Halo 4

“Halo” fans eat your hearts out as the franchise enters into a new era of game play in “Halo 4”, the first person shooter action gaming giant receives a fresh new face to the game players use to know with all new gadgets and goodies to enjoy. Players return almost immediately back into the action, as the Master Chief, awakens to find a new threat knocking on his door, Cortana, the artificial intelligence unit that has been with the chief since players first enter the “Halo” universe, has been busy while you were away completely updating the chief’s systems. The player's heads-up display or (HUD) shows real-time information on the armor system's current shield status, information on current weapons and armor abilities, and also display indicators for goals and objectives as in the previous games but with new upgrades to the look and feel of the man under the helmet. But the heads up display isn’t all that has been upgraded, the chiefs armor and appearance has been completely revamped where in previous games players were in a fully armored suit, “Halo 4’s” version of Master Chief comes with a new more fluid and sleek look where your armor is set apart from one another and put onto piece as apart to a giant clanky suit. The main storyline includes eight playable missions that can be played through either alone or co-operatively with your friends as it was with other “Halo” games of the past. The game sees the return of the Covenant as well but as foes once more and also introduces a new faction of enemy called the Prometheans who serve as the new threat and are the key part to the games new story line. There are three types of Prometheans each with different variants and ranks; Knights serve as leaders of the group and are considered as the deadliest of the Promethean forces, Crawlers are a weaker class which often charge in larger packs, and Watchers, which are deployed by Knights, offer support which includes healing and shielding Promethean allies.

“Halo 4” also features updated versions of UNSC and Covenant weaponry from previous “Halo” games, as well as introducing a new weapons arsenal wielded by Prometheans. The game brings with it armor abilities as well, which were introduced in “Halo: Reach”, players will have the ability to use active camouflage, hologram and jetpack along with new abilities such as the hardlight shield, Promethean vision, regeneration field, autosentry and thruster pack. Players will also have the ability to sprint and not have it be a player ability as it was before making movement and action much easier and enjoyable for players fed up with limit sprint time. For those players disappointed by the number of playable missions in the main campaign, “Halo 4” bring with a new story-driven game mode, titled "Spartan Ops", that can be played solo or cooperatively with up to three other players, this new game mode offers more playable objective based missions for you and your friends with new chapters added each week.

Perhaps one of the most enjoyed aspects to “Halo” is through its multiplayer game play which has had new touches added to it as well, the newly titled Infinity multiplayer brings a massive customize element where players build their own custom Spartan-IV super-soldier and advance in their multiplayer career. Players can advance through ranks by earning experience by playing War Games, Spartan Ops, using Forge, and by completing both challenges and commendations which help players rank up, at each rank, players earn Spartan Points, which are used to purchase gameplay items such as weapons, armor abilities and various upgrades for personal loadouts.

“Halo 4” has received an incredibly polished and amazing new look that fans will absolutely love, Master Chief and Cortana have been given a new look but are at the core still the same character people know. The game also comes once again with a multiplayer element that just can’t be beat, the well balanced feel with both the levels and player abilities that will have players feeling less inclined to go into homicidal fits of rage while playing. However at heart “Halo 4” is a fan game that services that exact group and may not attract any new comers that haven’t followed along with the Master Chief before, players also will come to find the eight chapter missions for the campaign as a letdown for the start to a new franchise. This however is saved by the new “Spartan Ops” missions that can be played for hours with your friends and offer plenty of hidden Easter eggs from the “Halo” universe and all that it has inspired.

Good:

-A new sleek and enjoyable face to the Halo we knew

-Chief and Cortana never looked better

-Multiplayer is well balanced and less rage inducing

-A new arsenal of Promethean weapons that are insanely fun and deadly

Bad:

-Short and safe campaign for the start of the new franchise but in a way it’s understandable for the games new under taking from Bungie to 343 studios

-Makes for a fan serviced game more than anything 

(Game Reviewed on Xbox360)

Scully Rating: 9.0 out of 10