Why Halo 4 is The Worst Game in The Series.

Games Other Halo
31

The only part I disagree with is forge. Everything else hits the nail pretty squarly on the head (in my opinion.)

Halo 4’s forge offers absolutely FANTASTIC abilities for forging 2v2-4v4 maps (though not much bigger.)

Here is an example: Curb Stomp. Crub stomp is a symmetrical, city styled 2v2 map made on Ravine in Halo 4.

This map looks and probably plays better than over half of Halo 4’s shipping maps. This would not have been possible in Reach or Halo 3 for forging.

Other than that, everything else pretty much nails it.

32

> Everything you listed makes halo 4 a better, not worse game than its predecessors. I hated the days of inaccurate demagnetized shooting, weapon spawn camping, have to watch a jerk t bag you, spawning with a crappy gun, and overall boring gameplay with no ability to customize your play style with a loadout

I’m not trying to be rude, but I agree halo isn’t the game for you.

33

then why do you play halo? halo has always been like that until halo 4

34

> > > Ordnance: Ordnance has more of a hand in ruining matchmaking than anything else in this game. In previous Halo games, weapons spawned at specific points on the map which meant controlling them was essential to winning. <mark>Now power weapons spawn everywhere at the complete random giving random people access to random weapons.</mark> These weapons also notable disappear after only 10 seconds of being on the ground. How can you fight over power weapons if they’re only there for 10 seconds. Personal ordnance isn’t an inherently bad thing if it were styled as an actual pointstreak, meaning that you would have to get a certain amount of points in one life to get the ordnance. <mark>Instead players only have to earn the point(I believe it is either 50 or 70) across multiple lives to get their ordnance. This means practically everyone will get at least one personal ordnance in a game no matter how much less skill you have than anyone else because everyone earns 70 points with ease.</mark> These personal ordnance, like the random ones, are also random; one player may receive a needler while another may receive a rocket launcher.
> >
> > I highlighted these parts because I feel this is completely the reason why Ordinance is a good thing.
> >
> > Then, people like me, the sorta ok players, don’t have to spend the ENTIRE FREAKING MATCH just dying over and over and over to the super ultra mega awesome players who would absolutely continue to dominate if they were the only ones allowed to have Personal Ordinace.
> >
> > The way the system is now, lets people like me actually have a -Yoink!- shot at ending your killstreak.
>
> In football do they make the endzone easier to get to if you’re being beat? On trivia night do they just give easier questions to those who are behind? In racing do the guys behind get a speed boost to up their chances? No.
>
> Look I LOVE baseball, but im horrible at it. I dont expect baseball to be dumb down to include me. Im just not good at it, thats life. I could steal bases very well, should I have to hesitate so the catcher has a better chance to throw me out? Of course not. Competition is what makes most hobbies fun, why take it out?

This is exactly why we need ranked and social playlists. I’m one of the people who hate infinity slayer. I want team slayer back, but I still want you to have your infinity slayer. I think infinity slayer would make a great social slayer playlist.

35

I agree with pretty much everything in the OP, this game adds too many random factors to gun fights which make for cheap kills.

Some perks/armour abilities give players advantages in certain situations, which means that players who use those perks/AAs will use tactics like camping with camo and DMR to get kills constantly.

And saying that everyone has access to these loadouts makes them fair and balanced doesn’t work, because if things like PV have their counters that you have to choose then you can’t defend yourself from all the different things that give players advantage over each other then it’s down to luck and you might as well play rock paper scissors.

I also personally enjoyed reach, it played like a halo game. It may have strayed from the path with some of the AAs but matchmaking games flowed like the other games in the series. I think this is because apart from the imbalances caused by AAs everyone started on equal footing and players had to earn power weapons causing fights to happen where the developers wanted making for the better game-play than people camping in their bases and either using pocket shotguns or DMRs to hide the entire game.

36

> One thing I feel somewhat inclined to disagree with is the weapons sandbox argument. Why?
> -SNIP-

Well said and I agree with basically everything you say, especially the weapon variety seen during gameplay. I don’t understand the complaints very well, sure tweaks will always be needed but compared to Halo 2 or 3 especially the sandbox is doing far better these days. Regarding Reach I give Halo 4 the edge there are well just not as pronounced compared to the older two titles.

Regarding BR lovers they’re getting variants to vote for in the new CSR based Throwdown and when combined as team work the BR is dominant as well as in small/mid maps combined with intelligent map movements or engagement tactics. Too many posters just want the BR back as the all powerful utility weapon. In the more “competitive” playlists that is the case anyhow now and in the immediate future.

In terms of maps I think the classic arena style play was missed at launch but is being made up for now hence a lot of the DMR complaints. Smaller maps will and already do bring the BR back into play more.

Regarding SPOPS it technically is the first Halo mode of its kind so it’s the best AND the worst. Overall the story/CGI is insanely great but the mission designs and encounters could use a more work and small additions for replayability like scoring after first playing the story/coop once would be ideal.

Custom games was a shame to lose functionality and could use some serious work but considering the work into SPOPS, Grifball, CTF and Flood I understand what has gone on here. Too many players forget the too thinly spread and lack of a cohesive game with Reach and its TU. Halo 4 and 343i really tried to consolidate a lot of the features (or lack thereof) and drive the populations into clear segments. I feel they’ve expanded a lot from 10 playlists to now 17 I think and provided excellent fixes and a roadmap for faster updates. This is far better than Halo 2 or 3 ever did and Reach anniversary/TU was 343i and I personally class that as some of the best updates to Halo in all of its franchise history.

Beside Rank/Arena style competitive gaming I think there was one other area that is overdue for return…one sided objective games. Something is confirmed as being worked on here as well, I can’t wait for that as I really think Halo 4 will shine with it’s maps and settings in asymmetrical one sided gametypes. It’s a perfect fit for Halo 4 really.

As for Halo 4 being the worst of the series, I strongly disagree and that’s just hyperbole at it’s finest. It’s getting real tired and particularly when so much is being provided in terms of more classic maps/settings/playlists and professional players on staff and creating the very settings going into these playlists combined with frequent updates and improved communication. Further the playlists and variant votes for settings/maps is really providing a clear choice for players of many types. In the end the experience 343i are gaining is helping them speed up and get more things right then wrong. These are all good things.

In terms of balance I find it present in Halo 4 more than Reach prior the TU and certainly far more than Halo 3 or Halo 2. Why? The answer is simple netcode and game mechanics built for international play better than 2 or 3 for example. Far too many players don’t realise most mechanics are implemented to counter the effects of online play. Take the charts and discussions about kill times and weapons, I find it misplaced that so many players spend so much time worrying about 50-100ms difference on kill times when online latency has a far greater effect to the overall game and every mechanic in the game. I can counter 50-150ms with simple tactics, decision making, reflexes, prediction, teamwork etc. There is far more to the game than just a single weapon and 50ms or one shot difference.

Looking at ordnance I see how this divides the community but with doubles, throwdown, forge community playlist and variant voting options the best of both worlds is in matchmaking now. On the map spawns are there from the community cartographer gametypes and Infinity keeps the variety ever present. I play mostly CTF for example and I’ve welcome the change up that I get from game votes being classic or Infinity. I enjoy both and like the variety is gives my team or I when we play. Again certainly not the worst considering Halo 3 or Reach lumping KOTH, Crazy King or oddball with CTF. I did not enjoy that at all. The Halo 4 break down of CTF as standalone stands as the best objective decision making I’ve seen in Halo for a long time.

Being a web developer myself I understand what it takes to form a company, get up to speed with a previous developers work and them move onto a new project to make it your own. 343i have done good work and with the consistent support are moving Halo 4 into the great territory. Parts of the game are the best in the series, some parts are missing sadly but overall this is far from the worst game in the series.

IMO the campaign/CGI/terminals story was the best in the franchise. The campaign gameplay/mission was the best in Halo 2 for me. In terms of competitive play for me the pinnacle was Halo 3 ranked objective or Halo 2 clan objective. SPOPS has the potential to become a continuous campaign and I truly hope it goes that way, I’d pay a subscription to always have fresh Halo campaign content. Even if it was one major mission per month and 3 weekly SPOPS season 1 second half per week or per fortnight with CGI too.

The games are just different experiences each time and subjective opinion varies so much, even within single Halo game elements. Learn to live in the grey areas it’s not so cut and dry.

37

> > > > Ordnance: Ordnance has more of a hand in ruining matchmaking than anything else in this game. In previous Halo games, weapons spawned at specific points on the map which meant controlling them was essential to winning. <mark>Now power weapons spawn everywhere at the complete random giving random people access to random weapons.</mark> These weapons also notable disappear after only 10 seconds of being on the ground. How can you fight over power weapons if they’re only there for 10 seconds. Personal ordnance isn’t an inherently bad thing if it were styled as an actual pointstreak, meaning that you would have to get a certain amount of points in one life to get the ordnance. <mark>Instead players only have to earn the point(I believe it is either 50 or 70) across multiple lives to get their ordnance. This means practically everyone will get at least one personal ordnance in a game no matter how much less skill you have than anyone else because everyone earns 70 points with ease.</mark> These personal ordnance, like the random ones, are also random; one player may receive a needler while another may receive a rocket launcher.
> > >
> > > I highlighted these parts because I feel this is completely the reason why Ordinance is a good thing.
> > >
> > > Then, people like me, the sorta ok players, don’t have to spend the ENTIRE FREAKING MATCH just dying over and over and over to the super ultra mega awesome players who would absolutely continue to dominate if they were the only ones allowed to have Personal Ordinace.
> > >
> > > The way the system is now, lets people like me actually have a -Yoink!- shot at ending your killstreak.
> >
> > In football do they make the endzone easier to get to if you’re being beat? On trivia night do they just give easier questions to those who are behind? In racing do the guys behind get a speed boost to up their chances? No.
> >
> > Look I LOVE baseball, but im horrible at it. I dont expect baseball to be dumb down to include me. Im just not good at it, thats life. I could steal bases very well, should I have to hesitate so the catcher has a better chance to throw me out? Of course not. Competition is what makes most hobbies fun, why take it out?
>
> This is exactly why we need ranked and social playlists. I’m one of the people who hate infinity slayer. <mark>I want team slayer back, but I still want you to have your infinity slayer. I think infinity slayer would make a great social slayer playlist.</mark>

This. Everything about this.

Whenever I suggest a playlist or a change, people always get angry because they assume I want Infinity Slayer gone or changed. I just want the game to be fun for EVERYONE, or at least more people than now.

It’s great if they have fun in Infinity Slayer. Keep having that fun, but I’d still like equal amount of playlists to enjoy. Unforunately, there’s only one slayer playlist that isn’t infinity slayer, and its the competitive playlist.

That’s like taking Team Slayer out of any Halo game, and leaving only MLG or Action Sack.

We should be making the game fun for everyone. If you like Infinity Slayer, fantastic! I don’t, so I’d love to have a few more playlists to play as well.

38

> I would just like to note that T-bagging takes place is in both games.
>
> To me, Halo has not changed that much because regardless of what the outside changes have been made, the core of the style of combat has not.
>
> Things that made Halo what it was are still there, just alot of the crappy stuff that was never fun for alot of people who had no interest in “competitive” or “ranked” stuff has been removed.

I love the game, but in my opinion the core of it is what has been messed with the most. Sure it feels like Halo when you play, but it doesn’t play the same way as the others. You get me? Just mix up ordnance, de-scoping, join in progress and you’ll see what I mean.

39

> not sure why some people have this obsession over a ranking system, is it to boost their egos? As for teabagging, it reminds me of a form of necrophilia.

A skill-based ranking system makes players WANT to improve their abilities within the game. It simply creates a more personal experience between the game and the player. I’d rather play a multiplayer game with ranking system that is based on skill rather than the amount of hours I put into the game.

40

It is sad but I have to admit Halo 4 failures in my otions (yes campaing MP forge Spartan opps all of them)

MP:

Ordances like OP says they make game really unfair and pretty much COD like. removing ordances and adding weopns to maps would fix it also weapon spawn time goes something 30 second rather that 10.

Nothing else

Campaing

Needs Meta scoring and theater mode. story was good no complaying

Spartan Opps

Needs theater mode. Spartan 4s attitude. They forgot all what spartans are made from SCIENCE. I hate when they dont respect scientist and science at all. Also Palmer out from Opps center my favorite episode was when Miller and Roland was in Opps center. Miller keeps things calm, funny and he can keep himself under controll rather than naive and bitchy Palmer. Also Roland is rather good guy too no complayng about him.
Needs Elite mode. slaying enemy spartans and UNSC guys under flag of Jul Madma.

Those are only my options some people disagree with me sure but those are only my options.

41

> I also personally enjoyed reach, it played like a halo game. It may have strayed from the path with some of the AAs but matchmaking games flowed like the other games in the series. I think this is because apart from the imbalances caused by AAs everyone started on equal footing and players had to earn power weapons causing fights to happen where the developers wanted making for the better game-play than people camping in their bases and either using pocket shotguns or DMRs to hide the entire game.

Owen, get online.

> Implying Reach’s movement speed was good
> Implying the DMR’s bloom at close-range wasn’t luck-based.
> Implying the DMR didn’t force people to hide on open maps.

42

100% Agree with OP.

43

> > I also personally enjoyed reach, it played like a halo game. It may have strayed from the path with some of the AAs but matchmaking games flowed like the other games in the series. I think this is because apart from the imbalances caused by AAs everyone started on equal footing and players had to earn power weapons causing fights to happen where the developers wanted making for the better game-play than people camping in their bases and either using pocket shotguns or DMRs to hide the entire game.
>
> Owen, get online.
>
> > Implying Reach’s movement speed was good
> > Implying the DMR’s bloom at close-range wasn’t luck-based.
> > Implying the DMR didn’t force people to hide on open maps.

I said that reach had it’s problems, and yes the DMR’s randomness did make me rage at occasions but if I remember correctly it definitely wasn’t as easy to sit at the back of the map and get kills with the DMR due to it’s sower effective ROF and lower bullet magnetism at longer ranges(never tested this but got that impression).
I guess the movement speed was pretty slow but that didn’t ruin the game for me, the games still played like halo games, teams had to fight for map control and move around the map. In halo 4 games larger maps tend to be one team in their base with DMR while the other team sits in the middle of the map trying to kill all the enemies out of their base.

Gino, you don’t want it.

>Implying I can’t make your sister’s booty clap.

44

Far Cry 3 is able to handle maps several times the size of forge worlds with a large variety of weather effects and still run the game just fine. While the graphical quality of Far Cry 3 vs Halo 4 on consoles is debatable, it is still a fantastic looking game and if that could run large maps, there is no excuse for Halo not being able to.

45

Thank you for the constructive criticism, god-knows we don’t see much of that these days. The only thing I really need to address is that the forge pallet for all the new maps is almost exactly the same as the one for forge world. The lack of advancement is the real thing that kills H4’s forge for me. In Halo 3, Bungie took forge from a simple map editor into a full-blown map creator and expanded on it with every DLC. They also made the maps that weren’t necessarily dedicated for forge have decent forging ability as well. There were a ton of good custom maps made on Standoff, Rat’s Nest, Avalanche, etc. Reach’s forge, while limited and grey, at least advanced the mode. It made forging much easier and gave a lot more room to do so. Now 343 enlisted the help of an ENTIRE STUDIO for the development of Halo 4’s forge and all they can do to better the mode is add shadows? Thats pathetic. Its also sickening to me to think that for many of the building items in H4, certain affinity just copied and pasted stuff over from Reach. Not to mention the severally reduced sizes of the maps make it impossible to forge a number of big team maps.

46

> Spartan Ops: Not much to say about this one. It needs competent scoring, a fix to the lag when playing on line, and more variety in maps if it ever wants to get out of the niche its in now.
>
> Campaign: Once again not much to say, the campaign of Halo 4 was admittedly very good. With a fine story and writing behind it as well as excellent art design this game could have had the best campaign in the series if the gameplay was up to par with the trilogy. Less linearity, more sandbox. 343 did a decent job here but they just need to focus on getting the gameplay up to par with the trilogy for Halo 5. Also, we need meta scoring.

Truth!!

To add to Campaign, <mark>Halo 5 must have more solid ground outside the map</mark>. Requiem was the level that appealed to me the most in the ViDocs and initial playthrough. But knowing that 90% of it’s outside is nothingness, that just kills it’s Halo feel.

Out of map used to be an accomplishment. Now there’s no point.

47

I thought we got rid of your kind.

48

> I thought we got rid of your kind.

Please don’t tell me you brushed off the OP’s thread as a hate thread. He didn’t say 343 is a horrible company, just highlighted what they must improve on. Didn’t he praise them for a solid campaign, better playlist development and so forth? I play Halo 4 everyday, I’m all-around when it comes to video games. Obviously, 343 has made a sub-par “Halo” game, but if it stands alone, a damn great game. They know they have to make a better “Halo” game next time around, so the recently announced free “Forge Island” tells us they’re on the right track.
I disagreed slightly with this thread, but I do believe everything was spot on. Why can’t more threads be like this?

49

Online wise from best to worst

halo 2, halo 3, Halo Reach, then way down the hill is Halo 4…

I can’t even play Halo 4 anymore and I gave all of its DLC an honest chance!!

50

I do agree that is has the worst multiplayer/campaign in the series but for now it’s probably best to make do until halo 5 comes out or get back to playing classic ‘proper’ halo games.