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A great deal of Halo 4's marketing has been focused on the story ramifications for both humanity and the Forerunners, and how the game will kick off multiple sequels to the series. But for those who are far more interested in how Master Chief will be dealing out fate on a person-to-person basis, the new weapons and vehicles should do the trick.

343 Industries previously showed off old and new Covenant weaponry in its own trailer, and now it's the Prometheans' turn. For those who have yet to witness firsthand the unique damage they are capable of inflicting, their results are impressive enough to convince some players that Covie guns are as good as scrap metal. If nothing else, these videos address the lack of dubstep in Halo 4's marketing to date.

Details on the look and function of weapons Master Chief will be able to acquire from the Forerunners' mysterious guardians have been around for some time, both in official descriptions and gameplay footage. For those who prefer to keep as much of the finished product unspoiled prior to release, the new footage fits the bill. The footage is largely pulled from the multiplayer modes, where the true brutality (and insanity) of some of the new weapons can be clearly seen. We don't just mean the glowing portions of the guns, or the way they construct themselves out of thin air around the Chief's arm, but the wide variety of damage they can dole out.

Halo 4 Mantis Mech Weapons Trailer

The Prometheans are still cloaked in mystery, as is the 'ancient evil' that the Chief and Cortana will be unleashing upon landing on Requiem - we know it's not The Flood, but that's about it. If their choices in firearms are any indication, uniformity and subtlety aren't building blocks of their society. Burning, launching, exploding and sniping are all equally destructive means of dealing with Flood forms, but seem to do just fine against Spartans and Covenant soldiers as well.

The second trailer released by 343 gives a longer look at the Mantis, or mech, that will be available for use in Halo 4's multiplayer. Scorpion Tanks and Wraiths did the trick just fine in the past, but the Mantis is a whole different animal:

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The trailer also shows off the new 'Ragnarok' multiplayer stage, an updated version of Halo 3's 'Valhalla' map. Two towering Forerunner structures separated by a stream, hills, caverns and a downed Pelican dropship are all that the location really offers, but as has been proven in countless Halo maps, less is more. There appear to be even fewer changes made to the map than is usually the case when upgrading or updating locations, but that's hard to tell without playing it for ourselves. The Man Cannons look to be the same, at least, so no need for alarm.

The Mantis may not be reinventing the idea of what constitutes a 'mech,' but the sense of humor and lack of seriousness that Bungie brought to Halo multiplayer looks to be alive and well. From the fatal stomping...to the provocative crouching, the design seems sleek enough to allow the Mantis to be used as intuitively - and briefly - as most heavy vehicles in multiplayer. Considering how many new skills and tactics players will be needing to master with the rest of Halo 4, that seems a wise choice.

What do you think of the Mantis? Has 343 created the most entertaining vehicle to multiplayer yet, or does it stray too far from your definition of Halo gameplay? Hopefully we can all agree that the weapons are an improvement over the past, both visually and functionally.

Halo 4 will be released on November 6, 2012, exclusively for the Xbox 360.

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Source: Halo Waypoint