Halo Wars

[Flab-Ender]

The first of it's kind in the Halo series. With the ability to control armies of both the Covenant and the Humans, Halo Wars!

Halo Wars take place before the first Halo game. It is when you are first starting to fight the Covenant. The Humans are on a losing streak, but maybe with your help, they can take control of the war and turn it back around.
In the campaign of Halo Wars, you go through different missions, controlling different commanders from Sergent Forge to Capitan Cutter. Each one of these commanders have special ability's in both the campaign and skirmish mode. The campaign takes you through the story of what happens to these people and what they go through. Through out the campaign, there are various cut screens or clips, these can be very entertaining at some points, unlike in other games. Though out the campaign also, you can find skulls which, just like in the first few games, allow you to do extra little things. You can also find these things called black boxes which unlock different time line events, telling you what happens through out the war.
The skirmish mode in Halo Wars is also very good. It allows you to choose from six different characters to play as, three from the human side and three from the covenant side. There are also two different types of game play. One being death match, and the other being Standard. In death match, with each base you capture, you gain more room in your army. Each person has there own special ability and there own special units. There are also many maps that you can play on and have up to six people playing at once. The online skirmish isn't much different, just that it is with real people other than AI.
In game, the units can vary greatly. Going from simple marines on the ground, to a flying battle station. On each side, there is a unit called a "Uber Unit". These units usually cost very much, but are very, very powerful. It is also possible to upgrade each unit. Upgrade can help a unit's attack power, there defense, there speed, etc. On the covenant side, you can have a hero unit. These units are usually weaker to start out as, though as you upgrade them, they can become quite the asset.
In the game, you start out with a base usually. These bases have build pads on them with which you build your buildings on. Each building does something different like build units, give you resources used to make the buildings or make the units, or upgrade things.You can also build units from your main base which is the main building in the middle of the other buildings just in case you loss everything else. You may also capture buildings out on the field. These builds can do a range of things. Like increase your army capacity, give you special units, or give you extra resources.
There are also many other things in this great game, but just too many to put into one review. Like the way you can control great turrets or release flood upon the enemy, but your just going to have to try the game to find out what that is like.
In one final note, the controls weren't half bad. Usually i'm not a fan of console RTS games, but this one was different.

And finally, the rating.

Game play: (8/10) I found it to be great, with the variety of buildings and units, but maybe more people to play as.

Game life: (6/10) At first it is pretty good, and for a while afterwards, but then it starts to repeat itself, and to get boring.

Story: (8/10) I have always loved the Halo story, and in this game it is amazing, I'm just not a big fan of the end, and it's a little short.

Graphics: (7/10) The cut scenes were great, amazing, though the in game play wasn't my favorite. I wish it would let you get closer to your units.

Sound: (8/10) Again, the sound in the cut scenes was very very good. It wasn't half bad in game either. It was clear for the most part in game and out.

Overall: (8/10) This was a great game. Other than the fact that the story was a little short, I though it was great, and that Ensemble did a great job with it.

[kruopa]

I I found it to be great, with the variety of buildings and units, but maybe more people to play as.