E3 2016: ‘Halo Wars 2’ First Impressions

While the show was going on this week, some of us couldn’t make the trip into the heart of downtown LA, and some of us couldn’t find the time to try out the sequel to a beloved Halo title, Halo Wars 2. Whether you haven’t had the time, or are simply out of hard drive space (we’ve all been there), I’m sure you’re still at least a little curious to how a RTS title holds up on a console.

First, coming from a die-hard Halo Wars fan, I was excited to see what the folks at 343i had in store for the franchise. Halo Wars was introduced to the masses at a time where the future of Halo was uncertain. At the time, in 2009, we had heard rumblings that Bungie would be signing off after what ultimately became Halo: Reach. To make matters worse, Ensemble Studios, the developers behind Halo Wars and a couple of future Halo-related projects was shut down shortly after being acquired by Microsoft. Sure we got a couple of DLC packs post launch, but Halo Wars went relatively untouched for the remainder of its life. Today, it’s a backwards compatible title with online capability, and it’s still something I enjoy playing with friends. So, along with Ensemble’s demise, and the demise of a green-lit Halo MMO title, the future of this particular RTS was one giant question mark.

Last year, the Halo Wars franchise had a breath of new life. 343i made it very clear that the Halo Wars campaign story was not lost on them, and its lore was used in a variety of other mediums Halo has since conquered. Most recently, the logo for the Spirt of Fire, which was the main UNSC ship in Halo Wars‘ story, showed up in Halo 5 as a weapon skin. Characters related to the lore created by Halo Wars was also briefly mentioned in Halo‘s comic book series. By now, it would seem that 343i and Microsoft are full steam ahead on expanding Halo Wars.

All of this got me excited to try the game out, something you can do yourself by downloading the open beta today. Fans of the previous iteration may notice a couple of tweaks to the gameplay that feel, well, unnecessary. For instance, tech levels and base levels are now one in the same. Halo Wars 2 has done away with reactors and instead developed a sort of currency you build up to advance your tech level and research new units. This change may not be welcomed to those who prefer to just build reactors instead.

The game does look pretty. New sound effects and unit looks are a welcomed update. This still being in beta, the game’s look is all up from here. There are some units introduced to the game that were missing from the previous installment too. One of these units is the Sniper unit that is available when using Captain Cutter in the beta. Each unit clearly has an ability which can be countered by other units, depending on who chooses who when the game releases. Along with new ground units, we are also treated to new air units. Fans of Halo will most definitely recognize Banshees in the air, but there are also new air vehicles that, well, look weird. Most of the fan favorites appear to be back. Any Halo Wars veteran will tell you how great it is to attack a base with nothing but marines equipped with flamethrowers.

As for the heroes, only two were available in the beta. Captain Cutter reprises his role as the default UNSC hero, while a Brute, who I suppose was the same hero in the first Halo Wars, takes a more prominent role for the Covenant. What’s also new is that each hero has a sort of skill set assigned to them. For example, Captain Cutter is described as more of an attack hero while Atriox is described to have defensive units. Obviously, gamers will pick heroes that work best for them, but the unit differentials employ a greater sense of strategy than the first game.

While every unit wasn’t available in the beta, understandably so, Halo Wars 2 looks to redefine console RTS’ for the better. With the Halo franchise behind it, they might just do that. Unfortunately, Halo Wars 2 seems to have lost something that made the first magical. Still, with his being just a beta, I am completely open to changing my opinion when the game comes out.For now, I’ll stick to playing the first Halo Wars, which is now backwards compatible on the Xbox One.

Halo Wars 2 is set to release February 21, 2017.