A Fun, Pick-Up And Play Game For Fans Of Halo
He's almost as good as Sgt. Johnson. Almost...
For those new to playing real-time strategy games, Halo Wars is a good first step to get acclimated. However, those who strictly play RTS' will be quite dissapointed as the game is very simplistic in its gameplay and overall customisation.
Well, there isn't anything to customize. At least i haven't seen anything yet. Maybe there'll be some kind of download in later dates eventhough Ensemble isn't around anymore. They changed their name, I know that...
While the game is simplistic, it works, especially for a console game, omitting cumbersome control schemes that killed other RTS incarnations on console platforms.
Where the game really shines is it's display, particularly its cutscenes and soundtrack. The cinematics are top notch, making not only the Spartans and other human forces, but the Covenant, even the Flood, look amazing. And while Marty O'Donnell didn't do the soundtrack for Halo Wars, Stephen Rippy (Thank You WikiPedia) does a killer job with the in-game music, staying faithful to Halo's general theme while maintaining a sound that allows the game's soundtrack to stand alone.
Yeah, the Flood is in this game. I dunno about the rest of you, but I'm getting kinda tired of facing the Flood. It was nice once... but now it's ridiculous.
To sum it all up, Halo Wars is a good recommendation for people who are fans of Halo-lore. RTS players looking for complexity, however, I would suggest looking elsewhere. And to be perfectly honest, I would suggest trading in games you're done playing to knock off some of the price tag or renting it first. Until some downloadable content comes around, Halo Wars can get boring.
It's still fun though.