Customer Reviews

Halo Wars Limited

5 star:		(31)
4 star:		(14)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

Having just completed my first play through, I can say that Ensemble Studios did a remarkable job bring usually complicated RTS genre to a console. The controls are nearly flawless. I say nearly because there is no way to create subgroups or set way point paths for units to patrol. Though once you get several groups or bases scattered around this is less of an issue.

As far as the story, it's passable. The characters are pretty cliche but the narrative solid, if a tad predictable. The moment you catch your first glimpse of a Spartan is pure Halo gold, though.

The one thing that makes the game rise above this in my opinion is the music and sound. The score of Halo Wars sounds like it came straight from the mind of Marty O'Donnell, who composed the scores for Halo: Combat Evolved, Halo 2, and Halo 3. The sound effects for explosions, weapons fire, and everything else combat related sounds right out of any of the previous Halo games.

All in all Halo Wars is very good console RTS that deserves to played. Halo fan or not. Though it may be a little too simple for RTS veterans.

Let just say to all the people deciding whether or not they want legendary or not let me tell you its worth it. All the extra stuff is awesome addition to the halo story telling. The honor wraith and Mythic Maps are indeed a nice bonus, On to the game...
Having played through the campaign and completed the game I have to say the experience was great. It's amazing the great work Ensemble put into the game, you would swear it was done by Bungie themselves. I am a huge fan of cinematic and the cut scenes between missions do not disappoint. The story telling is great and when you get to watch Spartans do their thing you are just sold!
Game play is very fluid. I wasn't a fan of RTS on consoles; however being a halo and RTS fan I thought I'd give this a run. The control and management of your forces are well built. You usually can perform almost any action with no more than two presses of a button. The production and actions of your forces are easily managed in a easily maneuvered radial menu. In my opinion the greatest asset to this game is the removed focus on resource gathering. You don't have to keep an eye out on miners or units gathering resources. U resurrects supply pads and the rest is taken care of leaving you open to focus on game tactics. There are no difficult tech trees here either. No need to worry about having to need a building for another building to make the next building to research the actual building you want. Tech tree is simplified to rely mostly on enough energy to handle the unit and researching the ability to produce that unit as long as you of course have the building (Example: Vehicle building for tanks).
The sound in the game is excellent. They did a great job getting unit sounds, dialogue and music to be interesting, entertaining and motivating. I love when I smack dab in a battle with a massive UNSC army versus a huge covenant force and then this epic music begins to play. It definitely gets you engrossed into the game an amped up to win this epic skirmish.
All and all it is a great game for fans of the Halo universe as well as a great game for an RTS player.

I first tried the demo on Xbox Live Marketplace and was instantly hooked, and shortly thereafter found out the limited edition is the same price on Amazon as the regular edition is in stores. So if you liked the demo, and like to save a little money, pick this up.

The game works very very well for being an RTS on a console, at times the game can be choppy but really only if you have a bunch of squads on the screen at any given time. The music is great, very Halo-like.

At first I was expecting to play both the Human and Covenant campaigns but I eventually found out, its the Human missions and thats it, 15 in total. But the game also includes a nice Skirmish mode and Online Multiplayer. I myself have yet to explore the multiplayer but the skirmish gives you a good idea of what it might be like.

If you've played the demo and liked it, and if you have Halo 3 but haven't bought the Mythic Map Pack I strongly recommend buying this.

Very good strategy game, requires a lot of thinking. Some missions are harder than others. The story was very good and the flood are disgusting. My favorite part is skirmish mode because you can build your own bases and upgrade your soldiers any way you want. I like the special units, like the ODST and kamakaze grunts. When I play as Captain Cutter I like using ODST and the MAC rounds. When playing as Truth I like the cleansing laser. I would highly recommend this game to all Halo fans and fans of roll playing games.

I pre-ordered this from my local video game store back in March 3rd, and now I decided to give it a review after several months of enjoying it.

Campaign [9.5/10]

The Plot takes place 20 years before Halo: Combat Evolved. The game starts with Alpha Base under attack by Covenant Forces, and from there, the story just keeps getting better. The Campaign is challenging, but it's worth it. Even if this Halo game's not by the epic Bungie Studios, it's still epic overall. Campaign has some units not im multiplayer, like the Rhino, and on tougher difficulties, enemies are usually stronger, along with the addition of more enemy units.

Skirmish/Multiplayer [10/10]

Skirmish is where you play on multiplayer maps against AI enemys.
Multiplayer is where you play against other people via System Link or Xbox LIVE on multiplayer maps.
Both of them are awesome.

In multiplayer/Skirmish, you build an army to destroy other armies, AI or other people. It's excellent because of the unique abilities and some AI in there hidden.

Now for the Limited Edition stuff:

Flaming Warthog & Unique Honor Guard Wraith [8/10]

These unique skins make the warthog and wraith look cooler, but they dont do anything besides give the warthogs a cool skin.

Halo 3 Mythic Map Pack [10/10]

I got Halo 3 Legendary Edition last christmas, and the Mythic Map pack adds more awesome sauce to Halo 3.

Sandbox is a super customizable map that is recommended for any game type.

Assembly is a covenant like map that is recommended for team slayer and king of the hill.

Orbital is a space station map that is recommended for infection and team slayer.

Other Limited Edition stuff [9/10]

There are other limited edition stuff, like a book, collectors leader cards, and a cool patch. These are all collectible and really cool to collect and have. The book shows how the crew of Spirit of Fire crew got together. The leader cards tell you all the multiplayer leaders bio's, info, and special stuff. The patch is not a magnet, and is really cool for halo fans.

Overall score: [9.6/10]

First when I bought I expected the game to be FPS. Then sadly i realized, I was wrong and it is a strategy. I was feeling so down, so sad. It took me some time to let the game grow on me. Mostly because of the everything that limited edition includes and those amazing cinematics. It took me time, but it was well worth it. I finished the whole game and I think it's amazing. It's a first RTS Halo game and it is worth playing. I don't think i would have bought it if I knew it was RTS, but I'm glad I did such a mistake. it payed off. All the contents, the amazing animation(movie)parts in the game, make it so awesome.

Good RTS game. It's fun to be able to take the Covenant of the UNSC and battle it out. If you like Halo and RTS games this is for you, but if you are a hardcore RTS fan go with a more challenging game like Sin of a Solar Empire or AOE III.

The game is fun and very simple to play. Outstanding graphics, and a superb story that any fan of the Halo fiction will want to experience. I highly recommend this game. If you have never experienced an RTS game before, have no fear...as this is the easiest and simplest RTS I've ever played. You will have no problem with this one. If you are used to a deeper, more complex RTS environment, then the oversimplification in this game may put you off a bit. However, all fans of the Halo universe would be doing themselves a favor by playing this game. Highly Recommended...

Yes, I was able to play the game, and yes the controls are adequate, but that is about it.

The bases are similar to the bases in, "Star Wars: Empire At War," and "Lord of the Rings: Battle For Middle Earth I," you cannot choose the location or layout. There are also a rather disappointing array of units to use.

As far as the campaign goes, the game holds your hand throughout the entire thing. It never builds you up to the point where it has given you all of the tools you need, gives you an objective and says, "go get it." You have short, simple objectives throughout the game.

As for multi-player, your opponents are just as handicapped as you are. It works, and it plays well enough, but it certainly isn't worth the premium price they wanted at first. I only picked this up when it became an Amazon "Gold Deal" for $40. At that price, you get the extra content of the legendary edition (although I must say the patch is disappointing, it isn't a "patch" it is a vinyl something-or-other. I don't see how you could sew it on to fabric. It would have been better as a magnet, or a fabric patch.) and the game as well.

My biggest complaint about the game is what everyone complains about, the controls are limiting. There are grouping buttons, and an "all select" and a "screen select" and a "select single" and a "drag and select" and that is about it. No hot keys, and no way to jump into the map either. The controls work, and they are adequate, but they are a far cry away from RTS controls on the PC. If you go into the game expecting PC levels of control, you will be disappointed. If you go into the game expecting a decent RTS with decent controls, then you will most likely enjoy the game, especially if you like the cut scenes and the story they advance.

Overall, the game is mostly fun, and overall I rate it a 4.

I do not have a lot of time to write this, but the best advice I can give is BUY THIS GAME. I bought it back in February of 2009; the only game I ever bought in Limited Edition. I put it in the other day for the first time in a year or so, and I could not stop playing it. The price is a little outrageous for its age, but I won't lie. If I didn't have it, I'd pay it. You do not need the Limited Edition though. If you love Halo and Command and Conquer you'll love this. If you love computer RTS games and b**** when console versions do not meet your standards; go f*** yourself. This game is addicting. Move your mouse up to add to cart, and pay for this thing right now. What are you waiting for?