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Just finished it last night on Heroic, so here's my £0.02:
Pros + Good storyline development between Chief and Cortana, specifically getting more into the characters' personalities. + Spectacular new graphics, especially in the cutscenes when compared to H3 for example. + Prometheans look just awesome and are certainly a challenge.
Cons - Campaign seemed wayyy too short. I would have liked a few more missions. I suppose that's what Spartan Ops is for but still, Campaign was just too short for my liking. - Prometheans just seem too much like Flood Pure Forms. - Speaking of Flood, it would have been nice for some mention of them, even if you don't actually fight them. - Not a fan at all of the MP. I preferred weapons spawning on the maps rather than you having to get heavier armaments through getting kills. I've had many examples where players have taken a Banshee or a Mantis and have just dominated the game because the other players can't get kills to get a weapon good enough to take out the vehicle. - The Mantis: Honestly it just doesn't seem to fit the Halo asthetic. - The Campaign settings were too similar: every mission bar a couple you're in a morphing Forerunner environment full of pillars and walkways and light bridges that defy the laws of physics. Granted you're in the Infinity for one mission but after a while it's just too boring. "Oh look, another light bridge... *yawn*" For most of the time you were just following waypoints and pressing buttons when you got there, then going somewhere else and doing it all over again. - The armour customisations are a bit odd compared to the Reach armoury. And you have to unlock emblems? So the emblem I've been using for *every* single Halo game is now locked? - 343, would it have killed you to allow dropped weapons to stay on the ground for more than a few seconds. One thing that's annoyed me many times playing the game is when I need ammo for my Light Rifle, for example, and I remember "That Promethean I just killed had one, I'll take his ammo", only to find it's already disappeared.
In short, I'd give it 7.5/10. A good start by 343, but it could definitely be improved.
This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2012/11/17 18:54:07
Valkyrie wrote: And you have to unlock emblems? So the emblem I've been using for *every* single Halo game is now locked?
- 343, would it have killed you to allow dropped weapons to stay on the ground for more than a few seconds. One thing that's annoyed me many times playing the game is when I need ammo for my Light Rifle, for example, and I remember "That Promethean I just killed had one, I'll take his ammo", only to find it's already disappeared.
At least your emblem is in the game. The phoenix and griffon that I'd alternate between since Halo 2 are simply gone. :(
As for the weapons, I suspect it has to do with memory limitations. After playing ME3 for months and reading the occasional developer post about current gen console memory limitations (no holstering your weapons due to RAM limitations in ME3 with kinect.. even if you down own the accessory!) and how they get around them, I suspect the disappearing weapons are due to keeping the poly and texture count lower. The graphics are much improved but at the expense of free roaming to save on memory associated with models and textures. Previous halo games let you pretty much go through large swathes of a mission map as you pleased, backtracking at will. With halo 4, doors frequently slam shut permanently behind you as you cross them (as I found out will sniping at some covies in the distance and not being able to return to my cover after popping out to take a shot).
purplefood wrote: Convicted as a war criminal?
I'm not sure that happened... she was publicly declared dead though... so there's that.
She isn't in captivity either she was working on the Infinity.
Not really sure what MC would even say to her. He doesn't seem to hold any real hatred for her though he may disagree with what she's done.
The trailer, in conjunction with the previous episode make it pretty clear that she was convicted and put into captivity, perhaps after the Infinity's completion. MC would probably be on a hunt to find a way to get Cortana back, Halsey's knowledge of Forerunner tech would prove useful to knowing whether or not it could be done. Besides, she is like his mother, a reunion would probably be nice especially after what Halsey says about Chief in the opening cutscene.
This message was edited 2 times. Last update was at 2012/11/17 23:58:31
On a similar spartan ops note, is anyone else starting to get worried about the spartan ops episodes? The cutscenes are amazing but I'm starting to wonder if they'll just reuse the same 5 maps for the episodes over and over. I guess we'll see on monday when the new episode drops. I don't mind repeating them once or maybe twice but that is the limit of believeability for me personally. There is only so many times my Spartan IV can retake the same icy fortress/desert valley/etc before wondering why the hell the Infinity brass doesn't just station some marines there semi-permanently while the site is useful!
Remember, making new maps isn't easy and takes time, so it makes sense to make a map you can reuse multiple times. I will agree though, hopefully they'll spread them out to avoid repetition.
Ask yourself: have you rated a gallery image today?
On a similar spartan ops note, is anyone else starting to get worried about the spartan ops episodes? The cutscenes are amazing but I'm starting to wonder if they'll just reuse the same 5 maps for the episodes over and over. I guess we'll see on monday when the new episode drops. I don't mind repeating them once or maybe twice but that is the limit of believeability for me personally. There is only so many times my Spartan IV can retake the same icy fortress/desert valley/etc before wondering why the hell the Infinity brass doesn't just station some marines there semi-permanently while the site is useful!
Remember, making new maps isn't easy and takes time, so it makes sense to make a map you can reuse multiple times. I will agree though, hopefully they'll spread them out to avoid repetition.
Yeah, it does take time. If only they had some sort of level editor that was quick and easy enough for even the fanbase community to use in their spare time to inject some variety into the same maps... Even just adding an elevated walkway over a valley instead of fighting through the valley floor or changing a base from stairs on each side to a double stair in front would be enough variety to satisfy most people and would take one person an afternoon max to do per level. Co op levels are easier to design than multiplayer ones as you don't generally have to worry as much about fairness and symmetry. Also, the effort that goes into the cutscenes likely dwarfs the effort put into the maps. Like I said... I won't make any judgements till tomorrow when the third week comes out but 3x on the same map sets is pretty much my limit personally.
And do not forget that if you played by November 20th to check the email associated with your Xbox Gamertag and redeem the code sent to you to unlock ALL of the specializations in-game.
I'm curious (and dreading) when they'll make the map packs mandatory for matchmaking. Spartan Ops has been a disappointment overall (except for the CG scenes) so a couple hours of matchmaking per week is the only utility I'm getting out of the game with the Spartan Ops on break until almost February. Once they require the map packs (which I have no interest in), Halo 4 goes into the gamestop pile for me personally.
I've really been loving Spartan Ops, and the new maps are definitely worth getting so far everything about them seems well-rounded. What they did with the new maps makes them feel a bit alien and unexplored as well as kind-of giving the maps more narrative than we've seen before.
I’ll try that but I was playing this morning and I got assassinated 5 times on the map exile but every time I tried to assassinate someone I beat them down instead.
andyroo9000 wrote: I’ll try that but I was playing this morning and I got assassinated 5 times on the map exile but every time I tried to assassinate someone I beat them down instead.
It sounds like you weren't holding the button down long enough.
Is anybody else registered in the Infinity Challenge?
This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2012/12/18 13:17:28
I dont assassinate people as an act of principle. You can just beat them down in less than half the time and you dont set yourself up for show stoppers or yoinks.
Inquisitor_Syphonious wrote:All I can say is... thank you vodo40k...
Zweischneid wrote:No way man. A Space Marine in itself is scary. But a Marine WITHOUT helmet wears at least 3-times as much plot-armour as a Marine with helmet. And heaven forbid if the Marine would also happen to have an intimidating looking, vertical scar. Then you're surly boned. Those guys are the worst. Not a chance I'd say.
vodo40k wrote: I dont assassinate people as an act of principle. You can just beat them down in less than half the time and you dont set yourself up for show stoppers or yoinks.
This. I find it's waaaay more effective and safer to get the standard melee kill.
.....unless it's against a friend. Then you have to assassinate them
On Topic - I love fighting the Promi's in the campaign! It's so refreshing that killing the same Elites and Grunts over and over.
This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2012/12/19 14:56:57
Once you get the "Stealth" Tactical Package from completing the Wetworks specialization, Assassination becomes far far more useful since the Assassination speeds are increased.
First, if I want to play online with other people, is there a way to change the difficulty or does it have to be legendary?
Second, when I go to play the Spartan Ops, I only have the option of selecting the first episode for online play. If I want to see the other episodes I need to co-op with a friend or play single player. Am I just on the wrong screen or something?
Second, when I go to play the Spartan Ops, I only have the option of selecting the first episode for online play. If I want to see the other episodes I need to co-op with a friend or play single player. Am I just on the wrong screen or something?
The missions available for online play change on a weekly basis, just to pool players together as it would be a lot harder to find matches between all of the episodes
First, if I want to play online with other people, is there a way to change the difficulty or does it have to be legendary?
Second, when I go to play the Spartan Ops, I only have the option of selecting the first episode for online play. If I want to see the other episodes I need to co-op with a friend or play single player. Am I just on the wrong screen or something?
If you're setting up the equivalent of a private game, you can choose any combo of episode/chapter/difficulty. For the automated matchmaking, 343 chooses 5 chapters (all at heroic difficulty) that you have no option of changing. When a new episode premieres in a week, the 5 are all part of the new one whereas now they seem to be alternating (last week was a mix of all episodes and had only chapters with achievements included in them).
As for the Infinity Challenge, I am no longer trying to win.
However, I am specifically not playing until I drop back into tier 2, where I will maintain one of the top spots (thanks to the leaderboard, I can get a quota for how many points I need to earn each day, etc.). So, It looks like I won't be getting a new Raptor, but perhaps a surround sound headset or the 10 year RvB boxed set, both of which would be really cool.
I haven't even looked into the Infinity Challange...I nornally only get to play on the weekends with my work schedule. Hell, I just finished the campaign on Sunday, and I bought it week after release!
Hive Fleet Aquarius 2-1-0
6000+ Order. Unity. Obedience.
Thousand Sons 4000+
And if you're drinkin' well, you know that you're my friend and I say "I think I'll have myself a beer" 
