'Halo 4' set for record-breaking release

By Kent Laird

MSN Entertainment

The "Halo 4" launch is nearly upon us and the masses will soon line up again to purchase the latest game in the franchise, and the first created by 343 Industries, since Bungie and Microsoft parted ways.  The last Halo launch, "Halo 3," saw a $300M first week making it the biggest launch, at that time, in the history of an entertainment event and experts are forecasting an even bigger response to Halo 4.

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Early reviews of "Halo 4" indicate that 343 Industries and Microsoft did the franchise proud with the first installment of this new Halo "Reclaimer Trilogy." Master Chief makes his return, re-birth really, at the beginning of the game. Last we knew of him, he and Cortana (a human created artificial intelligence being, at left) were lost in space adrift the UNSC frigate Forward Unto Dawn.

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In "Halo 4" Master Chief and Cortana will be confronting a new threat to come upon the human race and what it means to be mortal as it has never before.  The game, both in single-player, multi-player and the new  cooperative modes combine the combat abilities, a wide variety of weapons (new and old) and the amazing environmental design that people will be expecting from the franchise. 

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"Halo 4" will be available to consumers worldwide on November 6, 2012 with the exception of Japan which will be launching on November 8, 2012.