Halo glows in new hands
Battle sequences are varied enough to keep players really engaged
343 Industries has stayed true to Halo lore with its first entry into the blockbuster franchise
Trying to work brilliance with someone else’s vision is a terribly difficult thing to do.
Halo 4, however, proves that it can be done.
The fear for gamers everywhere is that the deep space first-person shooter that’s supposed to one of the biggest blockbusters of the year, would be a huge departure from what they knew and loved through the first three editions.
Bungie produced the celebrated trilogy for Microsoft, but finally walked away from the Xbox 360 exclusive franchise.
Xbox executives weren’t ready to let the story rest, and in comes 343 Industries to keep the legend going.
This version of Halo is quite an achievement. There is definitely a fresh glow to the game, some of it quantifiable, some of it just inherent, that brings some energy to the franchise.
There’s also a great deal of familiarity and comfort in the game that has made it one of the biggest sellers of all time.
The best part is that real core gameplay — how you move, shoot, melee, jump — is all the same so you don’t have relearn how to play.
The story still has Master Chief and the digital partner Cortana trying to save the planet from a new enemy, the Prometheans.
The story is more detailed, more ingrained in relationships and a little more at the forefront than we’ve been used to. There’s still the mission-based mayhem of trying to destroy alien life forms, but there seems to be more of a purpose to the missions, more reason and more tension.
The new enemy is a little more vicious, a little tougher to kill and a little more menacing than in the Covenant, who at times resembled the unfortunates pawn of munchkins, flying monkeys and Ewoks.
They have more alien street cred and will challenge you to be on your toes to advance. And, as you are used to with Halo, picking up weapons along the way from your fallen foe is part of the game. With new enemies come new toys and it does really bring a new chapter to life to be able to blast away with a new arsenal.
The heritage elements of Halo are here, too, with battle sequences varied enough to really keep the game engaging. You’ll be fighting in close quarters in closed-off corridors and in sterile chambers, but also in the great open-world vehicle combat levels we have come to really love. It does freshen up a long campaign and the variety moves the game along nicely.
What doesn’t move quite as well, for some people at least, is the pacing of the game. There are some dead periods, where you are searching for things and there doesn’t seem to be much going on, but it’s just a storytelling tactic, calm before the storm, if you will, and you can usually be safe to assume that if you’re finding a bit of a lull, or if things seem a bit too safe, then steel yourself because there’s something intense around the corner.
As mentioned earlier, the game is an absolute joy to look at. While the Master Chief and the other Spartans look familiar, and the wonderfully detailed and vast environments are exquisite, there’s another element that’s hard to put your finger on that gives Halo 4 a real new lick of paint. I’m not quite sure if it’s all lighting or shading, but the game has a slightly warmer look.
The campaign is the core, particularly because of a more engaging story than the earlier entries, and it is something that once you are into is going to be hard to put down.
Yet, with this being Halo, the online multi-player is extremely important, too.
There are some subtle changes and some not so subtle, the biggest of which is probably adding the upgrade or perk system you see in many other online FPS games including the Call Of Duty.
While in the past Halo had a more balanced online way to play, especially in solo or team deathmatch, now experienced players who do well will be levelling up and gaining more of an advantage so you have to be patient and play a lot to level out the playing field.
The point system is quite generous, though, including doling out points for assists even when you don’t nail the kill, do some damage, get some credit, and the incentive to keep upgrading, unlocking and loading up is a great incentive to keep playing online.
Cooperative missions tied to the story are also a great way to bring new stuff to the table and keep you playing for months upon months, especially since there are going to be new online content drops every week.
This is an amazing achievement by 343 Industries, to take the structure built by another developer and put a fresh spin on it while still honouring the legacy and history of what made the game so great in the first place.
Halo 4 was being anticipated as a gargantuan of the Christmas season and certainly delivers on that promise.
Rating: M for Mature, animated violence.
What’s right: Amazing graphics, great weapons, new multiplayer perks.
What’s wrong: Watch out for utter beatdowns in online play.
NumbThumb: Graphics A; Control A; Gameplay A; Value A. Overall an A on the Numb Thumb.