Halo Wars Demo

[D_987]

...Has been released today, has anyone tried it?

Personally I thought it was fantastic. I'm not a big RTS fan ,in fact besides Advance Wars (and that wasn't real-time) I haven't played any, so it was nice to find an RTS I can play.
The controls wok very well for a console-based RTS, the graphics are great and the storyline looks interesting - glad to see Ensemble go out on a high.

I will be buying this on launch day.

[If you have Live Gold, you can queue it up for download next time you log in here [http://marketplace.xbox.com/en-US/games/media/66acd000-77fe-1000-9115-d8024d530808/] - Virgil]

The demo allows you to play a couple of story mode missions, and offers a skirmish mode (with local co-op) with basic and advanced tutorials.

The controls are what shine on this game. A lot of people (myself included) had doubts as to how they would successfully implement an RTS on the 360 controller. Effectively, you have the 2 triggers for "Call all units","Call local units". X and A are used to select and move the units you wish. A can be held, allowing you to manually select units at any time. The controls are simplistic and easy to use, but still give you great control - and I havn't even mentioned leader powers, buying units etc...

The combat is great to watch; you don't have much impact on it, besides ordering certain squads to shoot at certain places. Your squads also have different powers - such as throwing frags, running over enemies in Warthogs.

The game certainly feels like Halo, the sound effects are great and the graphics give a "mature" Halo look. Halo 3 appeared slightly cartooney, but Halo wars looks sleek and modern.

My opinion ^.

 

[squid5580]

Wow it is on the marketplace (for gold members only though). Thanks for the heads up I am gonna have to check it out.

 

[Sir Ollie]

Same here i give feedback later on

 

[Trivun]

Will a demo be released on the internet at all (probably not Steam, but anywhere else)? I don't have Xbox Live (since my university won't let me onnect the Xbox to their internet connection in Halls of Residence, thanks very much), so I can't play it until the official release unless it's on the internet for Windows instead.

 

[Baby Tea]

I'll give it a shot tonight, but I'm skeptical about the controls.
The only RTS controls I ever liked on a console was the EndWar controls.
Everything else has been TERRIBLE.

But I'll try it!

 

[-bladerunner-]

I am currently downloading it and I can't wait it'll be good to see how it works as an RTS!

 

[Snowalker]

Dude, I was on earlier, didn't even notice. Lemme download it.

 

[D_987]

Its a 1.4 GB file, quite big, you get a skirmish mode against the A.I and the first two missions in Campaign mode.

 

[Asehujiko]

It has to be a very good game to justify Ensemble Studios being dismantled over it. As i have no working x360 at the moment i won't make any statements over the actual gameplay yet but the trailers left me severely uninpressed.

On a scale of 1-10, id rate it a 2 for hogging the spot of AOE IV and V in advance.

 

[clarinetJWD]

Will a demo be released on the internet at all (probably not Steam, but anywhere else)? I don't have Xbox Live (since my university won't let me onnect the Xbox to their internet connection in Halls of Residence, thanks very much), so I can't play it until the official release unless it's on the internet for Windows instead.

Ensemble said there are no plans whatsoever for a PC version, so probably not. And it's easy enough to connect the box without them knowing...get a router, have it spoof your PCs IP and MAC address, plug both in, and go!

 

[D_987]

It has to be a very good game to justify Ensemble Studios being dismantled over it. As i have no working x360 at the moment i won't make any statements over the actual gameplay yet but the trailers left me severely uninpressed.

On a scale of 1-10, id rate it a 2 for hogging the spot of AOE IV and V in advance.

How can you possibly score a game your yet to play...?

 

[klc0100]

currently downloading it.

 

[Undeadpope]

just started Downloading it now,I have heard about but I have had NO interest whatsoever
mainly because if(I did'nt look in to this because I did'nt really care) its made by bungie whom could'nt make a well designed and balanced FPS I am having doubts about there ability to create a well designed a balanced RTS.however as the moments tick by on my download this opinion may change as for all games I approach from a critic sort of angle I don't hold any grudges.

edit(two seconds after this was posted):better not hold my breath this may take sometime.

 

[D_987]

This game was the last nail in the coffin for my relationship with Bungie. Halo2 being Vista Exclusive was enough of a pissoff, but having Halo Wars not launching on PC, that pisses me off. It's everything I love of Halo, put into my favorite genre, RTS. I'd knife my own brother for this game if it were on PC. But Bungie has nothing but contempt for PC gamers, so fuck em.

You do realise that this game was not made by Bungie - it was made by Ensemble, right?

 

[D_987]

just started Downloading it now,I have heard about but I have had NO interest whatsoever
mainly because if(I did'nt look in to this because I did'nt really care) its made by bungie whom could'nt make a well designed and balanced FPS I am having doubts about there ability to create a well designed a balanced RTS.however as the moments tick by on my download this opinion may change as for all games I approach from a critic sort of angle I don't hold any grudges.

edit(two seconds after this was posted):better not hold my breath this may take sometime.

Actually it was made by Ensemble - who specialise in RTS games.

 

[curlycrouton]

Apologies for the rant, but which phenomenal retard decided that this game won't be released on PC? They clearly haven't thought this through.

They're releasing a strategy game exclusively on consoles?! Could this be the worst decision by Ensemble ever? If this was released on the PC I know I'd buy it straight away. The PC is where the overwhelming majority of strategy game sales are made, surely Ensemble know that?

Think about it, is your average Gears of War player going to want to buy Halo Wars? Of course not, they're going to want simplicity, fighting and explosions.

Ensemble, I hate you.

 

[Bowstring]

just started Downloading it now,I have heard about but I have had NO interest whatsoever
mainly because if(I did'nt look in to this because I did'nt really care) its made by bungie whom could'nt make a well designed and balanced FPS I am having doubts about there ability to create a well designed a balanced RTS.however as the moments tick by on my download this opinion may change as for all games I approach from a critic sort of angle I don't hold any grudges.

edit(two seconds after this was posted):better not hold my breath this may take sometime.

It's not made by Bungie.

Edit: Ninjarised!

 

[NDWolfwood5268]

This game was the last nail in the coffin for my relationship with Bungie. Halo2 being Vista Exclusive was enough of a pissoff, but having Halo Wars not launching on PC, that pisses me off. It's everything I love of Halo, put into my favorite genre, RTS. I'd knife my own brother for this game if it were on PC. But Bungie has nothing but contempt for PC gamers, so fuck em.

FYI, Bungie didn't touch this game. Now extinct Ensemble did, if I recall correctly. So yeah...