Halo 4 Xbox 360

After freezing himself in the previous title, the Master Chief returns to save the universe once again in what could be the piéce de resistance in the series and perhaps even gaming. He may have been out of action for a number of years but that doesn’t stop the man we all know and love do what he does best, take out everyone in his path.

After we are treated to an epic opening segment which truly shows off the Xbox 360’s power in all its beauty, we learn that the universe has taken a turn for the worse and forerunner Didact is making headway, claiming everywhere his own to bolster the Promethean race despite his deceased wife being a protector of humanity. The only one who can stop him is the Master Chief with his AI companion Cortana. Shockingly, we learn all AI’s have a lifespan of 7 years. Cortana now 8 is going senile which starts to affect the Master Chief’s mission. The Master Chief refuses to replace his trusty companion and decides to go against the odds and bring Cortana back to her creator who will give the AI a new lease of life. We feel the strong bond these two characters have for one another which comes to the fore in the ending.

In terms of gameplay, the trusty combat system that made Halo a real gem in video games is still here. In addition to the human and Covenant artillery, a new selection is available to choose from courtesy of the ancient warriors Prometheans. These guns instead of bullets shoot light. Whether it’s the incineration canon or scatter gun, the end result is destruction. All these guns are thankfully available in the Xbox Live feature which yet again delivers, being the perfect place to burn hours on end.

We also have a new focus on fighter jets included in this adventure. The final level Midnight puts you in a combat plane trying to infiltrate Didact’s ship. You forget instantly that you’re playing a Halo game and instead you’ve mistakenly started playing a futuristic version of Dogfight 1942.

All the accolades aside, I must stress that even on the beginners setting, THIS GAME IS HARD!!!! If you are not careful, you will die quicker then the British Summer passing us by. The best way to play Halo 4 like the other Halo games is in Co-op mode. With the respawn feature, upon dying, you will be dropped back into the action rather than backtracking to the last checkpoint.

With this game showcasing everything we know and love about the Xbox 360’s true potential, what else is there for the Master Chief to do next time to get our heart’s pounding like this adventure? Well the Xbox 720 is just around the corner and with our favourite soldier thirsty for more action; I bet the guys at Microsoft Studios have a few tricks up their sleeves to keep us guessing.

The Verdict: On it's fourth outing and still going strong, Halo 4 is a must for anyone who enjoys shoot em ups or just enjoys the beauty and fabric of video games. Out of 100, I would give it 91 as  the lack of true bosses throughout the game (and the series) makes me refrain from a 95+ mark.