I got this review from amazon.com it was the first one. You can read the rest there. Love the game or hate it you should read it…
I wasn’t originally excited when Microsoft and 343 Industries announced Halo 4. A fan of Bungie since Marathon (that’s pre-Halo, for those that don’t know, and by several years), I wasn’t too keen on Microsoft pulling an Activision and allowing somebody else to mercilessly butcher Bungie’s pride and joy for some easy sales. Fortunately, 343 Industries really do understand what makes Halo unique, and deliver it in spades while simultaneously reinvigorating the franchise that had started to stagnate towards the end under Bungie.
The first thing that truly hits you are the visuals. Bungie makes great games, but the truth of the matter is that Halo 2 was probably the last time a Halo game was the best-looking title on Xbox. The work done with the Halo 4 engine is astonishing, and those claiming Halo: Reach had superior visuals are in need of an optometrist. The models, textures, lighting, and design are all top tier this time around, easily among the best seen on the Xbox 360. More importantly, the performance is as near as I can tell flawless. Not once during the campaign did I notice any screen tearing, drop in frame rate, sluggish controls, or issue of any kind with the engine. In multiplayer, the map Exile brought some slight stuttering, but it was gone so quickly and consistently that I suspect it was more network latency than a rendering issue. I once remarked that I thought Bungie and MS should have licensed DICE’s Frostbite engine for the next Halo game (I was very impressed with Battlefield: Bad Company 2’s environments and destruction), but I proudly eat my words. Halo 4 looks fantastic from top to bottom.
The second thing thing you notice is the sound. The assault rifle delivers furious, mechanical, bass-filled kick through your speakers or headset, while the sound of incoming ordnance hitting the deck generally gives you goosebumps. Every weapon system and sound has been gutted and rebuilt from scratch. While some fare better than others (the AR sounds exquisite, while the Battle Rifle doesn’t quite hit the same stride), the overall package is fresh and a kick in the pants. The music too is different, marked by the departure of Martin O’Donnell and Michael Salvatori, who remained with Bungie when they split from Microsoft. Neal Davidge and Kazuma Jinnouchi step in to fill their shoes, with Davidge (of the sensational duo Massive Attack) providing a much darker and more electronic ambiance than previously seen in the series. Jinnouchi composed the gorgeous new character theme for the Master Chief, appropriately titled “117.” Together, they only briefly pay homage to the well-known Gregorian chant that has identified the series since 2001 (it DOES come back, but very subtly and as more of a leitmotif than a full-fledged theme). While it’s sad to lose such an iconic piece of music, it’s also necessary to allow Davidge and Jinnouchi to establish their own stamp on the series, and the music in Halo 4 is beautiful and fitting to the story.
What of the story? The best in the series, bar none. 343i’s writers understand that a seven-foot stoic cyborg isn’t always an interesting character, even if he’s a total badass. As a result, they use the AI Cortana as the story’s focus, and it works. Cortana’s fear, uncertainty, and eventual heroism really do make the story, and by the end, even bring humanity out of John-117’s iron clad shell. There are some issues that seem to be just passed over, and little things in the plot aren’t fully explained always. My understanding is the supporting media (novels, webisodes) fill in the gaps, but I dislike this style of cross-media storytelling. Each medium, be it a novel, a game, or a mini-series, should be connected and reference the greater universe but must be able to stand alone as a singular story. Halo 4 suffers in that regard, but it’s not enough to ruin the final product, which is a terrific campaign story filled with emotion and love.
On Heroic difficulty and played solo, the campaign took me approximately 10 hours, which is about par for a Halo game and the industry. The campaign itself is classic Halo, with a mix of tight corridor shootouts and larger, more open arenas that reward the more tactical player. Either way, one cannot simply charge straight through guns blazing on Heroic or Legendary, though I did notice more range in the enemy AI than I would have liked given the Halo series pedigree. Some opponents, like the Promethean Knights, are vicious and brutal, making every battle a life or death challenge. Other opponents seemed to occasionally run out in the open, only to turn around and face the wrong direction. These instances were few and far between, but noticeable. Other than a handful of quick-time events (QTEs), I was exceptionally pleased with the whole campaign experience. Some of the levels where you are required to enable/disable multiple switches can be a grind at the higher difficulties, but only due to the exceptionally challenging enemy combatants.
Now to multiplayer, source of much controversy. 343i has made some serious changes to the design. First, customizable loadouts are in, meaning you can choose between the classic AR, the much-loved BR, and the excellent DMR as your starting weapons (among many others). Power weapons (shotgun, sniper rifle, energy sword, rocket and grenade launchers) are still found out on the map. More interestingly, however, is that weapon spawns are seemingly random or at least rotational, so the rocket launcher doesn’t always pop up in the same spot during longer games. Finally, as you fight and score kills, assists, or save your buddies, you earn points that fill your ordnance meter. Once filled, you can call in resupply that drops down in a miniature ODST pod with a satisfying THUNK. These are NOT kill streaks like Call of Duty, as no Pelicans fly in to air strike your opponents for cheap and easy kills. Rather, they are usually power ups such as over shield or power weapons like the new SAW machine gun or shotgun. Additionally, every Spartan now has the ability to sprint for a short period of time. All of the game modes minus Firefight are back (I assume Bungie reserves the rights to Firefight and it will appear in their next title).
Does it all work? Here is where it gets sticky, and simply a matter of opinion. Some more critical reviews have expressed dismay at the increased movement speeds, as if moving like a tortoise was somehow essential to Halo. It does increase the overall pace of the game, yes, as you spend less time looking for opponents and more time fighting them, but the truth is sprint is most effective when used as a means of retreat from a unfavorable situation. And THAT is true Halo. The ability to tactically retreat, to ambush your opponent around the corner when he chases with a grenade, or to escape completely is what makes Halo unique, especially today in the wealth of one-hit kill military shooters. And none of that has changed in Halo 4.
As for the loadouts, it resolves my biggest pet peeve of previous Halo games: I didn’t want to play “Shotty Snipers” yet everyone el
