When the beloved Halo franchise changed hands from Bungie to 343 Industries, many were skeptical as to whether it was even possible to live up to the lofty expectations placed on the series. As the premier Xbox franchise, and one of the most influential and greatest shooter series of all time, Halo has a special place in many gamers' hearts. Well, Halo 4 is officially out now, and gamers can rest easy - it looks like reviewers are giving it two thumbs up.
Review score aggregator Metacritic has Halo 4 receiving an 87 out of 100 in 66 reviews.
"Amazingly, Halo 4 is not only a success, but a bar-raising triumph for the entire first-person shooter genre. And just how new developer 343 Industries has done it will surprise, delight, and excite you," writes IGN.
Halo 4 picks up five years after the ending of Halo 3, and focuses on the complex relationship between the stoic Master Chief and the seemingly more human AI Cortana. Only this time, Cortana is losing her mind (as all AIs do after seven years), and could perish - if Master Chief doesn't figure out what to do.
Website Polygon writes, "It sounds silly, the joke that Halo is a love story between a cyborg and an AI, but 343i sells that relationship in a surprisingly respectful way. Cortana has always been the more human of the pair - which Halo 4 also explores - and her arc over the course of the game resonates more deeply than you'd think."
As usual, multiplayer is more robust than ever, and most reviewers are raving about how the new Halo 4 multiplayer is one of the best out there. Campaign wise, it seems to have hit a high note, especially since the campaign seems to be more open-ended than ever before, allowing gamers to choose between a variety of methods to tackle a scenario.
Combat in the game seemed more strategic than the straightforward, hard-charging style we've come to know from previous "Halo" titles. For example, using the armor's jump-pack accessory allows players to leap up to hidden spots and pick off enemies. And other armor abilities allow Master Chief to create a floating turret, which I found great for thinning out a battlefield before wading in," says a CNN review.
Most reviewers had the same to say, but some did find the game's throwback experience lacking.
"It's been an impressive run, but after a decade of the same basic experience, I can't escape the feeling that Halo needs to try a bit harder," says EGM.
In the end, the Halo 4 is sure to please old and new fans of the Halo franchise. With a great multiplayer, campaign, eye-popping visuals, and tons of DLC in the future, this is perhaps the only shooter than go toe to toe with the Call of Duty juggernaut. Pick it up, and there's a slim chance you'll regret it.