343's first Halo game is not only true to the series but it takes to places we've never dreamed of before.
GAMEPLAY
Off the bat you'll notice this is definitely Halo. Its got pretty much the same basic control scheme as the others (default button mapping is based less on Reach but instead 1-3) and the Halo feel of the gameplay is present throughout. The first difference you will notice is the Sprint feature that is always enabled. To be honest I was skeptical at first but it is actually a good addition to the gameplay, allowing you more options in your approach. Many times in the campaign I flanked behind enemy lines in ways that would have been impossible without the speed bonus. The second change is the addition of new armor upgrades. The first one you see, if my memory serves me right, is the Promethean vision which allows you to see through walls to find enemies and friendlies. This is fun to use but is much better suited for the online mode (more on that later). The next one, however, is the Hardlight shield which is an armor upgrade that works very similarly to the shields worn by many Jackals, however it covers you much better and does not allow the use of a weapon. This thing is fantastic, it works well with the gameplay and will save your life a LOT if you use it right. There are a others such as the auto-sentry but they were nowhere near as incredible for me so I didn't use them all that much. Halo 4 also introduces the much needed piloted Pelicans The last addition was the new weapons, namely the Promethean weapons. There are 6 Promethean weapons added to the game (machine gun, pistol, assault rifle, shotgun, sniper and grenade) and the guns function similarly to their UNSC counterparts, with only the pistol getting a major variation with its charged burst shot. The grenade, however, creates a damaging field to everyone who enters and explode to cause splash damage. While the weapons are mostly the same they are still welcome and do have differences, although subtle, that effect the gameplay in some positive ways with no negative. AESTHETICS
Often we here games talk about 'the graphics'. 'The graphics this' and 'the graphics that'. Now I am a huge fan of good graphics but the graphics live to serve the aesthetic (the actual look to the game). Halo might be running on 6 year old hardware but the aesthetic never fails to impress. The scenes vary much from the generic Dog Sh*t Brown and Gun Metal Grey pallets that we are used to and the enemies look absolutely fantastic. All the levels have unique setpieces and you'll never go through the same place twice. The Prometheans are well designed, they are intimidating but not over the top. The new Promethean weapons look fantastic as well, they look like nothing we've seen before and just watching the weapon assemble itself alone leaves you drowning in how appealing it is.
STORY
This was a big one for me. I've always though Halo had good characters but only an average story. Well, 343 didn't hold back here. This is a 100% full story, beginning middle and end. Without giving anything away it has all the character development, emotional depth and great villains we have come to hope for and a little extra. Just pay attention and it wont hurt to brush up on your Forerunner knowledge. ONLINE
Like in all Halo games the multiplayer is a huge aspect. Like the gameplay, its still definitely Halo but with something different. The sprint function increases the rate which you play but never gets to the point of being to much, the loadouts give a lot of customization without ever being unfair or overpowered and the maps are all fun to play with only one or two that aren't very fun to play. All in all it breaths some new fresh life into the online mode and is a blast for anyone who enjoys the competition. CONCLUSION
To end, Halo 4 is a fantastic game and anyone who loves the Chief or is looking for some great online action would be a fool to pass this up. However, I get this feeling as I play that I'm not having as much fun as I did with the previous titles but for a reason I just don't know why. There aren't any big flaws in comparison to the past titles, the story is better than ever and it looks fantastic. The online is fresh and fun as Hell but I just can't shake this weird feeling. Maybe its because I'm getting older and slightly more cynical with that age, maybe its my bias of a new studio making the game, or maybe its just me. But at the end of the day its still a wonderful experience and I couldn't recommend it more.
P.S. a little shoutout to Neil Davidge and the rest of the composing team for creating an absolutely jaw dropping soundtrack. I complements every mission perfectly and is great to listen to just by itself, but its not enough for me to write a whole section on. Anyways, great job to you guys to.