posted on 31. 01. 2009 by Lori in Microsoft, Xbox 360

We like Halo Wars now

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Ever since it’s release in the year 2001, Halo has been the juggernaut and de facto standard of console first-person shooters. It’s not surprising that Microsoft is trying to achieve the same thing with Halo Wars, a finely tuned realtime-strategy game for the Xbox 360 that heavily banks on the popularity and depth of the Halo universe.

We liked it, but find out why!

I’m going to hell and I’m taking the covenant base with me.

Let’s get one thing out of the way: Halo Wars controls inarguably impeccably. I felt just as comfortable with the Xbox 360 controller as I would’ve with a mouse. Now, the interface is a lot simplified from what PC strategists are used to, but that does not mean that Halo Wars is devoid of depth. Just like Halo is no Crysis, this will not be a suitable replacement for StarCraft, but there is enough meat to the game that it does not feel shallow.
You can build, upgrade and expand your base, research advanced units and even use special abilities such as a laser beam that comes from the sky that destroys enemy structures in a matter of seconds.
Most units on the field have two abilities: the marine can either shoot his rifle or throw grenades, that can later be upgraded to RPGs. These secondary functions have a short cool-down time until they can be used again. Personal favorite: the Warthog’s ram abilty that sends enemy infantry flying through the sky. Awesome!

Now keep in mind, this is not some rookie attempt at an RTS — this is Ensemble Studios of Age of Empires fame we’re talking about here, and it shows. The presentation is thoroughly Halo and polished to the n-th degree with a beautiful soundtrack and crisp graphics. The pre-rendered cutscenes deserve a special mention; they beatifully create the setting and the atmosphere between the skirmishes and are a sight to behold.

You too will soon be able to call this your home.

Be that as it may, there are some nit-picks to be had: The units at times are so small, you can barely make out what kind of soldier you are looking at — especially in the heat of battle. Now, you can zoom in, but then you risk losing the overview. It’s really tricky to get this right, but it is something that might become a major annoyance as the game progresses and more finely tuned micromanagement is needed. Players with big TVs are going to have a lot more fun than us peasants with sub 40 inch sets.

What is truly bewildering, why on earth the multiplayer mode is locked in the demo. Personally, I find this to be the most intriguing aspect of the game and this is what will ultimately decide the fate of the game in the long run.

It will be very interesting to observe how Xbox 360 owners will react to Halo Wars when it is released on the 27th of February. Should it not become a success, it is not because Ensemble didn’t try.

We like Halo Wars now

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