Halo 4 was debatably the most anticipated game of 2012, and for good reason. Halo games have been a staple of gaming since the “Combat Evolved” released in 2001. If you’ve heard anything at all about gaming, you’ve heard of Halo. One of the big reasons this Halo game was so highly anticipated is that it’s the first Halo game not developed by Bungie Studios. There was a huge amount of pressure on 343 Studios (the developers behind Halo 4) to live up to the precedent set by Bungie. Not only that, but they had to find a way to continue the story of Halo without making it seem too forced. And in my opinion, 343 succeeded in both of these.

Any veteran of Halo games will be able to pick up Halo 4 and play without having to re-learn anything. Halo 4 plays just like a Halo game, and all of the controls are the same. The only thing new to the game is that you can sprint without an armor ability, which is great addition to the game. The new enemies feel like they belong in the game, and the new weapons that come with them are an equally fantastic addition.
The story flows very well from where Halo 3 left off. There are a couple of plot holes, but they’re small enough to overlook, and you won’t be kept up at night wondering what you missed, and if you’ve been following the storyline from Halo 1 through 3, the plot of Halo 4 will surprise you in an awesome way.
343 also truly shows that they want to move forward with the Halo series in that they don’t bring back any old characters other than Master Chief. The graphics in Halo 4 are just what one would expect from such a high-profile game: gorgeous. All of the redesigns 343 did, while some are just on the verge of being too different from what they were, all look arguably better than they looked in previous Halo games. All of the new guns 343 added are also great additions to the Halo universe. None of them feel too powerful, and all of them have uses.

Overall, 343 Studios has done a wonderful job with the Halo series and I’m excited to see where they take it, but one thing is definitive: Halo 4 marks the beginning of a new era in the Halo series.