You, as a player, have the ability to customise all aspects of your Spartan warrior and not just cosmetically. For the first time in a Halo title, you can actually change gameplay impacting components. This allows you to customise load outs and gives you gameplay enhancements that can be unlocked through the progression system."
This sounds a lot like Call of Duty. The changing of "game play-impacting components" is basically perks. The customization of "load outs" is basically custom classes. Unlocking "through the progression system" is basically weapon proficiency and perk/weapon unlocks through experience.
Seriously 343? It's obvious that you guys have sold out to Call of Duty and have tried to make your game exactly like it so that Call of Duty fans would like it. The reason gamers play Halo over Call of Duty is because of preferred playing styles. Halo had an aspect to its game play that, in my opinion, made it one of the greatest FPS (combined with the compelling story line). Load outs allow players to start a game with an unfair advantage. It is even seen in Call of Duty: Reach.
A player with a jet pack can fly over to the rockets/sniper and fly over to a camping spot. Halo has always been a game where the two teams are even at the start and skill determines who won the game. The winner of a game in Reach was the team with the most players that were willing to lose their dignity and respect by using a jet pack or armor lock.
Everyone ranted about the bloom which ruined the game also. The only reason why bloom works in Call of Duty (The actual COD) is because the player can aim down the sights of the weapon which gives them the choice of quick, inaccurate shots or slower, precision shots. In Halo, not every weapon has sights which is why it doesn't work. So my question is, why would you not take out load outs and 'perks' from Halo 4. Those aspects ruined Reach and are about to ruin Halo 4.
It's funny that this topic even comes up in conversations relating to Halo 4. The fact in itself that this topic comes up is the reason why this game is going to be bad. Halo 3 had no such talk which is why it was an amazing game.
[Edited on 03.07.2012 9:02 PM PST]