Solidifies itself as another quality installment in a venerable series.
After floating around space for about 4 years, Master Chief and his typically fun-poking AI companion, Cortana, find themselves careening towards a strange planet, called Requiem. Though the fight was technically finished, Covenant forces still find a way to do more than give Master Chief some updated target practice from the get-go. Yet they're just the start of the encounters throughout the game, with folklore from the novels coming to light. Needless to say, things get very plot-heavy, especially for a videogame series.
What's most impressive about the story isn't so much its scale and expansiveness, but the fact everything is held together by a tugging narrative. Halo is far from what comes to mind when one thinks emotionally involved, but this latest installment does more for the characters, both old and new, than any of the previous entries. Much of this stems from Cortana, who reveals herself as rampant, which is a simplistic way of saying "I'm on my unrecoverable period." Hope, tension and a surprisingly emotional bond shine throughout the game. It's an extremely welcoming change for the series, such that it suggests great things for the next two installments.
One area that doesn't feel as changed up, however, is the gameplay. Ever since Halo 2, the series has definitely fallen under the "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" category. Halo: Reach made a couple realistic adjustments, but the frantic and fluent playing style remained intact. Outside of some new weapons, the Campaign doesn't truly showcase many changes. Head into War Games with other gamers, however, and the differences start to shine. Tweaks such as jet packs, infinite sprinting, camouflage and decoys return to keep things wild and interesting. The most controversial change, however, comes with how weapons are dealt out. While you have freedom to choose what standard firearms you'll start with (assault rifles and pistols), the big and weird guns are randomly scattered about the maps, or called in via ordinance drops. These are essentially rewards for players who perform well during the game, or when they hit a certain number of points. That's another change we have: matches are won by earning points, as opposed to just kills. Get enough of them yourself and your enemy might just stare down the end of the appropriately named Saw.
Needless to say, changes like these have drawn comparisons to Call of Duty's perks and killstreak rewards. And while the influence of a tired series is apparent, this doesn't strip Halo of its identity. Halo 4 retains the smooth, quick and dexterous feeling of its predecessors, allowing just enough freedom to where players will feel empowered, but not overly privileged.
In addition to War Games, Halo 4 includes a cooperative multiplayer mode called Spartan Ops. This plays out over the course of episodes, continuing 6 months after the Campaign. Don't worry though, it's a completely separate storyline. Swarms upon swarms of enemies are really what Spartan Ops delivers, meaning solo players will need loads of patience. Since Halo is generally highlighted by intense firefights, this might feel like a counterintuitive mode for some. Spartan Ops really serves as little more than a bonus (and less scripted way) to blow through even more enemies.
The quality of gameplay between the Campaign and multiplayer modes might not be consistent, but one thing that perseveres is how Halo 4 looks. The game was touted as a limit-pusher for the Xbox 360, which is completely attest-able. Playing through the Campaign is, unsurprisingly, the best way to see Halo 4. Even minuscule parts of levels such as rock and boulder formations are alarmingly convincing. But it's far from all drab locales, as luscious outdoor environments offer color, detail, lighting and scale which few, if any games have hit nearly as well on the Xbox 360. The multiplayer maps don't necessarily have the most innovative design choices, but they all look the part technically. Thanks to a broad color spectrum, influenced by anything from vehicular explosions to the Incineration Cannon, there's seldom a dull moment to feast. Like the gameplay, Halo 4's looks are smooth and blissful.
Another constant in Halo 4 is the stellar sound design, especially when it comes to the score. While Martin O'Donnell's classic, notable touches are missed, our ears are still left to salivate music that only further drives the game's many key moments. Neil Davidge has managed to compose a sound that somehow combines sadness, urgency, triumph and sheer awe all at once. One listen to the track "117" is all any person needs. It's astounding, quality work.
Note must also be made of the voice acting, which gives that much more authenticity to the game itself. Even without a face, the underlying delivery of some of Master Chief's lines hit some truly sincere notes. When the going gets tough, you believe it thanks to the combination of graphics and implementation of voiceovers.
As for the weapons and various sound effects, these also tend to hit great punchlines. While the Warthog sounds out of place, just about everything else lights up like a perfectly placed grenade. The aforementioned Saw is a blood-bursting joy to fire, while the simple notes emitted by the Plasma Pistol make it seem new and refined, even before firing. Taking part in(multiplayer) battles doesn't sound as cinematic as it does pitch-perfect, partly due to the unexaggerated explosions. You're not going to make anyone think World War IV is going down in your room, but guests will certainly become curious of the variety of noises emitted by your speakers.
Halo 4 treads a shaky line between fan loyalty and different direction, but it walks with finesse. The small changes do little to hinder its core identity as a tried-and-true Halo game, especially on the controller. In a number of ways, 343 Industries have completely triumphed what Bungie provided during their time with the series. Lackluster multiplayer matches are an unfortunate given, but there's still a stronger sense of initiative here than just about any other first-person shooter on the market. Combine that with a terrific, unforgettable Campaign and we have a game that more than earns its sequel status.