HALO meets Command and Conquer with mixed results
HALO Wars is the fourth game in the HALO Series cannon, and returns to the HALO series RTS roots, while serving as a prequel to the events of the original HALO game.
The game is set in the early days of the Human-Covenant War, and chornicles the adventures of the Spirit of Fire as they attempt to stop the Covenant, lead by the predecessor to the Arbiter from HALO 2, from gaining control of Forerunner technology that could turn the tide of the war.
Over all the game is farily well balenced in terms of controls, unlike most Console RTSs, HALO Wars controls are fairly easy to master, without the need for a massive instruction booklet or stratagy guide spread across your lap. However, the big problem with the controls though is the camera, which doesn't allow you to zoom in close enough to make out who or what you're controling.
Graphics wise, HALO Wars is a mixed bag. It's cut scenes are on par with the cut scenes from HALO 3 and the Gears of War Games, and help add depth and epic feel the HALO Series is known for. However in combat, the game's graphics take a nose dive, and resemble the small sprits found in games like Command and Conquer and Age of Empires.
Like all HALO Games, Wars is built around it's multiplayer, and because of this the campaign suffers, which is one of HALO Wars' biggest draw backs, which is only hampered by the lack of a Covenant or Flood Campaign. The campaign also suffers from the lack of base design, where most RTS games allow you to build huge bases, HALO Wars gives very little in the way of base construction.
All in all, HALO Wars is a welcomed addition to the HALO Series, and the change in gameplay is a nice break from HALO's FPS style, even if it's just to kill time for the release of the next HALO FPS game