If you’re a Halo fan then you’re going to love Halo Wars. Keep in mind that this isn’t your traditional Halo First Person Shooter. This is a Real Time Strategy game set in the Halo universe. So don’t expect the Master Chief to be around.

For those who aren’t fans of RTS games, please don’t worry. Halo Wars isn’t a deep RTS. The game is simple to pick up and learn and was made for a console. If you are an RTS fan then don’t get your hopes up. Halo Wars doesn’t reinvent the RTS wheel but it is a fun game. Ensemble Studios has made a nice and easy to use RTS system that was made specifically for the 360 and I’m sure all the Halo fans will love it. That’s right, Bungie didn’t do this game but you’d never know it. The attention to detail is amazing. You’ll recognize all your favorite bad guys and good guys from the Halo universe in this game, including the Flood but they aren’t playable.

The campaign is from the point of view of the United Nations Space Command. There is no Covenant campaign but they are available for play in multiplayer. Unlike traditional RTS games you have a limited building area and limited resources but this all works out well in the system designed for Halo Wars. Also, the CGI cut scenes during the campaign are amazing. Every Halo fan will love them! The overall feel to the campaign is very epic and fits well into the Halo universe. A Co-op mode is fun to try with a friend as well.

Multiplayer is just like Halo multiplayer. Easy to set up match making tied in with a ranking system makes for hours of fun to be had against other Halo fans from around the world. I can see Halo Wars being the new Halo party game. There are also different Commanders that each race can choose to lead and each give a different special ability to their army. These Commanders helps mix up the game so that it doesn’t always feel like the exact same UNSC vs Covenant battle. Also having 14 different maps in multiplayer rotation helps keep things fresh.

Overall the game is beautiful and easy to play. Halo Wars fits well into the Halo universe and I can easily see this being the new game to be played at the Halo parties. If you are a Halo fan, you’ll enjoy Halo Wars for certain!