Halo 4 is the best Halo since the original.
We must accept the we cannot relive the same classic Halo moments, like playing the Silent Cartographer mission for the first time, or 3-shotting players while spawn-trapping them in their base. It is acceptable for the developers to want to progress the series and modify it if that is done right. Finally after all these sequels, this new Halo was done right.
Sure you can think back fondly to the "level 50" system of Halos 2 and 3, the BxR button tricks, the noob combo, deployable weapons and invulnerable vehicles. You can still demand Halo:CE's pistol but you'd be missing the point. For the first time a Halo sequel is a great standalone game in its own right.
There are no game-breaking cheating mechanics like in Halo 2 and 3 multiplayer (standby, bridging). There are no poorly implemented melee mechanics like in Halo 2 (where for no reason a melee lunge would miss and you'd go through the opponent). There are no outrageous melee range. There is no superjumping glitches. There is no laggy netcode that trivializes melee combat like in Halo 3. There is no Bungie that mocks and derides its playerbase. Oh you don't remember that? That's what they did for years against the MLG and "competitive" crowd (ie people who didn't want to spawn with a pea-shooter and a plasma pistol). Now MLG kids are in the freaking official players guide. A modified level 50 system will be implemented within the next few months, a testament to 343's willingness to listen to the playerbase.
So what we have is a game that as it is fleshed out in the coming months will have no nagging deficiencies, no annoying developers and design decisions, but instead provide well-rounded and enjoyable gameplay. It's probably the least glitchy Halo yet (right now I can think of one map-wall glitch and 2 lobby glitches which are not major). I'm happy.