Btw Cortana looks.....younger, definitely more detailed.

Btw Cortana looks....... smokin'.

I just can't get over how much more detail there is in EVERYTHING, including Cortana, she looks litteraly miles better than in any previous Halo game.

I'm just pumped it wasn't just hype, 343 is delivering a serious graphical looker here, and its nice actually seeing some 1st party developers trying to push the 360 to its limits. That is rare on the Xbox but something that is super common on the PS3.

There were folks out there a little worried about the multiplayer, but don't fret. 343 has been responding to people, like for instance forerunner vision wont allow you to see enemy players through walls, but something a little different, no armor lock, no duel wielding, instant spawn won't be in objective game modes, BR doesn't have spread,  no bloom, and ranking system will be  different than Reach. Link 1, 2, and 3.     

Eurogamer

343 Industries has changed the way Halo's much-loved multiplayer works for Halo 4, and implemented a new mode called Spartan Ops.

Spartan Ops, according to the latest issue of Game Informer (via NeoGaf), replaces Firefight, which is no more. It works similarly to Call of Duty's Spec Ops mode, but with an episodic storyline played out over several months' worth of TV show season-style DLC. It will compare in scope and size to the single-player campaign, which is, like in previous Halo games, playable co-operatively with up to four players.

Spartan Points are used to buy armour, armour abilities and Spartan Ops missions. One new armour ability is Forerunner Vision, which allows you to see through walls and thus discourage camping. Returning armour abilities include the hologram, the jetpack, and active camo. Sprint is a default ability all players have access to at all times.

Important changes have been made to the multiplayer gameplay, too. In Halo 4 weapons drop down in drop pods at random locations around the map, preventing Halo's traditional weapon camping. 343 has also done away with respawn delay. Now, by pressing the X button, you are sent immediately back into the match. 343 hopes these changes will make Halo 4 more accessible to newcomers.

The Microsoft-owned developer has also come up with a backstory to explain why Reds fight Blues in Halo's multiplayer. It's for training purposes, apparently, inside a Holodeck-style virtual reality simulator aboard a huge space ship called the UNSC Infinity. Elites, though, won't be playable here.

Meanwhile, some campaign and story information has popped up. Cortana, Master Chief's AI companion, is dying (or coming to the end of her shelf life). As previously revealed, you'll run into the Forerunners, the Halo universe's mysterious ancient alien race.

Halo 4 launches on Xbox 360 in time for Christmas.

http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2012-04-11-halo-4-multiplayer-details-spartan-ops-revealed

Holy damn the screenshots (and artwork) in their full glory are truly impressive.
Also Spartan Ops sounds good. I just hope that the episodes 1) won't be too expensive and 2) will be long enough to warrant the wait.

The art looks amazing :)! You should have bumped the official (benvtrigger) halo thread ! Still not happy with no firefight though, I loved to mess around in it :s

As far as I have read, they are NOT an extra cost and are included with the game. I could have sworn I saw someone claim it was "several months" worth or playtime. I suspect that the plan is to eventually add more missions dlc at a cost. But yeah, it does sound good.

Spartan Ops definitely sounds amazing, and fortunately what they currently have planned, they have said is all free! I'm sure they're will be some paid DLC down the line, but I think a good 12 months worth at least can be wrung from the game without paid DLC.

I'm looking forward to when it releases November (Right BenV?! :D), and I may just lose bulk of my work productivity to this game!

Also, note sure if posted yet, but:

When Bungie split with Microsoft and parted ways with Halo, not everyone was interested in saying goodbye. Frank O' Connor decided to stay with the Halo universe and serve as the franchise development director for 343 Industries. Since he was heavily involved in the development, we talked to him about how Halo 4's narrative will connect with Halo 3 and how the formation of a new team has affected the tone of the series. Watch the video below to see what he has to say, and feel free to check out this bonus portion of the interview on our YouTube channel in which he talks about the difference in studio cultures between Bungie and 343 Industries.

Source: Gameinformer

*slightly longer video at the gameinfomer article.

This is pretty much my thoughts. Everything about Halo 4 seems to be much bigger and better than any Halo game before it. 

I know we can't really judge a game by some screenshots but so far it looks right up there with the best games on consoles, which is pretty damn rare for the 360. Glad to see a studio that's finally trying to push what the 360 can do. And aren't those pictures from the Alpha or Beta version of the game?