-boy. I'm Xbox through and through but... As much as I enjoy this game - I'm now becoming bored. The campaign is nice enough but the multi-player is just the same as previous Halos but with polished graphics and slightly more class customisation. But after all these years they've not added anything "special" to the multi-player. It's still very slow to get into matches and there are glitches that keep ending multi-player matches before they finish.
    There's a very limited weapons choice. The perks are one-dimensional. The armour is just for show - there's no concept of trading off heavy armour against speed and agility.
    There's no building damage (like BF3)

    Maybe the problem with this game is that they spend so much time, effort and money on the campaign that they don't have much to offer the multi-player other than a graphics polish.

    This game needs to evolve.    … Expand
  83. MarquisBlack
    Nov 11, 2012
    9
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Allow me to just say this: I've bought and played every single Halo game released since Halo:CE. I have also played the CoD and MoH series, and yet I can say this about Halo 4: it is by far one of the most amazing first-person shooter games I've seen. And that's saying something. In a genre where the basic aim of the game is "point and shoot," it can be amazingly difficult to have the game portray any sort of substance beyond the passing thrill of shooting the enemy in the face or performing trick shots. So when I played through the campaign (admittedly on Normal difficulty), I was absolutely stunned by how magnificent the story they chose to portray shone through. The love story, tragic and moving without being sexualized: brilliant. The graphical display of the rich environment of Requiem: stunning. The suspense, which after the Flood would have had a high bar to surpass: thrilling. Even just the fact that 343 Industries decided to so deeply entangle the game with the novels being published (a concerted effort, if I recall correctly, between the authors and 343 Industries to expand the Halo canon ala Star Wars) made the game so much more interesting and intriguing.

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

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

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

    In short, 343 Industries have created a resounding success in their first foray into the Halo world. I can't wait to see what they'll come up with next. Hopefully, the 2nd Forerunner-Human War!    … Expand
  84. nator1877
    Nov 12, 2012
    10
    Halo is back in my opinion. Nothing beats or can compare to the very first Halo which is what I have been chasing fro years now like a drug. I actually enjoyed the campaign and did not skip the cut scenes like every other game in the last few years. I felt invested, I felt it mattered to know what was going on and what my next objective would be. The Spartan Ops definitely adds longevity to this game when you are done with the campaign and you can level up and customize as well. The multiplayer has changed or evolved and is a welcome change for me. Overall this game was a surprise hit for me. I purchased the game off of the Microsoft store with $25 credit. $35 and very well spent, just wow! The new weapons, the new enemies, the new locations, new vehicles. I do feel like I am always finding a new weapon or a way to use it. Must play.… Expand
  85. punchaYoBuns
    Nov 12, 2012
    9
    A lot of gamers are getting on here and saying that this game is not the same Halo game that we have all come to love. I might agree with that statement a little bit but the truth is that in my opinion it has gotten better. Halo is known for having storylines that fall apart at some point and leave you just shooting in the middle of some mission for no reason. Give 343 Industries a chance because Halo needed a reboot. They might have saved Halo from extinction after the Armor-Locking fiasco that was Halo: Reach. So what I am trying to say is that if you are going to judge a game for taking a risk and changing its gameplay some then you probably still believe that we should never come out with a new gaming system either. Halo 4 is pretty awesome too!… Expand
  86. Metallic
    Nov 12, 2012
    2
    As a halo fan I was ready to give 343 industries a chance and looking back now, how wrong I was to even think about buying it. Starting off with the PROS: 1. the game looks very well polished and sleek (a bit too polished) 2. they've brought some old guns back 3. sprint is a standard ability given to everyone 4. master chief talks more That's about it... CONS: 1. the menu screen has been played with too much making it feel odd
    2. possibly the biggest problem, the music. if it's perfect don't change it
    3. boring campaign only consisting of objectives like ' hold the enemy off ' or ' destroy the shields '
    4. forge feels like its been copied and pasted added with a pile of turd stuck on top
    5. boring new maps that are no good for forge and make a bad multiplayer
    6. the mantis is a good concept but the design is terrible
    7. the forerunner weapons look cool but imo aren't good for any situation
    8. people on line are either idiots that camp or people who waste their life devoted to levelling up. It's becoming just like COD is.
    The game is just a let down. Sadly, 343 industries have ruined the halo era.    … Expand
  87. Schembre91
    Nov 12, 2012
    10
    I have invested about 40 hours into this game so far. Let me be clear in stating that Halo 4 is a sum of its' parts. Halo is not just the campaign or the MP. It's all of it together (campaign, music, voice acting, cut scenes, MP, spartan ops, ranking, unlocking, etc.) and it's an experience, not a game. I have been an avid halo fan for the last 12 years of my life and can say with certainty that, in my opinion, Halo 4 is the best Halo yet. I have noticed that many reviewers are comparing the game to bungie's halos and something occurred to me. Many players may be waiting for the next Bungie game, not the next Halo game. For those are waiting for the next Bungie game you're not going to get it. What you're going to get is the next element of Halo. Let's start with the good. Halo 4 as everyone has said is gorgeous...the graphics will put even the most sophisticated games out there to shame. Some cut scenes are pre-rendered which adds just that much more realism to the series. If you've ever played the other games you'll notice that 343 has stepped out of a Halo comfort zone and tested the waters with an all new, more serious approach to the game in terms of character animations, voice acting, and dialogue. Secondly, Halo 4 feels like halo...let me repeat that for all the CoD fans...HALO 4 FEELS LIKE HALO!!!Halo 3 had given me some of the most memorable moments in my gaming career. It was my favorite game of all time. When Halo: Reach came out, Bungie had started experimenting but doing it in all the wrong ways. To many, including myself, Reach felt foreign. It felt different and most importantly it didn't feel like Halo. Halo 4 takes all of the things that Reach did right and mixed it with Halo 3 while casting aside all of Reach's short comings. (No spoilers, don't worry) In campaign Halo 4 goes back to its roots and gives us options on how to tackle engagements. What I mean by this is that when you turn the corner and find yourself in a big valley with a pulsating forerunner structure and hordes of baddies you can bum rush them with all of your Spartan might, hop behind the wheel of a near by vehicle (which are no longer made of DMR vulnerable paper machet) or covert-ops your way up to the nearest elite or knight and go into an stunning performance of grace and death with a combat knife....or brutally ripping arms off. But I digress. Choices are what has made the game so much fun to play for players in the past and it's back with a vengeance in Halo 4 which is something that was sorely missed in all the tight quarter engagements in Reach. The next great thing about this game is the Chief probably has more lines in this game than the last 3 games combined. The relationship between the Chief and Cortana is nothing short of spectacular! Finally the fans who have dedicated hours of their lives to reading the books have finally been able to see that expanded universe of Chief's personality mixed with the quirks that are Cortana. Mixed with her increasing rampancy it gives us loyal zombie fans something more than the previous campaigns ever did.Multiplayer is back baby! And it's better than ever! Halo 4 has taken all of the good things from every game and put it into the multiplayer experience. It learned from the mistakes that came from Halo 3 and Reach and pulled together to create a multiplayer experience that is fun and adds to Halo 4's list of ever growing Pro's. Movement is back to where it was, no more decreased strafing speed like Reach. You're back to usual spartan strength as well so grenades aren't mini nukes landing at your feet. Loadouts are relatively newer as you have to unlock certain items for use but don't worry you unlock the important weapons after the first couple of games. And the magic of Halo is that all the weapons are balanced. (minus the power weapons) meaning that even though you start with an AR and magnum you still have just as good a chance as anyone else for victory. Reticle Bloom is severely decreased to a point of almost non existence so skilled players are no longer taken down by lucky spammings of the trigger. Vehicle friendly maps are now more abundant than ever and feel fun to play! Briefly, Spartan Ops is a great replacement for the monotonous firefighting. Now you have purpose and a goal instead of mindless shooting. Spartan Ops takes place 6 months after the events of Halo 4 and is a whole new story in its own right. As mentioned before the whole game in itself is an experience. It's not just one thing over another and if you truly want to enjoy a game you should consider all it has to offer. Not beating the campaign in one sitting then taking it back.Small cons: Ammo isn't abundant in campaign, constantly switching to promethean and covy weapons.No saved films feature for campaign or s-ops yet.
    and the campaign ending leaves nothing to the imagination or eludes to what Halo 5 could be about. 343 outstanding job! Halo is in good hands.    … Expand
  88. dndandrea
    Nov 12, 2012
    10
    The negative comments are so silly. I went out and bought a xbox 360 primarily just to play this game and it was definitely worth it. The campaign storyline is great and I felt connected with the characters. The addition of all these new weapons was really nice. The game is challenging if you play it on heroic or legendary mode but very rewarding. I honestly can't complain about much, if I had to i'd say the campaign was short. 6 hours, 3 minutes, and 30 seconds for me on heroic mode and I died a lot! Still, the campaign was solid. I like the addition of spartan ops but I hope 343 adds some more interesting levels for it soon. If you have an xbox 360 there should be no questions of whether or not to buy this game!… Expand
  89. Anson
    Nov 12, 2012
    10
    Everything in this game was absolutely spectacular. Multiplayer is better than ever and campaign is just as interesting as previous installments. The only think that I can complain with is the menus that leave a bit to be desired, but you get use to them very quickly,
  90. popje
    Nov 12, 2012
    10
    Best campaign since Halo: Combat Evolved and best multiplayer experience since Halo 2. The graphics are amazing, the story is really good and there a ton of awesome moments worthy of the first Halo. My hopes were low for the multiplayer after the disaster that is Halo: Reach, but Halo 4 multiplayer is more than awesome, it really feels like Halo 2, the gameplay is fast and action packed, the maps are awesome and flawless. People who say the game have been CODified, its not entirely false, but what make halo, halo and cod, cod ? its definitely not the small perks here and here. The ordinances push players to rush and not to camp like killstreaks are in Call of duty, perks are a small bonus and are nowhere near mandatory. The scoring system is well made and really reflect players skills. What else can I say ?… Expand
  91. Pepperoni3000
    Nov 12, 2012
    10
    Best Halo campaign I've played in a long time. Greatest graphics in the series and the most emotional story line I've seen since the Gears of War series. The music, while not Marty's, definitely fits the Halo universe. 343i definitely did this franchise some good!! Love the multiplayer too, new and a step up from Reach's unbalanced mess.
  92. LmTz
    Nov 13, 2012
    9
    There is no doubt that 343 Industries handled one the most famous FPS game of the history almost impeccably as soon as you play the first campaign missions. At the core it's still the same old great Halo we've been playing for years, yet at times, the game can deliver that same freshness the first one delivered as you're thrown in a completely new world against a whole new enemy even more threatening than the Covenant. The sound is still one of the finest you'd find, only this time, the same can be said in regard to the graphics. How beautiful this game looks! The gameplay, in spite of the default sprint, has changed very little and been kept as good as the past games. Last but not least, the multiplayer; well, in a nutshell: EXTREMELY addictive. Beware. Unfortunately, many Halo fans' favorite playlists were not shipped with the game, but it is nothing a patch can't fix. Fan of Halo? MUST buy. Not a fan? Why not join us now? It's a new trilogy, and 343i has proved itself to be more than capable of carrying on the legacy of the series.… Expand
  93. Hiffchakka
    Nov 13, 2012
    10
    Halo 4 has taken a new direction in regards of storytelling, and in my opinion it makes the best single player so far since we not only get MC and Cortana back but they have become something more than just a puppet we control. The campaign has some epic set pieces with beautiful graphics and music. Spartan Ops make for a valid replacement for Firefight though could need a scoring system. Multiplayer has changed a lot though, some will like it and some might not. Personally I'm having a blast and probably will be the first in queue for Halo 5.… Expand
  94. SithLordMike
    Nov 13, 2012
    10
    I love this game to death! Sadly, I wish COD did not get so boring to me. Happily, Halo did not become boring to me. The story is an A+, the online A+, the S.O. is an A+. Only thing that is bad, the fact that I wish I have more time to play. :)
  95. Keeds
    Nov 13, 2012
    10
    i can't say anymore than this is an amazing game. the Campaign is STELLAR and i cant say anything else because of spoilers and finally halo has really great graphics the first time i go out of darkness of requiem into sunlight it was the same feeling of being on halo for the first time.

    Multiplayer is SO FUN and even though its diffrent its still halo :)
  96. Tobykenobi88
    Nov 13, 2012
    9
    I purchased Halo 4 mainly for the story. I've played and own all the games, and read many of the books so to me the biggest point of the game was the storyline. Thankfully, the story was great! As has been stated in other reviews, lots of character development and intense moments between Master Chief and Cortana. The gameplay was good as well, but felt very similar to previous Halo games (not necessarily a bad thing.) A few cool new weapons and abilities as well as the returning "veterans." I had a few minor gripes with some of the changes, like the updated Covenant for example, but that is totally a personal complaint and nothing major. Overall, a fun game which takes proven game mechanics with some small adjustments and puts it with an intriguing story line. I'd say a must buy for fans of the Halo series in general, and maybe a try before you buy for everyone else.… Expand
  97. KenshinBatousai
    Nov 13, 2012
    10
    The Best. from being a very avid player of the series. i'm glad they incorporated a lot from the books. a good example would be the relationship between the didact and librarian. It seems that 343i has been doing research on the story. the best part would be the graphics overall since Halo has never seen the daylight of true 1080p Resolution . OVERALL It Is AMAZING. Bungie. the legendary corporation that made Halo handed over there baby to another company no one has ever heard of and improved it beyond reason. Must get? Yes. and it's a must try for any. good investment… Expand
  98. TheFarLeft
    Nov 13, 2012
    10
    This is a fantastic game. However, it is a step in an entirely new direction. The campaign is awesome, the setting, characters, and story is great. Graphics are fantastic. Weapons and vehicles sound great and feel powerful. You get to know the Chief and Cortana better, since they actually have a personality in this game. The cutscenes look amazing. 343 has really captured that feel of a new alien world, just like Bungie did with Halo 1. Campaign is a bit short though, it ran me about 7 hours on Heroic. Neon lights EVERYWHERE.

    The multiplayer is great, it is a completely new experience but it still plays like classic Halo. Surprisingly, the perks and abilities are all perfectly balanced. They are each useful in certain situations, but if you rely on them too much you will be at a disadvantage.

    I've seen a lot of people comparing it with COD because of the loadouts. First of all, COD did not invent the system of loadouts; Battlefield, Team Fortress 2, Red faction: Guerrilla, and many other games have classes/loadouts/perks. Just because the two games have something in common does not mean that one copied the other. Loadouts and perks are becoming a standard part of FPS's, and Halo included them so that it could keep up with the pack. Personally, I think that they are a fantastic addition. If I wanted a game that played just like Halo 1, I would go play Halo 1. There is nothing wrong with revolutionizing a franchise, and 343 has done it well. I don't like everyone being on equal footing at the start of the match, it's boring to me. Each person you come against is unpredictable because you don't know what armor ability they have equipped, and I find that really fun. You have to constantly adjust your tactics in order to keep the upper hand. Halo used to be about rushing to power weapons and camping them all game, something that I absolutely hated. Halo 4 takes the focus off of power weapons, and focuses more on player skill.

    A lot of people (myself included) were worried about the Mantis being overpowered, but after having used it for a few hours in MP I can tell you it isn't. If you bring it out into the middle of a firefight, you will die very quickly, unless your team is covering you.

    Spartan Ops is a great addition. You get a new 'episode' of 5 missions every week, which will run you about an hour of gameplay on Legendary. They've only had 2 episodes but they're great so far.

    I kind of miss Firefight, but not that much.

    I personally believe that 343 has out-Bungied Bungie. This a fantastic game, but it is not like the previous Halo's. It is an entirely new trilogy from an entirely new company. If you can adapt to the franchise's new direction then you will have a blast. If you cannot, then I'm sorry for your loss.    … Expand
  99. Impulse
    Nov 13, 2012
    10
    As a long-time Halo fan, I was admittedly a bit weary that 343 wouldn't be able to handle the Halo franchise. I thought it would be like Halo Wars; big-budget, and well-polished, but just overall lacking in real quality; 343 just didn't have the experience to get it right, especially on their first try.

    Well I'll be damned, they did it. Is it a perfect game? No. But Halo 4 is a labor of     love, and every corner of this game has been loving crafted by some people who obviously wouldn't give up what they're doing for anything else in the world.

    Graphically, right out of the box, this game blows away anything else that has ever appeared on the Xbox 360. Bungie made leaps and bounds with an amazing graphical engine for Halo's latest installment, but Reach never really had any BEAUTIFUL moments that really took advantage of just what they could do, and Halo 4 really steps up to the plate, combining a brilliant graphics engine with just amazing art direction. There's never a dull environment.

    And as a long-time fan of Marty O'Donnell (heck, I practically worship the guy), I would have to say that by-and-large, Neil Davidge does a pretty damn good job of filling some large shoes for this game's soundtrack. Though he has perhaps fewer pieces that stand out as truly enjoyable stand-alone ones, with a large number simply being atmospheric pieces, and many of his melodies aren't quite as inspired as Marty's, his sound production skills are in a league of his own, with even the most basic pieces made enjoyable by some amazing layering of multiple melodies and rhythms.

    And speaking of sound, this game is almost as much of a step forward as it is graphically. Every gun is an absolute treat to shoot, reload, and bash people's (and ancient dormant alien defense AI's) faces in with. Explosions are beefy, vehicles sound great, and combat is as visceral and intense as ever.

    The written story, however, is likely one of the weaker parts of the game. While it gets the job done, by setting up some amazing gameplay moments and with cutscenes that are brought to life by facial animation easily on par with LA Noire and some fantastic voice acting, especially by Jen Taylor and Steve Downes's interactions, it can be somewhat sketchy and hard to follow at a few points, especially if you haven't read any of the books leading up to this game. But the underlying motif of Chief's (and Cortana's) humanity is a touching, thought-provoking, and emotional one.

    What it all comes down to, however, is the gameplay, and man, did 343 really put some thought into it. As somebody who wanted to love Reach so badly but just never really clicked with it, Halo 4 puts some oil on the gears and gets them turning again. The campaign is chock-full of some amazing moments (the Mammoth ride had me drooling the entire time) and while it can have some repetitive moments inside of the Forerunner structures, it's overall well-paced and plenty of fun. The covenant are their usual selves but feel more responsive and coherent. If you start dropping grunts, elites will duck in and out to draw your fire. Kill high-ranking leaders, and enemies will flee and regroup to take you down.

    And then there's the Prometheans. While there are only three enemy types (the pack-minded crawlers, the floating support-oriented watchers, and the commanding Knights), they all work off of each other to outwit and destroy you. Lone Crawlers will draw you into ambushes where they overwhelm and snipe you, Watchers will put barriers over enemies you are attacking, throw grenades back, and resurrect its fallen comrades, and Knights will do everything they can to obliterate you, teleporting in to slash at you when their heavy armaments don't do the trick. The enemy AI is fantastic, and creates diverse and interesting dynamic encounters where a single enemy can make a world of a difference on higher difficulties.

    And multiplayer is a whole new fare. I was more than skeptical about loadouts, but among every weapon, everything feels balanced. This is nothing like Call of Duty, where you have 30 guns that do the same thing, with everybody racing to unlock the overpowered one that requires you to play a ridiculous amount of time to reach. Here, you have a small amount of distinct but equal weapons, and have to play a minimal amount of time to unlock them. Perks are also a neat addition, taking as little time to unlock as the minimal but neat difference they make. I never lost a gunfight because somebody else could carry an extra clip into the battlefield, and anybody complaining about them wrecking the game has obviously not bothered giving them a chance.

    Overall, Halo 4 is a shining example of a game. 343 has blown away every single expectation for this game, and there's plenty of content to appreciate, from its somewhat short but oh-so-sweet Campaign, to its Multiplayer rich with too many features to list to weekly, episodic, and FREE spartan ops missions.

    Buy Halo 4.    … Expand
  100. brick623
    Nov 14, 2012
    9
    This is the best xbox360 game since Mass Effect 2 and the best Halo since Halo 2.

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

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

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

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

    Definitely worth £40 I would highly recommend this game to anyone interested in gaming.    … Expand
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Critic Reviews

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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.
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