Halo 4 Review: The Master of Chiefs - Blast Magazine

A lot has changed over the past five years. While Master Chief’s been cryo-snoozing, Call of Duty claimed the top spot on Xbox Live, customization and perks have become a shooter standard, and the Covenant has been all but forgotten. But perhaps one of the biggest changes in the online shooter world was the passing of the Halo torch after Bungie’s departure from the series. Instead of letting its flagship franchise gather dust on a shelf like an over-sized, Legendary Edition Master Chief helmet, Microsoft created 343 Industries for the sole purpose of continuing work on series. While 343 Industries is responsible for the creation of Halo: Waypoint, Halo: CE Anniversary, and multiple map packs for Halo: Reach, they had yet to make a Halo title uniquely their own. Faced with the intimidating task of keeping the series fresh without altering the essence of the franchise, the fledgling developer stepped up to the plate and amazingly, knocked it out of the park. 4.5/5