Twin Stick Spartans
Halo: Spartan Assault first made its debut on Windows 8 mobile platforms, but this December Microsoft also announced its release for the Xbox One and Xbox 360. For a mobile port it looks glorious in 1080p running at 60 frames per second, and it’s visual and audio design will instantly resonate with long time Halo fans. All of the familiar gun sounds are present, as well as other Halo franchise staples such as Scorpions, Wraiths, Ghosts, and of course the heroic Spartans and troublesome Covenant. There’s no denying that Halo: Spartan Assault is part of the Haloverse; just don’t expect it to be on the same level as its traditional console game big brothers.
BNR: Ah, top-down shooters- one of the more arcade-ey genres with a measure of popularity today, there are quite a few of them on the market. Assuming you’ve played Asteroids (which drew inspiration from what many consider to be the first video game, SpaceWars) and want some more, which are worth your time? Don’t despair; my personal top-five is here! these are games that I personally really enjoyed- if you’re into top-down (also known as twin-stick) shooters, you’ll want to check these out.
My personal favorite TDS of all time is Dead Nation by House Marque. I loved that game so much, and clocked so many hours into it. Can't wait for Alienation.
With the latest update for the IOS games of Halo: Spartan Assault and Halo: Spartan Strike Xbox services have been added including achievements for both titles.
DD:
What’s quite incredible about Spartan Assault is that it has managed to encapsulate the atmosphere and design of the Halo games, previously exclusive to Microsoft systems, into the confines of an iPad. From the way troops behave, to the weapons and locations, it feels like an authentic Halo experience, even though it's a top-down dual stick shooter, rather than a FPS, and that’s the best thing Spartan Strike has going for it.
