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Halo 4 has easily been the most highly anticipated video game title for 2012. Only days ago, it was released for public consumption to high acclaim.
Once you’ve played the game, you can feel that its creators have poured their hearts and souls into every aspect. The campaign story line picks up right were Halo 3 left off and immediately, you’re thrown into the action. No quiet opening scene to be found here. The vast majority of the game continues with this momentum, keeping you mentally engaged and your adrenaline racing. Emotionally, you are captured by the phenomenal soundtrack that often sends chills down your spine, as should any that was performed by a full 50-piece orchestra that was recorded at Abbey Road Studios in London.
Cut scenes are more life-like than ever because motion capture actors gave the characters realistic motions and emotions better than animation done by hand ever could. Gameplay is polished with highly detailed models and animation that rarely, if ever exhibit collisions. There is only one occasional issue I’ve run into so far: some NPC’s will get stuck while piloting vehicles, however this glitch doesn’t seem to truly affect gameplay.
Multiplayer has a new name: Infinity. This is quite appropriate due to the introduction of Spartan Ops. This multiplayer mode will never get old because new episodes consisting of multiple chapters are to be added on a regular basis. These chapters can be played with others through Xbox LIVE and experience points will be awarded to you, unlocking new load out weapons, character customizations and abilities. Experience points are also awarded to players in the ‘traditional’ multiplayer mode now called War Games which features beautifully designed maps created just for this mode.
For those that also own an iPad, iPhone, iPod touch, Windows Tablet, Windows Phone, Android Tablet or Android Phone, the Halo 4 experience is even better through SmartGlass. After downloading the app on your mobile device, you’ll be able to track your campaign progress, view your War Games statistics, examine your Spartan Ops episode summaries, and more. (see SmartGlass Walkthrough above)
Halo 4 exceeds its expectations and even after players complete its spectacular storyline in Campaign, they’ll have reason – and more significantly, interest – to continue playing for a long time to come.
The Standard Edition of “Halo 4” is available for $59.99, and the Limited Edition, which includes an extended 90-minute version of the live-action digital series “Halo 4: Forward Unto Dawn” and additional bonus content, is available for $99.99. Fans can also pick up the Xbox 360 Limited Edition “Halo 4” Console Bundle for $399.99 and a standalone Xbox 360 Limited Edition “Halo 4” Wireless Controller for $59.99. In 
addition, the “Halo 4” Original Soundtrack, which broke the record for the highest-charting video game soundtrack ever on the Billboard 200 chart the week of Oct. 29, is available for purchase for $13.98. A special limited edition and individually numbered three-disc box set, which includes the original soundtrack, a remix album featuring remixes from 14 of the world’s most renowned electronica producers, a 70-minute DVD called “Composing a Universe” and additional exclusive content, is available for purchase for $74.99 starting today at http://www.halo4soundtrack.com.
