‘Halo 4’ gets back to basics in a big way
It’s nice to have the Master Chief back. Last time I checked, he and Cortana were floating around in deep space after the defeat of the Voice of the Covenant and destruction of another Halo. Only the Arbiter made it back to Earth in the front half of the ship “Forward Unto Dawn,” and originally, I thought this was the end of the series. What else could Bungie do with the material? The subsequent entries, while not bad, disappointed.
Taking the helm of the franchise going forward, 343 Industries opted to go back to the roots of the original “Halo” in terms of style and gameplay. With a few additional elements that are eerily similar to modern action games like “Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare,” I thought for sure that “Halo 4” would lose its way and feel like a cheap imitator of the Xbox original. Boy, am I glad to be a pumpkin-face here.
Rest assured, gamers. “Halo 4” is arguably the best game in the series to date.
The year is 2557, four years after the events of “Halo 3.” A forceful and enigmatic energy hits the rear half of the “Forward Unto Dawn,” prompting Cortana to awaken the Chief. A group of Covenant is attempting to board the ship. As if shaking off a bad hangover, the Chief grabs his signature Assault Rifle to dispose of the intruders.
Apparently, all bets are off on the truce the Covenant and UNSC forged years earlier to fight against a common foe. This splinter faction, dubbed the Storm Covenant, is vicious and indifferent to the survival of the human race. And now the Chief must fight for his life and that of Cortana’s, who has begun the process of rampancy, a mysterious condition where an AI will literally think itself to death.
Crash landing on the forerunner planet “Requiem,” the pair discovers a new race of beings in the Prometheans. With a deadly mix of organic and digital components, these baddies are replete with monstrous canine-like pets. They also pack enough firepower to compete favorably against a small army.
An even newer threat, known only as the Didact, then surfaces at the same time the UNSC vessel “Infinity” picks up Cortana’s distress beacon. Now, the Chief must join forces with the small group of military officers to thwart the Didact’s destructive existence. Otherwise, the human race will face certain destruction.
A hefty collection of weapons and vehicles appear in the game. Be
sides the iconic Assault and Battle Rifles, familiar favorites such as the Magnum and Sniper Rifle return. Also, the Scorpion Tank and Warthog Jeep satisfy tremendously. The sensation of destruction in combination with the fluent controls made me reminisce over the greatness of the original game in the best way possible.
Providing even more fun, the Promethean weapons offer a spoil of riches in the Suppressor, Boltshot, Scattershot, and Light-Rifle. Opportunities for ammunition are your best bet with these weapons, and the fun factor easily matches that of “Halo.” Shooting the Crawlers and clobbering the heftier Knights is as rewarding as it is challenging. Veterans of the series will pick up the game with ease, and newcomers will learn fast.
As if the core gameplay wasn’t impressive enough, “Halo 4” has a superlative presentation. The graphics engine has consistently impressed over the years in the series, and the results put on display this go-around hit the ball out of the park. Lighting and shadows blur the line between game and reality, and the environments are huge and absolutely luscious to behold. After emerging from the “Forward Unto Dawn” for the first time, my jaw dropped as I witnessed the draw distance and minutes details in the machinery and ships. So epic.
Cutscenes are marvelously put together and tell the story with gusto and vigor. The character models avoid the uncanny valley while convincingly showing me they are almost breathing, unique people. The drama that unfolds throughout the game remains as engaging as ever, and the underlying complexities and themes of survival, loyalty, and the great unknown never devolve into the sentimental realm. This is firmly a video game, but it’s almost like a movie. And seeing as how solid the outcomes here truly are, this is how video games ought to innovate.
The groundbreaking and stirring soundtrack we come to expect receives a new, yet familiar incarnation in “Halo 4.” Neil Davidge, substituting for Martin O’Donnell, occasionally takes tracks we have heard before and injects his own spin into the proceedings to nice effect. The feel is distinctly “Halo,” but once in a while, I could have sworn some of the songs were stripped from the recent Ridley Scott Sci-Fi epic “Prometheus.” Ranging from haunting to beautiful, the music is an integral part of the game. It complements the story terrifically and doesn’t release its iron grip on the gamer until the conclusion of the campaign mode.
From top to bottom, 343 Industries clearly went the extra mile in making “Halo 4” a memorable, fascinating, and enveloping experience. I have no reservations at all in giving it my highest recommendation-and I didn’t even touch on the excellent multiplayer component.
“Halo 4” is available now for XBOX 360