As the most anticipated game of 2012, Halo 4 was not a disappointment as many thought it might be due to the new producer, 343 Industries. We can safely say that 343 Industries made Halo 4 one of the better games of the franchise.

Gameplay, which now handles like Call of Duty, is a major change that gamers will have to adapt to. The only major differences between the controls now is that RB is still how one melees instead of clicking the right trigger. Halo 4 has even taken the liberty of letting the gamer modify their abilities and weapons (again, tailored from Call of Duty). Yet, despite these alterations, any Halo fan will still feel right at home and it is safe to say that there were no massive disappointments.

As the gamer continues their journey through the game, one can particularly see and feel the changes 343 Industries has made to the Halo franchise. One of the colossal changes in the series was the graphics. Anyone who plays Halo 4 will say “Wow! Look how real that looks!” or “I can see every detail in her face!” in the first 10 seconds of the cut scene at the beginning. These graphics are not exclusive to the cut scenes, like many other games, either. The same visual principle is continuously used within the campaign and online multiplayer.

A notable modification is the mood of the game. The newest installment of the series feels and looks much darker than its predecessors. Its cut scenes are now filled with teeth-rattling gun fire and thundering explosions which don’t fail to impress. Another distinguished difference is the well known alien bad guys (The Covenant) which have been changed in both appearance and voice. The once familiar dialogue of the aliens has been replaced by snarling, hissing, and even android-like speech. But darker than any of these other things is the mishap which pertains to Dr. Halsey and the rest of the crew on the ship. Some viewers might find scenes like this twisted or even disturbing. The outstanding graphics only add to the effect it has on its viewers.

343 Industries has also introduced a new enemy to the series: The Forerunner Prometheans. These new villains of Master Chief carry three types of AI guards, the crawlers, knights, watchers. The crawlers, which run around on four legs and resemble a dog, come in mass numbers and could be considered the ‘grunts’ of the Forerunner AI. The Knights carry the role of the ‘Elites’ of the guards and are the hardest to take down. The role of the watchers are to shield the Crawlers and Knights from your shots and throw grenades back at you. These are the most annoying of all the Forerunner AI.

Online play did not change one bit with any of the Halo games. Every time someone picked up a new Halo title game (except for Halo Wars), the player would always feel right at home with the pace of the game and the controls. Halo 4 has changed this whole setup, but in a good way. Players are now subjects to an extreme pace where it’s kill or be killed, equipped with deadlier weapons, and more armor effects to make the combat more interesting.

But more than anything else, what makes Halo 4, hands down, the best game of 2012 is the new narrator’s voice who announces to the player the medals they are receiving in the game and what’s happening. This voice actor is so into his job, he gets me pumped up just to be playing the game. I can’t help but to try to reenact his voice.

All in all, Halo 4 was the game we were all hoping for. Good Campaign (although seemed rushed and shortened), and an amazing online multiplayer. This game is definitely worth the $60 if you have the money, and I would suggest it to any and all Halo fans and gamers.

My rating: 9.5/10.