For now campaign enthusiast have no need to worry, since it's incredibly unlikely for any Flood forms to appear on Requiem - those mind-blowing Terminal entries aside. The terror and frustration they instilled in every player was unmatched by the Covenant, and as dangerous as the updated Elites and Grunts appear, there's no comparison. While some may wish that 343 would have left The Flood behind when launching their new Reclaimer Trilogy, there's no question that they hold a special place in the hearts of the franchise's most devoted fans. Take a look at some additional footage of Flood on the 'Complex' map, courtesy of CVG:
However powerful these advantages may be, the gameplay footage does prove that the Spartan Floood-forms are only as effective as the players controlling them. In gameplay terms, the Flood look to be just as lethal as they did in previous games, with the ability to move faster and farther than other players. Frankly, we're just happy that at least part of the grotesque Flood-infected-Spartan imagery that the art team came up with is visible in first-person perspective. It may not be as high-tech or refined a weapon as the Spartan soldiers were used to prior to being infected by the intergalactic plague, but it seems to do the trick just as well. Instead of wielding an Energy sword to dispatch the non-infected with a single blow, the Flood come equipped with a single corrupted spike. Footage of the Flood multiplayer has arrived, so see their results for yourself. For Halo 4, the developers at 343 Industries have added The Flood to the mixture, resulting in some truly impressive visuals while staying true to the rhythm and speed of the original mode. As the enemy begins taking out the group one by one, they in turn become infected and eventually (hopefully) overwhelm the humans. The Flood will be worked into the existing 'Infection' game type, facing a squad of players off against a single infected enemy. But in the online multiplayer, it's a different story. The new campaign taking players to Requiem, and into a fight with the ancient Prometheans will not include The Flood as an additional opposing force.
Now before some of you run for the hills, cradling your shotguns and hoping to stay hidden, allow us to clarify. It's terrifying news, but it's the truth: in Halo 4, The Flood are back.