: However, with the name "Halo" certain expectations are formed on
: "what" the game should be or should have been.

Black licorice by any other name is still black licorice. Had I been excited for a non-Halo Halo 4 (I hope that makes since), I would have still found fault with it. For me, the stink came from the campaign. Halo 4 had all the makings of a great story with a wealth of fiction from countless sources to fuel it, yet, the substance we received and the structure and presentation that held it up was incredibly flawed. Same goes for my other 2012 disappointment, Mass Effect 3. Even if these two games weren't established franchises, I would have certainly still made the same comments.

: What's most depressing is that a lot of people had already made their minds
: up about it before it was even out anyway.

Word.