I have now beaten Halo 4 twice, first when the game came out on Legendary and second just yesterday on Heroic. I have been a [i]huge[/i] fan of the series since 2002 and I've got hundreds of hours put into each of the previous games. Also, I have read every Halo book [u]up until the Forerunner Saga[/u]. Keep that in mind. With my recent campaign experience still fresh in my mind, I compile this list of items that contribute to the mediocrity of Halo 4's campaign. (Spoiler Alerts contain elaborations, I encourage you to read them) [b]1.) [u]The Retcons[/u][/b] -Altered Prologue Covenant [spoiler]We see [url=http://i1170.photobucket.com/albums/r535/xKingGhidorahx/Halo41_zps31abf6c6.jpg]these Elites[/url] during a flashback of a Covenant attack on a human colony. Before the end of the Human-Covenant War, the Covenant Remnant didn't even exist. It makes no sense to have Storm Elites in a flashback of a battle from the Human-Covenant War. It would have made more sense for the Elites to be wearing the [url=http://images2.wikia.nocookie.net/__cb20120317224157/halo/images/0/08/Elite_Comparison.jpg]combat harness[/url] used in the Covenant Empire.[/spoiler] -Altered Prologue Spartan IIs [spoiler]The Spartan IIs seen fighting off the attack in the same flashback are wearing [url=http://i1170.photobucket.com/albums/r535/xKingGhidorahx/Halo42_zpsdb4c65f2.jpg](the altered) Mark VI armor[/url] rather than the [url=http://images.wikia.com/halo/images/f/f9/Fall_of_Reach.jpg]Mark V armor[/url] they should be wearing. This also makes no sense since Mark VI armor wasn't issued until the start of Halo 2. Again, they should have been shown wearing Mark V armor for canon correctness.[/spoiler] -Altered Forward Unto Dawn [spoiler]Right at the start of the first level, we see what's left of the [url=http://cdn2.planetminecraft.com/files/resource_media/screenshot/1239/halo-4-campaign-forward-unto-dawn_3682560.jpg]Forward Unto Dawn[/url]. But the part of the Forward Unto Dawn shown in Halo 4 is completely different from what we saw at the [url=http://i1170.photobucket.com/albums/r535/xKingGhidorahx/Halo43_zps055df32f.jpg]end of Halo 3.[/url] In fact, it doesn't even look like it [url=http://i1170.photobucket.com/albums/r535/xKingGhidorahx/Halo44_zpsd107073f.jpg]belonged to the same ship.[/url] 343i should have worked with what we were left with in Halo 3 rather than completely changing the design of the ship.[/spoiler] -Master Chief's Altered Mark VI Armor [spoiler] The first time we see the Master Chief since being put into the cryo chamber at the end of Halo 3, the armor he's wearing has little to no resemblance to the [url=http://halofanforlife.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/Halo-4-MC-comparison-armor.jpg]armor worn in Halo 3[/url]. I'm all for new armor for the Chief, but introducing it in a way such as this is foolish. Instead 343i should have done something along the lines of the Master Chief starting off in the Halo 3 armor then picking up the [url=http://fc00.deviantart.net/fs71/i/2013/043/9/8/spartan_ii_being_outfitted_with_mjolnir_armor_by_mclatchyt-d5uq4x7.jpg]new armor while on board the Infinity[/url].[/spoiler] -Altered Jackals [spoiler] Now, as with every new Halo game before, the species of Covenant in the game have gotten a face lift. They've even got completely different armor, which makes sense due to them being a part of a rouge faction. For the most part they all resemble the Covenant we've been fighting for over a decade now, with one exception. The [url=http://www.entertainmentearth.com/images/AUTOIMAGES/MF19214lg.jpg]Jackal[/url]. They have gone from [url=http://i1170.photobucket.com/albums/r535/xKingGhidorahx/Halo45_zps277b6f99.jpg]being bird-like to now resembling dinosaurs[/url]. This radical change doesn't make sense and is really unnecessary.[/spoiler] In short, instead of working around these previously established facts/designs, 343i should have worked with them to better connect Halo 4 with the rest of the series. [b]2.) [u]Music[/u][/b] -Soundtrack doesn't resemble Halo, too unfamiliar -Could have brought back tracks from the original trilogy [spoiler]Neil Davidge can make good music, as we've seen with Halo 4's soundtrack. But the problem is, It doesn't resemble Halo enough or at all in most cases. It's missing the "Halo feel" to it. Now that the story is being focused on the Master Chief again, this would've been a great opportunity to bring back classic Halo tracks from the original trilogy. As the original trilogy progressed, we got fresh new music with each new game of course, but there was always that original music at the core. That's what was missing from Halo 4's soundtrack. It was all new and unfamiliar for the most part, and ultimately didn't feel like Halo music. [url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EQR-n6Z7Kxk]This[/url] is a perfect example of [b][u](at the time)[/b][/u] old and new music. When you blend the new music with the original Halo music, like this, then it has the Halo feel.[/spoiler] [b]3.) [u]Enemies[/u][/b] -Dumbed Down Covenant [spoiler]The Covenant enemies we fight in the game seemed to be less intelligent and less of a challenge than they were in previous titles. Elites don't seem to dodge attacks as well as before, nor do they take cover as much as before. Jackals seem to keep their shields at their side more than to use it for protection. Covenant Cruisers seem to be giant paper weights that blow up easily and don't do anything aside from deploying troops. All of this could be resulted from them being a rogue faction without the Covenant Empire's military training or poorly executed A.I. development. Maybe even both.[/spoiler] -Only Three Types of Prometheans [spoiler]The introduction of a new enemy faction was a great opportunity to make Halo 4 standout and feel like a new experience. And for the most part, it was a success. The Prometheans have an interesting and cool back story, a cool arsenal of weapons, and a awesome look. The downside is that fighting them can become [i]very[/i] repetitive due to them only having three types. Knight, Watcher, Crawler. That's it. Also, they don't even have there own vehicles restricting them to infantry combat only.[/spoiler] -[url=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9aFJ4dAGlHc]All Of My What[/url] [spoiler]I noticed this in both of my play-throughs, and thought it'd be worth pointing out.[/spoiler] In short, 343i should have went more in depth with the Prometheans by creating more than three types and creating Promethean vehicles. While doing that they should have kept the Covenant at the same level of intelligence and effectiveness that they had in previous games. [b]4.) [u]Characters[/u][/b] -Didact Not Memorable[spoiler]The Didact had the chance to be an excellent villain here, he had the looks, the voice, and the intelligence. Plus he was a damn Forerunner. All he needed was some more screen time, there were only [i]two[/i] moments where we saw him in the game. We also got some background story on him when speaking to the Librarian, but other than that there was little to make him memorable.[/spoiler] -No Jul 'Mdama [spoiler]We see Jul' Mdama a-lot in the Spartan Ops cinematics, and it's clear he's the head honcho of the Covenant Remnant. Since we fight the Covenant a-lot in the campaign it's strange we don't get to see him at least once. Again, wasted potential, just like the Didact.[/spoiler] Not a-lot to criticize here. The Master Chief, Cortana, Lasky, and Del Rio (Yes Del Rio) were all solid. It's just the Didact and Jul 'Mdama that could have been better. Perhaps 343i could have made one cutscene that introduced Jul 'Mdama, showed the Didact meeting him, and showed the forging of their alliance? [b]5.) [u]Boring Objectives[/u][/b] -Reactivating the Cartographer (Requiem) [spoiler]Leave the cartographer, push four buttons to reactivate it, fight some Covies, return to cartographer to resume the level.[/spoiler] -Mantis Ride inside the Infinity (Infinity) [spoiler]Get in Mantis, slaughter every Promethean/Covie on your way to the outer hull to push a button, cue one of the most linear experiences in a Halo game.[/spoiler] -Mammoth Ride (Reclaimer) [spoiler][url=http://portforward.com/games/walkthroughs/Gears-of-War-2/Gears-of-War-2-small-0035.jpg]Remind you of anything?[/url][/spoiler] -All of Shutdown [spoiler]Nothing you did accomplished anything in this level.[/spoiler] -All of Composer [spoiler]Again, nothing you did here mattered. And what's really disappointing is that the level could have taken place on a Halo ring.[/spoiler] Now every Halo game has it's 'boring' levels, but the difference here is that with each of these objectives that I've listed, you accomplish [i]nothing[/i] (With the exception of the Mammoth Ride, where you destroy particle cannons). At least with other 'boring' levels like Crows Nest, you can say you saved a-lot of marines and Johnson. Or that you did [i]something[/i]. [quote][/quote] Now, I realize that probably a good deal of what I've said can be justified or explained using outside sources. That includes books, Waypoint, Halo Nation, Halopedia, etc. Which brings me to the final and perhaps most important item on this list: [b]6.) [u]Halo 4's Narrative Is Too Dependent On it's Extended Universe[/u][/b] Mostly everything in the campaign presumes a knowledge of the Halo universe that clearly exceeds having played the single player of every game. Think about it. Most of the people who didn't enjoy the campaign probably didn't understand everything, while most of the people who keep up with the extended universe probably adored it. This might just be the biggest reason why Halo 4's campaign turned out to be mediocre.