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. AngainorG7
    Nov 6, 2012
    10
    The game is absolutely outstanding!!!! Visually maybe the best game in consoles. High quality sounds, it feels like you are in the real battlefield, excellent gameplay, jawdropping lightning effects, unbelievable music, awesome story. What else do you need? Congrats to 343!!!!
  2. Cg1
    Nov 6, 2012
    10
    The campaign was amazing. The emotional connection between Chief and Cortana was a central highlight of the plot. The villain was something Halo needed, and he is a worthy adversary for John. Everything from sound design, graphics, gameplay, map design, was amazing! There were so many details, and the lighting was fantastic, I was blown away! The multiplayer is addicting as ever!! This game alone is a reason to own an Xbox 360. A must get game, and my choice for game of the year! You jealous, Sony and CoD fanboys? Yeah, I think you are.… Expand
  3. 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.
  4. 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
  5. FiddlyBits
    Nov 6, 2012
    10
    I'm a long term fan of the Halo series and this new edition certainly lives up to my personal standards but not only does it live up to them, it surpasses them in every way. The graphics are amazing, though like in all games this novelty wears off rather quickly, regardless they are stunning. The story is where the games gets me, it's well composed, the conflicts are interesting and if you are enduring halo fan like me, it hits close to home. I don't think i have felt this emotional during a game since red dead. I thought that they could have spent a bit more time developing master chief though. On a more technical aspect the sounds are fantastic and the music fits very and creates an awesome atmosphere. Overall the game delivers on nearly all of it's promises and i think 343 are well on their way to filling those massive shoes that were left behind.… Expand
  6. watson
    Nov 6, 2012
    0
    The single player campain is boring and it doesn't last long. It's the same tactical sandbox game we all played on 360 but you might want to wait for the co-op dlc's. As a Halo fan i expected much better than a multiplayer focused game, tho. I think i'll stick to bf3.
  7. RippedCurtain
    Nov 6, 2012
    10
    I have been a Hardcore Halo fan since the original title in 2001 with the launch of the XBOX. I am proud to say that Halo 4 is the best title in the series, it's campaign is as breathtaking as Combat Evolved's and is an absolute fan-service, delving head first into the expanded universe that has been established in the books and other Media. The story is Mature, intelligent and fun. To top this all of the multi-player side of Halo 4 has been refined to it's best. It is addictive and crisp. This game is breathtaking, full of content and an amazing first release from 343 Studios. This is a genuine 10/10.… Expand
  8. moonstrider101
    Nov 6, 2012
    9
    It may not be revolutionary, but what else can you do in a first person shooter? I work in the video game industry and, let me to you, developers are looking desperately for new ideas. People hate games for changing what isn't broken and for keeping things the same. You tell me, where would you begin to change things to satisfy both these desires? Halo Combat Evolved will always be the best Halo because it felt fresh, among other things. I also think the AI, at least enemy AI, was the best in Combat Evolved in comparison to other Halos. Halo 4, however, is definitely worthy of the Halo title. Still, I am upset that firefight doesn't make a return. That's the only reason why I refuse to give this game a ten.… Expand
  9. Phenom557
    Nov 6, 2012
    10
    343 has my complete faith and loyalty. Halo 4 starts a whole new trilogy with a bang! The campaign answers alot of long standing questions and does an excellent job of creating new ones! The entire game from the menu's to the actual in game-play is as smooth as butter and the visuals are absolutely stunning!! I fear the ONLY reason anyone would post negative review on this game is because they are bored with the Halo Universe and are looking for something new. 343 did exactly what they set out to do, build on the story and bring more depth to the universe we all know and love. All in all if you were looking for a "Revolutionary In Your Face Game Changer" you will be disappointed because 343 stays tried and true to the story of Master Chief, taking excellent care of the world all true Halo fans have grown to love.… Expand
  10. EagleFox2002
    Nov 6, 2012
    10
    Man the people who have given this game a below 8 rating are straight out of their minds. This is the biggest game ever made. The AAA among AAA.

    This game looks amazing, feels amazing, plays amazing. Anybody who says otherwise has not played a decent shooter or modern game.

    At first I had my doubts but 343 Industries has done a beautiful job helming the franchise in the direction of     Halo 4. I trust them entirely with future outings of any other Halo game. Multiplayer is the go-to Xbox live online experience (War Games AND Spartan-ops) Campaign fits perfectly in the Halo lore and leaves with a good cliffhanger for future games and media, and Forge (ability to create from scratch custom maps however you like) satisfies all the mine craft fans who like to build stuff out of thin air.

    Best Game out to date PERIOD [Includes PS3 (which I own all the biggest games: Uncharted 2,3; Killzone, God of War, etc.), PC (Which I play Diablo 3 and StarCraft among many others) and Wii (Zelda and That I have for when family comes over) and obviously Xbox 360]

    Halo 4 represents the pinnacle (so far) of gaming across all platforms and systems.    … Expand
  11. 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
  12. adn12
    Nov 6, 2012
    10
    This game is amazing. Seriously don't listen to anyone giving this game lower than a 8/10. To the people giving it a '0' really ? That's not even possible..games like "Happy Wars" don't even get zeros. No way you can honestly play any Halo game and give it that score without being an absolute troll. Game is more than worth the $60 especially if you were a fan of Halo, 2 and 3.
  13. CondemnedZealot
    Nov 6, 2012
    10
    Thank you 343. Halo 4 delivers an experience that Halo fans will love, and newcomers will find themselves enthralled in. The great graphics, engaging gameplay, and great story leave one wanting more.(Spartan Ops). Halo has returned to its rightful place at kingofthexbox.
  14. Jmaster888
    Nov 6, 2012
    10
    At first I was suspicious of the many changes the Halo franchise has undergone in the hands of 343 Industries. However it seems like those worries were unneeded as this game is brilliant! Yes, the campaign is very enjoyable and has overall a great story integrated. Matchmaking has been improved since reach too, only missing the visible in-game ranking system halo 3 and halo 2 possessed which is a pity for the competitive community, but I enjoyed Matchmaking (Or war games as it's called now) so far. Another neat new feature is Spartan Ops, A sort of coop campaign in which every a new episode releases to play. The new graphics are stunning and the new sounds are blowing me away. Definitely my favorite game of 2012!… Expand
  15. itonic
    Nov 6, 2012
    10
    I've been a halo player since the original one. Played the heck out of halo 2 and 3. Reach came out and just was a huge disappointment. The multiplayer in this came has come back to life. So far the maps are looking amazing. The feel for the game is back. The battle rifle is back to it's awesome self. Kasparov5 said " Do yourself a favor and buy games truly deserving of your hard earned cash like Dishonored, Hotline Miami, Hitman Absolution." I have dishonored truly an awesome game but once you beat it, you're done; You will not lose that interest with Halo 4. Highly recommend. Well done 343 Industries.… Expand
  16. PredStealth
    Nov 6, 2012
    10
    This the must have game for the Xbox 360. Solid Campaign (Story is solid and everywhere and I follow the books and other media), The gameplay mechanics are tight as ever, the game is STUNNING, voice acting is AAA, Multiplayer competitiveness is at it's peak, spartan-ops looks very promising.

    This is the game that people buy the Xbox 360 for. And this is why Halo is and will be the kille    r and biggest growing franchise of the gaming world.… Expand
  17. rankinaaron
    Nov 9, 2012
    6
    Here we go, I'm gonna try and be as honest as I can about this. I am a Halo fan through and through. I have been playing since Halo CE. I've bought every Halo game there ever was (except Halo Wars). I was playing Halo 2 with friends at LAN parties with 4+ xboxes for hours on end. I have also been playing COD pretty extensively since COD 4 (Modern Warfare). I was tenth prestige in the first modern warfare and 7th prestige in the 2nd. Just giving my credentials in order to show that I have a pretty well formed opinion about Halo 4. Let's be honest, Halo 4 is Halo at it's core with a hefty amount of COD mechanics thrown in. Things brought to Halo 4 directly from COD: instant respawn, custom weapon loadouts, an experience and currency system wherein items are unlocked with XP, but have to be purchased with currency (taken from black ops), dynamic player joining (and no penalty for quitting), sprint as an inherent ability, "ordnance" (strike) packages (even two of them just like COD). Default controls for Halo 4 are the exact same as COD (left thumbstick click has been crouch for every single Halo except this one). The spinning UNSC banner hologram you see during loading screens is a direct copy of the loading screen in the modern warfare titles. This isn't conspiracy bullsh*t, it's blatant parallels between the games. Anyone who has played both Halo and COD will say that Halo 4 is a combination of the two, most likely to draw in players from both crowds in order to maximize profits for Microsoft. Finally (spoiler alert here) the final "boss" (bahahaha) is a supremely dissatisfying quicktime event, much like the endings of pretty much all of the call of duty games.

    My problem with this? NO INNOVATION WHATSOEVER. Copied game mechanics, that's it, nothing more. So we get a compromised version of Halo, which used to be a competitive even playing field, but is now a cushy "everyone can have fun, even if you suck" title. I regret to say that I'm probably going to return (sell back to Gamestop for 1/10 the price) Halo 4, as I have no motivation to progress in it's multiplayer system, because I feel like I've played the same system 20 times over with the Call of Duty franchise.    … Expand
  18. Pete97K
    Nov 6, 2012
    8
    So much fun, the campaign is amazing and many new features are incorperated. Multiplayer is also very fun although there are many cod like elements that many wont like. I myself hated them as i started but once you play you realize they are balanced. One thing i personally don't like is the multiplayer interface eg: lobbies, commendation menus, armor menus ect. I also believe the armor doesnt look as cool as in previous games. Yet these things hardly deteriorate the playing experience. This game is a must buy for all Halo fans and is definitely worth buying for new comers to the series.… Expand
  19. marcus21st
    Nov 6, 2012
    8
    Halo 4 is amazing. Great buy. The people listing 0/10 is obviously sad PS3 junkies. The graphics are amazing and the story is actually very good. The story keeps you wondering what's going to happen unlike predictable games out there. Don't review a game you haven't played.
  20. kilokilo
    Nov 6, 2012
    10
    The best game of my life . Perfect in alla aspects . Awesome graphic band story
    This game must be the Goty and for me the Game of this generation of console.
    Thank you Microsoft , i love you All 383 industries
  21. H1P1
    Nov 6, 2012
    3
    Short but not sweet. Graphically outstanding and the soundtrack is good although sadly none of the nostalgic scores have remained. The guns are varied, useful and sound awesome. However this game is so far from amazing that you would have to slap yourself after all of the pre-release reviews. The levels are boring, uninspired and repetitive, quite literally requiring you to perform the same style of objective in every level. It is also disappointingly short considering how boring the levels are; if it's going to be short make sure the levels are awesome. The vehicles are clunky and do not handle as fluent and fast of halo games of old. Explosions are weaker and smaller. The enemy AI is also unexciting. Whilst I have only played normal difficulty, fighting an elite in past halo games was an awesome challenge. Halo 4's elites do not feel challenging or smart, as well as the other enemies, something that did not exist on the normal difficulty setting of other halo's. Multiplayer is fun, but it's not halo multiplayer - the ultimate thrill of halo multiplayer was never in a perks/ability system, but just in the fact it was halo - it depends what you want, but if I want cod i'll play cod because they do it best. Second only to the gameplay is the story which is also boring. More plot holes than swiss cheese and it's not even easy to follow. Predictable cliche's and attempts to tug your heart strings but there are so many waning questions and factors that don't add up that whilst the humanity of chief can finally be felt, it just feels silly to imply the same for cortana as an AI. The new ideas the game possesses are its most promising aspect. Going into the game all I wanted was the same old halo, but 343 in trying to do this actually made it the killer. They hit some aspects but miss many, and movel design which was the best part of halo, is its worst in this game. They are not as good at doing what bungie do best, so they need to do what they do best. The new things that worked demonstrates that the halo universe can be improved, so they need to forget about recycling bungie halo and take some bold steps to make it their own in future titles.… Expand
  22. 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
  23. BlueWolf89
    Nov 6, 2012
    9
    This is truly a great game, the other reviews somehow are saying it has pro but are still giving it bad reviews. Sure it has cons, but I feel the graphics and just overall fun make up for this. Oh and probably half the people who are rating are COD fans.
  24. JollySovereign
    Nov 6, 2012
    3
    Whilst the game kept it's core mechanics at heart, Halo 4 is not a good game in anyway shape or form. I can stand the extremely small campaign time; the series has slowly been turning into a multiplayer focused game for years now and the graphics are incredible for a console that really should have been scrapped by now. What I cannot stand though, is the painfully embarrassing storytelling, it's police-like moderation involving "sexism", the dull and uninspiring levels that have been polished to the point I can smell the polish coming off it. Multiplayer has barely been innovated or has anything new to offer; it's essentially putting green sprinkles on the same crap that's chock-full of every sprinkle except green. But the worst part is the simple obnoxious marketing and journalistic failures that will emanate from this game. This doesn't seem like a game for people who want to enjoy playing games it's a marketing tool to advertise Mountain Dew's and Doritio's latest gunk they want to shove down your throats. I still question why anyone would need an "energy" drink for something that consumes 0 energy. Meanwhile sites such as IGN will tell you this is the "best game of the decade", a "9.8/10". The same shtick we heard with titles like "Mass Effect 3", "Diablo 3" and many others this year.

    Halo 4 is essentially an old, old dog with no new tricks; it's just been bathed in polish to make it look new. As a story, I was satisfied with it closing with Halo 3 because Bungie kept a moderate head on themselves, and prequels like Halo: Reach were perfectly fine. But Halo 4 just wants to ride on nostalgia for it's good scores. I really think it's time for Halo to be put on the shelf and find something new, Microsoft and 343 cannot let go because they likely fear taking the risk of trying anything new today.

    In closing, "Thanks for trusting us with the universe you love..." Is the message given to us by 343 Industries at the end credits. To which I retort "Did we ever have any say or choice in the matter?"    … Expand
  25. Sidurien
    Nov 6, 2012
    10
    Honestly this is the best Halo game in the series as far as campaign and multiplayer. The graphics are probably the best available on the 360. All the negative reviews are CoD players who want **** games. Seriously, you can't buy a game JUST for multiplayer. Everything about this game is amazing. When you buy an FPS thats what you get! The story was amazing, if all you care about is multiplayer go play CoD, Halo is for serious people who are over the age of 13.… Expand
  26. o_DD
    Nov 6, 2012
    4
    Campaign - It was hard to follow the story. There was a lot of jumping around and it was unclear what the purpose of the story missions were. I also played it Co-op which was the worst way to experience the game. There are near hundreds of spots where you will warp to your teammates facing different directions, and if you are in a vehicle when your teammate warps they will usually be in front of you and will die from a betrayal. Game looks nice, plays bad. War Games - Only search with a full party or you will get put into losing games more often than not. There are clear advantages to certain armor abilities and perks.… Expand
  27. Ceuti14
    Nov 6, 2012
    10
    Es el Halo definitivo, no hagáis caso a los majaras estos, no entiendo esta manía por Halo, llega a estancarse y es lo mismo, hay quejas, cambia muchas cosas y mantiene su esencia aunque con leves cambios, os quejáis, de verdad, me dáis pena, es el mejor Halo porque es el que más gente ha atraído, sus gráficos son increíbles, su historia es muy interesante, y su multijugador es una mezcla muy interesante entre Halo y Call of Duty,
    GOOD FOR 343, THEY MADE THE BEST HALO OF THE HISTORY    … Expand
  28. BADS
    Nov 7, 2012
    10
    Metacritic deleated my review earlier because I said they should disable ratings because of the amount of trolls bringing the rating down... Looks like they really do care huh? But I'll still say that the game is amazing and you should buy it and I still stand by what I said earlier. For the sake of this site, stop ignoring our cries for help.... Bye.
  29. mrpk05
    Nov 10, 2012
    0
    LOL at the people complaining about the low scores, when they give it a perfect score. I think the 0's here are more justified since I guarantee all those people were frustrated enough with this game that they returned it, like me. Not worth buying, and a blatant ripoff, so I'll give it a zero since the franchise is ruined thanks to 343 Industries. No, I will never give a game a good rating when they blatantly rip off other games. I've played and enjoyed every Halo game, and I never thought I'd return the game after a couple days. This game isn't Halo anymore. I liked Halo because it was Halo. It's just Call of Duty Future Warfare now. How many similarities do I have to list? It's too easy and too fast. Loadouts and perks completely ruined it. Same with the lack of friendly fire and all the other similarities, like the Call of Duty scoring system, respawn time, etc. It's only a matter of time before you can aim down the sights. Man if that happens... It's really sad because I'm never going to get another Halo again. All these things they took straight from Call of Duty because they wanted sales. They wanted "everyone" to play, and not keep true to Halo standards... by adapting things from a successful COD franchise. Can't wait to see what Bungie is up to. At least they are innovative.… Expand
  30. TheBaio
    Nov 6, 2012
    0
    If you have played since the days of Halo 1 and Halo 2, DO NOT BUY THIS GAME! I honestly think Halo 4 will kill this franchise it is that bad.

    Not only is it the worst Halo I have ever played (including Reach) but it is the biggest let down I have ever experienced for a console game. Granted, Halo 2 was pretty bad until the big updates came out but when you are this far into a series,     it shouldn't be this bad on release.

    Multiplayer game types? Slayer, Slayer Pro (no "perks" or radar but still has loadouts), Infected, 5v5 CTF, 6 man FFA of weird bounty game types, Oddball, KoTH and that's it. Nothing new and no competitive game types.

    The maps are horrible in this game. They don't feel balanced or even fun to play on. There are no weapons that you can pickup besides random spawning power weapons that your HUD displays along with your map. They copied the MW series and made "layouts" which you can pick to start with Assault Rifle, BR, DMR, Carbine, or a few other weapons. There are no ammo locations on the map, once you get a certain amount of kills you can randomly spawn some if you are lucky.

    The game is basically Modern Warfare meets Halo like everyone else has said and it's a horrible creation. I have loved the Halo series since Day 1 and got my first Xbox in Christmas of 2001. I've always been a huge fan of the series and never thought I'd say it but DO NOT BUY THIS GAME! I will never buy another product from 343 after what they have done to this series. I'll hold out hope that there will be huge updates that fix the game but I'm not holding my breath....    … Expand
  31. romaeterna476
    Nov 6, 2012
    0
    it is too boring, very similar to the previous. Unfortunately, it is as I feared, 343 have simply exploited the previous technologies without adding anything new. it's a shame...
  32. Rice303
    Nov 6, 2012
    5
    Genearlly an average game, it does have pretty graphics and an okay story, but in the end I was dissapointed with most of the games aspects, I wasn't a fan of the story or of the multiplayer and I found that the game was lacking in some areas during the campagin, but despite these problems of course fans are going to like it, but if you're not a fan, don't buy it, a waste of time and money.
  33. CynicalJohnson
    Nov 6, 2012
    9
    I wasn't really sure about how good Halo 4 was going to be a t first. To be honest, I expected it to flop. But after completing the campaign on Normal, and experiencing the multiplayer for a couple of hours, I have to admit that this is one of the best Halos ever made. It may not have the longest Halo campaign, but it has one of the most emotional ones. The bits of dialogue between Master Chief and Cortana are brillaint, from the script writing to the voice acting. There's a whole bunch of new, awesome weapons which all feel and sound really great. The multiplayer feels more fast paced than the previous titles and that only does it justice. I've really enjoyed my Halo 4 experience so far and I hope that Halo 5 turns out to be just as good, if not better.… Expand
  34. invaderzim6250
    Nov 6, 2012
    10
    The game is great, the campaign and graphics are pushing the limit of the console and the multiplayer has lots of options so you can play classic halo or infinity slayer. 343 really tried to introduce new blood to the series and yet keep the things that made it great.
  35. 343blows
    Nov 6, 2012
    1
    343 you blew it! Promises that aren' t kept. With the limited edition it is promised specialzations "available launch day." That is a lie and false advertising. 343 put a cap on daily XP, thus making it impossible to access your items "launch day." Really, an XP cap? The sound is broken, DMRs are overpowered and grenades are similar to throwing a ball full of confetti.
  36. demonmind
    Nov 6, 2012
    10
    OK got my halo 4 in started playing and right out the box I was like **** yeah halo man I love this game so gorgeous and like most other halos before it the gun play and story are fun and interesting.mulitiplayer as usaul is a blast I just. Confused again like when reach came out why so much hate. What do ppl want 343i to do to halo change into cod or something cause I I read o its not evovled or it's the same. Well Idk what they are babbling about cause halo 4 in my opinion is the BEST game I have played this year so far and is a awesome introduction to the new trilogy if u are a halo fan BUY this game u WILL love it lol.… Expand
  37. Baned
    Nov 6, 2012
    10
    This game is gorgeous with stunning visuals for a 360 game. The KI is very well done and acts at the higher difficulties challenging. The multiplayer is fun and rewarding, skill is required. Spartan-ops makes the game even bigger and makes the it feel like a complete package. Even if the game is not flawless, one has to admit that the game is worth beyond the price. Do yourself a favor and pick it up.… Expand
  38. 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
  39. gamefan1980
    Nov 6, 2012
    10
    Halo 4 is the offspring of 10 years of 30 second fun every 30 seconds. That's what Halo has always been a bout. AI that is so good that it makes the game interesting and fun with every encounter. Rather than linear corridors and amusement ride scripted events, Halo 4 gives you wide open levels and the ability to attack as you see fit.

    Without giving away and spoilers: The story is well     acted and well written as well as well paced and satisfying. The game play is perfectly balanced and fun. The graphics are the best you will see on any console. It looks so good you'll think it's CGI until you see the CGI cut-scenes that you'll think are live action. No other game on Xbox 360 or even PS3 has the level of detail and sophisticated art direction as Halo 4. This is the game that people will talk about in the years to come when discussing the best graphics of this generation. The sound and music is so good it's hard to explain. Buy the soundtrack, it's that good.

    If you have an Xbox 360 you must buy Halo 4. If you don't have an Xbox 360, then buy one so you can play Halo 4 and the other Halo games. Don't deny yourself the best that gaming has to offer.    … Expand
  40. 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
  41. QwertyPJM
    Nov 6, 2012
    10
    Awesome game, great graphics, game play and so on!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
  42. KomodoDave
    Nov 6, 2012
    10
    Ignore the stupidly negative score - users on **** have been intentionally spamming all day with negative reviews.

    The game is amazing, improved in all the right ways - most notably the graphics and sound, which are staggeringly good. The story and voice acting are also mesmerising and truly complement the technological improvements to create a game that you care about and that has you     both grinning inanely and hugging yourself in despair.

    See you online for the next 24 months :-)    … Expand
  43. 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.
  44. supermanyoyo
    Nov 6, 2012
    10
    easily way better than halo reach. Id even put it up there with halo 3. outstanding graphics, new weapons and ordnance drops!! the gameplay is a lot more fast paced and the Battle rifle makes a return!
  45. billiam837
    Jan 31, 2013
    9
    Now, when I reviewed this game a while back, around when it first came out, I thought the game was absolutely AMAZING! The online play was incredibly addicting, the campaign and plot were gripping, and the first chapter of Spartan Ops wasn't half bad. I also loved the forge maps. However, as time went on and the buzz died down, the faults with this game revealed themselves. While the campaign hadn't turned entirely sour, when compared to past Halo campaigns, it pales in comparison. I just felt the scope of the story was forced. However, I did enjoy the more human side of Master Chief coming to the forefront, particularly his relationship with his AI companion, Cortana. The online gameplay, which at first had been fantastic, had begun to drag on. After reaching level 50 or so, I just didn't feel compelled to play any longer. The Spartan Ops and Custom Games however were probably the biggest disappointment of the game. Despite being impressed with the first chapter, the more there were, the more I started to despise them. They used recycled maps over and over, and the missions were not challenging nor was the storyline compelling. When it comes to Custom Games, I was obsessed with these things back in the glory days of Halo 3. People came up with the most creative games despite the Forge engine being flawed. Many players of Halo 3, myself included, played the Custom Games more than the online competitive multiplayer. However, despite being advertised as the best new Forge maps, many of the maps were simply too small to be able to create anything fun. The only exception was Impact, which had some replayability, but was still surpassed by Halo 3 classics such as Foundry and Sandbox. Overall, Halo 4 is a great game for anyone to pick up and play, but is still the least entertaining of the Halo Saga.… Expand
  46. 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
  47. strider982
    Nov 6, 2012
    6
    Hard to decide whether i'm disappointed or not with this. Great music, the menu music just blows me away. Decent storyline, nice to see the Chief speaking a lot more, but the gameplay is just the same ol' stuff. Multiplayer is where it all goes horribly wrong. People have always compared other modern fps games with call of duty and for once they would be right to do so. The multiplayer many of us have come to know and love has been warped almost to the point of being unrecognisable. Killcams, sprint (not just a perk), customisable loadouts. This may all sound like a great advancement, and some of it arguably is (players joining in a session is a welcome bonus!) but many of the changes really do ruin the flow of gameplay and most importantly ruin everything that Bungie worked so hard on refining. I would seriously reccommend caution if you're thinking about buying this.… Expand
  48. Dark_Law001
    Nov 6, 2012
    10
    I don't know where these third rate reviews are coming from. From personal experience and through much conversing with the community, I've found Halo 4 to be a success. The game has improved in many different ways. Story Art design Lighting Game physics Audio Amount of content given to the player (I honestly think some of these review are negative for the sake of being negative.)

    To be objective, there are a few issues with phasing in some of the campaign levels, but that would be the limit of my critique. The game has made improvements in every aspect of its formula. It may not be innovation that everyone is looking for but a game shouldn't have to change from a FPS to a FPRPG like borderlands for instance (beautiful game btw) to be considered great. My suggestion is play the game for yourself, even if you have to rent it first. Then make your decision.    … Expand
  49. RexVanquisher
    Nov 6, 2012
    10
    Halo 4 largely unscripted AI dependent combat set pieces set this apart from any COD games, that what it boils down to. More important than improved visuals which this got in spades, narrative is fine but what make you come back is how fun and challenging to fight against AI. Multi player does pick up some of the popular features in COD, but its remains very much Halo in its heart and instantly familiar to those who loved previous iterations of Halo MP modes. No Firefight but Spartan Ops Mode make up for it, episodic co op campaign with mates.

    What to hate? Don't want then don't buy, but if you tired of same old COD iron sight based game, this is a breath of fresh air on a new planet!    … Expand
  50. 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
  51. proT
    Nov 6, 2012
    8
    I made an account just to put this review up. Alot of people are just playing for 10 mins and giving the game a zero without any real thought. I however, played multiplayer from midnight EST to around Noon and can honestly say i enjoy the multiplayer a great and while i haven't turned the campaign on yet i plan to at a later date, as far as multiplayer goes this game is outstanding. As someone who didn't appreciate the armor abilities in Reach, i feel 343 balance the abilities well to make them balanced. that being said the loadout as well as perk system do come directly from CoD but for me personally its a welcome addition. Great game if u enjoyed Halo 3 this is closer to Halo 3 then Reach… Expand
  52. Resilenced
    Nov 13, 2012
    10
    Halo is, at its core, a game of immense drama, thrill and excitement. Halo 4 does little to disappoint in the way of returning to its roots while also adding new experiences and features. The campaign is an emotional roller coaster ensuring that fans new to the lore outside the games are able to follow the changing directions that certainly knod their head towards the dedicated fanbase that love the vast backstory of the Halo Universe. The story is further compelled by amazing musical scores that really shine towards the climax and adds an incredible atmosphere to the newly discovered Forerunner planet, Requiem. Needless to say, the graphics and design of the game is seemingly flawless. With absolutely no loss of frame rate, the game looks and feels more beautiful than anything else currently on the Xbox360. The vibrant colour scheme chosen for Halo 4 certainly doesn't detract from the multiplayer scene, as the brand new rendered lighting system enhances the appearance of user-created maps in Forge. Changes to the multiplayer formula haven't been without concern to many fans afraid that a change in formula means a change in the game they know and love. But rest assured that the newly revised multiplayer loadout system and perk upgrades have been carefully implemented to retain the classic Halo gameplay. Once you have finished Halo 4's campaign, you will have your chance to experience more of the stunning Halo universe through Spartan OPs, a new feature replacing the Firefight modes of Halo: Reach and Halo 3: ODST. Once a week for ten weeks an episode featuring five separate chapters of Spartan OPs gameplay will be released along with an expansion of the Halo 4 story. 343 Industries went above and beyond in their efforts to ensure that both the campaign and the multiplayer modes were simply stunning, bridging the gap between the two through short but incredibly detailed CGI cut-scenes. This is a game done for the fans with the door open for more to join, with new features and refined old ones, there is little to not love about this game.… Expand
  53. 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
  54. 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.
  55. emigy2000
    Nov 6, 2012
    10
    I think this game is really good. The graphics are amazing and the gameplay is just wonderful! Ignore the awful user reviews, they are just COD fans who love spending £30 or more on the same game.
  56. Bondemusen
    Nov 6, 2012
    9
    This game is absolutely stunning visually. There are simply no game that compares by far. This is mainly due to the light engine and the amazing artwork. Campaign and story is great, by far the best in the Halo series. Multiplayer is "ok", even though i think they are adapting too many CoD "gimmicks", but by taking into account that they are implementing the ranking system from Halo 3 (which reach lacked) i am very positive about the future of Halo 4. All in all an amazing game worthy of the Halo name.… Expand
  57. CaptainMalick
    Nov 6, 2012
    10
    lmao of course, trolls cant accept that halo 4 has 5.0 and they come back to bring it down to 4.9. Typical. This is the first time halo 4's reviews go down since right after the release, so its easy to tell. Just stop
  58. spartan117357
    Nov 6, 2012
    2
    Had high hopes for this game but the multiplayer just doesnt feel right at all, weapons spawns are terrible and it feels more like a Halo Reach than a Halo 4. The graphics are amazing, I havent tried campaign too much. Strictly multiplayer, I feel this game does not live up to the Halo standards that were set in Halo 3 I might trade in for AC3 if this game doesnt step it up soon.
  59. man_bear_pig
    Nov 7, 2012
    0
    On a visual level the game looks stunning and has the standard smooth gameplay Halo fans will be accustomed too. Very little of the tried and true formula has changed though, in essence this game from the opening feels like you're walking a path trodden countless times before, only this time it's been given a makeover and everything is more shiny and beautiful to behold. While much of the core gameplay and design of the Halo series has always been a strong point in the genre, there was always room for improvement. Halo 4 seems more content to stick to what gave the franchise success in the beginning, either 343 Industries was unwilling to change the blueprints, or they simply didn't have the courage to put their own distinctive mark on it. The result is a series that now feels a little stagnant and dated in a world where countless developers are trying new things. Halo needs a creative burst to grow, and the inspiration Bungie left behind is clearly not, judging from Halo 4, a limitless well to draw upon. For die hard fans of the series and newcomers this may well be a worthwhile purchase. However, for the gamer who has played the series before and enjoyed but never quite loved it, this new entry is unlikely to change anything.… Expand
  60. ilikexboxandps3
    Nov 7, 2012
    10
    halo 4....... were to begin. well lets start with the obvious the graphics and sound are definatley the best on xbox 360 so far. it all just looks so smooth and crisp. and the sound of the weapons is a lot more meaty and hard hitting. also the musical score is fantastic. now too gameplay. oh boy was i smiling like the cheshire cat as soon as halo 4 started up and master chief came out of his cryosleep thingy. then bam straight into the action, killing elites and grunts and climbing exploding walls. very thrilling stuff. . im not going to spoil the story 4 u readers, but i will say it is very gripping and i found myself wanting to play more and more. now to the meat and veg imo. the multiplayer, and i can say 343i does not dissapoint. so damn addictive its like crack. and it plays alot better than halo 3 or reach ever did. nice tight controls make the expieriance just so much fun. please dont listen to anyone bashing this game they must have been high on meth or pcp. a must own for halo fans and fps fans in general. NOW GO GET SOME SPARTANS!!!!!!… Expand
  61. 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.
  62. 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.!!!
  63. halo4isbadcryyy
    Nov 6, 2012
    0
    I'll keep it short and tell you whats wrong. Jetpack, camo, all other armor abilities, loadouts, perks, tactical perks, NO VISIBLE SKILL BASED RANKING SYSTEM, ordnance drops (or killstreaks), spartan ops is just campaign levels. Online multiplayer is a horrible experience compared to the Halo's of the past (1,2, & 3). Reach failed and this will too, 343i were very stupid to go the route of Reach again.… Expand
  64. Gollumsvater
    Jan 26, 2013
    4
    Campaign is ok, multiplayer is freaking awful. Too much randomness and garbage taken from COD (flinch, Personal ordnance drops, world ordnance drops, instant respawn) and less features than Halo: Reach make it the worst Halo.
  65. Metacritizicer
    Nov 7, 2012
    10
    While the story started dull and kinda fast i kept playing and then... I understood that this was one of the best halo games yet IMO.
    It has addicting multiplayer matchmaking, good storyline (also kinda fast)
    it's graphics are top-notch.
    Halo has surprised me yet again!
  66. logan35
    Nov 6, 2012
    10
    Halo 4 is an amazing game and 343 did a great job bringing master chief back. The story, graphics, sound design, level design, and multiplayer are all the best of any shooter I've played this year. The gameplay still feels like classic halo but, brings new guns and mechanics into the game to still make it feel fresh. The campaign isn't very long but, it isn't too short either, just the right length without growing tiresome. The multiplayer is a whole different beast, definitely reminds me of halo 2, which in my opinion had the best multiplayer in the series until now. 343 did an amazing job on this game and I can't wait to get my hands on halo 5 for the next gen Xbox.… Expand
  67. 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
  68. endtransmission
    Nov 7, 2012
    9
    To make it clear - Before all the trolls got on here to ruin its score, Halo 4 was on a user score of 8; So that's the actual rating, not the bastardised one that's on here now. Diablo didn't deserve to be slated like that and neither does Halo 4 - It's a very good game wether you like the changes or not. The biggest improvement over the other games for me is the inclusion of sprinting for everyone - I can't believe it wasn't included in the first place. The random weapon locations and ordinance drops help to spice-up the multiplayer and only an idiot would complain about load-outs.

    Graphics: 9 (In terms of technical achievement, it's a 10 but the Cov look a little cartoonish)
    Sound: 10
    Gameplay: 9
    Multiplayer: 10
    Story: (Going to leave out as haven't finished the single player)

    Basically: If you play games for the same reason I do (because they PLAY well and they're fun) then it's a great game, very slick, well put-together and playable.    … Expand
  69. guildleader117
    Nov 14, 2012
    9
    This game is truly astonishing! The visuals are like nothing I've ever seen before in any game on the market. 343 Industries did the halo universe a solid by keeping the legend alive. The campaign is extremely immersive and level design keeps you coming back for more. Its filled with hero moments that will make your heart race and emotional moments that will leave you with a tear in your eye. Overall this heroic story is a must for any console gamer.… Expand
  70. AliGSix
    Dec 10, 2012
    5
    One of the most over hyped games ever. The campaign is very short and very easy it can easily be completed on legendary difficulty with two people with their eyes shut. When I heard about Spartan ops I was quite excited however, same as the campaign too easy and really boring straightforward objectives. Tries to be Halo 3 but fails miserably.
  71. GaaraDDragon
    Nov 6, 2012
    2
    The only real exciting quality of the game is that graphics evolved from Reach but they still don't surpass GoW 3's technical excellence. Other than that it's a typical by the numbers Halo game, conservative, all too familiar, boring, repetitive. 343 have managed to go from being synonymous with gaming evolution to a safe mainstream approach. Everything from the cinematics to the level design is highly polished, overly hyped mediocrity. Halo has taken the COD path.… Expand
  72. horoxix
    Nov 6, 2012
    10
    Exactly what I have been waiting for in a game. Story is great, action is great. Multiplayer is refreshing and the maps are beautiful. Definitely a must buy.
  73. Franky4Fingurs
    Nov 10, 2012
    2
    I've picked up every Halo game on launch and for the most part been really happy with each release. First off the Halo music is not there.. Think of Disney redoing star wars but the theme music doesn't start while the words are scrolling.. The levels are so bland and boring and your map doesn't update on where to go next unless you step into part of the level that triggers it. The forerunners look totally generic, and their AI is almost as bad. Cortana lost her charm and is just annoying now, just constantly talking with her annoying voice, it's awful. I don't understand how MasterCheif's armor has upgraded when he has literally been in a cryo-chamber the last 4 years. Lastly..... Indoctrination? Really? 343 took what Bungie left behind and poorly made the next chapter using the story of a original game, Mass Effect..… Expand
  74. Shmowzow
    Nov 7, 2012
    10
    Halo 4 may very well be the best Halo ever, probably the best game of 2012. This game never disappoints. From better-than-before multiplayer , an amazing campaign, great gameplay and an epic soundtrack. Do yourselves a favor and buy this game. PS: Don't listen to the trolls. They're idiots.
  75. ARealGameCritic
    Nov 6, 2012
    10
    This must be the best game ever, the graphics are mindblowing, the campaign experience that i had was simply amazing! The relationship between master chief and cortana really comes to life in this halo and ypu get to dig deeper into each character, i do hope that the standars will be kept throughout the trilogy coming. Multiplayer is boss like always and spartan ops turned out to be a blast! I've already had tons of fun with this game and i will continue with that for sooo long. A must but, and most likely game of the year 2012! Go chief and go cortana!… Expand
  76. MurderTechnique
    Nov 6, 2012
    10
    Don't listen to these moronic "haters." Halo 4 is amazing. It boasts gorgeous graphics, solid gameplay, and a good story. The campaign is impressive and the game boasts great coop and awesome multiplayer. What the f**k else do you haters want from a first person shooter??? Call of Duty rehashes their games every year and they receive rave reviews and dominate sales every time. Halo 4 is a more impressive accomplishment than any recent COD rehash and hating on it makes absolutely no sense. Halo 4 is the best Halo game to date and the positive reviews that it's getting from all of the PROFESSIONAL critics are well deserved (ex IGN). These stupid internet trolls don't know what the f they're talking about. Don't listen to them. If you don't like Halo 4 then you don't like epic scaled first person shooters and shouldn't be submitting a review on one. Halo 4 is a must-have game for any respectable FPS fan.… Expand
  77. Jphill9990
    Nov 6, 2012
    10
    Fantastic game. It's not Halo 2, but nothing will be! The second best of the series. Great job 343, I was not expecting it to be so balanced and action paced.
  78. Rockondevil
    Nov 21, 2012
    9
    Great game, not really as good as Halo: CE and Halo 2 were for their day but that's just my opinion.
    For 343's first game, even if it hasmost of the game already made it is still a decent effort.
    Campaign was fun and entertaining and the graphics are great.
    Unfortunately the down side to it for me was they tried to put to much CoD influence into the Multiplayer. Microsoft just because i    t is popular doesn't mean you need to emulate it.
    Biggest gripe for me was they showed Master Chiefs eyes.    … Expand
  79. TomComics
    Nov 7, 2012
    9
    With 343 Industries taking over for the Halo Series after Bungie's depart, I had my doubts that the next Halo game would not be as good, especially how 343 had barely worked on any game and slowly began to emerge as a company. They proved me wrong. Halo 4 has the best graphics for videogames I've ever seen so far, the multiplayer is so much updated and improved, the storyline for Halo 4 is intense and competing, making me anticipate more and more on what will happen next. Spartan Ops while not the best substitute for Firefight is a great gamemode to play with friends. Overall, Halo 4 has stunned me with it's amazing graphics, great storyline, improved multiplayer, and somewhat Spartan Ops. Congrats 343 Industries, and good luck with the rest of the new Halo trilogy.… Expand
  80. smi1ey
    Nov 6, 2012
    10
    I as someone who has played Halo since it's historic launch on the original Xbox, and who has anticipated it since it was coming to Mac, I may seem too biased to write an objective review for the game. Giving a Halo 4 a 10/10 would be a no-brainer for a lifetime fanboy, right? Well, that's not the case with me. Like many former Halo fans, I started losing interest in the series when ODST was released, and after Reach pretty much gave up on it. I moved on to CoD, and recently, to Battlefield for my competitive online FPS hunger pains. When Halo 4 details started showing up, it looked very samey to me, and I was far from excited.

    Then E3 gameplay demo was released after I learned that many people working at 343 were the same who worked on the incredible Metroid Prime series. The new weapons and enemies looked cool, and the story seemed familiar but unique enough to work. Then I watched the Forward Unto Dawn series. Sure, it was cheesy at times with semi-decent acting at best, but damn it was cool. Last night, I found myself, a 28-year old married guy who hasn't played Halo in years, standing outside of a damn gamestop with a bunch of teens waiting for Halo 4.

    I played last night until 5am with no regrets having to work in the morning. This game absolutely shatters any expectations I had, and has rekindled my love for Halo. The campaign has so far kept me on my toes almost the entire way through, and the enhanced enemies and AI is often jaw-dropping. Speaking of jaw-dropping, I have no idea how 343 made Halo 4 look this damn good on a current-gen console. Is that FXAA I see? WTF?! Pairing with the amazing visuals is the absolutely visceral sound design. The guns are so incredibly satisfying to shoot and behold, probably more so than any other FPS game I've ever played.

    All of these great sounds and weapons spill over into an incredibly robust multiplayer experience that comes along with everything you loved about earlier Halos and a lot less of what you hated. I personally was disappointed to see absolutely every customizable aspect of the game locked as I started playing, but the game very quickly throws the basic options at you so you're not waiting too long for the simple stuff. After just a few games I hit level 8 and had access to more than one load out, plenty of armor abilities and better armor customizations.

    It really blows my mind that 343 hit the nail so hard on the head with Halo 4, as I was going in completely planning to be disappointed. It's a shame so many haters have come to metacritic to force the user score down low, because that's not an accurate representation of this game's quality. If you are like me, and are someone who loves remembering the Halo glory days, but lives with regret that they are no longer here, go pick yourself up a copy of Halo 4. The glory days are back.    … Expand
  81. 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
  82. 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
  83. Hitokiri_Ace
    Nov 6, 2012
    3
    Halo 4 is so annoying to play online now. It used to be a pain when it was DMR slayer, all people would do is camp and shoot... camp and shoot... now that you can choose your layout... it's always camp slayer. Gone are the olden days of crazy combat, up close fighting, and tactical play.

    If you like CoD, you'll probably like the new halo 4... I get tired of being DMR sniped by their     whole team all the time. This is not what I wanted 343. You have lost a future customer. I did love the campaign though. As I usually do. That does not warrant me buying the next game however. Not to mention the horrid slow downs if you play co-op on the same console. Dear me... This game makes me sad.… Expand
  84. RoosterCogburn
    Dec 9, 2012
    3
    3/10

    The campaign is short, with a terrible fan-fiction story that is somehow bloated and rushed at the same time. The melodrama is shallow and certainly no improvement over the steel-ey but genuine Chief of old. This is not "growth" because we don't experience the change, Chief just suddenly acts differently for no reason. The new Promothean enemies are ridiculous bullet sponges wit    h poor visual cues and good ideas like teleport executed randomly and haphazardly, punishing good players for playing well. Prometheans also don't fit well into the linear sandbox style because they are not unique like all the Covenant were. Rather then being arranged in different ways to craft a scenario, Prometheans are simply placed at intervals to be bludgeoned through. The backdrops and vistas are gorgeous. The music is not on par with Halo 1-3, but we were very spoiled with wonderful music. Halo 4's music is very good compared to the competition. Cortana actually has some very good dialog in just a few places. The campaign has Quicktime events, a particularly offensive feature, and these are PARTICULARLY badly timed.

    The multiplayer is terrible. It's chock full of fluff, randomness, and nonsense. It's not bad because it has so many new elements, it's bad because those elements weren't crafted to fit into a coherent experience. The result is an absolute catastrophe. It discourages team play, discourages map movement and control, doesn't reward skill while rewarding the most asinine behaviors. It has completely abandoned Halo's structured, , team based, competitive style. There is obviously much Halo 4 ripped off from it's competitors, and they ripped it off without actually finding a coherent way to work it into the game. The most significant thing that Halo 4 ripped off from Call of Duty is probably the thing that will be the least remarked. They ripped off a style of play in which the enemy players function like single player enemies with advanced intelligence, where the real goal is to achieve personal milestones rather than accomplish team goals- the most rudimentary of which is winning the game. Everything in Halo 4 is designed to supplement that approach. What is lost is the balance based on teamwork and cooperation in the competitive spirit, the very heart and soul of Halo multiplayer.

    Spartan Ops is a waste of time. You will be outraged they replaced Firefight with Spartan Ops once you see what it actually is like. It is hardly what the fans were promised. The game also has many bugs, glitches, and broken and missing features, and the developer has been extremely slow in fixing and addressing these major problems. The lack of customization in a series which has always been lauded for it is very hard to explain and accept.

    Ultimately this is a game for people who don't care about the actual content of the Halo series. Do not buy Halo 4    … Expand
  85. f___yocouch
    Nov 10, 2012
    8
    If you are an old Halo player, excluding Halo Reach, the multiplayer will take a while to get used to, but it is fun. Graphics are good, campaign is good, etc. After you get used to the game, it is fun, but after all the changes including the worst, killcams, the changes evolve it from Halo into another game, and I can't really admire Halo following after other FPS games.
  86. KillFlesh
    Nov 6, 2012
    9
    Signed up to post this review, as I feel the user reviews here are not a true representation of the worth of this game.

    The multiplayer is nothing short of a return to form - fast paced, competitive, adrenaline fuelled fun. A far cry from the painfully slow and boring gunplay of Reach, and easily as good as [if not better than] Halo 3. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, this game's multiplayer     is quite easily the best in the series since the golden era of Halo 2. The only thing that stopped me from giving it a ten is the fact that sprint as a default for all players has rended the game somewhat more chaotic. It has also had a negative effect on the maps, which are now designed to complement sprint, being generally much bigger. This could be a barrier to the titles true competitve worth, especially in the tourny scene. In summation, I am overjoyed to finally be playing some high quality halo multiplayer again, after the proverbial brainfart that was Reach.… Expand
  87. ikesmasher
    Nov 6, 2012
    2
    This game took the simplicity of the original Halo trilogy's core, which is what made it great, and threw it out the window. It replaced it with what was obviously their spin off of a Call of Duty style of gameplay. (Not that I like Call of Duty, actually its the other way around). It was a completely unnecessary change, as halo had very few flaws in the first place. 343 should have looked at the numbers and realized they didn't lose the top positions in xbox live in terms of top played until halo reach. Even if you don't compare it to past halo games, its still a mistake. Its incorrectly balanced, there is only one new vehicle, and people at higher levels have distinct advantages. I would rent this for campaign, as its decent. But do not depend on this for your fix of daily competitive multiplayer.… Collapse
  88. oczie
    Nov 6, 2012
    0
    This game has nothing interesting. It's the same old song once more, the new aliens are anything but dramatic, the gameplay is exactly the same as in the old episodes. Moreover there will be no PC version, which, from Microsoft is a shame, really. I regret have bought it already.
  89. samuship
    Nov 6, 2012
    0
    This could be the triumph for the series, but 343 Industries lost the opportunity. The graphics were impressive at first, but showed to be weak with strange textures, bad draw distance and some bugs. They also destroyed the gameplay, and the only good thing about the game is the online. But even the online is not that awesome as some like to say. It was a complete waste of time.
  90. Keengerm
    Nov 6, 2012
    2
    So disappointed. I've gotten used to higher quality, INNOVATIVE shooters. This might as well be Halo: run around; shoot; scavenge; do it again. Zero innovation. The AI is appaling. I can't count the number of times I've shot an enemy in the back without sneaking. Yes, the production values are high: great visuals and audio (possibly bar-setting). But, it fails on every other level.
  91. T3ddyR0seKidd
    Nov 8, 2012
    4
    The game we all anticipated and had mixed feelings for excitement is finally here. Is amazing, terrible, or just ok. Well lets look at every aspect of this game before we answer that.(ps, dont own the game, pre orderd it for my fiance and played through the campaign with her and then did hours of online) Campaign, This games campaign was unsatisfyingly short. And most of the levels, are composed of doing the same thing. Hit a switch, kill waves of enemies, progress. The story was dull and had no depth and left lots of plot holes. All in all, this game is not a game that u will jump into and play for the campaign.

    Graphics- the graphics in this game were awesome, it kinda had a metroid prime look to it, i really loved the graphics for this game, it was outstanding and very nice to look it.

    Forge, I was annoyed but liked the forge in halo 3, loved the forge in reach, but what about the forge in halo 4. Its nearly the same as reaches, yet they add a bunch of cool new features, my favs being the lock the object so u cant move it or delete it on accident(happened so many times in 3 and reach) But everytime u switch from creator ball to a character, this irritating loading bar shows up and makes u wait, besides that, forge is good.

    Guns-Im probably gonna get flamed for this, but alot of the guns in this game were cool but way unbalanced. Some guns r just way too much, for instance, the alien shotgun, that thing kills in one hit from so much distance. Alot of the weapons ripped off the conduit. It just felt like they were tryin to make some type arsenal of epic weapons but they just couldnt find the balance.

    Multiplayer(offline) This game basically just said if u dont have online, screw u. Because sad to say, this games main focus was online. With this game, i had no fun with offline multiplayer, it lacked in every thing, i hate that about every halo game that there is no ai in multiplayer offline. Oh well a man can only dream.

    Multiplayer(online) Online in this game was fun. It takes reaches loadout style and makes it customizable, giving u your own choice of a load out. They also added perks and a reward system where if u rank up enough kills, you get to call in a drop that gives u a powerfull weapon or an ability. It was nice to see them expirement with these new ideas. It all felt kinda cool. But it wasnt halo. Its as if they just took the halo name and some of the style and posted it on a call of duty. Players die so fast due to a small health bar. Alot of the kills in this game now are based off of who has the stronger weapon or who sees who first. It doesnt really take skill to kill in this game. And instead of matches being based off of kills, its based off of the call of duty style score. It feels like halo is losing its identity. But it didnt make the game bad, but it didnt make it amazing either. Thats where bungie out did 343 was originality. Bungie did everything in their own innovative way and did it amazingly(especially with reach). 343 just looks at the popular titles and makes it like that so that people play it.

    In the end, i did have fun with this game, but all in all, it dissapointed me. 343 did do well on some aspects but missed 100 percent on the core halo. Plus the main games focus is all based on the online and not really on campaign or offline multiplayer.    … Expand
  92. RollBread
    Jan 31, 2013
    2
    Instead of trying to "reinvent" Halo maybe 343 Industries should focus on original content. Every change they have made to the gameplay mechanics has been done before and some of them detract from the idea that Halo was a competitive shooter.

    I'm giving it a two because I've seen this game before. It wasn't in the future, but it was the same.
  93. cobra872
    Nov 9, 2012
    0
    I never thought I'd review this game here. But man I am so angry with it... I had to.

    Is it a bad game in general? Not exactly. But what makes me angry about this game is the fact that they implemented so many things from Call of Duty. It's unreal. Instant respawn times, the COD kill cam, everyone has sprint (makes the game seriously fast along with the respawn time), ordinance drops (l    ike the care package from COD, in Infinity Slayer), the scoring system and even perks! It's crazy. They did absolutely nothing innovative, and rather added features from a successful game just because they were scared that COD would be at the top on xbox live over Halo. What made Halo was that it was different from Call of Duty. It was balanced and it was competitive. Now it is not balanced. You will have to play a bit before you get all your loadouts stacked. The loadouts include your weapon setup, amor abilities and perks (tactical packages and support upgrades). I was talking about multiplayer of course. I haven't finished the single player, but from what I heard it is only a few hours. I can see that, because the missions I had to do were short. But why in the world could it be that short? It's been years since a Master Chief campaign, and they give you something that isn't lasting? This is the Master Chief! He is the face of the Xbox. There is absolutely no reason for it to be short.

    The only positives are the sound and the artistic design. Coming from someone who studied sound design, the sound is really amazing (excluding music, it's nothing spectacular compared to the Halos of the past). Just fantastic. Also the artistic design is beautiful. There's great scenery and there are some pretty gorgeous cinematics.

    Other than that, I am extremely disappointed. 343 Industries says they didn't copy Call of Duty. They absolutely did. I would think Bungie would be pretty sad at the outcome of this game. Their whole objective was to not copy things like Call of Duty. They were innovators, not copiers. I am going to give this a 0. I am not a professional reviewer and the scores shouldn't mean much to anyone anyways. But that's honestly how I felt with the game. I'm getting rid of it.    … Expand
  94. K4RNES
    Nov 14, 2012
    9
    After playing for almost 2 weeks now I can say with confidence that this is the Halo game I've been waiting for.

    The campaign is the best campaign since H1, and really opens the universe even further than before. I though bungie nailed the Forerunner theme, but 343 just brings it to a whole another level. The difficulty seems to be easier compared to past Halo's so i would recommended     going a difficulty higher than what you would usually play in past halos. After beating this campaign I'm very excited to read the all the book and expand my knowledge of this vast, deep and beautifully crafted universe.

    The multilayer is as good as H1 and H3 multilayer, but not as good as H2 though far better than Reach. There are a few bugs with the technical aspects of the game (networking, unlocks, challenges, stats, ui) but the gameplay itself is polished. There are a few glitches so far, but non that break the game. I feel that they did a great job at implementing the call of duty format of multilayer with the classes, weapons, perks and ordinance. The reason this game did not get 10 is because of the lack for some deep features that all Halo fans would immediately notice. Most of it being the lack of customization compared to the rest of the games, and the uninspired gametypes. These are flaws i can live with, although there is word of patches in the coming future.

    All in all, amazing game    … Expand
  95. casshern09
    Nov 6, 2012
    6
    Pretty disappointed really. Was really hoping this would be a return to form after hating Reach and ODST so much. If you liked the others, chances are you will like this, if you didn't, this won't do anything for you.
    The gameplay has not changed one bit. Same familiar looking corridors, same vehicle sections.
    Yeah it looks and sounds great, but it is so frigging dull. MP is fine, nothin    g special. Like I said, if you liked it before, you will now.… Expand
  96. Geoffory2
    Nov 8, 2012
    10
    This game is incredible, Im a die hard halo fan and playing through this game was just amazing. The graphics and sound design are impeccable. So many people doubted 343 but they have delivered.
  97. 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
  98. gordofredito
    Nov 6, 2012
    9
    well, looks like all CoD and BF3 fanboys have joined at a bigger threat than Call of Duty and Battlefield will never be able to defeat. Halo 4 goes back to basics and takes a new route, it's good. Worth buying
  99. Xskills
    Nov 7, 2012
    10
    343 industries has taken all the best of the Bungie installments (especially Reach), built one of the finest console engines from scratch, recorded perfect audio, re-balanced every weapon, spliced multiplayer with a little of COD4, and has put Master Chief in new, different situations. This new dedicated studio has only enriched this franchise's pedigree after leaving its mother developer.
  100. Avalon
    Nov 7, 2012
    6
    I got my hands on the game and to start with everything impressed me, the controls felt really tight and the gameplay was fun and the element that I was up against the unknown really got my heart going, it was intense, then about half an hour into the game I noticed things not really building up to the same levels as the start, it all felt a bit bland and boring but not to say it's not fun because it is. I think the hype got the better of me and I expected a 10/10 game and got a 6/10 game which is still considered "good" but not exactly great.

    The graphics well... look at them, it's stunning and very vibrant. I knew they had put in lots of effort into the graphics because the animations were smooth apart from a few bits and pieces where the screen tears but other than that the visuals and graphics are top notch.

    The game play well that's the thing that let me down the most, I do like the tight controls but the story and just how the story is handled is not that good. I really felt a bit let down after the first hour of playing. Hope it gets better but initial impressions are not good.

    Multiplayer, not played it yet but fully intend on getting the most out of it, watched a friend playing it and it looks fun but won't judge it before I play it.    … 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.
    Read full review
  3. DailyGame
    Dec 3, 2012
    75
    The narrative is outstanding, even in spite of a few plot-point missteps, and the character evolution of Master Chief and Cortana deserves to be further explored with these wonderful storytellers (well, maybe one of them can't happen, but I'll avoid spoilers). However, the gameplay feels jilted, awkward and unrefined, three unforgivable sins in a landscape populated with other quite-capable FPS franchises. As a result, I'm going to average everything out: great story plus bad gameplay equals an average experience. And in this overcrowded FPS genre, "average" is isn't something I'd recommend buying.
    Read full review
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