Real-time strategy games typically don't translate well from computers to consoles, as controllers obviously aren't as precise as a mouse. It's not surprising, then, that "Halo Wars" aims to redefine the RTS genre as something different for consoles. "Halo Wars" is best described as the RTS for the "Halo" fan: it's exciting, dynamic and not tremendously complex, sacrificing the scale of the modern PC RTS in favor of easy controls and fluid gameplay.
"Halo Wars" takes place years before the original "Halo," near the start of the war between the humans under the United Nations Space Command and the Covenant aliens. You command the armies of the ship Spirit of Fire as they investigate Covenant activities on the planet Harvest. The story doesn't immediately draw you in, thanks to a cast of uninteresting, paper-thin characters, but it gets much more intriguing later on.
The biggest initial concern for "Halo Wars" is that the game would have sacrificed too much strategic depth in favor of making the game easier to play, which turns out to be only partially true. Though it's not really up to par with its PC competitors, "Halo Wars" manages to create a system that rewards smart decisions as well as quick reflexes and micromanaging skills. Resource management simply involves building supply pads to automatically generate a steady stream of supplies, but bases are limited to only nine structures, making real estate the real resource and encouraging exploration and expansion.
"Halo Wars" really nails the feeling of the "Halo" universe, thanks in large part to the factions. The UNSC lets you control iconic units like the Warthog jeep and Spartan supersoldiers, and the Covenant get to use everything from the nimble Ghost to the gigantic Scarab tank, all of which are well balanced. Though the campaign is relatively easy and clocks in at less than ten hours, the missions are all varied and great fun. Multiple difficulty levels, scoring and secrets to find in each mission make it easy to want to play them again.
The controls are the paramount concern for a console RTS, and they're pretty solid in "Halo Wars." Selecting units and issuing commands are easy, allowing you to focus on the action. The problem is that they're actually too simple; there's no way to build units without selecting the structure they're built from, there's no way to group units, and there are no stance options or waypoints for units. And the sadly low unit limits seem designed to cater to the simple controls, though it really hampers the strategic element since there's only so much you can do with a limited army. The result is a game that sacrifices strategic depth for simplicity and intuitiveness.
While the multiplayer is great fun, the game cuts a few too many corners. There aren't that many multiplayer maps, and the only team options are 1v1, 2v2 or 3v3. An intriguing feature, however, is the automatic difficulty level for the skirmish AI, which will go up or down on a numerical scale based on how well or poorly you do in skirmishes.
"Halo Wars" looks excellent all around, and while the frame rate isn't very stable, it never gets so low as to be a problem. From the industrial green and brown of the humans to the glowing purple and blue of the Covenant, the game stays true to the style of the Halo series while adding its own subtle twists, and the environments are all beautifully detailed. The sound is equally good; the actors all sound great, and the music incorporates the sweeping orchestral themes from the "Halo" series into new pieces.
There's no denying that the more serious RTS fans will be disappointed with "Halo Wars;" it simply doesn't have as much depth as other PC RTS games, thanks to some control limitations and a low unit limit. But it's still an exciting, tactical experience that stands as the prime example of what a console strategy game should look like. Anyone interested in strategy games but put off by the genre's complexity, or any open-minded "Halo" fans should get this game.
"Halo Wars" features online multiplayer skirmishes and cooperative campaign play. Check out our blog at sceneblog.theeagleonline.com after the game's release on March 3 for a full update on these modes!
You can reach this writer at thescene@theeagleonline.com.
