GamesRadar: Halo Wars Review

GamesRadar writes: "The borrowed foundations will be immediately familiar to RTS fans. You start with a base that can be customised with a limited number of bits to make it capable of producing different types of vehicles and soldiers, including many you won't have seen in the proper Halo games. Depending on how you develop your army, you'll have access to flamethrower marines, modified Scorpion tanks that lob devastating cluster bombs, Elephant mobile fortresses, multiple grades of Warthog jeep and even a handful of Spartans".

[Gun_Senshi]

If you think Halo Wars derserve more then 7, You never played a RTS games.

If we want consistency, all publications that gave halo wars 8/10+ should give Empire Total War 20/10 and Starcraft 2 50/10

Leave RTS to PC. Have fun playing kiddies RTS.

[cmrbe]

Ensemble should have stated that Halo Wars is not a traditional RTS which is why its getting low scores. Reviewers are reviewing it as a traditional RTS.

Perhaps a new type of RTS for consoles called ARTS for Action RTS.

[lord_of_balrogs]

Well I've played numerous RTS's, hell I spent my first 3 years of RTS gaming playing Starcraft on battle.net. Furthermore, I've played the Total War series, AOE, Warcraft etc. I find Halo Wars to be just as fun with the exception of Starcraft which imo is the best game of all time.

It's no secret that Halo Wars is streamlined for consoles but that doesn't make it any less of a good game. The demo sold me on the game as the gameplay was insanely fun. It doesn't have to have uber complicated tech trees or mineral/wood/gold gathering like other RTS' to be fun.

[Elven6]

Looks like your jealous HW isn't on PC? Regardless Halo Wars was built with the console in mind, I don't think any other console RTS has done the same.

[Sarcasm]

Kiddie's RTS?

I've been playing RTS's since Warcraft 1, then WC2, WC3, SC, Age of Empries, C&C, etc. etc. etc. etc. etc. all on PC.

Now I'm currently playing Halo Wars and it's FUN. That's all that matters to me. It doesn't need to be overly complicated because there's no KB/M. I couldn't imagine playing HW with a controller if the game was as complicated as other RTS's.

I'm not even a huge fan of Halo. I liked Halo 1 and 2, but disappointed with the Halo 3 on top of the extreme amount of hype like it was the second coming of Jesus.

But Halo Wars is worth a look at least. It's a solid 8/10 in my book, and to me is a saving grace for the Halo series.

Now I'm interested in Halo ODST.

[Mikerra17]

this game is nothing compared to starcraft solar empire company of heroes

[cmrbe]

That is the problem. RTS fans love RTS for the fact that you have to manage your resources, have complex tech trees to improve your units which makes you value and feel great when you finally have all the units you wanted and ready for some kick ass battles. RTS fans love to manage all of these which is what really makes RTS fun.

From what i gather resource gathering doesn't really feature as well as building fortress which is a shame. I also love Starcraft alot and like most people i build my defenses first and then my units before i unleash hell on my foes. It just makes me more satisfied and value each units more knowing i invested alot of time building them and upgrading them.

I am believe what you guys are saying in that its fun but its not really for traditional RTS fans but more so for console gamers that wouldn't spend at least 1/2 a day building up their their armies lol!.

[Lord Shuhei Yoshida]

Hahahahaha

Xbot lemmings are gonna buy this flop with a ham sandwich

[DavidMacDougall]

It does look sh!t

[Bot Repellent]

Great review for a Halo game,honest and shows the true flaws in the game.Ensemble are talented developers,they just failed to properly translate the RTS genre onto the 360.

[JOLLY1]

Are you sad that you didn't get the first post on this review? So which version are you getting? I myself preordered the LE. I am pretty stoked to get the new Halo 3 maps. I also am super excited to see how they remade Blood Gulch for an RTS. I bet you are too though.

[Bot Repellent]

Gun Senshi,I own Age of Empires III,so I agree that all publications with an 8+ review for Halo Wars need to hand back their $1,000 gift bags.

[Pennywise]

Honestly MS should of made this for the PC only and it would of been ranked way higher.

[dan88123]

this game has been getting good reviews. Not that reviews matter but ya know what I mean

[dan88123]

Articles said it actually worked well on the 360.

Edit-When I say it worked well, I mean them implementing RTS on a console

[JOLLY1]

Don't worry about the Big "D" posting #6. He loves Halo Wars. Look at his posting history. He tries to be the first poster in all Halo Wars related articles.

*edit* D stands for douche

[titntin]

Controls are pretty easy to navigate mate, theres just not enough! If you are a halo fan let nothing out you off - its a well told story and the cut scenes are super - if only bungie had been as good!

The only people who will be disappointed will be RTS players who like to be strategic. Unfortunately thats me too, and I'm not as enamoured of the game as I wanted to be, but I think the text of this review is a little harsh even if the score rings true for me.
Millions of people will buy this on the Halo brand and good looks alone, and for them its a passable and enjoyable introduction to RTS gaming. Its only if you are already an RTS gamer that you will notice the flaws and limitations.

[Bot Repellent]

Which articles were those,perhaps the website hosting such articles has an unknown affiliation with the big 'M'?

[Graphics Whore]

I'm not going to antagonize Xbox Fanboys by telling them I told you so.... but I told you so.

[Killzonegamer84]

This game is getting average or even some below average reviews. Im sorry but ive owned the PS3 since the day it came out and all the crap that me and a lot of other PS3 owners had to put up with from you 360 fanboys during the first year of owning a PS3 was disguisting and im SO happy the tables are now turning..

So lets see.. Halo wars is pretty much getting Average reviews and even some below average reviews.. Race pro is also getting mediocre reviews, Killzone 2 has gotten universal praise and overwhelming good reviews while 360 fanboys have been saying it would flop. The PS3 will get a good price cut soon, god of war 3 looks amazing, now the 360 fanboys are playing the "Just Wait" game with game announcements since MS STILL hasnt announced any good games this year.

You 360 fanboys deserve it and then some.. im normally not the type that rubs it in people's faces with things like this but you 360 fanboys where just that bad and you guys deserve it

[JOLLY1]

I didn't know that 8.4 was "average" for an rts. Most rts's don't even score in the 8, let alone mid 8's. Oh well, I guess y ou are one of those "glass half empty" kind of guys.

[cmrbe]

i sort of get what you are saying. I was here back then and Mart and Blade and FirstK never would shut up about it. However it never really made me enjoy my PS3 less.

When HS and Uncahrted and RC didn't get up to 90 on metacritic most x360 trolls claimed that all of them were flops. Man how have tables have turned.

However lets just leave them be and enjoy their flops according to their standards.

[Pennywise]

You know what, Ive been visiting this site daily since before the PS3 was released. I was a hardcore PC gamer. I've always played video games since I can remember..... but last gen, it was the first gen of consoles that I didnt own one.

I was ready to get back into consoles. I wanted a Xbox over a Ps2 last gen, for whatever reason... but anyways, when I started coming here the 360 fanatics were all over anything Sony. If it was Sony, it got all the hate in the world thrown at it. It was a real turn off to the 360 and it made anyone who liked sony and gaming in general really defensive.

Now its the other way around and they get back 1000% what they threw at Sony. I dont feel bad, but the bad few that fueled this whole bs war should be ashamed.

One thing I can tell you about games flopping is: I dont ever want hard working devs games to "flop"... Thats not good for the industry. But it is some what satisfying to see the same garbage come back ten fold. But for you guys is isnt just continuous scrutiny... its actually being bad. Broken console, mediocre games.... not looking good for next gen MS reputation is all I can say. The millions of gamers that stick with the 360 cause money invested will really think twice about buying a ms machine next gen.

[Zeus Lee]

The more reviews that roll in,the more respect I have for GameSpot.

For once,they said "NO!" to the Halo hype and reviewed the product for what it was:A below average videogame.

[Chaoticsoulx]

GAMESRADAR loves halo more than any site i've ever seen, and they gave it a 7/10, it must be more like a 3/10 if this site doesn't even like it.

[Zeus Lee]

Going to cancel my Rental.

[dan88123]

That's sad you want a game to fail. I get so much crap too buy 360 fanboys. I always here Halo rocks, PS3 has no games, and it's just a bluray player. Their are many people with 360's that aren't irrogant fanboys that want this game. I hope all vids do the best they can do.

Edit @Killzone Gamer I know what you mean. I heard that Ensemble closing down wasn't Micro's fault.

[Killzonegamer84]

normally i would agree with you.. but remember MS already closed down ensemble studios, so technically the money now will be going to MS for the most part.. so yes i do hope this game fails because of how MS does business and to rub it in 360 fanboy faces that said this game would outsell Killzone 2 by millions just because of the name Halo.. as the saying goes 360 fanboys, what goes around comes around..

[JokesOnYou]

"Killzonegamer" wants Halo Wars to fail, and even more silly is crmbe and pennywise sympathizing with his logic. lmfao, are you for real? OK where do I begin....1st of all I don't want to go over the history of this site but I can tell you that if YOU actually feel that in the early days of this site sony loyal fans were tormented by 360 loyal fans un-provoked then YOU are lying to yourself. I visited this site for a long time without commenting, its still the only site I ever "joined" as a member...I mean who has time for "commenting" on gaming news, anyway right? I mean right up until the 360 launched the media and ps loyal folks beat the hell out of the 360 most said it wouldn't sell because sony's brand was too strong, ps2 owners would wait for ps3, blah blah blah, then it was the launch games were trash compared to "trailers" sony was showing of ps3 games, then obviously 360 was "Rightfully" bashed for RROD, then it was "lol they only sold ____ this month", "ps3 will outsell 360 in 6 months" then of course "wait until this" and "wait until that when the ps3 launches" YES 360 gamers/owners had to listen to a heavy dose of hate long before the ps3 arrived. I can't believe how conveniently some seem to forget that, most longtime 360 owners and visitors of this site were wishing the ps3 would launch asap just so the "hype" would stop, I truly believe micro has done much better with ps3 around than without it....do you not think after so much hype and promises from sony's outlandish PR, people would not be critical?

Did you not expect 360 fans/media NOT to laugh and point at every sony mis-step, every flaw? The subpar launch games that didn't forfill sony and sony dev's long, long awaited promises? lmfao and NOW you sony loyalists have the audacity to play the innocent victims who have finally stood up to the Big Bad Micro Bullies. Oh come on, STFU and take off your skirts, with that tired old "the world is against me, Im just getting even now BS" its weak and everybody outside of the SDF knows it. Nobody who regularly visits this site is a victim or innocent,...nobody, we're all bias to a degree. I come here to get gaming news but I sure as hell enjoy laughing at the fanboys like you who are always making ridiculous claims that never come to true. That said I would never ever hope a game fails, just like I don't hate KZ2 but I do disagree with those who make it out to be anything more than a great FPS....and unfortunately that is what sony loyalists are infamous for; always looking for the smoking gun that proves this is better than that. Again, none are free of guilt but if I had a penny for everytime a sony loyalists proclaimed victory because "this or that can't be done on 360", I could afford to "pay off" Bill Gates. There are great games on both, to each his own, I'm secure in the types of games I prefer, for me thats the 360 more so than the ps3, either way I've been gaming a long time and if theres one thing I know the games on any platform will continue to improve as far as tech goes right up until devs start focusing resources on the next gen consoles. lmfao, Ironically I think sony loyalists are sooo desperate to "prove" something, anything because its they are the ones who've been SCREAMING THE LOUDEST, doing sooo much talking, fingerpointing, and badmouthing the competition...for as long as this site has had a comments section. Personally even with the impending release of KZ2, I still think micro will have a better overall year, they always have a few great games all year and of course the holidays are packed with blockbusters for the 360.

Halo Wars will do fine, its a great game this is a fair score if that what this guy's opinion is...I'm in and when its all said and done the gaming community will determine how good or bad Halo Wars is.

JOY

[dkgshiz]

They just don't work. The controls always suck no matter what. Please, just keep the RTS games on the pc. Thats were they belong. If anything at least add mouse and keyboard support.

[titntin]

I disagree - I thought the version of Battle for Middle Earth that EA did was good - once you got your head around the controls it played a good game. Not as good as a PC version, but I can buy 3X complte 360's for the price of my video card alone, so its to expected I'd get better framerate on and rs on a PC! :)

The interface on this game is actually very well handled and you don't have issues with the controls. I do have a few niggles with the game, but they are not as a result of the control scheme which is very well designed. A PC version would not have helped this title in my eyes as it problems are with fundemental design decisions!

[frayer]

Flop Feburary for Microsoft

[Lord Shuhei Yoshida]

Another one? Oh my!

http://www.n4g.com/xbox360/...

[silverchode]

could have been better if it was made for pc.

[devilhunterx]

Flop Flop Flop

[interrergator]

still gona buy it aint gona stop me

[Rims]

you cant stop!

[1ikedamaster]

"Once you flop..you can't stop!"

LOL ...had to laugh at that one.

Bubbles, God knows you need some.

[queerbearandchicken]

the truth has been spoken