Halo 4 Xbox 360
User Score
6.9 out of 10

Mixed or average reviews- based on 2306 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 1,569 out of 2306
  2. Mixed: 155 out of 2306
  3. Negative: 582 out of 2306

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  1. Kirillionaire
    Dec 16, 2012
    8
    The graphics were superb; some of the best I've ever seen on any game console. The music is good, but it reminds me too much of the Mass Effect series. It just doesn't sound... Halo-ey. Despite its length, I got really sucked into the story. This is the type of game where it really helps to go a little slower and take in the sights, learn some backstory, and appreciate the amount of work put into what you're looking at. I still don't understand how some of the environments were rendered in real time on an Xbox. The cutscenes were even better.

    I felt like the stronger relationship between Cortana and Master Chief was a little cheesy, but with good reason. It was still sometimes a little embarrassing to watch certain cutscenes with friends around.

    The multiplayer plays more like Mario Kart as opposed to chess in the other games. In the older Halo games, you had discrete options; with memorization of where power weapons spawn, you could play the game out decisively and with foresight.
    In this version, loadouts and random drops from things called ordinances dictate what power weapons you can obtain. This leaves a lot up to chance, and makes the gameplay feel cheap. Available power weapons on the map are also indicated on your HUD, which I think is sort of cheap. There should be a "classic" gameplay variant where where weapons spawn in regular intervals in certain spots, and everyone spawns with the same weapons. Also, no armor abilites and other ordinances and perks **** That's what COD is for.

    Spartan Ops is a sort of "Spartan-IV-marines point of view" weekly-updated episodic campaign. It feels pretty cheaply made, it's nowhere near the quality of the actual campaign. The cut scenes are rendered well and visually look just as good as the campaign ones, yet they don't hold the same emotional or situational impact. I would rather they have put more time into the campaign mode. It's just a repetitive series of "protect this, kill that, press this button, kill this, go here, retrieve the artifact, kill that, press this button." None of the locations used are new; they're all recycled from the campaign or multiplayer maps. On top of that, in different episodes, they have used the same maps, so it just feels like you're doing the same thing over again. Its really only worth watching the cutscenes, which you can do online anyway.........    … Expand
  2. Chief
    Nov 10, 2012
    8
    I have to admit that I expected much more from this game. It's still a lot of fun, the important gameplay mechanics have been preserved, yet it feels a little dull. The AI isn't as good as it was in CE: Anniversary or Reach, new enemies don't seem that original (Gears of War 3, anyone?) and the overall experience doesn't deliver that "WOW" feeling. The older Halo titles seemed kind of heartfelt, this feels just like a huge budget game made for earning billions of dollars. Ït could've been so much better...… Expand
  3. rollersox
    Dec 13, 2012
    9
    This game is by no means the best, but this score of 7 is just ridiculous. Considering it as 343i's first Halo game, it's pretty damn amazing. The graphics are one of the best on console, no argument. The music, while lacking in some areas compared to O'Donnell's compositions, is, frankly, amazing, and the campaign is very good--especially the revelation that Master Chief has an emotional side as well. The multiplayer is fast-paced and more COD-like, for better or for worse is you to decide. Spartan Ops is fun as hell, especially as it provides a campaign-like co-op.… Expand
  4. SneakyNutzZ
    Nov 7, 2012
    10
    Brilliant new step in the Halo series. I was skeptical being a Bungie fan and enjoying Halo since the first title. But 343i has defiantly done superbly in propelling Halo forward in a NEW direction. HALO 4 IS NEW as halo 2 was from combat evolved and 3 was from 2, and again Reach from 3. Halo 4 for steps forward and in my brothers and my opinion stays true to how halo should be.

    PROS: B    rilliant campaign story and gameplay (I have played every campaign with much appreciation. RIP Sgt. Johnson)
    Faster paced Multiplayer still retains core halo feel (plenty of room for team work)
    Player customisation does not unbalance gameplay
    Great sound detail
    Improved map editing
    Theatre remains
    Careful effective multiplayer (but people will always complain) CONS:
    No FireFight (I really liked it)
    Dislike the sound of warthog and scorpion tank


    BOTTOM LINE

    It's not Halo "again" it's a "NEW" Halo and its FUN which is what games are for.
    REMEMBER IT IS A GAME and just chill out if it fails to meet your reason for existence.    … Expand
  5. MrArmageddon17
    Nov 20, 2012
    8
    I have really enjoyed my time on this game so far. The campaign is pretty good. I would have preferred more shorter missions rather than the few long ones. At times it gets to the point where you just want the mission to be over. However there are some pretty epic scenes and the game looks fantastic. It must be pushing the 360 to its limits. The multiplayer is also a good time. I like the random map drops. Takes away the importance of knowing the power weapon locations and the fastest way to get there. The personal ordinance drops are a blessing and a curse. It's nice to rewarded for playing well but it is unnecessary. I would prefer to have the map drops happen more often and get rid of the ordinance drops. The custom loadouts are ok. I'd prefer if you just picked a gun and the grenades though. I find everything else unnecessary. The guns you can pick from however are incredibly balanced. Anyone who says otherwise is just complaining to complain. I would also like to see them get rid of map voting or improve the system. There are about 10 maps and in the 30 or so games I've played I think I have played 4. Often I have played the same map 3 times in a row. Also after games if the majority of the party leaves it would be nice to have the remaining group search for more players. I have had games that started 3 vs. 1 which is pretty lame. Over all a good game. Any complaints I have are really just nitpicking and personal preference.… Expand
  6. slimshady
    Nov 15, 2012
    5
    I played Halo when it first came out on the Xbox a decade ago and i still remember the good memories. The game was about the Halo rings , the covenant , humanity and ofcourse Master Chief. The story was good and well conceived. This game is nothing like that. I had great expectations for Halo 4 but unfortunately this one sucks. It's as if 343 copied all the good parts from other games and mashed it together. The fore runner corridor and ship levels are all shiny and metallic like Tron. Other Tron levels in the game have the same look except a different color palette (blue to red). The jungle level looked like i was playing Crysis. The fore runners looked like Turians from Mass Effect. Heck even the main bad dude (The Didact's) voice and look felt as if he was a Collector from Mass Effect 2. I think a big portion of this game is a copy of Mass Effect 2. The emotional sickness exhibited by Cortana didn't feel real (not to mention the annoying damsel look on her face) and in the end i didn't care if she lived either. And how come MC blows a nuclear bomb in his hands and comes out unscathed? It's impossible! I felt let down. Go spend your cash on something better or heck just rent the game.… Expand
  7. Kermie
    Nov 11, 2012
    9
    Simply put, it's outstanding. The campaign is an emotional roller-coaster ride that firmly embraces the deep and rich lore of the Halo universe, Multiplayer makes the right adjustments to keep up with the Joneses but more than maintains that classic halo feel, Forge is better than ever, and the new addition, Spartan Ops, is an absolute blast to play with friends! Tons of game and content here, and it is all firmly planted in classic Halo style. Sound design is absolutely fantastic, with a stirring score (although no where near Marty's mastery at Bungie) incredible gun sounds, and bar to none the best virtual performances I have ever witnessed in a shooter. The graphics are stellar, and the mechanics feel perfect. There are a couple moments during the campaign where the AI has a brain fart, or some weird graphical issue pops up, but aside from that this is an incredibly well polished presentation and package. Please don't listen to the trolls, Halo 4 is fantastic and the series is in good hands.… Expand
  8. 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.
  9. ThanatosXR
    Nov 7, 2012
    2
    Well Halo 4 is finally upon us, with a new studio in charged but does it live up to being called a Halo.
    Halo know for its addicted favor of multiplayer and it's open ended campgain and awesome soundtrack but to get right to the point Halo 4 doesnt live up to any of this. 343 musta been broke when hiring writers and the story is written like a hobo high on meth wrote it in 10 mins, every     line is the a random rush to get to the next scene, the main characters come off on unlikable, the script seems to be written by the cheeziest writter in Hollywood with random "drama" in them. The plot makes zero sence at all! Cortana randomly feels forced thoughout the entire game, Why would an A.I. die after 7 years? lolwtf shes a computer data never dies as long as you copy and paste the files, it make not logically sence at all. Another question is why do the covent starr attacking humans again? The story never says why everything in it is "just because". The compaign is riddled with "walk down a hallway get to the main room then fight some guys push 3 buttons move on" repeat for the next 4 hours. Every area feels and looks the same with a lens flare thrown all over it for no reason other then to hide the low textures, if you look everywhere the games graphics are alll simple bright colors with blocky designs everywhere, Why u ask? Because they can spit a game out every year with simple graphics and weith the blue lens flair nobody can see underneth a terrible cheap why of hidding the poor work the art designers did. Nobody in the game has any personally at all not even the good ol' MC. Every scene feels repackaged from CoD. Press "X" to prie the door open, Press "X" to win the final boss. The games writing makes porn seem culturalful. Well now that I finished campaign I want to go play some good ol' firefight to lets of some steam from paying $60 for a CoD compaign in a HALO game.....NOOOOOPE there is no firefight, theres the **** CoD spec ops clone well I'm thinking I'll get it a try before multiplayer....WRONG Play on LIVE on Legendary and all the mission are 10-20min pointless stories that are just a chore BORRRING you can finish them all in 40mins, they have no replay value. Alright so now I'm abit angry now and am thinking well it's Halo so multiplayer is where is usually at and then go to "WAR GAMES".......even the damn menus have generic names so I start it up first thing I noticed theres only 7 playlists? WTF no social no arena no invasion hell not even compaign multiplayer. So I go to Team slayer thinking hell yeah no bloom Halo 3 is back.....THINK again besides the menus being almost disfuncinal the playlist are right to left WTF spread out all over the screen for no reason ok so while waiting to start up my first game I'm thinking am gonna pimp up my armor like in reach......LOL NOPE all the few sets of armor all look the same but the helmets, ok so another downgrade from Reach so after awhile I noticed the games about to star 4...3....2.......1.... AND THEN I LAUGH OUT LOUD at 2am,the matches loading screen is copied right out of CoD with "UNSC Logo spinning around in a gobal digital sphere" ya you can't make this sh++ up. So the game loads up and a 100% inovative to FPS feature comes up.......a damn create class ohh yeah its innovative never done before. Ok so now its time to play first game I see a sniper rifle and get up to the highest point I can and start sniping, now I'm a average player I never have a K/D greater then 1.05 but.......I star off with a killing frinzy thats right its even easier then CoD, it makes CoD look hardcore. Everything is basically spam able all the weapons are mostly the same just reskinned. after 3 hrs of MP I make SR20, yawn all the maps are forgetable they are a decent design but "WarGames" are just a bore, its not Halo just another CoD in Halo skin, everyone takes lil skill to kill and die in a hit or 2. War Games feels like nothing I never felt like it had pushed my skill or made me learn new ones winning or losing in wargames feels the same. Hell we all hate a Cod puts out a new game every year but sadly CoD looks like a real game compared to this , I don't know how 343 pulled of an even easier CoD in space. AND that is it today at noon I sold Halo 4 back to Gamestop for $32 within less then 48 hrs first time ever. Hell despite all of Reachs problems I still it to this day and after complaining on the B.net about its flaws I have to say the worse was yet to come. Hell all the CoD's ever year even look like a million dollars compared to H4. 343 tried to make a CoD clone in Halo skin and failed epically. Well back to Reach and black ops.… Expand
  10. jack23
    Nov 6, 2012
    10
    By far the best looking console game , light and sound are perfect , hears people complain that it still feels too much like halo ...... Well it is halo ? Its going to feel like halo not MOH .
    Campaign is deep and well thought out , combat is skill based and not glorified wack a mole like most fps out there .
    Online , well online is one of the best ive played with the new features giving     you plenty to work towards , can not fault the game at all apart from it taking 5 years from halo 3 to being released .… Expand
  11. dkeerl
    Nov 7, 2012
    10
    Halo 4 seems to be a sour note for so many people: thinking that the story of the Chief should not continue. This game finally gives in to all the wonder and curiosity of the original trilogy, lets you fight next to badass Spartans, and gives you levels with scope and massive beautiful environments. I play on a 42" television and the graphics still stood up and looked phenomenal. As a PC gamer on the side, the Xbox's limitations are sorely pronounced, but Halo 4 pushes them to deliver a fulfilling experience. The cutscenes are incredibly done, and I can't wait for more. They beefed up the sounds as well. Weapons of destruction now sound like ultimate death and can be TERRIFYING. The story is different, and honestly if I hadn't read all the books (aside from Silentium) it would've been harder to keep up. After finishing the campaign I felt odd. The game had an ending that was strange for a Halo game. The Chief was on solid ground and in no mortal peril. It felt wrong. Then I played Spartan Ops and realized the true scope of the story. It's going to be big. Really big. Spartan Ops takes place 6 months after the end of the campaign, and it really will add to your perspective of the game. Remember how the original trilogy felt like it took place over the course of a week? Halo 4 sets you up to for fighting a big lengthy war, and I'm excited to see its development. I keep seeing that Halo 4 is "just the same old song and dance" from those who say Reach was a failure. Halo 4 feels more like the Halo that I started with and loved but it also feels new. So what if they have loadouts and perks? Every shooter game available has the same things: perks, weapons, and abilities. Who the hell cares how you get them? Borderlands, Battlefield, CoD, Team Fortress, Super MNC, Mass Effect, Uncharted and even (a non-shooter) Skyrim all have different abilities, perks, and weapons. The only difference? They're unlocked in different ways, and no one complains about it in these games. Every game these days HAS to borrow from other games for certain mechanics, the big kicker is how it plays and Halo 4 plays like a champ. You feel like a Spartan again. You feel strong, fast, accurate, and resilient.

    The customization options are great! The Armors look fantastic, the weapon selection is balanced, the perks are limited but useful (and don't feel broken) and the Armor Abilities are well thought out (no more f^%@ing Armor-Lock!). 343i really did their homework. The multiplayer has felt extremely balanced thus far, even WITH everyone's custom loadout. That's because even if when you start there are built in loadouts for you to use until you can make your own. The game also features random weapon placement so that the old pros can't just take over the map when facing new players. The "killstreaks" comparison lost merit as soon as I started playing.The Ordnance Drop is awarded via points gained by being a team player. You can get a few points from kills, but the points received for defending your flag, assisting your teammates, and staying with your objectives earn you far more. The ordnance selection is always random and has never been overpowering. Things that I've seen so far: Overshield, grenades, Sniper Rifle, Spartan Laser, Damage Boost, Needler, Incineration Cannon, and SAW. Vehicles are back and feel good again. I don't feel like I'm driving cardboard vehicles anymore, I feel like I'm driving heavy armored war vehicles just like it should.

    My whole point? These people complain about the game being old when it's anything but old. It's got the same core gameplay and innovating ideas that made Halo a success, but the surrounding mechanics are a bit different. That's a good thing. I've been a hardcore fan since 2001 when I first picked up Halo CE, I've had my share of disappointments with the series (Reach) but Halo is back where it belongs, and 343i are beyond capable of keeping it there. As a long standing fan (who originally extremely doubtful of Halo 4) I am pleased. Reach was a big disappointment. It's evident that 343i saw this and put the work needed to turn it around, the looked at the specific issues in Reach and addressed each one, making the game solid and even more enjoyable.

    Reading some of the reviews with a "0" I realized that the majority hadn't tried all the features of the game. The game is designed to be a whole. Single player and Infinity. 343i even worked to put a (good) story behind the entire multiplayer component that feels natural and kind of exciting. Having said that, it's not forced onto the non-story crowd. In conclusion, as with everything on this earth, this game isn't going to be for everyone, but with a little open-mindedness and less misguided hate, Halo 4 will dazzle you with deft and subtle prowess of gameplay, music, story, and graphics. I give them a 10 out of 10 for daring to pick up a game with such history then molding it into their own game, and far exceeding expectation on the way.    … Expand
  12. masonreznof
    Nov 6, 2012
    2
    Terrible. Banshee and so many vehicles that ruin the maps. Valhalla was a great map in Halo 3, but Ragnarok is plagued by the Mantis and Banshee. The flag is very stupid and the menu sucks. The perks are annoying and overpowered. The DMR is way overpowered compared to BR and Carbine. Overall Reach was a 7/10 for me, but this is even worse...much worse.
  13. movietrailerpro
    Nov 6, 2012
    0
    It would be a good game if it wasn't called Halo, but I have come to expect a certain standard from Halo. Halo 3 was my favorite and although this is good it falls short of Halo 2 and 3. It is probably close to Halo 2 in terms of quality, but honestly feels like Halo 2 meets Reach. There are too many gimmics that take me out of the multiplayer. I just can't see it being the halo I wanted. Ragnarok is good, Haven is great, Solace is great, but the rest of the maps are only average.… Expand
  14. bxrHalogod
    Nov 6, 2012
    1
    Better than Halo 2 worse than Halo 3 and worse than Halo Reach. This isn't the evolution I wanted. I was expecting a properly balanced game, but the maps are huge and unbalanced.
  15. butternut86
    Nov 13, 2012
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. TROLLS ARE BRINGING THE AVERAGE OF THIS GAME DOWN.

    They need to cut that out, because this is an amazing game. In fact, I think its the best Halo since Halo 2. 343 went all out for this game and it should not be overlooked because a bunch of haters are trying to bring something popular down.

    Graphics. 10/10 -- Lightyears ahead of any other Halo game and some of the best I've seen on the 360. The only games on a console I would put above Halo 4 in terms of graphics would be Uncharted 3 and Gear of War 3

    Gameplay -- 10/10 -- A solid as it gets. Very smooth never had any trouble. The weapons, the aim, everything just feels right and natural. I do miss the grenade swap from Halo 3 though. I prefer switching grenades with the LB button rather then the d-pad. But that's a small gripe

    Sound - Epic soundtrack, amazing score and the sound effects are top notch. I love the gun sounds, they sound a lot better than previous halos. 9/10

    Campaign - 9/10 In terms of action, the campaign was great. However I preferred the first half of the game more. I felt the second half was too focused on indoor environments. I really loved the natural environments in the beginning. I think it made the graphics shine and it had a cool feel to it. Story -- 7/10 The story is nothing special. I played the earlier Halos a long time ago and I was a little confused at times. The Cortona/Master Chief relationship missed the mark as well. But, Halo was never a game I played for its story. Multiplayer - 10/10 -- Amazing multiplayer. My favorite of any Halo. Truly a masterpiece

    Overall - 10/10 ( its not an average.. but that my lasting appeal)


    Multiplayer -    … Expand
  16. JTP709
    Nov 9, 2012
    3
    I'll cut to the chase: the graphics are top notch, best on the Xbox 360. Voice active and cut scenes were superb. The game had great pacing in the first two thirds. Changes the history of Halo in terms of what we "thought" we knew about the ancient Forerunners.

    However, there's a lot NOT to like.

    The game has no third act, no final boss fight, lame musical score (good music, but not    hing as epic as the original Halo trilogy), poor level design toward the end, and missing old features (no more dual wielding, no SMG). The game ends and you're literally like WTF, this is over already? It's easily the SHORTEST campaign (took me six hours on Heroic). You never fight the new villain except in a cut scene. Yup, heard right, you beat the villain in a cut scene. The game literally feels like Act One of a three act play, which isn't a good thing. At least Halo 1, 2, and 3 were all complete games with their own full story arch as part of a larger trilogy.

    The beginning of the game is fun, tons of fun, but the last third is lame in comparison. They introduce all of the new weapons and alien bad guys in by the second mission so later on in the game you never get any new toys, no new challenges, no new surprises. The fun "race against the clock" missions and flying missions are all in the first half, so the second half is just running through repetitive corridors to active a button, then through more corridors to hit another button, rinse and repeat.

    The musical score is good, but nothing that gets your blood pumping. If anything the whole score is just slow, sad, and depressing music. Nothing ever feels epic. Especially at one point in the game when the main bad guy (remember, the one you never get to fight) is slaughtering an entire city of humans. But you don't care. Remember in Halo 2 when the Covenant is attacking Earth? Remember when the game had cut scenes showing the death and destruction, with radio traffic of people crying out and military commanders begging for help as they're being overrun? Yup, Halo 4 has none of that. An entire city is being destroyed and it's like an afterthought in the game. There is NO urgency, no tension, no dread. You just kinda go from one place to the next.

    While I was disappointed with the single player, I was briefly hopeful that Spartan Ops would justify the money I spent on this purchase. Sadly, while the awesome cut scenes promised a lot, I was again let down. I beat the COOP Spartan Ops in under 30 minutes. Yup, all six missions, What makes it worse is each mission is nothing but five minutes of running from one button to the next. Yup, nothing more than more "get here, hit button; go there, hit button" BS that ruined the single player.

    Overall, Halo 4 felt like one big step backwards. It promised so much but delivers so little. I'm hopeful Halo 5 and 6 will deliver, but until then this game is going back to Best Buy. From now on I'll be renting any games developed by 343 Industries.    … Expand
  17. Gayfish
    Nov 7, 2012
    0
    All this game is, is CoD with a Halo skin on top. If I wanted CoD I would have bought CoD but instead I got MW4. This is not the kind of gameplay you're used to getting from Halo. 343 just tried to make it like CoD so they would get more sales they basically sold out on us for a few bucks. 343 you suck.
  18. Roweks
    Nov 15, 2012
    9
    While I was a bit skeptical of 343i beginning a new trilogy, Halo 4 delivers. The campaign is much better than expected. It's well paced, has decent plot development, and the villain is definitely an interesting twist and a solid approach to setup the new trilogy. Multiplayer has some issues, but is still very fun and will only get better with time as it is updated. After Halo Reach, I can say it feels great to play Halo again.… Expand
  19. MrFluffyPenguin
    Nov 13, 2012
    7
    I have bought and played every halo game made. I love the franchise but to be completely honest, Halo 4 feels a little plain. The multiplayer is still well balanced but lacks any real improvement or innovation. Spartan Ops fails to really do anything except to put together short uneventful missions with amazing CGI shorts. Campaign is gorgeous visually but is really more of the same. Though i can say the story is better than that of previous installments, Reach being my favorite still. Halo is still the game we know and love but 343 played it a little too safe.… Expand
  20. SeanLazarus
    Nov 6, 2012
    9
    Been playing every Halo since Halo 2 and Halo 4 does not disappoint , there are some patches needed for some minor bugs but every game has those , I do believe the grenades may be a little too powerful , this was also the case in the Halo Reach Beta if anyone remembers that . Anyways great graphics and great audio , sounds great on surround sound system. Level design is not boring , not sure what some people are smoking , I think gamers these days come to expect WAY TOO much from developers , This game mixes some of the best parts of COD , the pace of the game is a little faster kinda like COD and really gives you a complete experience , and you're actually wanting to level up to get more guns , items , and abilities vs the past halo games where your rank didn't actually mean anything but bragging rights .… Expand
  21. Reviewer2401
    Nov 6, 2012
    10
    Quick Review:

    Graphics: 10/10
    Absolutely gorgeous. Cut scenes are better than Wars.
    Story: 9.5
    Greg Bear definitely had a large part in this.
    Gameplay: 9.5
    Slightly repetitive but it kept me interested throughout.
    Multiplayer: 9.5
    Very, very fun, much better than Reach.
    Dialogue: 10
    Brilliant Writing.
    Soundtrack: 9.5
    Average is above 9.5, so it rounds up to 10.
  22. Raeesist
    Nov 8, 2012
    10
    This is honestly the best game i have played this year. The graphics have maximized the xbox's potential. 343i has redone multi-player so that it takes the addictive part of COD but still feels like halo. There are no words to describe the sheer awesomeness of the campaign.
  23. ToppleFlopper
    Nov 9, 2012
    9
    Halo 4 is without a doubt one of the best looking console games to date. It somehow manages to at certain points look like it's running on a next-gen console. Another very impressive part of the game is the sound. Not enough reviews mention this but the sound is just incredible. (it probably sounds even better on a sound system, I currently don't have one but was still able to notice the vast improvement) Great story, solid voice acting and something about the new weapons is so freakin' cool! I've really enjoyed multiplayer so far. The only drawback is not much else has changed. It's the same basic Halo-style levels we've all come to expect. It's not really a bad thing but some people may complain there's nothing new. I was really impressed with the job 343 Studios did with Halo Anniversary and Halo 4 proves they have what it takes to make their own amazing Halo game. I hope Halo 5 & 6 maintain the same calibur when they eventually make their way out.… Expand
  24. beemer127
    Nov 8, 2012
    4
    Halo 4, like its predecessors, has a great story. It has a depth and complexity that most FPS games in this generation lack. The graphics, of course, are yet another iteration on the game engine that drives the Halo franchise. Though I enjoyed the game very much, the glitz and glamor of a good story and great graphics cannot hide the glaring flaws in this game, and that is the gameplay. In a sentence, 343 simply fails to innovate its gameplay. If you have played the first Halo, you have played all of them. In essence, there is nothing new about this game, and that is disappointing. Instead of learning valuable lessons from games like Uncharted, Gears of War, Assassins Creed, or Dishonored, the developers choose to play it safe by sticking to the same old formula it has always used. The question is, is a compelling story enough to make you overlook uninventive gameplay? For some of us maybe, but not for me.… Expand
  25. 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.
  26. Lastdef
    Nov 11, 2012
    10
    Best, Game, Ever! 343 really nailed it! Amazing graphics and sound, the single player is solid and engaging on legendary, and the multiplayer is the best in the halo series. I'll be playing it for years.
  27. Kristoffer13
    Nov 15, 2012
    10
    Un juego verdaderamente chingon, Es algo nostálgico pero definitivamente ofrece algo refrescante para aquellos ya familiarizados con la saga de halo. La campaña es corta pero no hay que olvidar que cada semana se están sacando episodios nuevos que funcionan como una extencion de la historia.
  28. envy
    Nov 6, 2012
    10
    Gorgeous looking game with awesome cinematic that look almost lifelike. The terminals littered throughout the game give some awesome backstory to the Forerunners, and feature some stunning cinematics.

    The overall experience is the same Halo, with some new flavour added in. The Mantis is as awesome as I had hoped, and the new weapons (Scattershot etc.) are awesome.

    I also love the new     scoring system, closer to the likes of Battlefield, you get rewarded for team actions, not just kills. Assassinations, assists, headshots etc. all net points towards a total, so it will be a better reflection of ones skill.

    The more "human" story of the Chief and Cortana is a welcome change to the series, and overall 343 has done a good job on the campaign and multiplayer.

    The sound design is superb, awesome soundtrack, but even better sound effects. Weapon loadouts have been done for ages from various games and publishers. (Rainbosix, Battlefield etc.) but Halo 4 takes a simplified and streamlined approach to the system. I also don't have to play too long to unlock all loadouts, they all become accessible as early as rank 20, and default loadouts are varied enough that you can still use all the favourites right from the get go.

    Join in progress is another welcome feature, no more running into 1v4 matches, when replacement players can jump in during the heat of a battle.

    The last minute of the intro to Episode 1 of Spartan ops is also one of the most epic things I've ever seen.

    A majority of these negative reviews on here are either trolls, or fanboys of various other games who just want Halo to look bad.    … Expand
  29. lgnburris
    Nov 8, 2012
    4
    Halo 2 is probably my favorite shooter ever, I played Halo 2's multi-player for far more hours than I would ever want to count. This game does not live up to Halo's reputation, the graphics are the best they have ever been but in just about every other aspect this game comes up short. The campaign is weak but my real problem is with the multi-player. The matchmaking system is probably the worst in any game I have ever played, games regularly start with 4 or 5 players on one team and only 1 or 2 on the other. Taking a cue from Call of Duty they have decided to include kill cams. These kill cams frequently show me getting killed by people shooting 3 or 4 feet to the side of my character or getting splattered by a vehicle which quite clearly didn't touch me at all. The music which defined Halo is also gone. 343 Industries wont see any more of my money, I'm sorry to say that I am done with what was my favorite franchise growing up.… Expand
  30. darylicked
    Nov 11, 2012
    7
    Campaign: The campaign is a bit of a letdown, short at only 6 hours, new enemy types get boring and repetitive quickly, new weapons are essentially variants on already human/covenant weapons, lack of ammo in a lot of areas in the game which has NEVER happened to me during a Halo campaign that I would run out of ammo, enemy and friendly AI can be boneheaded quite often. Storywise its not too bad, altho I find the "emotion" they shove into it feels a bit forced and overboard, especially compared to Reach's campaign where it had a somber atmosphere without saying much.

    Spartan Ops: Spartan Ops is a neat idea, only 1 episode available so far but they will be releasing more, but for a first impression it hasnt been a good one. The good thing about spartan ops is that you can level up by doing those missions and you can use your MP loadouts as well, but the strange thing about spartan ops is the complete lack of challenge it provides because of the lack of checkpoint system, when you die you respawn like War Games multiplayer, so you could die an endless amount of times and not feel punished for it, so you can get through Legendary difficult without busting your brain which in my opinion is an odd choice as you can then complete each chapter in less than 20 minutes in co-op because of this instant respawn system. Another thing about the spartan ops missions is that they are all in locations from the sp campaign and there doesnt seem to be any original settings, now there could possibly be new episodes with completely different locations but I haven't heard anything on that.

    War Games: The main draw for most people is the MP and to be honest I was never a big MP guy when it came to Halo, I played some Halo 3 but the most I played was the Reach Beta which I loved because it wasnt such a chore to kill opponents but upon release they changed that and I didnt play the MP much after that discovery. Halo 4 on the other hand, has a very solid MP thats not without flaws of its own, whether you want to believe it or not its a CODified Halo, but thats not necessarily a bad thing, here Halo is faster and in a lot of ways tighter than it ever was and it can be VERY addicting but some of what they introduced can be game breaking in ways, for example the SAW is very overpowered, and they tried to balance it by not letting you start with it in a loadout, and keeping it exclusively as an ordinance drop, but put it in the right hands and you may as well admit defeat, ive killed countless people with it and have been killed by countless people using it, its an awesome gun but almost ruins the game when its used in the non-pro game modes. As well the grenade damage seems to be a finicky thing where sometimes it does what you expect but other times you can't understand why someone's shields did not drop or why they did not drop themselves. This could be contributed to lag, but without clear indication of lag its hard to determine that as the cause. As well the usual MP FPS hooplah such as campers, bunny hoppers, cheap tactics etc... that we all have to live with do make their appearances strong but its not as frequent, thus far, as ive experience in other FPS games I've played (non Halo), the maps arent too bad, I prefer close quarter combat most so the standout map for me is Haven as it keeps the action fast.

    I am actually giving the game a 7.5 but I can only select 7 or 8, but because I don't feel its a full 8 thats why I'm leaving it at 7. My reasons are as follows: - Way too strong of auto-aim or aim magnetism, I mainly play on PC so I rarely experience auto aim unless I play a console shooter on my xbox or ps3 but this games auto aim is WAY too strong and gives off the feeling that I'm not in complete control of the game.
    - While still on topic of controls is the lack of true customization of button mapping.
    -disappointing campaign it has some high points but can be pretty boring at times, new enemies became repetitive and lacked variety, new weapons are pretty much not needed as they are more or less counterparts to human/covenant weaponry, the story's forced emotion and some questionable characters who for whatever reason don't listen to the Master Chief when he saved humanity was cliche and non sensical.
    - Believe or not.... but the lack of Firefight to me leaves a big gaping hole in the game, i didn't think i would miss it after playing it to death on ODST and REACH but spartan ops just doesnt feel like a good replacement for one of the funnest game modes I've ever played
    - Speaking of spartan ops, essentially the lack of challenge, lack of variety (thus far) in mission structure and levels is disappointing and makes it feel tacked on despite the "weekly chapters" that will follow the launch of the game. The lack of punishment for dying especially for harder modes when it comes to respawn really makes it seem useless. Hopefully I'm proved wrong on this account and that more interesting levels will follow.    … Expand
  31. DarrkHawk
    Nov 15, 2012
    9
    It' been a while since I actually played a video game that got me stuck to my seat. Halo 4 has everything that a game needs to work. Outstanding graphics and cinematic, a fitting soundtrack and a solid story with strong emotion as a bonus. Sure, the story is short at around 7 - 8 hours of playtime on the hardest setting but what the game offers in game play and story definitely makes up for this. 343 industries are certainly a worthy successor to the great Bungie and I am certainly excited about what is to come from this company.
    I do however feel that this game does focus way too strongly on the online multiplayer feature but today, that's a given with any game of this genre. I would have liked the story to be longer but for what we are given, it is definitely a worthy sequel.    … Expand
  32. RighteousSteel
    Nov 28, 2012
    7
    This game is good. The only problem is that it feels more like Halo: Reach 2 than a sequel to Halo 3. There are not many maps to play on, and every always chooses the same ones every match. The campaign is interesting and fun, and worth playing through a second time with your friends. Maybe once some DLC comes out the multiplayer will be more fun. The spartan ops is a welcome addition, but everybody still misses firefight. Overall, a good game.… Expand
  33. 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
  34. TheHague67
    Nov 6, 2012
    5
    The kills suck. Repetitive death animations, incredibly unsatisfying shooting. Loud noises, and pretty lights galore, but just generally not as sweet as say a game like Max Payne 3. Euphoria and Ragdoll Physics FTW! screw motion capture.!!!
  35. StoneSoldier
    Nov 11, 2012
    0
    A fine game but it's not Halo. It's more like MW dressed up, right from the stupid climbing sequence right from the start. Game looks great, and audio is fine, but it doesn't sound like Halo. None of the familiar audio queues are there everything sounds different. Even the Warthog which has been given a gasoline engine for this release. Loadouts, are straight out of MW. 343 may have wanted to put their stamp on this game, which they did, and made a MW clone rather than a Halo game. Story seems contrived, just a made up world so Cortana and the Chief have a nice backdrop for their cheesy dialog.

    Don't get me started on multiplayer. I always liked Bungie's attempt to make matchmaking balanced, I'm my opinion unlockable loadouts have broken that. Why should I be at an disadvantage in matchmaking because I have not played as much as the kid next door. He already has enough advantage with skills and map knowledge don't add weapons and perks to that as well, you're just making the multiplayer less accessible to players. I play Halo multiplayer because I don't want to play COD, now I don't have a choice.

    This is the first Halo game I haven't bought and I don't think I will be. I'll be sending my rental back as soon as I finish the campaign.    … Expand
  36. tackle70
    Nov 10, 2012
    10
    If you like Halo games, this one is amazing! I'll be brief Pros: - The most fun campaign of the series, easily. From a gameplay perspective, ditching the Flood for the Prometheans makes for a night and day improvement in terms of fun. The campaign is well paced and is of a consistently high quality throughout. -The story is similarly told to the story in Halo 1-3, meaning that its an interesting sci-fi space opera that won't make complete sense unless you're willing to read a wikipedia article or two. The game doesn't hold your hand through the narrative and explain every minute detail. It assumes you're smart enough to put the pieces together yourself, which is a breath of fresh air among modern games.

    -Some of the best graphics on a console

    -The best sound design I've ever heard in a game. It's an orgasm in your ears.

    -The multiplayer is leagues better than the clunky snoozefest that was Reach. Too early to tell if it's as good as Halo 2/Halo 3, but it's so much better than Reach it's ridiculous. The maps are all at least decent, with a few standouts (Haven/Ragnarok). The gameplay pacing and balance is fixed from Reach and this is the fastest paced, most intense Halo game yet.

    Cons
    - Makes little sense that join-in-progress was implemented for all playlists.
    - Too early to tell if the multiplayer will have longevity for competitive players, and it's really too early to tell if the move to include ordinances was a good one or not. I like it so far, though.
    - Desperately needs more maps

    This isn't a con for me (it's actually a big pro), but it's still a Halo game. Obviously there's tons of Halo haters out there. If you didn't like any of the previous Halo games, you probably won't like this one. If you're looking for Call of Halo, this isn't it (thank goodness). Some Halo fans are upset about Halo "stealing" some things from CoD (loadouts, unlocks), but they're superficial "stolen" elements. I agree that they didn't need to be there, but it doesn't really matter. This game is still very much Halo and plays nothing like CoD.    … Expand
  37. 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
  38. soulassssns
    Nov 6, 2012
    9
    Gorgeous looking game from start to finish. Absolutely love the the level layout, musical score (-1 for no Halo theme) and sound effects and most importantly the story. Thank you 343i for including the much deeper storyline from the books. This game oozes Halo and has cemented 343i as the holder of the Mantle for the Halo franchise in my eyes. I give it a thumbs up! A must buy for any Halo fan.
  39. 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
  40. fu69
    Nov 14, 2012
    0
    This game is just HALO 4 trying to copy COD which equals garbage..................................................................................................
  41. Henrycsi
    Nov 21, 2012
    10
    Halo is back on its feet again. After a few mediocre entries into the series, namely, halo reach, Halo 4 delivers a surprising and rejuvenating jolt of wonder, fun, and solid gameplay that the series definitely needed.
  42. MrBlack
    Nov 7, 2012
    0
    The fact that this is a Halo game makes it all the more disappointing for me. The campaign was short, and extremely unmemorable. New enemies were unexciting, and the "new" weapons were simply the same weapons we all know from the previous games sporting a new paint job. The campaign was done within 4 hours, and felt both uninteresting and anticlimactic. The final boss fight devolved into a poorly executed QTE that left much to be desired to say the least. Multiplayer was similarly boring, taking multiple pieces from the Call of Duty including custom loadouts and killcams. However, this too lacks any new enticing features. While visuals are definitely beautiful in this game, they alone can not make up for the uninteresting gameplay and terrible, short story. This game is an insult to the Halo franchise, and fans will likely be disappointed.… Expand
  43. Kohven
    Nov 6, 2012
    10
    This game is better than Reach, Halo 3, and Halo 2 ...to a certain extent with 2 cause it was the game i first played online and i think thats what makes it unique...given Halo 4 would I switch back to Halo 2?...no. Its like windows xp and window 7, xp was good and windows 7 was good too...but would i go back to xp? no. new is always better. I think its safe to say that the negative ratings are jealous ps3 fanboys. Guess what my PS3 will be doing...collecting a whole bunch of dust.… Expand
  44. Invader-Nik
    Nov 7, 2012
    6
    The Halo Series was already in a downward spiral ever since ODST. I've been a halo fan for five years now, and I remember the hype that Halo 3 had produced. However Halo 3 and 4 are two different games.
    Amazing graphics, good sounds and the shading is good. I still remember how much I wanted to see what a forerunner looked like, and I do. The game is lacking the Bungie spirit, the very s    oul that turned the first three halos into a masterpiece. To me, Halo 3 is the best Halo game produced of all time. Halo 4 is alright, but it will never be as good as the first three Halo games… Expand
  45. HoBro
    Nov 8, 2012
    2
    To give some background, my favorite multiplayer games of all time are Halo 2, MW2, and Black Ops. In my opinion the Halo franchise has gone steadily downhill since H2. I am not a fan of the armor perks and I feel that the game play really got sloppy. I saw another review that said Halo 2 was a sport because all players were equal, and I think that is a great point. I gave Halo 4 a shot because of the new developers and thought maybe they could save the franchise. What they did was fuse the poor play of H3 and Reach with a poor man's version of COD layouts. What you get is an abortion of a game. People are starting with plasma pistols and battle rifles. 4 v 4 team slayer has a whopping 4 maps available. If you liked H3 and Reach, you will probably like this slop too. If you didn't like them, you won't like this either.

    Bottom line I am bummed that this game isn't better. I will be listing it on eBay and will probably ruin some poor kid's Christmas. I just hope Black Ops II is better than MW3 so I have something to play.    … Expand
  46. Banshee-Friend
    Nov 25, 2012
    2
    This game was terrible. The graphics werent the worst, but they seemed to be the result of "trying too hard" to make it look good. Bad CGI comes to mind when I see the profuse use of specular. As for the story, It reminisced a generic sci-fi plot, which was entirely inconsistent with the Halo franchise. Several unending plot holes including changes such as the look of the Chief, Cortana, Forward Unto Dawn changing appearance "suddenly". I have also been unable to find a buy-able explanation on the incogitable hostility of the Covenant after all that has transpired in the Halo story from previous games. As for the multiplayer, I might as well play the new call of duty. It does not at all play like a halo game. with the addition of killstreaks(ordinance), perks, weapon unlockables, and how easy it is to kill someone makes it as far from Halo as you can get with a 'Halo' Game. This was clearly a poor attempt to 'milk the franchise' after Bungie decided to stop creating Halo games. Very disappointing for a Halo game, I would not recommend even rending this game.… Expand
  47. cadeus
    Nov 7, 2012
    10
    look amazing, the gameplay is so amazing all of this game is amazinf if you think "this game see soo boring " you don't know what are you saying just play and enjoy
  48. Benti86
    May 8, 2013
    6
    I was so let down by this game. I watched all the trailer and listened to 343 say it would take Halo back to its roots and how it would be like Halo 3. the final product ends up being a Halo, CoD mashup which just dilutes the traditional Halo experience to near worthlessness and doesn't have the addictive arcade/CoD gameplay. Yes graphically it's beautiful, but the story is ehh, forge and customs were gutted, and matchmaking is a shell of what Halo once was. Halo 4 would not have been too bad as its own IP, but it is a dreadful Halo game. On the bright side, 343 seems to be listening and are implementing some changes and hopefully will fix Halo 4's issues for Halo 5.… Expand
  49. Ordish
    Apr 16, 2013
    10
    Let me first start by saying that I have never been a Halo fan having only played Halo 1 on the PC and not being very impressed with it. I also finished Halo 3 ODST on the Xbox and wasn't particularly impressed with that either.. Until now I haven't seen anything from the Halo universe that was particularly impressive. I haven't played the multiplayer yet so this review is on the campaign. The storyline was intriguing and well adapted. Actually one of the best single player storylines I have played in quite a few years. The controls were a bit awkward at first, straying from the typical FPS control scheme but after some play they are manageable. The graphics and dynamic environments were simply beautiful. Overall the game provided an epic story with great game mechanics. I don't know if this studio has produced other titles in the Halo world but they knocked this one out of the park.… Expand
  50. TrueCrazyHero
    Nov 14, 2012
    7
    I am a big Halo fan i have bought and enjoyed all of them that all had good story's and gameplay. When i got Halo 4 i was glad to see the series back to its roots with talk of the forerunners and the halo's, the campaign took me around 6-7 hours on Normal difficulty and it was really good it was a halo game as they where before though the ending is anti-climactic. You will go to many different locations and fight some new enemy's with new weapons, even some older guns return with upgrades, The game look grate the sound it good so if your a graphics makes the game person you will be pleased. After finishing the campaign i when online and that's where my problem came into it. Unlike previous Halo games this time they made a big change, gone are the on map weapon you needed find, this time its a class baced multiplayer. once you get to a certain level you make a class slimier to another hit FPS that comes out this time of the year. it takes a lot of its elements form the OTHER FPS and makes it feel not halo, the maps are good but with the unevenness of the classes i feel like its a drag to unlock all the weapons that the game should have at the beginning. but with that aside the co-op campaign is really good i had tons of fun playing them and with more on the way it keeps the fun for a while. So with the good story and co-op it makes the game wort a buy for a fan or just a rent for others who are interested, as i said i am a big halo fan but this installment didn't grip me much, its a good go for the new developers (343 Industry's) but ill like to see what that do for there next installment.… Expand
  51. kelraiser
    Nov 16, 2012
    7
    With 343 industries taking over the development of the Halo franchise from bungie I have to admit I had my doubts about the future of the halo franchise and the idea of bringing the master chief back after the ending of halo 3, and I have to say that my doubts we're cast aside as 343 have been true to the franchise and developed a game worthy of the halo name, the campaign is short if you play it on the easy or normal difficulty but if you got to the heroic or legendary difficulty it can prove to be very channel ging for even some of the best gamers if you try yo do it solo, the graphic are a vast improvement on reach with a lot of work going it to designing the gaming environments and multiplayer maps as well as the amazing cut scenes that go between the campaign missions, the story is a lot different from what people come to expect of the halo franchise and goes for a more personal story between the master chief and cortanna his AI companion who has been with him throughout the halo games to me this is an interesting direction to take the game as it try's to show the chief has a human side to him than just a soilder of war as we have seen in previous halo's, the sound has been improved as well and the guns all sound authentic and unique in their own style, the multiplayer has been improved with the introduction of spartan ops, the episodic co-op campaign which is expand with continuous episodes down loades from Xbox live tho I'm kind of disappointed firefight wasn't kept in there as well, I have to admit you can see where halo has taken some of its influence from the call of duty series but this isn't a bad thing really as they have made the game more accessible to a wider audience with custom load outs, their rank system is very similar to cod, and the ordinance drops are like call of duty killstreaks but these help to improve make the multiplayer better and balance the game out better as there are no longer people camping waiting for a power weapon like the rocket launcher or or that to spawn as it now comes in an ordinance drop. In my opinion 343 have kept halo 4 true to what the halo franchise is but have tried and succeeded in making it accessible to a wider audience.… Expand
  52. 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
  53. 2MucH1991
    Nov 7, 2012
    6
    Halo 3 multiplayer was the reason i had to buy an Xbox 360, and when i eventually did i couldn't put the controller down, years later and Halo 4 is finally here, but i'm slightly disappointed to say the least.
  54. Oxcart
    Mar 24, 2013
    7
    So, the sixth Halo game. I've been through Halo 1-3, ODST, and Reach. I've done my tours of duty with the UNSC, from the low-end low-budget beginning through the slick and polished latest. But this is different; Bungie has slipped its reins off the Halo horse, and MGS has taken over. How did they do? Very well, better than I expected. Let's take a look. Graphics are outstanding, with well-built levels that benefit from good artwork. Enemies (and allies) are correspondingly high-res, meaning that even on console, you won't have your immersion in the game wrecked by something on-camera that looks like a digital camera threw up on screen (we've all seen that...are you listening, Jurassic Park?). Weapon design has undergone a major overhaul, and one for the positive. I've previously had an intense dislike for non-human weapons in Halo, but this installment is different; Forerunner weapons are pretty sweet. Gameplay is well above average. Two missteps mar the game, though. First, the campaign is short. As in "we got it done on Legendary in six hours" short. Second, the storytelling, while not bad, is much thinner than previous Halo games. It's clear that Microsoft Game Studios wasn't as interested in telling an epic story as their predecessors. Even so, it's an enjoyable game that really is a must-play for Halo fans. Everybody else, it's a good shooter with challenge and finesse...just not a lot of single-player mileage in the tank. A fair 7 to Halo 4, and a "good job" to the folks at MGS responsible for it.… Expand
  55. 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.
  56. ReSultZ
    Nov 6, 2012
    5
    You already played this. After over ten years of halo games Halo 4 is exactly the same formula :-/ Pretty graphics, decent sounds,cool new enemies (finally). But I am very disapointed that the series hasn't envolved. Come on 343 what modern shooter doesn't zoom with all guns to aim! It needs to be faster! Also the slomo jumping got to go! Average game thanks to its dated nature smh...
    Will be trading her in tomorrow.    … Expand
  57. Yummyzombie
    May 26, 2013
    7
    My score is 7 because I just never liked the shooting in Halo games... They have really low recoil and the enemy spawning is just stupid! Seriously spawn hordes of enemies when you go to an objective and spawn even more of them when you press a button?! The new Prometheans are cool and probably the best enemies in Halo. AND THE GRAPHICS ARE FIRETRUCKING AWESOME!
  58. Jninja119
    Nov 13, 2012
    10
    Halo has been and will always be a game of brilliant visual and excellent story writing. Often times it holds itself more like a movie than a game. Halo 4 by itself told a new story that, while following the story of the previous games, felt like a new idea. Halo is a game of nostalgia, but this sequel was mostly new ideas and scrapping a lot of the old (possibly overplayed) ones, so people who think Halo Combat Evolved was the best and halo reach was the worst first person Halo game, you're gonna find that this game plays like reach more than CE. They took away most of the things they had in Halo 1 and put in a whole new set of guns and enemies. They kept most of the human and covenant weapons, but in comparison to the new forerunner guns, they seem a little weak, despite the fact that they made basically every gun in the game seem more powerful and accurate. The new enemies are more difficult to kill for a veteran halo player because they fight differently than previous halo enemies. One thing that many people may like is that there are no flood in this game, in fact they don't even mention the flood, or most of the events of previous games at all. But you are back to fighting the covenant, who got a bit of a makeover, but still fight the same and have almost the same guns. This installment of halo did leave me with a few questions, like "where did the master chief get a slightly new suit?" and "isn't there an easier way to do this that doesn't involve me nearly getting killed and us messing around with ancient alien artifacts?" but that is just mild flaws in the storytelling that only slightly take you out of the story. The biggest note with Halo 4 is that in 11 years, nothing has changed as it comes to gameplay. The newer games add slight alterations like suit mods, run features, weapon changes and enemy swaps, but honestly I am still using the same strategy as halo 1. The fact of the matter is you can take that as you want it, for me I like the small changes to gameplay big changes to story but for some people they can play the halo they have and be just as happy. In my opinion I think this game is fantastic and if it didn't have to be compared to the other halo games then it would get more credit. The features they kept were nice, the ones they took out made sense, and the story was new, I don't look for anything else in a halo game. One other thing is that the infinity multiplayer has a strong call of duty 4 influence to it, but it still feels like halo. And they replaced firefight with spartan ops (firefight with a storyline kinda thing) and it plays fine. I give it a 10 because it's worth it's cost and more, and is all over really good.… Expand
  59. CM8691
    Nov 6, 2012
    7
    I don't have live and this game, like so many FPS' these days was made more for the online player. The campaign was brutally short and not all that replayable. However, it was fun while it lasted. It was also quite polished, but that isn't enough to carry it on its own. Most people will give it horrible reviews just because they want to feel like they're keeping the Halo franchise back, as they felt it should have ended with Halo 3. Although I agree the series should have stayed finished, 343 did a good enough job.… Expand
  60. jthiel09
    Nov 7, 2012
    9
    Visually it is honestly up there with the best FPS games of this console generation. Game play is a big step up from previous entries with the variety of load out options you can have and also the combat itself is impressive. The sound of the game is probably the best of any Halo game. The guns sound and feel more realistic, the vehicles too. And whoever did the soundtrack for this game (pretty sure it wasn't old Marty McDonnell) did a great job.

    For those users giving it anything below a 6 or 7 take the game for what it is. This is Halo, this isn't Call of Duty or Battlefield like so many of you have been posting so rate it for being a halo game not a COD or Battlefield clone.

    For anyone complaining it's not Dishonored or Assassin's Creed III .... this isn't that type of game so they aren't comparable. This is an FPS so enough of those comparisons that's childish and pathetic that you would try to compare the two. Be a bit smarter about it. Also if you complain about the length ..... what FPS has ever had a lengthy campaign like Mass Effect or Assassin's Creed? None.

    If you want an FPS and enjoy Halo you should love this, and if you want a different type of stealthy / third person game go buy Assassin's Creed III it really is an amazing game in and of itself. I'm tired of people trashing this game and giving it 0's. There 's a reason HALO is a giant franchise that almost any developer would chomp at the bit to work with, because they are solid games and this one is no exception. Halo 4 is the best entry to date and take the story for what it is ... a sci-fi story that you either like or hate and personally I find the continual story (minus the cluster of Halo 2) quite entertaining. A solid game overall and well worth the money.    … Expand
  61. 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!
  62. 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
  63. glacier777
    Nov 24, 2012
    7
    It had a lot to live up to didn't it? I loved Halo:Reach and I give it a 10. I am giving Halo 4 a 9 and here's why:

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

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

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

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

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

    Overall halo 4 retains many features that make halo amazing and also the campaign is second to none. Unfortunately 342 have included too many new things which have ruined parts of the game.
    All of my scores added together and divided by 5 equal 8 but this game deserves a 9 because it is still an amazing game. There are just too many annoying features that detract from the beauty of halo.    … Expand
  64. Jerjef
    Nov 7, 2012
    10
    After playing some multiplayer and campaign, I can honestly say that this is a great game. Sure it's different, but so was Halo 2 compared to CE, and Halo 3 compared to Halo 2, and so on. I haven't finished the campaign so I cannot comment on the storyline itself, but to complain about a boring unoriginal storyline in a video game is expecting a bit much. Do you really think you're getting a Martin Scorsese level plot in a video game? A lot of people have praised the storyline in Skyrim, but I have to admit it is the same basic "Chosen one to save the world" kind of plot. Frankly from what I've seen so far, this is head and shoulders above the previous campaign storylines. It really has some heart and shows a fragile side to the Chief and the spartans in general. It shows that they are NOT perfect, invulnerable, mindless machines. They are still people who have flaws and emotions. As for the multiplayer, it is better than Reach hands down. I like the speed and pacing and even though I'm not a COD fan, I like the elements they took from it. Really ramps up the action and excitement. I do miss Firefight and the changes in custom options is annoying, so the game is not a 10, but since everyone else on this site can justify giving a 0 to balance things I can do the same the other way. My real review is a 9/10.… Expand
  65. 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
  66. J3553
    Nov 10, 2012
    10
    Halo 4 is the first fps to come out in a while that isn't a disappointment. Even though the campaign is only 6 hours long, the entire time is full of adrenaline pumping action. The story is about as good as you expect from the halo games, if you really want to know about the lore read the books. There are multiple "paths" within levels that make the game feel not as linear as CoD or Halo: Reach. These paths all end up in the same location, but the way they are presented doesn't make it feel like you're walking down a hallway. The guns all sound and feel very unique and very awesome. There's a huge difference in the way the BR feels compared to the Carbine for example. The way they handle, sound and feel in the way of controller rumble is great.

    The multiplayer is the best since Halo 3. There is a good balance between the main primary weapons and they all have their use. The DMR and BR are both viable options with the DMR having a bit of an edge at very long distances, but if you are skilled enough with the BR it really doesn't matter. The way the weapons drop on the map rather than spawn on a timer in the same location makes the game a lot less reliant on power weapons and more about skill. Personal ordinance drops (point streaks from CoD) give you a VERY slight edge for a good amount of effort. The most powerful drop is a power boost which makes you 3-shot if all shots are in the head or 4 shot otherwise, instead of 5-shot. But when you die, that's it. It's gone. The streaks are nothing like CoD since the entirety of multiplayer of CoD relies on point streaks, whereas the Halo 4 streaks give a slight edge that you lose as soon as you die. Spawning before your timer is over can be troublesome in that if you get a lucky enough spawn, you can run over to the person whom killed you and finish them off. Although, this scenario has only happened one time on the smallest map in my 180 games. More often than not, spawning early so that you can sprint back into the battle just ends up with you dieing again. The multiplayer is nothing like Reach. Yes, there are armour abilities. No, they aren't OP. There's no invincibility (Armour lock) and the AA's just allow you to escape death for another second before you're struck down. There are small perks that are like collecting frag grenades from fallen players or getting ordinance drops slightly quicker (the equivalent of a kill). These perks generally don't make a difference on gameplay as long as you don't suck horribly.

    People complaining about the multiplayer being imbalanced must just not be very good at it. Although it has taken some features from CoD, like the killcam, it does NOT play like CoD. You can't just sprint forward and spray your gun at someone hoping to get a kill. Halo 4 feels like a combination between Halo 3 and Halo 2, with a sprinkle of Reach in the way of sprint/AA. If you liked Reach, but not other Halo games, you might not enjoy this one. A good example is the sniper. There is no aim assist. If you are slightly off your target, you are slightly off your target. You miss. It's not like Reach, close enough isn't close enough.

    If you liked Halo 3, you need this game. If you liked Reach but not Halo 3, you might not like this game. The Halo series feels like Halo again.    … Expand
  67. CameoCream
    Nov 8, 2012
    0
    I've been playing Halo for ten years and I don't see this as Halo anymore. if you enjoyed Reach then you'll enjoy this crap, mainly because this game aims to compete with CoD by becoming CoD...... again like Reach. Which is of course a horrible decision. Every single second of the multiplayer is filled with crap, like perks, unbalanced AA's again, weapon drops, over powered vehicles, and dumbing down the game so some silly 3 year old could play it and kill a seasoned player with ease. The multiplayer is an abomination of horrible, unfair, and un-fun gameplay. I would not recommend buying this if you intend to play multiplayer.

    If you however want to play campaign, I enjoyed this funnily enough. The campaign had story, and has playability to it unlike Reach's boring linear campaign. I give the rating of the campaign roughly a 95, but because the ,multiplayer is just so horrible I can't give it anything more than a 0 overall. Do not buy this game or future Halo's until the developers come to their senses and make a 'Halo' game, not CoD on steroids.    … Expand
  68. Larux18
    Nov 24, 2012
    10
    Personally I thought Halo would die with Bungie, after a not-so-good remake of the first game by the hand of 343 I doubted the potential that this game would have, but I am happy to say, I was completely wrong. The first thing that stands out when you play Halo 4 are the visuals, this is by far the best looking game for the 360, it can even compete with PC graphics to a certain point since the level of detail is amazing. The first thing I covered was the campaign, it was entertaining with a story now focused on Cortana and the forrunner awakening instead of Chief and the Halo rings. Prometheans stand out as the new enemies with some new challenges and badass weapons. Overall the campaign was great but it was a little short with only eight missions. However the next part makes up for it. Multiplayer is the star of this franchise since Halo 2, and it does not disappoint. There are various multiplayer modes, both old and new, which have excellent, faster, and more aggressive combat. Load-outs can now be created and selected and there are now powerful weapon drops, or ordinances, that are rewarded with kill streaks. One new vehicle has been added called the Mantis, which is a mech that is balanced enough to be badass yet destroyable. There are some great maps present such as the remake of Halo 3's Valhalla called Ragnarok, which is amazing. Also, there are now more than a single map for forge, and since most of the big team maps are massive there are good spots to be creative. The other multiplayer mode apart from the competitive modes is Spartan Ops. This mode is basically co-op missions with a unique story and with new episodes being released with time, the only problem I have with spartan ops is that with a few players I've had a great delay, making the game unplayable. Again, forge is better than ever, with some awesome maps, great new tools, and new options promoting creativity. This game has so much that I assure it will be completely worth whatever price it is where you live, 343 has done an amazing job and created one of my game of the year candidates.… Expand
  69. Samcr0
    Nov 7, 2012
    10
    Halo 4 has enough changes that keep the game fresh. Graphics, story and game play are all top notch, my only complaint is I do not like the look of the menu's and UI compared to REACH but a very minor complaint.
    Some may not like the changes to everyone having sprint, and perks because of the similarities to COD but this adds a fresh take on the multiplayer, do not listen to the trolls cr    eating new accounts just to give this outstanding game a ' 0 ' over and over again, well done 343 much better than I anticipated.… Expand
  70. tototototo
    Nov 6, 2012
    3
    It's basically the same Halo as always, the only apparant innovation seems to be a copy of features found in CoD. If you loved Bungie's Halo, stick to the sweet memories, there is nothing here you'll like.
  71. 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
  72. Kuse
    Nov 6, 2012
    10
    I don't understand the negative reviews here, seems to be a lot of fanboys from the Call of Duty franchise trying to make this game look bad. From my experience the game is very polished and very fluid from the days of yesteryear, in fact I think it looks better than when Bungie had it. If you are on the fence about this game don't be, it answers the questions you were looking for and more.
  73. 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
  74. wayneskylar
    Nov 18, 2012
    5
    They didn't really do anything to improve upon the Halo Universe - same (for the most part) weapons, vehicles, etc. The campaign was much more repetitive than any other Halo and the story was not very good (why can't these big game companies find decent writers??). Lots of button pushing, and inconsistencies with the space (for instance, you land on a "tower" which is maybe 200 yards wide, but the interior of it is about a mile deep... Not very well thought-out. Very small, annoying missions (lots of "activations" or "deactivations" at the end of each mission), which remind me of some of the more boring games out there - if it had not been Halo characters I truly believe this game would have gotten much worse critics' reviews.… Expand
  75. 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!!
  76. Fatspud
    May 1, 2013
    5
    The main problem with this game is the convoluted story, and the repetitive game play; so little change since Reach. The graphics are dated, and the new dialogue between the Chief and Cortana is cringey. The new enemies are also poorly designed and boring to fight- the flood was way more fun. Multiplayer is fun though, best yet in the series.
  77. gumpei
    Jan 1, 2013
    5
    Halo 4 is a real disappointment compared to the past. The final duel is horrible and lacking in originality. The single players has too many small arenas of multiplayer. Pitched battles in open places are ridiculous compared to the past. The campaign is too short. For Halo 5 343 should be guided by planetside 2, the real Halo 4 of this generation imho. If Halo 5 will like Halo 4, then I do not buy it.… Expand
  78. zatch32
    Feb 13, 2013
    9
    Halo 4's campaign is right up there with the Combat Evolved campaign in terms of greatness. Spartan Ops is a fun new co-op mode that has only gotten better as time went on. Multiplayer introduces fresh new features to the Halo experience and will only get better and more polished.

    Overall, amazing game that is deserving of the hype. Haters gonna hate.
  79. defanual
    Apr 25, 2013
    5
    I won't go into a heavy review here because it's pretty much done and dusted by my overall experience of the game is if your a hardcore Halo fan your probably gonna absolutely love this game. The Good: -Amazing cinematics and visual facial animation -Solid overall polish, performance and story campaign-wise -Varied and reasonable length campaign especially when you include Spartan ops.

    The Bad:
    (For me, all the below stems from the multiplayer, which is the meat these days of these kinda games)

    -Semi sniper orientated game in that most of your battles well involve everyone using the same gun (DMR which scopes in like a sniper rifle and can kill with 4 quick headshots) shooting at range
    -Lack of maps out the box and an unhealthy level (bordering on pathological) selection the same map(s) namely a certain 'Exile', sometimes being voted 7, 8+ times in a row
    -Map playlist voting system is hideous and promotes the behavioural problems the community seems to have regarding a will for a distinct lack for variety repetition
    -Poor overall map design for me, most encounters involve people hiding in caves sniping or being shot from above or underneath you since many maps contain multi-level
    -Weapon drops mix random ordinances make the game a bit of a lottery as a team landing 2-3 real sniper rifles heavy weapons at once can be hugely unbalanced
    -Points system is just odd, you often get the worst score in a typical multiplayer game when you think you've done your best work, very frustrating
    -Customizations system is mostly pointless outside of colours and the menu system character cards.
    -Friendly fire, huuuge problem in this game, you'll hear countless stories of people killing destroying team-mates for vehicles or just to grief, no thanks!
    -Levelling up at the base play level is slow
    -Gameplay becomes very repetitive very quickly as you'll have a very limited arsenal of guns you can actually use successfully, have little control of the ordinances and often be playing the same map for the 15th time in one session

    In closing, it seems that a lot of the problems this game has many of it's most beloved fans community as a whole actually enjoy?! So bear this in mind when you take this review into account.    … Expand
  80. TheDudeAbides
    Nov 7, 2012
    10
    This is the best Halo since 2. Making an argument for best in the series. It is stunning in every single way. The graphics must be pushing the limits of the 360 because it would appear that they squeezed every last drop out of this dated console. Kudos to 343.
  81. brad3ngunn
    Dec 26, 2012
    3
    I enjoyed all the other Halo games (except for Halo Wars. I'm just not a fan of strategy games.) but found myself extremely disappointed with Halo 4, First of all the campaign needed to be much longer because me and my friend managed to play through this in just under 4 hours. That's the amount of time it should take to finish a DLC not a big budget triple A game.

    My second problem with     the game is the actual gameplay, when the first Halo released in 2001 it redefined the FPS genre, eleven years later and next to nothings changed. The gameplay is incredibly simple: Shoot enemies, walk/ drive to next area, shoot more enemies. Rinse and repeat. I think it's time for Combat to take another evolutionary step forward.

    My final major problem with Halo 4 is this is the first ever game I have ever played where I felt bored while playing. I'm sorry 343 but I was incredibly bored during Halo 4. It just did nothing to excite me.

    To be fair to the game though not everything about Halo 4 is bad though, I have to admit that the graphics are gorgeous to look at, the voice acting from Steve Downs and Mackenzie Mason is some of the best this year and the game actually has a decent story unlike most modern first person shooters (Cough COD Cough)

    Remember though this is just my opinion, maybe you'll agree with me , or maybe you will love it. If you are a fan of Halo, then I would recommend giving it a try hopefully your opinion differs from mine, otherwise give it a miss unless you see it cheap.    … Expand
  82. dragonbillz
    Dec 31, 2012
    10
    I must admit that this game had me worried. A new studio taking over a successful franchise. Well I think they have successfully justified the franchise. The first thing i noticed was that the graphics seem to have improved significantly. The controls seem even tighter and the game play fully intact. The next chapter seems to be well written and I can't wait to continue with this new trilogy. The soundtrack is also as good as it could be. This fits perfectly into the Halo universe and should be recognized for it's detail. An incredible tribute to the entire Halo universe.… Expand
  83. Mako5
    Nov 7, 2012
    10
    This game was nothing short of amazing. Musical score, graphics, weapons, story, characters, voice acting, facial animations, sound design, level and map design, enemy AI, vehicles...oh God EVERYTHING in this game is BEYOND excellent!! I had a fantastic time playing through the campaign...which is a VERY emotional story! I was left awed by the realistic CGI, and the theatrical quality of the scenes and dialogue. Halo 4 is the BEST installment in the series, and is by far the BEST console exclusive this year...if not for the past few years!! No game can compare to this game. Not even close. I'm STOKED for Halo 5!! If you don't own an Xbox 360....now is the time to get one :p… Expand
  84. 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
  85. yrcrazy
    Jan 12, 2013
    5
    halo but without the ability to download custom games on console. great visuals and better competitive play than reach but misses out on the key aspect of halo ... fun . A big dissapointment in hindsight but good in its own right.
  86. SuperJoystick
    Nov 7, 2012
    4
    343 have done a great job. The audio and gameplay are fantastic. Best Halo yet. Also the multiplayer is better than ever. Minus 6 points as there is no local search or ping indicator in multiplayer. WTF, 343?!?!? FIX IT! I don't want to lag.
  87. flavio360
    Feb 20, 2013
    10
    Adoro Halo 4 um game completo, não tem nada a vê com aquele lixo do killzone!
    Tenho pena da sony querendo matar o Halo...kkkkkkkk
    Na boa, a sony tem uma dor de cotovelo do inferno!
    na verdade, eles devem adorar Halo!
    kkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkk
    shuashuashuas
  88. StarlessBB
    Nov 6, 2012
    6
    The campaign seems to be a mixed bag. On one end the enemy AI is great and the difficulty is just right. On the other end there are weird QTE esque Call of Duty like segments that are slow and take me out of the game. This back-and-forth between these elements persists throughout the relatively short campaign.
    Multiplayer, like the campaign, is a mixed bag. New modes are fun, new armors l    ook very cool, new weapons are great, but it's all undermined by the HORRIBLE weapon spawning system. I won't even describe it but it's so **** compared to how it was in the other game.
    Visually the game looks good, not great but it's definitely nice looking.
    The music and sound effects are great as always in Halo.    … Expand
  89. crypticphildz
    Nov 9, 2012
    10
    This game is flat out amazing!! Well everybody has there own opinion, i cannot see why it is getting a 5.7 from user reviews. The graphics are amazing especially for it being on very old hardware, game play is so smooth, the MP is addicting as hell, voice acting flawless!! THE SOUND!!! every weapon has been re-done!! Amazing! There are a few issues with servers and such but im sure that will be all sorted out. If you like FPS and MP and a great story get this game!… Expand
  90. 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
  91. ComanderShepard
    Nov 11, 2012
    10
    Great game improves on every aspect of previous game the graphics, dialogue, mechanics etc. New enemies are fun to fight. However, I am not the fondest of the new flood mode with the overpowered zombies but there is so much more overall 9.5
  92. 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
  93. Xineombine
    Nov 13, 2012
    10
    I have no clue why this game is getting so much downplay. Don't Say "OH THEY PUT CALL OF DUTY ELEMENTS INTO IT" when other games had systems like it before call of duty did (Battlefield, Counter strike, ETC) In terms of the single player, it's beautiful and intricate in it's story and it's environment. As for the multiplayer, it succeeds where Call of duty and it's infinite clones Fail, delivering balanced game play while allowing you to start with preferable weapons and equipment. It's multiplayer is Akin to Team Fortress 2, you can have different loadouts for different maps and situations. The Way I see it, People just dislike the new additions that make it more akin to popular titles like battlefield and CoD. People are blinded by Hatred of those elements make them hate this game for all the wrong reasons.… Expand
  94. kenny307
    Nov 9, 2012
    0
    I am disappointed. I was a big , fan of halo 1,2 and 3 ( over 70 days of play time on halo 3 ) but this halo is not something that fit with the quality of the trilogy. I will start with SP. The story last 4 hours in normal ( short as f*** for a 60 $ games ) and is not ''punchy''' like others halo. A very linear environment with nothing special and some really similar objective make the campaign something that do not worth it. For the MP , this game should be called DMR 4 instead of Halo 4. The dmr is the only DECENT gun in the whole multiplayer. It just feel like a halo reach V 2 , even more crappy. I will sell this waste of time and stick to halo 3 instead , who still a decent and interesting game. Halo 4 do not deserve the name HALO.… Expand
  95. Havok1496
    Nov 10, 2012
    8
    NOT a Fan boy review. The game is good i found the campaign to be good but not great. The story was hit and miss and at times i felt i was back in halo 3 just killing covenant again because that is what you do for a great deal of the game. There is no real emotion to it and not the best halo story for sure. The visual's are great can't fault 343 for that. The multiplayer is where the game really shines. Its fun and has new elements to it which i feel make it the best yet. So if your looking for a great story campaign i would say you might not get it but otherwise this game would make a great purchase just for the amazing multiplayer.… Expand
  96. FrostAiden
    Nov 11, 2012
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. The story and the graphics is absolutely brilliant. The story is both emotional and suspenseful, giving the sense of mystery that drew so many people to the first Halo, the dialogue is improved 10 fold from previous game, and the antagonist is strong and brilliant. However I might add that the ending leaves little room for a good sequel as so much emotion was used to end the game. The graphics are top notch, brilliant textures, lighting, and environment. The game sounds absolutely magnificent, with loud and thundering sounds mixed with emotional and tragic music. Gameplay is smooth and exciting, however it gets quite repetitive in late game. The mulitplayer is fun and refreshing, but far too unbalanced, guns are either ridiculously overpowered (SAW) or horrendously slow and weak (Railgun), armor abilities are almost useless as the only useful ones are the hardlight shield and the jetpack. Now the cons, the AI is junk, the AI not only does not help with thinning enemy lines, but it instead fires at anything in their line of sight including you. The prometheans seem cliche and generic, it seems like a new stronger covenant. However the ultimate con about this game is the length, in short the game is far too short, it takes 6-7 hours in normal to beat it solo and about 3-4 to beat it in co-op. In summary, this game is absolutely brilliant in story, gameplay, graphics and pace. But because of it's flaws, it does not deserve a 10. However it does come very very close to a 10. If only it was longer... if only… Expand
  97. 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
  98. 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
  99. HeruLuingul
    Nov 6, 2012
    3
    GRAPHICS: It probably looks amazing. I bet. Somehow. If you can actually see through the oceans of overzealous bloom covering everything. Some portions of the game literally blind you. Crossing a light bridge? Can't see anything else in the room. Enemy standing in front of a light source? Good luck scoping in on him without your eyeballs catching fire. Everything just emits a radioactive aura about five times as large as is reasonable. I'm not totally against bloom, like I love Tron Legacy and that movie is chock full of it. But the bloom is just so extreme it actually prevents you from enjoying what is probably the best graphics on the 360 right now. I wouldn't know because playing is like staring into the sun.
    AUDIO: I guess I can't really complain about Cortana's voice acting, because she IS going insane, but she just sounded so casual and snarky this time around. There was always a hint of 'proper" in her voice before. Her vocabulary was more advanced. Now she sounds like an angsty teen. But where she had the body to match before, now she looks 30+. Confused.
    Sound effects in general are complete crap, I don't understand why 343 felt compelled to change so much instead of updating the old sounds. The Warthog sounds like an electric shaver from the 70's, or a crappy lawnmower with a fart can. The Mongoose sounds like the Warthog SHOULD sound. The plasma pistol sounds mechanical instead of, well, energy. The shotgun has no bass, where the Assault Rifle has way too much bass. The warthog's chain gun sounds like the glitchy noise when weapons would get stuck in the walls in Halo CE Anniversary (It's like 343 noticed that glitch and said "hey, I like this sound, let's work with it"). Everything is just way too loud, there's no balance to what sounds have priority. When you're shooting a gun from a vehicle while listening to Cortana and the Infinity talk to you at the same time, it all just cancels itself out and you can't make sense of anything.
    MUSIC: It's not BAD, but it's just so generic. I suppose I've been spoiled by Marty's genius, but Halo 4 sounds like your standard summer blockbuster action movie fare. I would compare it to Transformers by Michael Bay, but I actually remember some of the music from Transformers. This stuff is entirely forgettable, and multiple times during the campaign, my friend I was playing co-op with commented on how repetitive and boring it was, so I know it's not just me.
    GAMEPLAY: I haven't touched Multiplayer yet so this is all about Campaign. What a ridiculous glitch fest. The production value is obviously high, so there's a level of polish to it, but there's some really obvious problems I would have identified immediately if I were a playtester. So many times, I killed an enemy and walked over to his corpse, only to find the gun he was using had disappeared. If you try to get in the hovering covie sniper towers, you'll get stuck between the grav lift and the bottom of the platform.
    The enemy AI are HORRIBLE drivers. They frequently get stuck on walls or level geometry and don't do anything to attempt getting un-stuck. They just continue boosting forward into the wall, as if that will help. If you're on Legendary and playing a vehicle-heavy level, you're **** out of luck. And before you all scream "LOL YOU CASUAL YOU JUST SUCK," know that I have completed it on Legendary. When you're on the highest difficulty, it is LITERALLY impossible to drive a vehicle and avoid enemy shots. The AI tracks your motion with complete omniscience. Your banshee will be shot down the moment you leave the ground. your ghost will be blown up if you don't use boost constantly. Your warthog will be obliterated by small-arms fire if you manage to avoid the five Wraiths sniping you from a mile away. I know that legendary is supposed to be difficult, but in the previous games I could still make use of vehicles without being destroyed in seconds.
    Some of the action sequences SCREAMED Call of Duty to me, like the turbo-ghost section. It reeked of "Snowmobile level." Particularly the scripted long jumps that would be impossible to make under normal circumstances. Vehicle sections in previous Halo games always relied on the actual capabilities of the vehicle being driven, and your skill. This is pandering. I'm also incredibly mad that the game begins and ends with quick-time events. Which, BY THE WAY, do not work in Co-op at all. I was on my own xbox, playing co-op with two guys who were splitscreen on another. The first QTE switched control between the two split-screen guys every two seconds, so they were never sure who should be doing it. And the last one at the boss battle was given to me, so they never even knew it happened. Ideally the game would not have any QTEs, but if it's really necessary, just give control to the party leader and be done with it. But give me a real boss battle over this any day.

    Summing up, 343 has destroyed Halo for me and I hate them for it    … Expand
  100. a2toedmonkey
    Nov 6, 2012
    7
    I don't know, I feel like a lot of the negative reviews of this game are from the "hardcore" or "true" gamer crowd. I consider myself hardcore, and I like this game for the multiplayer, the singleplayer is alright. My gripes are that the multiplayer does feel a little strange compared to old games and, as a few have said, grenades don't seem to matter as much. The combat felt slightly slower than previous entries in the series, but its not bad by any means. I think you should take all reviews as someone else's opinion for this reason, alot of the negative reviews probably went in expecting the game to suck and they only remembered it sucking. They want to seem popular and talk about how games have sold out without realizing that these companies do in fact want your money. This isn't some family fun time and realistically they don't owe you anything, so if you wanna be popular with the gaming hipsters who pretend to be hardcore, bad talk the game before you try it, and then remember the time you jumped off the cliff in game, not the gorgeous visuals.… Expand
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Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
87 out of 100

Generally favorable reviews - based on 87 Critics

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