I loved the singleplayer modes of Halo:CE and Halo 3, however this feels really flat. The graphics are pretty crap, the framerate stutters all over the place and the friendly AI seems worse than usual. Sure the online is improved, this is more ODST 2 than Halo 4.
 
I am making this thread however as it seems no one else has mentioned the framerate/graphics problems (without being a troll who hasn't played the game). 
 
What is your take on it? As soon as I approach a group of enemies the framerate will drop dramatically for about 5 seconds then even out, until something hectic goes on then it drops again until this has stopped. Does this happen to you? 
 
Thanks.

I never had this issue.

I had the framerate drops in cutscenes like was mentioned in the review, but during battle I don't ever remember a stutter. 
 
BTW, if you think the graphics suck you should put Halo 3 back in.  I love me some Halo 3, but ouch my eyes.

It only stutters during the odd cutscene for me and the graphics are pretty damn good. Maybe you should check you Xbox with other games to see if its the issue.

I've never really noticed the framerate dropping, but I do get short pauses while it's loading. I never remember the other games pausing like that.
 
I totally agree with you about the friendly AI, it's pretty bad.

Um even if Jeff ever said in the past that this game was more like ODST 2, he's certainly changed his mind now. Have you not noticed/heard the multiple times he's called this the "true successor to Halo 3"? That's literally the opposite of what you seem to believe he said.

I don't think the graphics suck, they look like a big jump up from Halo 3 and while I admit the framerate can often have trouble keeping up with the cutscenes I haven't ever encountered framerate issues during gameplay. I also don't think the friendly AI is all that bad, it's certainly better than it was in Halo 3.

" Um even if Jeff ever said in the past that this game was more like ODST 2, he's certainly changed his mind now. Have you not noticed/heard the multiple times he's called this the "true successor to Halo 3"? That's literally the opposite of what you seem to believe he said. "

" It only stutters during the odd cutscene for me and the graphics are pretty damn good. Maybe you should check you Xbox with other games to see if its the issue. "

I've had no framerate problems so far, though I don't know why people say this game has bad graphics, it's a very pretty looking game. 

I like playing solo and multiplayer  *sign Gt*

I only had the framerate issue in the first cut scene, and never in gameplay.  I think the graphics are amazing but I'll admit the friendly AI isn't the best, but the enemy AI more than makes up for that.  As for calling Reach, ODST2... that's the biggest load of bollocks I've ever heard.

I think it may be the film grain that is putting me off. Is there anyway to turn it off?

Ive had pretty serious problems with the framerate during combat sections.  Also, the motion blur looks absolutely hideous in spots.  

The graphics are bad? Seriously? These are the best graphics ever in a Halo game. There is so much detail in them. I think they said they had twice as many Pixels in just the Assault Rifle then the Marines in Halo 3. The frame rate has been an issue in the cutscenes but thankfully it wasn't a problem in the epic cutscenes. (EX: The 3 elites ambush you in the second level) And yea, I agree. The friendly AI are terrible. I honestly don't understand how Bungie could make the Elite AI so good yet your friendlies are awful! I mean seriously, they were bragging that they said you were part of a SPARTAN team and they fight like they are spartans. Bullshit.

Go read the Digital Foundry tech analysis of Reach (here) to see why; installed it before I played, and so my only noticable dropped frames were the opening cutscene (Noble Actual). 
 
The friendly AI, however, has been quite the bummer; it is admittedly terrible. Still, ironically it allowed me to be the "lone wolf" Carter told me off for being at the start. You learn to get along without them, fighting your own fight, and occasionally executing the odd Marine for the AI Spartans. I'm kinda dreading Legendary Solo, but it'll be a challenge. I imagine they may eventually have to patch that AI, TBH, as it has its moments but certain tasks just fail it. Vehicles seem to be the main one...

If it doesnt run at a steady 60fps from beginning to credits, the game has "fucking awful framerate". Yeah, it's not perfect and it might slow down somewhat on some ocassions, but it's nothing to write about and keep bringing up. However, the friendly AI was indeed kinda worthless.

Will installing the game remove the terrible frame rate issues I've been having in single player? It seriously gets really really bad in a few specific parts.

" Will installing the game remove the terrible frame rate issues I've been having in single player? It seriously gets really really bad in a few specific parts. "

" If it doesnt run at a steady 60fps from beginning to credits, the game has "fucking awful framerate". Yeah, it's not perfect and it might slow down somewhat on some ocassions, but it's nothing to write about and keep bringing up. However, the friendly AI was indeed kinda worthless. "

The frame rate dropped a bit in my campaign during the last two missions, but the game was still more than playable. I have to disagree that the graphics are the worst in the series--I'd say the opposite. I do agree that the ally AI is poop. Several times my Noble Team companions would just stand around, staring, contributing nothing to the fight. No paycheck for you lazy bitches.

Am I missing something or does this game have an FPS counter option?

The framerate chops up during some of the bigger explody moments, but so far it's been pretty smooth for me. 

I have always found the graphics in the Halo series to vacillate between being extremely bland or being distractingly colorful (i.e. the over used purple hues in the previous games) in a sort of Avatar type way.  But with Reach, the environments look detailed, the colors are toned down, and there seems to be a larger variety of set pieces.  Thumb's up.  

Talking about the friendly AI being horrible, while playing the one mission with the jetpack and ODST's, the ODST's were like "HEY IT'S A SPARTAN, TRY TO KEEP UP AND NOT FALL," then they all proceeded to jump off a cliff, forcing me to beat the next part by my lonesome.

Friendly AI is pretty bad (though the marines seemed more competent than they had ever been), but I never had any framerate issues at all during the single-player campaign, to my recollection. I think it's a very good looking game, personally.

I think people complaining about the graphics being the worst in the series have a bad case of Rose tinted glasses. I went back to play odst and it's multiplayer to check and goooooood god the step up in quality is large. It's honestly like day and night in my opinion.