Tons of new details have recently been released for 343’s hugely anticipated Halo 4. Here are some of the highlights:
Cortana
After approximately 7 years, “smart” artificial intelligence programs such as Cortana begin to establish strange patterns of thought which ultimately leads to their death. The destruction of Cortana and her relationship with Master Chief will be a key component of the new storyline.
Forerunners
The Forerunners and their civilization will be deeply explored. 343 revealed humanity had previous contact with the Forerunners and was actually at war with them more than a hundred thousand years ago. The Forerunners defeated the humans and essentially “bombed them back to the stone age”. Additionally, the Forerunners created new planets called shield worlds, which proved as a haven from the Flood and other dangers.
Multiplayer
Unlike in previous games, the multiplayer will be directly tied to the campaign. The player will also be an entirely new breed of soldier, specifically the Spartan IV, which will be equipped in a “lightweight variation of Mjolnir armor”. All of the multiplayer levels will take place on the UNSC Infinity, which serves as a training ground. The ship will allow players to replicate any known environment for their training, thus allowing the variation in levels.
Also new to Halo 4 are the multiplayer upgrades which will not only be aesthetic, but game-changing. The player will begin as a recruit and by collecting Spartan points, will be able to move their way through the ranks. There will be new game modes and maps, along with some fundamental multiplayer changes. Players will no longer have to wait for respawn after their death and powerful weapons will be randomly generated and not always have predetermined locations.
Along with the new, there will also be well-recognized aspects of the previous Halo games. Weapons that can be expected include the assault rifle, battle rifle, DMR, assault carbine, Covenant carbine, shotgun, rocket launcher, magnum, and plasma pistol. Armor abilities include holograms, jetpack, camo, and Forerunner vision that will allow the player to “see through walls”. Additionally, “sprint” has become a standard ability that will always be available.
Spartan Ops
A new feature which really combines Halo 4’s multiplayer and campaign, Spartan Ops will let the player use their Spartan IV character to engage in a weekly episodic campaign with 3 other players. The Spartan Ops campaign will stretch over a period of months, allowing players who typically focus on either campaign or multiplayer to merge.
