Difficulty:

Just Right

Time Spent:

20 to 40 Hours

The Bottom Line:

"Amazing"

After almost 10 years of creating the series we all love, Bungie has patched the torch to 343 Industries. Since then, fans have speculated and started worrying about the future of this renowned franchise. Will they get better or can Halo truly survive without Bungie behind the wheel? Luckily fans no longer need to worry. 343 has finally released their first addition to the franchise, Halo 4, and it's better than we could have imagined. In fact, not only does the Halo formula remain intact, but it might even be better than Bungie's last efforts.

So the game takes place 4 years after the events of Halo 3. The Chief and Cortana are still drifting through space in the wreckage of the UNSC frigate Forward Unto Dawn. Cortana wakes Master Chief after the mysterious disturbance and warns him Covenant forces are trying to board the ship. They find themselves near a mysterious Forerunner planet, Requiem. This planet asserts a gravity well, causing the remnants of the Dawn to crash-land on the surface of Requiem. The rest of the game takes place on Requiem as Chief must defeat not only the Covenant, but a mysterious new enemy called the Prometheans and their leader, the Didact, who sets out to destroy humanity. For a Halo story, this one isn't too bad. One thing I like about it is Master Chief is given a little more character this time around; speaking more lines and giving more emotion than usual. Cortana is also given more character this time as there is an interesting sub plot about her rampancy. The story isn't the greatest but it's one of the better stories in the series for sure.

Halo games have always looked gorgeous for their times ever since the first. There were times in Reach when you would stop and take in the busy scenary around you; from the gorgeous landscapes to the large battle happening above. 343 managed to outdo these graphics with not only the best looking game in the series, but debatably the best looking game on the Xbox 360 period. The cinematic cut scenes almost look real, especially the humans. The in game graphics are just as good with even more incredible environments than Reach's. It is also appreciated that in between the action, the game pauses for a moment and lets you take in this gorgeous world around you.

The campaign is no longer than previous Halo campaigns, but it is truly one of the best. For one thing, each level feels fresh and varied, and they feel connected to the story. Speaking of which, it's nice to hear the Master Chief more often this time around as his and Cortana's characters are more fleshed out this time around. You start off fighting a familiar foe, the Covenant (back after making a truce with them after Halo 3). It seems kind of strange to bring the Covenant back but they are welcomed back as they help you familiarize yourself with the formula. Then, 3 levels in, you meet the brand new enemy; the prometheans. This new threat is no joke, especially the main enemy; the promethean knights. This new challenging enemy adds a new direction on the formula and it helps keep it fresh, especially with the selection of weapons that come with them (light rifle, scattershot, binary rifle, etc.).

Of course what Halo game is complete without a fleshed out multiplayer mode? You might have heard that this game took heavy inspiration from Call of Duty and other modern shooters. Well, it's true as you will see custom load outs (each with a rifle, side arm, armor ability, and grenade type), kill cams and grenade indicators. However, spite all of these additions, this game still plays like the same Halo you know and love and it's a significant improvement over Reach. For one thing, the pace feels much faster thanks bloom being fixed and the removal of armor lock. Second, the maps are much better. One downside to Reach was its weak map selection due to forge world maps and other maps being taken from the campaign. Luckily, Halo 4 does neither of those things and the maps are actually more fun to play. Thirdly, armor abilities and weapons feel more balanced. Everyone has sprint, armor lock has been removed (thank god), and the newer armor abilities, as well as returning ones, all have their advantages and disadvantages to fit your strategy.

Another new addition is the Ordinance drops. You are given a certain bar which is filled up by getting kills or just by doing other actions like assisting or splattering. Once it's filled, you are given a choice between 3 items whether they be weapons (like sniper rifles, rocket launchers, the needler, etc.) or boosts (over shield or speed). This is another similarity to other shooters today but at least this one feels more fair. Rather than calling in air strikes or helicopters, all you get are weapons or bonuses which means you still have to earn your kills.

The modes you loved to play in make a return here like the usual team slayer, big team slayer, CTF, king of the hill, swat and oddball. Of course there are new modes to play in as well like dominion where you must capture forts and hold them from the other team. The longer you hold these locations, not only do you earn points for your team, but you get weapon and vehicle drops as well. Capture all 3 checkpoints and the other team has a minute to capture a base or the game's over. Then there's regicide, a new free for all that puts the top player as "king" which earns you more points for killing him. Lastly, there's an update to Infection now titled "Flood". The new modes are a welcome addition and the multiplayer in general is the best the series has seen in a while.

Unfortunately, Firefight has been removed. Instead, we have a new cooperative mode to play in: Spartan Ops. This is a brand new side campaign made specifically to play with up to 3 friends which releases new content every week (at absolutely no cost). It sounds amazing at first and sometimes, it can be enjoyable if you bring your friends along but at the same time, it could have been fleshed out more. The maps are fun but over time, they are now being reused in future episodes. Hell, they're even using multiplayer maps for some of the episodes. Some of the objectives get a little repetitive too; go there, kill everyone, push button, and eventually a mission where you hold off enemies until evac arrives. Like I said, Spartan Ops may still have potential in the coming weeks, but it isn't quite there yet.

343 Industries had some mighty big shoes to fill once Bungie left. Making a follow up to one of the biggest gaming franchises in recent memory is no easy task, but I'm proud to say that they succeeded. Not only was 343 able to keep the series' standard high, but they have even managed to surpass Bungie's last few efforts in both single and multiplayer. Spartan Ops isn't as good as it could have been, but Halo 4 is still the Halo that we have all grown to love. If Halo 4 is any indication of 343's talent, then I can't wait for what the future of the franchise holds.