Halo Wars – Reviewed – Xbox 360

See No Evil, Hear No Evil

As far as graphics and sound are concerned in Halo Wars, it is pretty much everything you would expect from both an RTS as well as a Halo game. The visuals are pretty as far as RTS standards go and runs at a good framerate almost all of the time, with the exception of those “charge with everything you have” moments. The sounds in Halo Wars are all taken straight out of the FPS series and integrated beautifully into the game, even down to the sound of the Spartans shields regenerating in the middle of a battle.

The menu’s have been kept to look almost identical to Halo 3 in every way, and also have some fantastic new musical scores playing in the background which really keep the mood of Halo alive, although aren’t quite as good as the ones from Halo 3 itself.

Conclusion:

It really is evident that Ensemble really wanted to create something that would be easy enough to play on a console, whilst still being fun for Halo fans and newcomers alike. Even though there are times when the gameplay feels a little too simple, there is no doubt that they have succeeded in creating an accessible and fun RTS for anyone with a console to pick up and play that will still be enjoyed by RTS fanatics as well.

I really am sad that the campaign was over so fast, because when it was over, I nearly started over immediately. The game had done a great job of entertaining me, but it ended so fast that I found myself sitting excited for the next mission, with nothing but a menu staring back at me and the option of a skirmish game against some bots. I guess that that’s what multiplayer is for, but I wanted more single player, but I guess we will have wait for the DLC, I just hope that it’s not overpriced.

It’s a solid title with high production values that really does the first real job of fleshing out the Halo universe in way that your everyday gamer can appreciate. We will miss Ensemble Studios, but they have gone out with quite a bang.

I have to be honest when I say that I wasn’t expecting much from Halo Wars, and I walked away from the experience very pleasantly surprised.

Scoring

Gameplay: 8.5
Works great as a console RTS, although the gameplay can feel too simple at times.

Presentation: 9.0
Very respectable visuals for an RTS that run at a smooth framerate, with familiar Halo themed menus and stunning CG cinematics.

Sound: 9.0
All the great sounds of the Halo franchises. Vehicles explode, Laser Cannon’s charge up and Warthogs rev their engines as they cruise around. Top notch.

Value: 8.0
Even though you may play through it twice, the campaign still feels too short. There is co-operative multiplayer as well as versus, but unless you are going to spend a lot of time playing it online, it may be a little too quick a ride for most.

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Overall: 8.8

There will be many that will criticize Halo Wars for it’s shallow gameplay. I on the other hand think that it may just be the special ingredient that managed to keep the game fun throughout the entirety of the campaign. Halo fans are going to love every moment.

Everyone else? Well, the truth is that you too, will probably be a fan of the Halo universe from the moment that the final credits roll.

Last Updated: February 23, 2009