Halo 4 Xbox 360
User Score
6.9 out of 10

Mixed or average reviews- based on 2261 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 1,545 out of 2261
  2. Mixed: 145 out of 2261
  3. Negative: 571 out of 2261

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  1. norse
    Dec 2, 2012
    5
    Distinct sense of "Meh" - the Halo storylines have become weaker and weaker since the original. The single-player campaign is of course graphically gorgeous, but boring and unmotivated as all heck. The enemy AI is seriously dumb; the one redeeming quality is the ability to play coop.
  2. Coletrain128
    Mar 21, 2013
    8
    343 has proved that they can create a product just as good as Bungie's time spent with Halo. However, it's important to address the certain factors that hold this back from being and outstanding title. The campaign is shorter compared to most Halo game's and there are very few moments throughout the experience that can be considered as memorable. I will say that the story and the overall atmosphere of the planet requiem save it from being a forgettable campaign. Spartan Ops could of also been a welcomed addition if it wasn't for the use of repeated environments. When you are trying to tell a story over the use of a competitive multiplayer map (Ragnarok) it doesn't really work. The fmc cutscenes are impressing to watch, but the whole experience suffers due to doing the same trivial objectives such as pressing three buttons to open a door or clear a room of enemies. Multiplayer is a mixed bag. On one hand you get great additions such as Haven and Adrift but majority of the maps suffer from similar design, they are either too massive or are either a giant circle (Longbow, Exile, Meltdown, Wreckage, Complex). The overall product is good, but it certainly isn't game of the year material or deserving of a 10/10.… Expand
  3. gstiker5
    Apr 9, 2013
    10
    Awesome Game which must be played.
    Good: Graphics are amazing, controls are different but good,great multiplayer modes, split-screen is great, variety of modes, new enemies are interesting, the story can be understood without reading the books, tons of customization, Bad A Steep Learning Curve if you're new to Halo, Campaign is sometimes a bit too chaotic
    10/10 Just Buy It Seriously
  4. Rhapsody
    Apr 25, 2013
    8
    I am not a really big fan of the halo series, but I feel that 343 industries has taken the game to a new level, since I really believe the series needed to take a step forward. I feel that the single player could have been put more effort into, but other than that, the multiplayer is great, and it is the one aspect that kept me from giving it a mixed score.

    I suggest that people should     wait a little bit until the prices decrease a little bit, so lots of people can have the same amount of fun for a low cost.… Expand
  5. gypsygib
    Nov 18, 2012
    10
    I'd give the game a 9.5 The gameplay is a proper evolution of Halo gameplay while keeping the core features that make the game definitely feel like Halo, just refined and improved. Compared to most other FPS single player campaigns, Halo 4s is very good. The story is just ok, but I had more fun in SP than most games all gen due entirely to Halo unique gameplay and enemy AI. To add some much neede depth to the SP story it's best to watch all the PR and spends a day reading the HaloWiki. The improved graphics (which are excellent for old consoles) come at a minor cost to environment size and perhaps a tiny hit to AI. The MP is a series best for me....so far. I've had the game since launch and seem to have spent 75% on my MP time on one map, due to the voting system and the map options the game offers. There is a problem with matches and stats not being added to your record which is VERY frustrating. I enjoy spartan-ops more than the firefight and the story element adds to the enjoyment despite being fairly shallow but something is better than nothing. Also, the lack of matchmaking for old spartan ops episodes is a major let down. Overall, the game offers so many hours of fun and interesting game types that it deserves to be among the best games in the gen. 343 actually surpasses Bungie in many ways, and only falters occasionally. 343 has proven to me that they are among the top devs, Halo 4 do a lot and does the majority of it very very well.… Expand
  6. casshern09
    Nov 6, 2012
    6
    Pretty disappointed really. Was really hoping this would be a return to form after hating Reach and ODST so much. If you liked the others, chances are you will like this, if you didn't, this won't do anything for you.
    The gameplay has not changed one bit. Same familiar looking corridors, same vehicle sections.
    Yeah it looks and sounds great, but it is so frigging dull. MP is fine, nothin    g special. Like I said, if you liked it before, you will now.… Expand
  7. 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.
  8. BillySpandex
    Jan 6, 2013
    5
    The problem with Halo 4 is that it's a grossly overrated title. However to its credit, it is a better game to Halo 3 and dare I say it Halo Reach. The emotional connection between the Chief and Cortana was very well done, however the whole tale comes undone towards the end. The story's momentum just doesn't hold and at the end, the game feels weak.
  9. 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
  10. funkamonkey
    Nov 6, 2012
    9
    I'm not sure what game some people are playing but it doesn't seem like it's Halo 4. Somebody said they can aim with the left bumper, I still have to click the right stick. And comparing this with MW3 is like comparing Cristiano Ronaldo with Bob McDonald from our Sunday league team. The single player is classic Halo with a few extras thrown in and much better graphics. The MP is excellent and 343 have added loadouts and weapon drops but they fit the Halo profile perfectly and add a bit extra to the game. I love the 6 or so hours I've played so far and I think it's going to sit in my drive for a few months to come.… Expand
  11. BearzYo
    Nov 10, 2012
    10
    Deep emerging campaign, gorgeous looking. Brilliantly continues the Halo story.

    Multiplayer is great too. Won't get this out the disc tray for a while.
  12. GoodTasteGamer
    Dec 21, 2012
    8
    I played Halo 4 for a week and i felt like i didn't really receive the game that i was waiting for. This is NOT a bad game guys, definately not a bad game by a long shot: it has a fun multiplayer and an epic campaign, even being "asphyxiantly" short. The main problem is that it LACKS CONTENT. I can't even understand why i need two cds: The first cd has only the campaign, that it's epic but it lasts so much as a kid's popsicle on a hot day in the middle of the beach. Then you have Spartan Ops and Multiplayer, both of them requires you to install the cd 2 before you start to play. Why i need to install cd 2 ( that creates a file of more than 4 GB on the hard drive) to play Spartan Ops and Multiplayer ? Spartan Ops is only 1 f#cking episode, it's boring and it's impossible to play it offline so if you're not a gold member Microsoft f#cks you in the @ss. Then you have multiplayer, where you are allowed to choose between... what ?... 3 maps on the big modes - not even a half of what we had on Halo 3! The graphics are good, clearly not the best but in the top 5 of the console for sure. The scenarios are big and high detailed. I played sick battles on them with no frame-rate issues whatsoever. The "level up" system is unfair because it rewards the people who bought the game earlier than others, the sickest weapons and habilities will always be available exclusive to players with high rank level (but still a mile away better than any COD multiplayer). The game also doesn't have any punishment for friendly fire and that sometimes can be very frustrating. There are various modes for multiplayer and almost nothing for the campaign: skulls without points and some "movie only" chapters to give you the impression that the campaign was satisfactory: it wasn't. The history is incredible weak, to be fair it would be almost childish if wasn't for Cortana's drama. Unfortunately, it's not a journey because Halo 4's campaign is not long enough for the player to feel connected with the characters and the events. The motion capture doesn't add too much. The soundtrack is good but not even close of being excelent as the soundtrack from the original trilogy. Halo 4 is far from being bad but it's unable to hide the fact that you bought a blank and incomplete product, that surely doesn't live up to its ambitions. Buy Halo 3 instead.… Expand
  13. aaronmwolford
    Jan 27, 2013
    7
    The Halo franchise has embedded the perfect dent in the first-person shooter genre, however while 343 has taken the series and knocked the multi-player out of the park the single-player takes a tremendous downward spiral into unavoidable oblivion. Mundane, repetitive, and monotonous are a few a adjectives to describe the campaign experience. Beauty cut-scenes and intriguing story are not a fault. The mere repetition of repeated metal "things" and disconnect from the world was the heaviest boulder to overcome. Halo used to be about expansive worlds and driving the warthog from point A to point B for the sake of; it was just to far to walk. Halo 4 puts the player in a metal box and says "hit that button." While the campaign was a disappointment the multi-player is hands down the highest contender of all prior Halos.… Expand
  14. SuperFloorMat
    Apr 28, 2013
    8
    I expected a lot more. You can't just shine a person that was so hyped with new guns and fancy armor and expect them to smile. The story of Halo 4 was a disappointment with the ending experience, I would of just skipped the campaign and wen't straight to multiplayer where the real fun begins. For a person who has played the other Halos, Halo 4s multiplayer doesn't feel like Halo anymore. It's not based on skill often, It's based on who gets the bigger weapon the fastest and kills the most people with it. Though some times multiplayer could be a blast in war games with exciting explosions and rapid fire fights, Mostly if you die, It's your fault. Spartan Ops feels like a filler and the moment I tried it it didn't receive to be much fun, I deleted it afterwards because you have to download it when it should be in the CD. I'm not sure about this one, i'm better off playing Halo 3 because FORGE was 10 times better. I can barely get any fun custom games with Halo 4 because the ability to make maps in FORGE can be more stressful than playing Dark Souls. Even though the chief is back. Is Halo Back?… Expand
  15. 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
  16. 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.
  17. greekaussie
    Jan 28, 2013
    9
    This review will be for halo fans and i can only say that if u love the other halo games you will certainly enjoy this one. Only a couple of things though,the battle areas arent as big as they are in reach or no.3 and some of the later stages are a tad repetitve but graphically is probably the best halo. I still think that reach is a touch better and halo 3 a little more epic but overall this can stand proudly in the halo canon.… Expand
  18. usrevenge
    Nov 9, 2012
    4
    update graphics a bit, still probably the worst halo this gen, and that is saying something

    halo 4 isn't even fun. that is the problem single player story ( normally considered top notch) is mediocre at best.
    the forge mode which was normally fun in halo reach and 3 is practically non-existant in halo 4, why is it even a feature?
    the multiplayer, which is the reason anyone gets halo i    f Freaking terrible, everyone hated reach, well halo 4 is worse. it isn't fun in the slightest. I wish halo would be fun again like in halo 1 or 2, but we still get garbage with the halo tag.

    the graphics look better, but they don't feel halo, because instead of colorful worlds were get gears of war grey. none of the covenant look like they used too, its just grey on grey action. oh and master chief is grey now too, awesome.

    anyone who loved forge games in halo 3 or reach might as well not get this game at all, because forge has no freedom anymore.

    anyone giving this game a 10 needs to be ignored it's a bad game with halo one the title and it's all they see.    … Expand
  19. AngryGRG
    Jan 5, 2013
    5
    Halo, one of my favorite series. But...Halo 4, is not as well as i anticipated. I believe they should of ended off Halo once and for all at Halo 3. But...we got Halo 4. I hope this is the last one, but it's not. The game is dropping it's edge. My personal opinion is that Halo 3 still remains the one i had the most enjoyment in. Halo 4 is basically Halo 3. But HD. It's multiplayer is same as old, no drastic changes like Halo 3 had from Halo 2 and 1. Combat is really linear, campaign is too short but highly repayable due to daily challenges and achievements. Story is well written but not very good. It's just fine. Spartan ops is...boring gameplay wise. The only enjoyment i get from them is the 2 minute cut scenes which are from each episode. I was a huge Halo fan, i almost got my self into buying the limited edition, but now. That i see it, i thanked my self i didn't. I would of wasted money. Halo games now are starting to get a bit repetitive which is bad. Overall its a 50/50 shot. If your purely up for it, go ahead and get it. If your not a major halo fan. Dont get it.… Expand
  20. oboehobo
    Nov 11, 2012
    10
    This is the best game I've ever played on the XBox 360. It has an incredible story that all Halo veterans should experience from start to finish. It's dark, emotional, and beautiful. A true masterpiece in gaming. On top of this, Halo 4 is as complete a package as you can buy. Whether you are fighting through the forerunner planet in the campaign, working with friends through the co-op missions in Spartan Ops, or proving your worth in War Games (the halo Multiplayer suite), there is always something for you to do. Not to mention this easily has some of the best visuals I've seen on a console game. From incredible lighting to a completely re-vamped sound design, this game doesn't know the word "ugly". Go buy this game. If you don't have an Xbox, save up, and then buy it and this game. Now! That's an order soldier!… Expand
  21. TheStranger
    Jan 26, 2013
    7
    If you play Halo for multiplayer I can't see this game sticking around for long. Something is just missing. I feel the level design of the maps left a lot to be desired. The visuals look really nice.
  22. DarthPreamp
    Nov 20, 2012
    6
    Pros: Amazing Graphics Cons: Boring gameplay, Ridiculous Story The original Halo series was enjoyable to play. This feels like a chore. It is a beautiful to look at chore, but nonetheless, a chore. No joy in any aspect of it. The story feels as if it is weighed down by its own predetermined need to be easily accessible. I really can't believe the positive reviews on this?
  23. DrNegative
    Nov 9, 2012
    10
    Outstanding campaign and its story. Art design, music, character development... all top notch. Multiplayer is a blast as well. 343 really took the torch and expanded the universe impressively.
  24. Demikly
    Nov 6, 2012
    10
    Epic new story arc started... and wow to Cortana & MC's banter in this Halo.. the best yet.

    Campaign was awesome, and haven't played much multiplayer yet, but from what I can tell, it's pretty bleeding good. My only complaint would be the matchmaking (no 'Best Connection' filter) but I like how there's more emphasis on skill matching anyway, all good!
  25. PlasmaPrestige
    Nov 19, 2012
    9
    Halo 4 isn't a perfect game, but it's a good example of how to revitalize a franchise whose success is in doubt as a result of transitioning developers. In fact, 343 Industries in many ways surpasses Bungie's in design and storytelling, and this is particularly evident in the campaign but can generally be seen everywhere in the game. Halo 4's campaign, albeit it a rather short journey even accounting for skill gaps, is the franchise's best when it comes to storytelling. The beauty is that Halo 4's story isn't just told through the cutscenes--as beautiful as they are--but through the living breathing world of Requiem and the ongoing battle Cortana faces--much of it in-game--with her own mortality. Fundamentally, Halo 4 is a game about humanity, more specifically, the humanity of the dynamic duo of the Master Chief. In Halo 4, we are posed with the interesting question of who is more machine than man: the rampant AI who is unable to distinguish between her cognitive self and human identity, or the one man tank who seemingly has no weakness, yet, at his core, is a human being. 343i sets this as the core of the campaign, and the consistent storytelling that results isn't simply good, it is quite honestly tear-jerking. Presentation wise, Halo--or any other game on the Xbox--hasn't looked better. The planet of Requiem pops with detail, from the vicious Promothean Knights to the structures that seemingly defy the laws of physics. The MC's character model is incredibly refined, with dents and scrapes signifying the journey of the MC not only as a soldier, but as a person--battered and self-questioning. The sound has nearly been redone, and everything sounds fantastic--from the intimidating weapons fire, phenomenal voice acting to the clunk of MJOLNIR armor on metal.

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

    My biggest complaint about Halo 4 is the removal of some of the customization that made Halo 3 great. In the Forge, precision editing without the use of coordinates is no longer possible, and in gametypes, the classic Infection is no longer available. The latter is detrimental as this is the one gametype which spawned hundreds of very memorable custom experiences in Halo 3 and even Reach. Overall, Halo 4 is a massive win for not only 343i, but for Halo fans and the gaming industry in general. Anyone who owns an Xbox owes themselves to pick up this game.    … Expand
  26. HofmanT
    Nov 14, 2012
    9
    As a 10 year Halo veteran, I must say that I am very impressed with what 343i has accomplished here. Halo 4 is an excellent game! The campaign, while NOT perfect, was put together very well. The multiplayer experience feels fresh and new, and everything is balanced very well (Including the Armor Abilities). The Forge mode has taken a huge step up from Reach with all the new additions and dynamic lighting. However, the custom games has actually taken a step down from from past games due to less customization. Spartan Ops has got to be the worst part of Halo 4, it just isn't a worthy successor to Firefight. Overall, Halo 4 is a solid game that everyone ought to play. Well done 343i :D… Expand
  27. killiana1a
    Dec 24, 2012
    4
    Single player consists of a great story interspersed with more hallway levels than you would ever expect to or want to see in a Halo game. A new developer created this game and it shows with the way Cortana is treated. Needless to say, the most memorable part of Halo 4 was Cortana and her story. The new developer through their treatment of Cortana essentially told players that Halo is going in a different direction.

    More importantly, the single player gameplay went from Halo where the road splits at 4 forks whilst you are driving a warthog to Halo 4 where it is one big Gears of War duck and cover level interconnected to each other with hallway battles. If that ain't bad enough, the multiplayer from the moment you buy and turn on the game is discouraging from the get go. Halo 4 has a "season pass" ala Call of Duty. What the publisher says is a discount on DLC is in reality, a Halo club card where if you don't buy into it, then you are potentially left out of matches because you don't want to pay $10 for 3 recycled multiplayer maps. Overall, Halo is the space FPS while Call of Duty is the terrestrial FPS. Both have terrible single player campaigns, while the multiplayer is becoming more and more exclusive with each new iteration in the series.    … Expand
  28. DarkKnightG4
    Apr 16, 2013
    9
    I was never a die-hard Halo fan. I came onto the Halo scene a year or two after it was originally released and respected how technically sound it was. As the later installments came out I never bought into the story or characters and I never thought they were the best looking games at the times of their release (due to art style). I would go to LAN parties with friends and have a great time playing with them, but outside of that, I rarely would touch those old Halos. That is until Halo 4. Halo 4 was a "changing of the guard" from the other installments, and in my opinion, for the better. More effort was put into giving the characters more depth through cinematic sequences and dialogue. I found this to be a great improvement over previous installments. The graphic level of Halo 4 actually met my standards for being one of the best looking games released at its time. The sound is also top notch, and the guns feel more powerful than ever thanks to the amped up sounds. The AI is smart and provides a challenge and the level designs provide decent variety in play-style. Multi-player runs smooth and the nasty "host powers" that plague these P2P games is marginalized well. I also enjoyed the new control schemes ,as I always preferred the COD style scheme with my play-style, and the customization/load-out options. There is a good balance between feeling that you have a unique character and having any load-out be viable. The new game mode, Spartan-ops is a decent addition however, like the game itself, the story is still pretty ho-hum. Now I haven't read any of the books for the added lore, but I don't believe I should have to in order to enjoy the stories of the games. This is an area that still could use some improvement. Overall, this is an excellent, high-production value game, and one of the best games on the Xbox 360. VERDICT: Must buy! You'll get you're bang for your buck quite easily with this game.… Expand
  29. nms1215
    Nov 19, 2012
    7
    I was skeptical about this game. I have been a long-time Halo fan, since the start. I loved the original, Combat Evolved, and Halo 2 is what has made me an XBOX Live subscriber since the beginning. After Halo 3, ODST, and Reach, I was ready to abandon the franchise. 343, built for the Halo series, replaced Bungie and promised a return to the "epicness" of Halo: CE, with some real game-changing innovations. Bravo 343. The campaign suffers from weak story narration (it is tough picking up on the Forerunner backstory and the introduction of the main antagonist), but great character narration (your typical Master Chief-Cortana narration, with extra emotion). I had to (more like wanted to) spend a whole day on the Halo wiki to learn about the deep mythology that was ignored by Bungie. It can be a bit overwhelming at times, but it was eye-opening as well. The terminals throughout the campaign also unlock videos on Halo Waypoint that give some much needed Forerunner backstory. The graphics have gone miles since the awful graphics of the past games. Animations are greatly improved. The missions are a great mix of that world-discovery from Halo: CE where you are just in awe of what you see, and fast paced combat scenarios with multiple possible solutions and not just your classic run-and-gun boredom. The multiplayer is great. The inclusion of custom loadouts was very smooth, and not like CoD (what I feared). The loadout weapons/abilities are all very balanced, as are vehicles (except the Mantes). Certain asymmetrical maps have balance issues if played with symmetrical gametypes (duh, except Matchmaking hosts those all the time). The only real problem is the highly overpowering Mantes (singular is Mantis). They can take out any vehicle, survive multiple hits from power weapons, and kill foot soldiers from nearly any range. Also, the Oddball game is awesome. You can now toss the ball strategically (to occupy enemies so they cannot use their guns, or to hand it over to teammates so you can fight off the enemies). Halo 4 is the Halo that Halo fans have been dying for, while appealing to all shooter fans.… Expand
  30. Samotslayer
    Jan 26, 2013
    8
    The story was the big selling point for me and while the Campaign is very short the story made me feel the same kind of sadness I felt for James in Silent Hill 2. The multiplayer is fun but lacks the kind of community Halo 2 & 3 had. The only thing I don't like about this game is the fact that Spartan Ops REPLACES Firefight.
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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.
    Read full review
  3. DailyGame
    Dec 3, 2012
    75
    The narrative is outstanding, even in spite of a few plot-point missteps, and the character evolution of Master Chief and Cortana deserves to be further explored with these wonderful storytellers (well, maybe one of them can't happen, but I'll avoid spoilers). However, the gameplay feels jilted, awkward and unrefined, three unforgivable sins in a landscape populated with other quite-capable FPS franchises. As a result, I'm going to average everything out: great story plus bad gameplay equals an average experience. And in this overcrowded FPS genre, "average" is isn't something I'd recommend buying.
    Read full review
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