Halo 4 is due to hit our store shelves in a few short days and today marked the start of the review embargo, which was lifted at 7:00am UK time. It’s interesting to see that the reviews have correlated within many of their comments and the strong scores have shown that Halo is still a force to be reckoned with.
What I thought I’d do today is give you an overview of everything I’ve read so far, spoiler free of course, to show exactly how this new instalment fits in with what has already been a fantastic franchise.
At the end of Halo 3 the world was ending with our protagonist Master Chief having just driven a jeep off a flaming planet into the hanger bay of a derelict escape ship; the Forward Unto Dawn. The aliens all began retreating for safer ground, the flames slowly burnt out and the atmosphere entered into eerie silence.
Granted then came the Halo Reach instalment but we all know that Halo 3 was the true end to the original John-117 trilogy. Bungie have since passed Microsoft’s flagship FPS onto a new development studio, namely 343 Industries, who have needed some pretty meaty shoulders to weather this new title.
One of the biggest mentions in the reviews that I have read links a sense of decline in the title due to the 5 year gap between games – a true age when looking at video games in general. During this time the world has given rise to the Modern Warfare series as well as the Battlefield titles and each have given the FPS genre a different view on FPS multiplayer than ever before. If anyone needed to step up and push the boundaries now it was definitely a new title featuring everyone’s favourite Spartan.
The problem seems to be that with Halo itself and its usual innovative offerings when looking at its multiplayer. Apparently this time around it seems that 343i have taken a leaf out of the Call of Duty franchise instead of offering their own blend on the action with the inclusion of Perks and Loadouts. It’s known that Microsoft is after a big exclusive online hit and unfortunately similarities allow people to jump ship more often. At least that’s what I’m hoping that was the reason for this…
Apart from this lack of innovation not a lot of the gripes people have with the game appear to be listed in any of the other review that I have read and seem to be down to personal opinion more than anything else. I suppose that’s what a review is but noticing regular praise/gripes is the best way to see how a game feels.
The campaign is being touted with some strong praise though so the Halo fans out that really have nothing to fear:
Eurogamer: ‘Halo 4 is authentic, and assures 343's role is more than a mere tribute act’
Gamespot: ‘From sweeping panoramic vistas to claustrophobic jungle clearings, the environments are rich with detail enhanced by thoughtful lighting and sharp textures’
IGN: ‘Amazingly, Halo 4 is not only a success, but a bar-raising triumph for the entire first-person shooter genre’
The graphics are, in all instances, being praised for the clear art direct and they way they tempt the player to explore the subtle sandboxes on offer. The scope of the levels is being touted as a best in class experience and from what I’ve seen and played they certainly aren’t lying. The trailers have shown off large, eye-catching vistas for you to run through with murky, damp swamps to sprawling mountains with integrated forerunner structures. In face many of the reviews have stated that the art direction is so well designed that it is easy to see which buildings are covenant and which are forerunner with the blink of an eye.
Speaking of the forerunner this new enemy type has blended nicely into the heavy AI structure of the Halo universe with each variant pitching their own tactical problem for the player to overcome. The Watchers will often run away from danger but are available to heal enemy guardians and also to propel your own grenades back at you. Guardians on the other hand warp themselves across the battlefield, obscuring your line of sight. Halo has basically become even more of a fast paced tactical shooter than ever before. Let’s face it the Flood and the Covenant Brutes (who are strangely absent in all respects here) were only ever dumb enemies with high damage resistance and never really caused much of a problem besides needing an extra clip to run them down.
A lot of the reviews are also high on the great voiceovers/acting from Jen Taylor – for those of you that don’t know she plays the part of John-117’s AI companion Cortana. This time around the AI is slowly slipping into rampancy, a form of AI Alzheimers which will slowly make her deteriorate until she for all accounts ‘dies’. Cortana has always been the steady voice in the dark for the previous Halo games and a reliable narrator to push back on the otherwise stoic protagonist. It’s an interesting premise and one that coincides with the new settings, enemies and story.
Overall the reviews have been pretty positive and my only slack point has come in the form of the Call of Duty lovers that can’t seem to get passed the fact that Halo has never had Iron Sights. In all other cases we have been warmly pushed back into the visor of the Master Chief with homage’s a plenty for the long term fans. It’ll be a wonderful experience to run through Requiem blasting of Plasma Pistol shoots alongside the three-burst Battle Rifle.
If 343i were playing it easy this time around, so they didn’t disturb the loved formula, then we are sure in for a ride with Halo 5 and 6. Those of you worried about the new developer will quickly see those feelings subside as they have really completed a superb job in paying respect to the material on offer while still uncovering something exciting a new…
Cortana: What happens if you miss?
John-117: I won’t
It might be an idea to start panicking about Halo 5 already if this instalment is anything to go by….
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