Halo 4 Review ( and Spoilers ) for Xbox 360
- Pros: Awesome storyline, Brilliant Graphics, Soundtrack is to die for, Decent mechanics
- Cons: None (Seriously)
- Ratings :: Design: 5/5 Features: 4/5 Performance: 5/5 Usability: 5/5 Value: 5/5
Okay. The first thing I want to tell you is if you have a Xbox you need to run down to the retailer and pick this game up (If you still haven’t) it is the reason why I bought Xbox over the PlayStation 3. It is the reason people still buy Xbox’s and it is the game of the year. It is the best in the Halo series (I’d actually tell you to pick up all the Halo’s before you start this one because the story is so damn’ good throughout the series)
Halo is made by 343 studios this time, and they’ve done a stellar job at it. They’ve rectified the things I didn’t like about the previous Halo games, and they’ve exceeded my (and almost everybody’s) expectations. It has the most compelling storyline’s of any game I’ve ever had a chance to play. The pacing, the environment, the gameplay is super.
The Halo series for me personally always brings the nostalgia with it. Some really good times spent with the series with some awesome co-op gaming.
In this review, I will talk mostly about the Campaigns and overall gameplay experience and how AI has changed in Halo. We will have more post followed up for Infinity Section where you have the war zones, episodes etc.
Missions:
The first mission called Prologue is a cinematic only mission, followed by Dawn, Requiem, Forerunner, Infinity, Reclaimer, Shutdown, Composer, Midnight and the Epilogue (again a cinematic mission)
SPOILERS AHEAD
The game begins with you; Master Chief and Cortana in 2557 four years after the events of Halo 3 (The damsel in distress, the AI companion) as you drift aboard the wreckage of UNSC frigate after she awakens you and warns you about the Covenant trying to board the ship. You’re near a planet called “Requiem” at this point, and this is the place where most of the game takes place, anyway.
Dawn:
You progress through “Dawn” pretty quickly (Took me 30 minutes) you look around and find the Covenant searching the ship, but pretty soon you realize that a whole fleet of the Covenant is heading towards the UNSC Dawn, realizing that the ship (or it’s wreckage) is being pulled inside the Requiem planet. Cortana tries to help you all the way, but all your punching the Xbox controller is gonna land you nowhere except Requiem along with the rest of the ship.
Requiem:
Again not a big level, the main aim over here was to find out a way to get off the planet Requiem and go home as Cortana’s AI has been deteriorating (She’s been in service since 8 years and AI’s deteriorate after 7) and to fix her up, you need to go back up. Apart from that, you face the Storm Covenant and the Prometheans as enemies.
Forerunner:
The biggie! And yes it gets harder from here! (Took me 50+ minutes on Easy/ 75+ on normal) finally something I picked up my RedBull for, you start picking up the Infinity’s signal in this one, reading coming from the interiors of the planet. You decide along with Cortana to find this, and only to realize that the satellite is the centre of the planet (Goddammit!)
Cortana realizes that they can send a signal warning Infinity about the gravity well, but the pylons were scrambling the message. You proceed to the first one through a portal filled with (no achievements unlocked for guessing this) various Prometheans guarding it.
Ditto for the second one, but instead of just the Prometheans guards you’ll find Covenant cruisers fighting with the Prometheans. So you deal with two enemies. And finally turning of both the pylons, to return to satellite only to send the message, but instead release Bornsteller Didact. (You’ll find out who that is, don’t worry)
Infinity:
I loved this level, and I don’t want to spoil it for anyone (trust me, this is where it get’s interesting) The Storm Covenant and the Prometheans work as a team in this level for one reason only: to destroy you. That’s all.
Reclaimer:
Reclaimer includes the Mammoth vehicle (and yes you play Halo 4 the whole night for this), the Lich dictatorship comes into existence and the Librarian.
You know what you do the entire level? You guide around Mammoth through the battlefield so it can destroy everything guarding the gravity well. I’d recommend you look for a walkthrough for this one.
Shutdown:
One thing: You drive the D79H-TC Pelican without any easter eggs and stuff in this one. Yes, it’s 6 AM, and yes I’m still playing. Ah, the Pelican.
Composer and Midnight:
I personally hate It when someone spoils the ending for me, and I’m not gonna do it for everyone, I’m just gonna tell you that you can unlock the Chief, Smash! Achievement in the last level (Midnight) and you should totally stay up till 12 hours to get that. :)
Gaming Experience
It’s golden. Do not underestimate this one, it is pure golden. Halo has evolved so much that it’s the most richest and deepest FPS ever (maybe not graphics wise but story-wise alongside the Co-Op feature) and if the graphics are the exteriors of the game, the body of the game, the story is the soul, the heart. It’s what moves us to play games, to pick up a title over the other.
Dramatic and vivid gameplay across the board, Halo 4 probably is the last Halo on the 360 alongside an amazing soundtrack. Halo 4 could have been a movie, the beautiful cinematic cuts, the planet. Everything like a George Lucas movie. Perfect.
I’m not even gonna give importance to the gameplay aspect of the game because it is familiar, pretty much the same, nothing has changed. The HUD, the guns, pretty much everything, has been there since a while now.
Improved AI
AI squads have become better, attacking together, planning at attack trying to make sure Master Chief dies. The new enemies Promethean’s have a new style of combat; the enemies can teleport and make you waste your bullets alongside hovering watchers who tilt up and down. Canine crawlers fire a lot, and you have to be good at stealth. There are obviously new tweaks which you’ll figure out as and when you play it.
AI is so much more tactical now that you feel as it’s a human sitting there controlling everything. Co-Op is the best it’s ever been, I felt that the Spartan Co-Op missions were a bit small, but overall even though I’m not a big Co-Op fan I call people up fanatically to come over whenever I have gotten a copy of Halo.
The online multiplayer is really good too;no noticeable slowdown and killing aliens together is always fun. Like a team activity.
Verdict:
“The Master Chief: [after deactivating the bomb How much time was left? Cortana: You don’t wanna know.”
Master Chief, you’ve done it again. You’ve made sure everybody in my house stays awake until I’m done with Halo 4. You’ve done it again. I salute 343 because this wasn’t easy; they didn’t just pay a tribute; they changed the game.
Do I need to say anything else except – Pick it up, now.
