What we have hear is a near perfect example of how to make an RTS for a console. The controls although simple, still allow for a detailed and immersive combat experience. Gone are the days of having to micromanage your base building and supply gathering. You start off with a main base that has 5 slots for building your supply and production facilities as well as researching higher technology with the exception of Captain Cutter leader. The bonus for choosing his character allows for a full 7 slot base at start. His additional bases also start at 5 slots while the other leaders start at 3.
There are 3 Covenant leaders and 3 UNSC leaders to choose from and each with their own special bonuses. Covenant is kind of a throwback to Warcraft 3. Their leaders are an actual playable character. Each leader gets one special ability that's controlled by the Y button and aimed with the analog sticks. Covenant are also able to build Scarabs. They take up a massive portion of your population. They have a lot of health and their beam is only second to an army of Locusts. In contrast the UNSC don't have their leader on the field of play but they get a slew of leader powers, accessed by pressing UP on the d-pad. The D-Bomb is one power that's used to neutralize other leader powers within say a 10m radius. It throws down a distortion field that negates any leader powers for up to 2 minutes in that area. Next is an area of effect heal which heals units within say a 5m radius. Next is a troop transport which is used for shuffling units across your visible areas of the map. UNSC are also able to produce Vultures. These are similar to Battle Cruisers from Starcraft but instead of that big fireball, they shoot a huge volley of missles called Mega Barrage. Finally there's the 3 unique leader powers which I'll describe here:
Arbiter(Covenant): Probably the most powerful of the 3 Covenant. His power is Rage. When in this mode the Arbiter's power dramatically increases and he'll hop from unit to unit causing damage. It's hard for units to hit him when he's jumping across the screen. When fully upgraded, Rage mode will heal the arbiter for every unit he kills while making his army do a lot more damage. His special units are suicide grunts. They can counter air like normal grunts but they're main purpose is doing a kamikaze into buildings and blowing them up.
Prophet(Covenant): The most annoying of the 3 Covenant. When fully upgraded the Prophet has flight capabilities along with this Cleansing Beam. It's a laser that comes from the sky that you use to beam down anything from ground to air units to buildings. He also gets these protector drones that follow him and shoot enemies at random for extra damage as well as his main plasma weapon. His special units are elite honor guard. They're just anti-infantry covenant with swords. They are able to cloak and have shields.
Brute Chieftain(Covenant): The most battle hungry of the 3 Covenant. His Vortex is probably the most devastating power when fully upgraded. It's sort of like a black hole in that it sucks up debris and will instant kill units at low hp if they get sucked in. The debris swirls around the distortion he creates and will damage nearby units. When you release Vortex, the debris explodes in all directions and damages everything within say a 10m radius. The BC also has a hammer that will stun units and his full upgrade will allow him to draw in one unit at a time and one shot them. His special units are the Brutes. They're a very balanced unit for dealing with air, ground and buildings. They are able to randomly stun units and they can jump to a target that's half way across the screen.
Cutter(UNSC): Along with the upgraded bases, he gets the Elephant unit which is basically a mobile barracks with turrets. When planted down, it's defenses increase to that of a building and allows for training of infantry units. Cutter's super unit are ODST. You only need tech level 3 to upgrade to them. They can be dropped in from the sky or produced from the elephant. His unique leader power is the MAC blast. It drops like a giant meteor on the ground and can be upgraded to 4 shots. It does massive damage to anything it lands on and can easily turn the tide of battle.
Anders(UNSC): Her economy bonuses are halved cost to research new techs plus halved research time. Her main building unit is the Gremlin which is used for disabling vehicles. It also does anti-vehicle damage. Her super units are Hawks. They are an upgraded version of Hornets which are kind of like attack helicopters. Hawks are basically faster Hornets with Gauss canons. Her unique leader power is Cryo Bomb. It freezes "any" units in it's area and will instant kill air units at random. The more upgrades it has, the longer the freeze lasts and the more units that will be instant killed.
Forge(UNSC): His eco bonus is the ability to build heavy supply pads from the start. He saves money by not having to upgrade normal supply pads and his resources will come in faster than all the other leaders. His main building units are Cyclops which can repair other units and do anti-building damage. His super units are Grizzlies. They are tanks with very high hp and their main guns can lay waste to most infantry. Forge's unique leader power is called Carpet Bomb. A plane swoops by for a bombing run in the direction you tell it to. I mostly use Scorpions(tanks) and it comes in handy for weakening Hunters so I can finish them off with Y buttons from the Scorpions.
I never played through the campaign but I'm sure it's good. Multiplayer consists of 1v1, 2v2, and 3v3 for standard play as well as other game types. There's also a Deathmatch for 1v1 and 2v2 for players who just like to get max tech level before fighting. Everything starts off fully upgraded and you start off with a lot of resources. /walloftext
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Its a very challenging game my son can play for hours and still enjoy doing it. its a great game.
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This is not part of the halo series instead it's a intagrated RTS on the 360. This might be the best rts on the 360, but the controls are too sensitive and it's easier to play on a computer with a mouse. For example if your selecting your troops and you have to move your toggle stick to get there you might slip off a inch and press something else instead. A RTS is basically a topview game where you control all your troops. I did not finish the campaign or play online yet, but it's easy to see that the graphics from the cutscenes are outstanding! Every little detail is perfected and you might confuse the cutscene for a tv show.
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I didnt think that this game would be as good of a RTS as it is on the 360. It is very difficult to make a good RTS using a console controller. It is not nearly as easy to use compared to a keyboard but I loved it. It is very challenging at times though.
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I love this game so much, that when the demo was released on XBox Live, I played it for abotu 12 hours. And ... it's just the demo. I find extremely addicting, fun and rewarding. It's a completely different type of game than Halo 1-3, but IMO it's just as fun and awesome. If you enjoyed Starcraft, then definitely get this game, I think it is much better than Starcraft, but it also is built on technology that is ten years newer.
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If you enjoy a good RTS then this is the game for you. Decent campaign (solo or co-op). Great multiplayer (if you don't have xbox live don't bother). 10 minute learning curve (controls are simple but not lacking). Stop reading reviews and just buy it.
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This is a great game, shipped on time and quickly. The game was in great condition, no scratches at all on the disk!
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Halo Wars, as many of you already know, is a real time strategy (RTS) game set in the Halo universe. I've played several RTS's on consoles and PC (Command & Conquer, Age of Empires, Battle for Middle Earth 2, Supreme Commander, Dawn of War, Starcraft), so I've seen the good and bad in both formats. A console RTS is a different breed. Some purists will say you can't play an RTS on a console, you must play it on a PC with mouse and keyboard. However, when done right, a console RTS can be just as entertaining as on a PC, but at a cost.
Halo Wars has nicely detailed graphics. You can't zoom in very much to see the details, but suffice it to say when your Warthog blows up, you can see the tires bouncing around. Tread marks remain after your Scorpion rolls by. That sort of thing. Troops aren't all that detailed (unlike Dawn of War 2), but consoles have limits. However, I must say the cut scenes look fantastic. Dare I say they are cinema quality.
Battle and base building has been simplified when compared with its PC brethren. You can't build your base just anywhere. You're given a set of "pads" where you can choose which structure to build on. Each structure usually has one or two upgrades. Controlling your army is very easy as you select all troops with the left bumper, move the camera where you want them to go, and press X (off they go). You can garrison some of your troops in specific spots. It's just not as versatile as a PC RTS.
The story of Halo Wars is interesting if you're really into that sort of thing. The game begins about 20 years before the original Halo FPS. Most of the characters aren't particularly familiar. The battles take place on the planet Harvest where the Covenant have overrun the UNSC's forces. Most of the story involves you taking back various forts and strongholds. Unfortunately, you only get to play as the UNSC. There is no Covenant campaign. You get to mess around as the Covenant in multiplayer, but every other RTS allows you to play multiple campaigns.
I think Ensemble Studios did a fine job on Halo Wars. It adds to the growing Halo universe in terms of story, characters, and game play. It's nothing earth-shattering though. As I said, with console RTS's, there are bound to be compromises. A few details here and there might have made Halo Wars a pillar among console RTS's, but what you get is still good.
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Great game, good price.
You can easily lose track of time while playing.
If you consider yourself a Halo fan in any way, you should have this game in your library.
Cant wait for Halo Reach.
ODST was great, and I still play Halo3 often.
Halo Wars is a game that is easy to jump right in and start playing without reading some
ridiculous manual, its easy enough, but not dumbed down in any way.
Very fun, just get it and you will be happy.
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Well. Overall the game is pretty amazing. Graphically sound, The controls are fluent on the controller, and the game play is fun. Game features many great cut scenes. Overall some minor things could be changed, like the population cap. This hasn't been in other successful RTS games i've played such as Command and Conquer. All in all, I am sure there will be updates for the game. I like the game a lot, and would reccommend it to anyone who wants a good RTS for on their XBOX 360. I'm sure this game will be a continually updated and played game as I said, which will only add to the fun.
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Halo Wars attempted to emulate other popular Real Time Strategy Franchises like Command & Conquer and Warcraft.However,they failed to A great extent and this game is more of A appeasement for Halo Fans to give them some variety.Really I believe the only saving grace is the Storyline and cut scenes which are the best in the Halo Franchise especially to all the Halo Fans who follow the Novels.The voice Acting is well done as well and the new cast of characters will fit in right away with Halo Lore.
Though it's not A terrible game by any estimation,it's limitation and frequent glitches make it clear that this game suffered due to the lack of real insight into RTS's and the Developer's constant in fighting and and eventual closing.Let's start out with the frequent glitches and bugs that pop up.In one instance I was maneuvering A Scorpion Tank to retreat out of A Convinent installation and the Tank got stuck and no amount of maneuvering would not save it.My game also froze as I destroyed A Covinent Base installation.Now to my main complaint-Lack of well...everything!I'm A big C&C fan always have been and I'm use to A lot of different variety of Units and Building.If you're expecting to see any of this in this game look somewhere else!You'll won't find it and yeah sure some people might point out that HW has new DLC (Downloadable Content),I counter that DLC is suppose to me added to enhance Game play not add things that should have been there in the first place!So,yeah you have A handful of unit types the entire game until you have the ability to play as the Covinent and even then with them you still have only a handful of unit types with them.The Buildings are extremely limited and you have to build them in a very regimented small area like A complex-type place.Also,with the units you have you have merely A fraction that you had with C&C.So,if you enjoy having less troops this game's for you I guess personally the more the better.The maps too are extremely small and are really bland & uninteresting.
I'm NOT ragging on Halo as A Franchise,I am saying that it's really hard for any Developer to create A really enduring RTS game and for the first try they have it mostly on track.But the lack of unit types and crushing restrictions on Troops along with many MANY in game Bugs prevents any sort of chance of Halo Wars for standing out by itself at all.Nice try,but no cigar guys maybe Halo Wars 2 will address these problems,but until then this games in terms of being A solid RTS have not been fulfilled.To bad too it could have been A really fun and engaging game too...
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I don't know why people are giving such bad reviews for Halo Wars. Can't people see that this is a stragedy wars? Apparently not, because players are expecting a FPS. It's an amazing stragedy game, with fantastic graphics. The missions are good, and not extremely challenging. The online is outstanding, with a feeling that you are playing real people. The controls are great, and there is still the action of HALO, with a strategic twist. Overall, an amazing game. I would highly recommend.
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At my age (32) there is a certain level of difficulty I want to experience; and it's pretty darn low. Let the young struggle in glorious battle. No thanks. I want moderate challenge with a pretty high guarantee of victory. ...and thanks to the savvy makers of Halo Wars, that's exactly what I have! Whoo hoo.
Without reading a thing about it ('also lazy apparently) I popp'd the game in and started a skirmish on "Normal."... With some limited experience in RTS games (Age of Empires, Starcraft, etc.) I had the general principles down before I played. And by god, the controls are so intuitive that I didn't need to read a thing! Well, for basic gameplay mastery anyway. In minutes I was gathering supplies, building up the base, creating troops, etc. All with this fantastic design style that flows perfectly with the Halo universe I know and love.
To date I've played maybe 30 skirmishes, and run the entire campaign on Normal. Yes I'm the only person on Earth who is not online with his Xbox. All in all, even with having to read up on a few details and nuance questions, the game is fantastic. Smooth gameplay, awesome graphics, terrific sound (ok the music is the only downside, it's more moody / somber than it should be) and simple controls. For a gamer like me? it's very near ideal. bring on Halo Wars 2!
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Let me start off by saying I've played all the major RTS games, and most of the smaller names, as it is my favorite genre along with FPS. Sins of a Solar Empire, the Warcraft/Starcraft series, Command and Conquer (the first in the series were best), Company of Heroes, Supreme Commander, etc. The only really decent console RTS I've liked has been Goblin Commander, and that is good..."for a console RTS". Let me also say I dearly love FPS games and find Halo 1-3 to be right up there with the best of them.
However, as long as you aren't 12 years old and buy Halo Wars simply because of the Halo name, but because you like RTS games and not just FPS titles and Halo in general, you will likely be amazed by this game.
Halo Wars is not just good for a "console" RTS in my opinion, Halo Wars is a good game (although I must recommend you have Live), but as with any RTS, the main thing keeping you coming back will be multiplayer. Ensemble did an amazing job balancing this game, and is every bit as well balanced as the original Starcraft, with as much variation in the armies. The only problem is the Halo Universe has not yet truly allowed for the inclusion of a third race (Flood maybe, but that's stretching it). The controls are never too much, and the game borrows from the best elements of the RTS giants, without taking everything that would over-complicate a simple gamepad. Your troops can garrison buildings and structures for defense bonuses, or they can provide an alternate "cooldown" attack (both made popular in the Company of Heroes series). The result is a fast paced, but strategic game that is every bit the revolution in console RTS as it's predecessors were in the FPS genre. And sometimes, you just don't want to babysit units to gather resources. That's what makes Halo Wars possible to play a match in less than 30 minutes, but an online game of Sins of a Solar Empire or Supreme Commander unlikely to be finished within 2 hours.
People complaining that Halo Wars is about letting your units do the work have obviously never played an RTS before. It's about the strategy involved by outsmarting and outdeveloping your opponents and watching the culmination of 20 minutes of building and scouting turning into a heart-pounding battle of unrivaled scale, with up to 100s of units battling at once. It's about deciding if you should spend an armies worth of supplies on one giant unit or if you should build 40 marine groups and cover the battlefield. Should you strike fast or slowly build up resources. Should you attack first or wait near your base for the opponent to strike. The gamble of letting a half hour of preparation turn into a 4 minute defeat is what makes this so exciting. Or turning around what most people would call an absolute defeat, into a smartly played attack on the opponents one weakness.
Halo Wars is not simply good for an RTS. Halo Wars is an excellent RTS, and perhaps late developer Ensembles best work. You wouldn't order food from a menu with no descriptions would you? Don't buy Halo Wars because it carries the Halo name alone.
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I purchased this xbox game for my son. It was on his birthday wish list.
The price was great as well as delvered when promised ...actually sooner.
The game must be excellent as he hasnt stopped playing it!!thank you again Amazon!!
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