Halo 4

[Flawless]

Re: Halo 4

343 is streaming multiplayer now:

http://www.twitch.tv/343industries

...

IGN has been doing a walkthrough of the multiplayer maps with the Lead Level Designer the past month.

Meltdown
Solace
Ragnarok
Vortex
Longbow
Haven
Complex
Abandon
Exile

[Flawless]

Re: Halo 4

Oh snap, hidden ranks. Whiners incoming. I wish they would go even further and hide K/D ratio too.

[CaptainZombie]

Re: Halo 4

343 is streaming multiplayer now:

http://www.twitch.tv/343industries

...

IGN has been doing a walkthrough of the multiplayer maps with the Lead Level Designer the past month.

Meltdown
Solace
Ragnarok
Vortex
Longbow
Haven
Complex
Abandon
Exile

Oh snap, hidden ranks. Whiners incoming. I wish they would go even further and hide K/D ratio too.

Oh Oh Flawless, you break down yet or still waiting it out?

[Kevin26385]

Re: Halo 4

343 is streaming multiplayer now:

http://www.twitch.tv/343industries

...

IGN has been doing a walkthrough of the multiplayer maps with the Lead Level Designer the past month.

Meltdown
Solace
Ragnarok
Vortex
Longbow
Haven
Complex
Abandon
Exile

Does the video work for anyone?

[Candyman5]

Re: Halo 4

Does the video work for anyone?

I was in the middle of watching it and then it shut down. Going to have to wait until it gets released again.

BTW, LOL!

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/t3PVTX_r_N4" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

[Kevin26385]

Re: Halo 4

I was in the middle of watching it and then it shut down. Going to have to wait until it gets released again.

BTW, LOL!

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/t3PVTX_r_N4" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

It is back on. About a half hour in, some of the things I have liked:
-Capture the Flag is its own playlist.
-Also, love the hiding of the ranking. Definitely promotes teamwork.
-Love the flag timer in CTF. Everything is so clean in Halo 4 presentation wise.

[Kevin26385]

Re: Halo 4

Sportsnation is having Victor Cruz and Gronk on tomorrow along with a couple of other NFL players for a Halo 4 Bowl.

[therockstar2005]

Re: Halo 4

For those who missed the livestream, this user seems to have posted some of the footage in nice chucks of each match. I didn't see the original, so can't confirm if this is all of it or not. Getting me pumped for the game though.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QFUTiQtGlxM

[Candyman5]

Only thing I don't like so far is auto pick up of the flag. I don't want to have a power weapon and accidentally pick up the flag and get stuck with it.

Everything else seems great. The assault rifle may actually be a good close range weapon now.

[Flawless]

Re: Halo 4

Kotaku

I’ve never seen Halo like this before. Halo 4 is emotional, something I’ve never felt from the franchise quite like this. Sure, invested fans will protest and say that the lore is fascinating and the war struggles moving, but I can safely say I’ve never sat through a Halo campaign quite at the edge of my seat like I have in the first title by 343 Industries.

Hardcore Halo fans can rest assured that 343 has stayed true to the core of Halo, and I urge them to keep an open mind when confronted by its new skin.

Because that skin is beautiful. It’s cinematic, and features lovely music. Cut scenes look absolutely phenomenal, with performance capture done so well that I sometimes confuse the rendered characters for real, live actors. The soundtrack, by Massive Attack’s Neil Davidge, is expectedly wonderful, and the realistic sound effects are a delightful surprise. The crunch and squeaks of Master Chief’s armor as he moves around, and the hazardous hum of damaged vehicles are little details that go a long way.

343’s take on the franchise humanized what was up until now mainly just a really fun, well-made series of games.

IGN Review - 9.8

After soaking in the new game, I am beyond thrilled to be so in love with Halo again, more than I’ve been since Halo 2. Halo 4 is a masterstroke everyone can and should celebrate, and its two guaranteed sequels instantly make the next-generation Xbox a must-own system, with Halo 5 its most anticipated title. Halo has been rebuilt. It has been redefined. And it has been reinvigorated. The Xbox’s original king has returned to his rightful place on the throne.

Polygon - 9.5

In that way, Halo 4 is most like the original Halo, where the novelty and wonder of exploring something really alien and different is a key factor. While Halo 4 continues the series' tradition of iteration on its own design more successfully than any one of its predecessors, that sense of awe, of discovery, has been light since the first game, and I didn't realize how much I missed it until I played Halo 4. Halo is in new hands with 343i, but the studio nailed exactly why the series became a genre-defining franchise. And it's exciting to think about where it goes from here.

Destructoid - 10

At its core, everything still feels like a Halo game. While there are new some new elements that change the gameplay a little, that weight of playing as a super soldier is well balanced between the sense of speed and strength in the multiplayer. 343 Industries have done a remarkable job at continuing the Halo legacy. They've gone all out, creating a fantastic sequel that brought forth a major focus on storytelling while upping the visual and audio direction to a level that will be tough for anyone to rival with these few remaining years of the current console generation.

Above all else, Halo 4 proves that the franchise is in safe hands with 343.

Eurogamer - 8

Halo 4 is authentic, and assures 343's role is more than a mere tribute act. Their delicate yet sprawling work may be more continuation than true expansion - and perhaps the true test comes in the next step - but for now, Halo returns with a bang, not a whimper.

Giant Bomb - 4/5

From the moment I saw Master Chief put himself back to sleep at the end of Halo 3, all I could think about was how his next adventure--if he would even have a next adventure--should be something dramatically different from the adventures we had already seen. Moving him out into the middle of nowhere and cutting him off from his allies is an idea with huge potential. So that's why I find the storytelling side of Halo 4 to be fairly disappointing. Within the first few hours you've fought enemies that go all the way back to the first game in the franchise and you've reconnected with the human race. That's not to say that the entire story is a bust--and it does set up some potentially interesting things for the next couple of games to address--but it's good that the developers have backed this story up with sharp, time-tested gameplay that gets enhanced in meaningful ways across all modes.

Joystiq - 5/5

Halo 4 is Halo – a surprisingly successful, mandatory step for 343 Industries. But the game strives for more than competence, giving it a forceful march and a decadent show of strength. Our doubt and questioning of Halo's continued existence has, in some small way, helped deliver one of the best games in the series and one of the finest shooters in years.

Gamespot - 9.0

Halo 4 is every bit the massive shooter package that its predecessors were, and it holds the series' standard high. The thrilling and emotional return of Master Chief and Cortana is the highlight, and the campaign breaks new ground in narrative quality for the franchise. The top-notch competitive multiplayer picks up where Halo: Reach left off, infusing the action with some mainstream elements while still remaining undeniably unique. Spartan Ops may stay a mere sideshow or prove its worth in the weeks to come, but there's no doubting that the next planned Halo trilogy is off to a great start. 343 Industries should be proud of what it has accomplished, and you should be excited to experience it for yourself.

Game Informer - 9.25

343 Industries had a series of challenges in front of it when it began to create Halo 4: Take a beloved series from the original developer Bungie, maintain the legacy established through a decade of development, and reignite enthusiasm by delivering something new. That is a daunting list, but 343 Industries was clearly up to the task. Halo 4 is a thrilling adventure, and takes the science fiction franchise headlong into the future. The magic formula is intact, but the new development team isn’t afraid to put its own signature features into play, assuring that Halo is on a path to growth instead of stagnation.

Penny Arcade: This isn’t Bungie’s Halo anymore – it’s better

343 Industries was handed one hell of a ball with the Halo franchise, and it wouldn’t have been surprising had they tried to get away with a rote game in a known universe. This is a series that prints money and has a strong, dedicated fanbase that likely would’ve been happy with more of the same.

It takes a lot of guts to put this much of yourself into a property this well known, but 343 didn’t shy away from the challenge. This is a bold new look and feel for the Halo franchise. The storytelling is more layered, the combat and characters sound better, the graphics have been updated and overhauled, and the plot offers many amazing and unforgettable moments.

If you were curious about 343’s ability to pull this off, to make Halo 4 as good as Bungie’s games, here’s your answer: Halo 4 is not as good as Reach or Halo 3. It’s better. Wake up. Cortana needs you.

Gamesradar - 4.5/5

While 343 builds on the world, expands on characters, and adds to the lore of the Halo universe, its greatest focus in Halo 4 was investing in Master Chief--and a wise investment it was. By doing this, 343 Industries’ Halo 4 establishes itself not as “the next” Halo game, or “another sequel,” but instead opts to be a new beginning for the franchise--one with more commitment to its characters. It’s refreshing to see the series admit its shortcomings and catch up with its contemporaries without sacrificing what makes it unique, and that’s just what Halo 4 does, creating a name for itself without relying on its popularity, and getting us excited to start, continue, and one day finish the fight all over again.

Dallas News: Comfortably familiar, refreshingly new

But with Halo 4, 343 Industries has done something amazing. They’ve put more effort into the storytelling – humanizing the Master Chief and making more connections to those books we really nerdy gamers read – changed the setting, given us new, interesting enemies to fight and fun weapons to play with …

In other words, they’ve made me excited about Halo again.

1UP - A-

Halo 4 has all the big set piece battles players expect, along with dynamic A.I. that lends the enemy an astute level of self-preservation. The game presents a broad palette of tools and weapons to drive players to make impulsive decisions across its myriad sci-fi battlefields. Not every design decision by 343i works as well as others, as you might expect; but for a new studio tasked with delivering the most important Xbox title this year, they take an impressive first step into the future of the Halo franchise.

San Jose Mercury News: Halo 4 will surprise you

So it's a surprise that "Halo 4" turns out to be a tear-jerker, of all things. That's like discovering Mike Tyson sewing his own clothing line or Donald Trump volunteering at a soup kitchen. It defies our preconceived notions. Yes, we expect the first-person shooter to have action (there's plenty), explosions (I counted at least 15) and a few one-liners as Master Chief faces certain death. But making fans weepy? That's a hidden talent.

It's an auspicious start for 343 Industries, the new studio in charge of one of gaming's most popular franchises. ("Halo 4" hits stores Tuesday.) The developer gives the series a much-needed revamp in terms of visuals, presentation and story.

Arstechnica: Jumping head first without a Bungie (and loving it)

Halo 4's story dragged me in just as much as its gameplay. As a shameless fan of the Halo universe who's read all the books and consumed many other forms of Halo-related media, I was giddy to see where John 117 would go next. Every part of the campaign—from the extensive cut scenes to the drastic increase of dialogue—showed a laser-like dramatic focus that demanded my full attention. For once I cared about Cortana as a "person," not just as some disembodied lackey.

In previous Halo games, the lion’s share of the story was communicated during gameplay. In Halo 4, the spectacularly voice-acted cut scenes—by far the best looking in the series—do a better job of telling a much more personal story. Watching the emotion on Cortana’s face as she grows impatient with a commanding officer is more delightful than trying to listen for that same emotion while shooting a grunt in the face.

[Flawless]

Re: Halo 4

Machinima Multiplayer Live Stream:

This is a 5 day Halo 4 Marathon a 24/7 Halo 4 early access Live Stream on Machinima Respawn that you won't see anywhere else!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t_o9y79QrIE

<iframe width="640" height="480" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/t_o9y79QrIE" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

[Candyman5]

Re: Halo 4

IGN Video Review:
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/rNoSEj1k9V0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

[Kevin26385]

Re: Halo 4

So...Campaign looks like a good deal of fun. I will probably try to complete it on legendary sooner than later.

[Flightwhite24]

Stuck at work and my copy is sitting on hold for me at my local Post Office. 3pm est. Im out and down to the Mancave

Sent from my SPH-D710 using Tapatalk 2

[Brandwin]

Re: Halo 4

I almost feel like calling in on Tuesday...