Halo 4

Developer: 343 Industries

Publisher: Microsoft

Since Halo: Combat Evolved smashed its way into our consciousnesses back in 2001, the video game landscape, particularly in a first person capacity, is an almost unrecognisable place. Call Of Duty has sprouted up and has been happily running the show for around five years now, with the recent release of Call Of Duty: Black Ops 2 showing no signs that Activisions money train is going to come off the rails any time soon.

Following the unprecedented success of the Call Of Duty series, it is all too easily forgotten that once upon a time Bungie’s Halo games were the go-to titles for our online FPS fix. So popular are these games in fact, that each of the numbered sequels have risen the FPS bar each time and can claim much of the responsibility for the way in which we enjoy our games today. Halo: Combat Evolved showed the world how a brilliant FPS game could be made on consoles, while Halo 2 almost single handedly popularised Xbox live. Halo 3 also quite impressively fought off the likes of Call Of Duty 4, GTA IV and Gears Of War 2 to claim the accolade of the most played game on Xbox live in 2008.

It is no surprise then, that 343 Industries had a lot to live up to if they hoped to have any chance of successfully carrying on the Halo brand. If 343 were to have any hope of success, not only would they have to please a rabidly fanatical fan base, but also ween a seemingly intrenched crowd away from the COD franchise. So, while we all sat around speculating about 343′s slim chances, they have hidden away from view and worked tirelessly to produce what might just be the best FPS title on consoles today.

Set four years after the events of Halo 3, we reconvene with Master Chief apparently still adrift in space. Presumed dead by humanity, it seems that they have failed to pick up Cortana’s distress beacon, opting to throw a party or something instead. The setting and exploration of Chief’s story is as intriguing as it is exciting and without doubt the home of the biggest shift in the series since Bungie handed over the reigns. Frustratingly though, it is also home to some of the most disappointing aspects of Halo 4.

A criticism that was constantly levelled at the series is that Master Chief was a soulless super soldier with no personality. Bungie offset this cold methodical killer with an AI that often represented the players and, as a result, Chief’s shock and awe during a revelatory moment or situation (yes I can see the irony in the fact that an AI represents Chief’s humanity). 343 on the other hand have opted to create an over arching narrative with enough fuel to span another trilogy, but they have also added a smaller more compact story surrounding Master Chief himself. This personal tale feels fresh and well delivered, giving the players an insight into the mind of the character they have been controlling for the last eleven years. The larger story however, falls flat on too many occasions and players will often end up feeling as if they should have read a Halo encyclopaedia before embarking upon Halo 4.

The main source of conflict in the game is never really addressed, with players just expected to know who he is and what his motives are. Chief’s reintegration with the fleet is also skimmed over as if they knew he was alive the whole time. Answers to these issues can be found via the terminals scattered throughout the game. Perversely though, these can only be accessed by leaving the game and loading up Halo Waypoint. Such crucial plot details should be explained more clearly within the confines of the experience and this seems like a terrible oversight on the part of 343. Furthermore, Chief being lost in space provided an excellent opportunity to create a game that left the player isolated, with no help around the corner. Not only would is have been interesting, but would have offered an appropriate backdrop to the Chief-Cortana sub-plot running through the game. Instead, 343 reunited him with humanity very early on and reverted to the tried and tested Halo themes.

This tendency to play things safe runs throughout the game. This is not meant as a criticism, it is merely an observation. In an attempt to ingratiate the hardcore fan base, 343 have kept the “Halo” in Halo. The controls are as intuitive and responsive as you would expect from a Halo game and the sounds of the weapons have that distinctive meaty bang that we have come to expect. 343 have introduced a new set of enemies, but again these follow the well trodden Halo feel, with the dropped weapons acting as an almost identical like-for-like swap between the human and covenant counterparts. These weapons are brilliantly designed and implemented, even if they are a little uninspired.

Having wrapped up the Covenant war, players could be forgiven for expecting a new direction to be pursued, however 343 have understandably played it safe and brought the Covenant back for another fight. The Covenant are superbly designed this time round, and it is refreshing not to hear the alien race communicate in English, but it will be familiar to seasoned veterans.

The first thing players will notice when they jump into Halo 4 is that the game is gorgeous. We have been told for years by developers that there is still juice left in our old machines, and it seems that this was completely true. Master Chief, Cortana and the Covenant have never looked so amazing. The environments themselves are also a beauty to behold. 343 have seemingly achieved the impossible of making a game that feels fresh, yet familiar. Much of the game is set on a previously unexplored planet, which has allowed the developers to put a new twist on the world of Halo, but the Forerunner technology splattered throughout has been painstakingly well created to remain true to its source.

Continuing this impressive, yet familiar, trend the multiplayer also has plenty to offer. More akin to the Call Of Duty progression system, players will find that their level is no longer purely based upon their skill level. Granted, the better players will make more progress, but sheer attrition will also now win through. Unlocking weapons and armour parts as they progress, players will also earn coins that they can spend on upgrades and additions to their arsenal. This allows players to customise their load out, but never to the extent that they have a massive advantage on the competition. More than other games, Halo has always been more about player skill than load out choice and thankfully Halo 4 is no different. The maps are as fun and diverse as ever, even if there are relatively few at this point in time.

In an attempt to further extend the Halo experience, 343 Industries have created Spartan Ops. This comes in the form of weekly CGI episodes, and challenge maps in which players can go up against increasingly difficult waves of enemies. The missions themselves are a little bland, however the cutscenes are interesting and if nothing else will keep players coming back just to keep up to date with the story.

There is no two ways about it. Halo 4 is a fantastic game. The controls are tight and responsive, and for the most part the narrative is engaging and compelling. Inexcusable hiccups in 343′s ability to portray a narrative properly can at times spoil the experience a little, but from a personal perspective this had the opposite effect and I found myself pouring through wiki entries and reading about the lore. I do however think that it will simply annoy and alienate most of those who have not read the external fiction surrounding the series. It is perhaps a little disappointing that 343 Industries seem to have played things a little safe in terms of setting and story, but it is also completely understandable. 343 had to prove that they could make a solid Halo game, and in this respect, they have definitely overachieved. I do hope that now 343 have proven themselves, they will take more of a risk in future titles in order to continue this fantastic new beginning for Master Chief.

3 Good Points:

+ Simply Gorgeous.

+ Faultless Mechanics.

+ Master Chief finally feels like a human.

3 Bad Points:

- Terrible Narrative Oversights.

- Plays things a little bit too safe.

- Would have benefitted from a couple more multiplayer maps.