evan rytlewski of "the a.v. club" said, ""hall of fame" doubles down on the carefree spirit of its predecessor. the mood is so consistently upbeat and agreeable that nearly everything works, especially the tracks that pair sean with a strong singer." eric diep of "xxl" commented that, ""hall of fame" moves along at a steady pace for the most part," but there are instances where the album is less than consistent. concluding that, "even these minor shortcomings don't supersede the fact that the album is filled with radio-friendly cuts and compelling storytelling." david jeffries of allmusic said, while "hall of fame" provides plenty of vibrant, sexual, exciting moments, the "classic feel" that was intended is "nowhere to be found." erin lowers of "exclaim!" commented that, "while "hall of fame" escapes the dreaded sophomore curse, it doesn't do so unscathed. [...] big sean may not have solidified his position in the rap hall of fame, but is certainly in the process of paving his way." david turner of "spin" said, "kanye's "my beautiful dark twisted fantasy" is an immediate parallel to this album of relationship struggle and soul-searching, and while sean obviously lacks his mentor's star power or ambition, he shows more heart than he typically gets credit for." jesal padania of rapreviews.com called the individual tracks distinct, big and bold, while the album remains consistent. however, said that the album lacks any classic material.