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Digital Foundry vs. Halo 4

EuroGamer: "From the smallest rendering elements to the sense of overall size and scale, Halo 4 represents an impressive leap over what has come before, producing scenes we can describe as being of genuine magnificence. Remember that feeling you had when playing the first 20 minutes of God of War 3 for the first time? The sensation that the developers had somehow extracted next-gen visuals from current gen hardware? While Halo 4 doesn't quite engender that feeling of hushed awe, it gets very, very close - and more importantly the game does a great job of maintaining that level of quality across the entirety of the campaign."

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eurogamer.net
darthv724946d ago

Funny thing is there are some that would tend to add more of their opinion to these reviews where as this one was specific to points such as lighting in relation to previous efforts as well as the comparison of the increased quality of the overall title.

I just dont see why there are those who would find fault in the way a game is made and presented but i do know there would be room to dislike the game itself. I mean yes there are those who absolutely despise the halo series but that is all personal preference. What we have in this review (majority of it) is technical and as such is meant to stand on its own.

I thoroughly enjoy reading reviews like this because they lay out all the details to the game and how its made and save their personal opinion part last. Its far too easy to make a review solely on opinion but much more entertaining to read a review based on the structure and abilities of a game and save the opinion for last.

WrAiTh Sp3cTr34946d ago

I usually like the guy from eurogamer that does these tech analysis, but I'm somewhat supsicious of this one. I just don't understand why he would compare GOW or UC with Halo 4, which are two of the most linear games out there, instead of someting like KZ or StarHawk--the former being more open than both of those games while the latter is even more so. I find it baffling...

darthv724946d ago

its because of the technical display at work. Sometimes you just have to put aside the difference in the type of game in order to see the technical side of what is being displayed.

The comparisons were directed at the visual side in regards to lighting and shadows and detail. Killzone would be the likely comparative because it too is an FPS but it some how did not have the same fidelity that UC and GoW had according to this reviewer.

No doubt killzone is a good game but i will say the graphical nod does lean more towards UC. Even GoW has some excellent use of lights and shadows to create the look they were going for.

Especially when you look at the scale in a GoW game in areas you cant actually get to but you can see in the distance there was much detail put into making it look like there is real depth.

Those are the technical comparisons being made with halo 4.

aviator1894946d ago

I'm glad to hear that the frame-rate issues from Reach are pretty much absent in Halo 4 and the cut-scenes are especially great.

mewhy324946d ago

Wow. This is an AMAZING game. The fidelity is just magnificient, as was stated in the article. 343 have sure thrown out the gauntlet on this one to naughty dog and santa monica. Finally a title that pushes the xbox to show what it really can do. I am just amazed. The entire game looks like a tech demo, or something you may see from the next gen. I'm so glad that Microsoft finally gave the money and attention to it's flagship the same way that sony supports naughty dog, gurella, and santa monica. I just wish they'd done it sooner rather than later. This makes me wish now that Killzone 4 would release on ps3 even more. I feel like I'd probably be blown away again. What a great time to be a gamer and own ps3 and xbox 360. I WIN!!

darthv724946d ago

to me it seems more like this has been the idea from the beginning. Skills of developers improve over time when they are having to work on the same platform for so long.

Granted 343 is 'new' but it is essentially made up of those who have been either at Bungie or other devs that have experience with the hardware.

It isnt uncommon for the games to increase in fidelity at or near the end of their console run. Genesis and SNES had some great examples right there at the birth of the 32bit gen.

This could be the 360's grand finale for halo and the next installments will more than likely be released on the follow up system. But man, what a way to send it off.

Darrius Cole4946d ago (Edited 4946d ago )

darthv72 wrote:
"It isnt uncommon for the games to increase in fidelity at or near the end of their console run.

Like GOW2 was released late in the PS2 generation.

Darthv72 is right. The few big-ticket exclusives left in this generation are probably going to be better looking. That what has come before. But I only mean the big-ticket exclusives, the ones who try.

lonesoul654946d ago

I think the frame rate is something that really stands out in the game. The visuals are great and there are some great OMG moments but I think its really the lighting of the game that makes everything really POP. They really nailed the visor hud and the bloom effects are rightfully blinding when they should be.

Shanks4946d ago ShowReplies(2)
Slyfamous4946d ago

To be fair Halo 4 is the next step for the xbox because it is a great looking game but, and I know every fanboy will disagree, this was achieved by the PS3 a long time ago and its just been improving and once again the PS3 has shifted to higher gear with TLOU and Beyond not to mention GOW:A with Santa Monica claiming that it will look better than GOW3, this is what was witnessed with early builds, what will the finished product look like?

WrAiTh Sp3cTr34946d ago

Halo 4 is way more open than any of those games the eurogamer mentioned while being done in HD. I'm surprised by their comment and find it quite silly. Halo 4 is in it's own lane.

PersonMan4946d ago ShowReplies(1)
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180°

Halo art director leaves studio after 17 years with ominous message alluding to discontent

Glenn Israel writes: "As of today and after seventeen long years, I am officially no longer contributing to the Halo universe. There is little more I can say for the moment, though I intend to share this particular story in its entirety when it is absolutely safe to do so next year. In the meantime, I have a message for anyone and everyone who needs to hear it.

I know that the state of our industry seems dire, but never forget that you are *free to choose*. No illusion of security nor promise of wealth or fame or power is worth trading away your health, your dignity, your ethics or values - and no one can force you to. Stay strong, take evidence when necessary, and find where you belong."

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linkedin.com
Bathyj225d ago

My god.
There's a story for next year.

VenomUK225d ago

I’m really disappointed to learn there are still people/morale problems. I thought the whole point of rebranding 343i to Halo Studios was to signal that real changes had been made - not to cynically rebrand to paper over the problems.

I really hope the Halo CE remake is great and gets people hyped for the future of the series.

DarXyde224d ago

It's inevitable with the modern landscape. Even if some issues have been assuaged, new ones crop up all the time.

I'm willing to bet AI and the lack of regulation is causing substantial upset.

shinXseijuro225d ago (Edited 225d ago )

He said something very marking . We tend to complain a lot about the industry but deep down I realize that we never have we been offered this crazy amount of games all available for you to play now . You can literally play any sorts of games in 2025 . Nobody is forcing you to buy the latest COD or the latest BF . You’re more of a 8 bit cozy gaming guy there’s a whole niche of modern games for that . You like micromanaging there’s games for that . I feel like we have been spoiled so much we just stopped being realistic and thinking for ourselves . We follow trends cry about stuff online when you are the buyer you have the power .

Notellin224d ago

I'm not buying any games until another Immersive sim is made.

PhillyDonJawn225d ago

....wth happened over there?
Does this confirm a new Halo by next year?
What did they want him to do that made him feel it was morally wrong or a insult to his integrity?

-Foxtrot225d ago

Well how about that, a name change doesn’t fix internal issues

Who would have thought

jznrpg225d ago

MS was throwing money around for a long time but now it’s time to pay the Piper.

Show all comments (16)
110°

Halo 4 & Halo 5: Guardians Sales Reached Nearly 10 Million Units Worldwide

Lifetime sales of 343 Industries' first-person shooters, Halo 4 and Halo 5: Guardians, reached nearly 10 million units worldwide each.

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twistedvoxel.com
Sciurus_vulgaris316d ago

There were reports that Halo 4 and Halo 5 had similar sales to Halo: Reach years ago. The clickbait websites and rage bait YouTubers from 2012-2016 just wanted to spread excessive negativity about the franchise for their own benefit.

VenomUK314d ago

What did Halo: Infinite sell?

Sciurus_vulgaris314d ago

I don’t know. However, I would assume around 10 million. All the Halo FPS titles have done around 10 million sales, except ODST. Halo 3, was reported to exceed 14 million copies. I still remember back in 2007-2008, Halo 3 and COD 4 would duke it out for the most played XBL game.

MrNinosan314d ago

@Sciurus

There is NO WAY Infinite sold 10 million. Wake up dude.
Once upon a time, there was gamers on the Xbox side who actually bought games. Those times are since long gone.

Infinite has most likely not even hit 5 million sales

slate91314d ago

Nearly 10 million units and killing the brand is crazy work. Nicely done.

peppeaccardo314d ago

This New: Putting chocolate chips on top of a freshly made dog turd .....

1Victor314d ago

So let me get this straight in almost 13 years both games sold a combined 10 millions units.
Now I’m not going to use the obscured mentality and compared it to the amount of consoles sold and say it’s a failure 🤷🏿

thesoftware730314d ago (Edited 314d ago )

1Victor,

Halo 4 and Halo 5: Guardians, reached nearly 10 million units worldwide "each."

Read it again, there is a word in there that clears up your misunderstanding.

1Victor314d ago

@thesoftware720
I apologize I skimmed through the article and the headline blinded me and stuck in my mind thank you for the correction 👍👍

AuraAbjure314d ago (Edited 314d ago )

Halo 4 is the best multiplayer ever! It’s even better than Titanfall 2. I admit Halo 4 got CoDified but there’s nothing wrong with taking inspiration from other games sometimes and halo 4 did it sooooo well with that speed boost plus sword combo and SAW plus damage booth combo, holy guacamole 🥑

Some crucial improvements to halo 4 could’ve been to boost the power of the AA sentinel, and whenever matchmaking pits people against each other with an armor abilities turned off completely then the map needs to routinely spawn, plentiful, predictable, power weapons. Also, all frame rate drops are unacceptable for a halo game during split-split screen or couch co-op. Just dynamically scale the resolution of the game down but whatever happens don’t let the framer dip in a Halo game for the love of all that is holy and good!

My personal gameplay of getting 30 kills in a 4 v. 4 game of team slayer up to 60.

https://youtu.be/ZYDvior_K-...

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190°

OG Destiny artist recalls Bungie’s “disgruntled” reaction to Halo 4’s art style change

Original Destiny artist Darren Bacon recalls how Bungie reacted to the art style change of Halo 4 by 343 Industries.

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videogamer.com
Tacoboto397d ago

Bungie at that time became the most wonderful bunch of hypocrites in the gaming industry. Knowing this now, gosh the entitlement they felt was out of this world.

Nothing like buying yourself from Microsoft because you don't want to be the Halo Studio anymore, and the FIRST THING you do is sign your next IP over to Activision, for a DECADE, while they are in the middle of ousting the heads of Infinity Ward so they can exert even more control over COD while screwing out the devs at IW...

Should've come as no surprise then that Activision gutted the content of Destiny 1 before launch and was a horrible partner through Destiny 2, until history repeated itself and Bungie had to split from Activision only to wind up in the arms of another major conglomerate that also doesn't know how to handle these unmanageable devs.

Profchaos396d ago

Tti their credit they praised the technical abilities of 343 and I remember at the time thinking halo 4 was a huge graphical leap above reach everything else was rubbish when I actually got to play it but there was no doubt it looked good for the 360 and is probably the best looking game on the system.

But ultimately I think bungie has always had a leadership problem and going independent ultimately proved this it's only getting worse with studio heads being outed by Sony for abuse allegations seems like all bungies past success has been in spite of management not because of it.

But really I think the bungie we have today is not the same one we had in that Xbox era of Bungie

PhillyDonJawn396d ago

I liked the artstyle change. For the most part. Something looked worse but most of everything else looked better. Weapons and vehicles for sure. The wraith come to my mind instantly.
And how can they get mad when the bungie changed it with Halo Reach?

Sciurus_vulgaris396d ago

I know a lot of people dislike Halo 4’s arts style, but there’s thing about it I like and dislike. Personally, the Halo 4 design of Master Chief’s armour is my favourite depiction of the character’s armour.