Halo Wars 2

 PC
Metascore
70

Mixed or average reviews - based on 21 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 10 out of 21
  2. Mixed: 10 out of 21
  3. Negative: 1 out of 21
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  1. The Escapist
    Feb 20, 2017
    90
    Halo Wars 2 is the sequel that no-one really asked for, but is a surprisingly solid traditional base-building RTS, and is finally on a platform suited for the genre. The campaign is a little lacking, but several different multiplayer modes and the promise of "six months of regular updates" make up for it.
  2. GameStar
    Feb 19, 2017
    83
    Fast and easy to grasp RTS which has a lot to offer for Halo fans and PC strategists alike.
  3. PC Games
    Feb 22, 2017
    81
    Superior to its predecessor in every way. Amazing cutscenes, a fun (yet very short) campaign, lots of fan service and decent multiplayer come together in a robust RTS package. Due to its lack of depth and content, it probably won't win the hearts of many C&C or Starcraft 2 veterans, but at the same time it presents a great entry point for newcomers to the genre.
  5. Multiplayer.it
    Feb 20, 2017
    80
    Halo Wars 2 on the PC is not the deepest RTS ever but It is still a fun and compelling game.
  6. 3DJuegos
    Feb 17, 2017
    80
    Halo Wars 2 is a fun strategy game with epic action moments and addictive multiplayer, but its gameplay is not very complex and feels a bit limited.
  7. Game Informer
    Feb 21, 2017
    78
    I enjoyed my time with the first Halo Wars, so I’m glad that Microsoft took a chance with a sequel. Unfortunately, aside from Blitz, I don’t feel like Creative Assembly pushed the envelope. Simplified base building, smaller maps, and outdated level design keep Halo Wars 2 for achieving great heights. However, if you loved the first Halo Wars, this entry delivers more of the same.
  8. CD-Action
    Apr 5, 2017
    75
    Creative Assembly did their best to make Halo Wars 2 accessible without dumbing it down too much, but as it’s a console game at heart, some simplification to the RTS formula was inevitable. Apart from that the PC version is more than decent, as it features a different UI and the game’s pace was tweaked. Besides the single player campaign (13 really good missions) it offers a multiplayer mode, which unfortunately is tainted by a pay-to-win factor. [04/2017, p.70]
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  9. Ragequit.gr
    Mar 27, 2017
    75
    Halo Wars 2 is a decent title for newcomers to the RTS genre, who will be the ones that will mostly enjoy the game, especially in the innovative and fast-paced Blitz mode.
  10. GameWatcher
    Feb 27, 2017
    75
    Halo Wars 2 is a competent RTS game. It has its fair share of issues, and in some minds might be deemed simple. However, if you’re willing to look past the convoluted and frustrating UI, or maybe you want an RTS to get into, but are intimidated by the offerings on the market, Halo Wars 2 is a great place to start. Its story is good, delivering a true Halo narrative on the platform for the first time since Halo 2, and while the issues with the RTS elements might annoy some, it doesn’t meant the game isn’t fun to play. Additionally, the replay value is there thanks to the myriad of matches, the unlockable skills the game has for you, as well as multiplayer modes to take advantage of. And while Blitz mode does post a pay to win threat to the game itself, the mode on its own, taken at face value, is a frenetic blast to play.
  11. Wccftech
    Feb 20, 2017
    75
    Halo Wars 2 is an ideal strategy game for beginners. There's little doubting that the action is solid and it looks fantastic, but other strange choices mar what would be a great title. From downright bad writing, to the inclusion of pay to win microtransactions in a premium game, there are some absolutely perplexing decisions.
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  1. Kotaku
    Feb 20, 2017
    If you want to play a Halo game with the simpler story, backs-to-the-wall tone and cinematic flair of Bungie’s good ol’ days go right ahead and play Halo Wars 2. Just don’t expect the quality of the game to match that of the cutscenes.
  2. Rock, Paper, Shotgun
    Feb 20, 2017
    Halo Wars 2 is simultaneously conservative and inventive. It’s definitely trying to evoke traditional RTS games – which is not entirely a bad thing given the recent dearth of them – especially when it comes to the campaign, but elements like base construction and Blitz mode make it stand out enough that it doesn’t feel like you’re just going through the motions for the hundredth time. A clumsy UI and weird, sometimes fixed, keybindings and controls reveal its console heritage, but there are a surprising number of benefits to that side of the design.

Awards & Rankings

84
#84 Most Discussed PC Game of 2017

User Reviews

All reviews »
User Score
6.2

Mixed or average reviews- based on 157 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 82 out of 157
  2. Mixed: 26 out of 157
  3. Negative: 49 out of 157
  1. Antioch
    Feb 19, 2017
    6
    Pc gamers looking to get this game has to realise that this is a very casual RTS compared to what they might have been used to on pc withPc gamers looking to get this game has to realise that this is a very casual RTS compared to what they might have been used to on pc with games like f ex the Starcraft franchise.
    You will not have even close to the same control and ability to micromanagement either your units or base. Not that a more casual RTS is necessarily a bad thing, alot of people might be put of by games such as starcraft because it is more indepth and has a steeper learning curve.
    My main issues with Halo Wars 2 is not that it is more casual, it's because it puts so much frustration and idiotic obstacles in your way that sometimes it even requires more clicks to do simple stuff than in more indepth games.
    The UI is attrocious for pc and it has alot of controller diseases despite choosing m&k in the options menu. Speaking of optionsmenu... omg... it is an utter mess... I kid you not there are 15 tabs for keybinds with most of them not even making sense. Other options menues lags when you cycle through tabs and some tabs are even empty!
    Some hotkeys are worthless ingame, for instance you have to see your base to build stuff, and the hotkeys for building depends on where your buildings are placed. Wich makes them utterly useless because it is quicker to just click on the buildings.
    If you want to demolish a building a huge ass warning asking "are you sure" pops up on screen blocking your view. Console radial menues also plague this game, and they are huge blocking everything as they are selected.
    There is no attackmove either, your units do engage everything within range and give a short chase automatically and are generally smart enough in their targeting but half the time you try to micromanage they don't do what you want. Also their pathfinding is trash around 25% of the time.
    Also descriptions of various sort are missing so half the time you don't know what a level up does etc.
    You also have to bear in mind that there are microtransactions in the game, and not the good kind either.
    If you can stomach the horrendous UI and microtransactions there are alot of content in this package though. There are several online modes and a cardgametype mode (wich is where the microtransactions ruins this mode). And of course there is a campaign that so far offers pretty varied missions, it's not a starcraft lvl campaign but pretty good.
    Do note though that there is no crossplay between xbox one and pc and given this is a windows store exclusive (not the most popular store on pc) and there are alot of modes, so I'm worried multiplayer might turn out to be useless for pc gamers because it will be hard to find players after a while.
    Performancewise it runs okay on my i7 4770K, 16GB Ram and Titan Black (save for the lagging menues) but I did note that for a game that visually isn't anything amazing it hogs alot more resources than it should.
    To me the game is held back ALOT by the retarded console UI. If this is patched in the future for proper pc m&k control I would consider a higher score but as it is now, no, to many obstacles for such a simple casual RTS.    … Full Review »
  2. Hotrod192
    Feb 22, 2017
    7
    The campaign, while not as downright awful as Halo 5 (It would take a special kind of terrible to be worse than that game), is still mediocreThe campaign, while not as downright awful as Halo 5 (It would take a special kind of terrible to be worse than that game), is still mediocre at best. The story asks a few questions, but answers none. The plot is simple and somewhat unengaging, and the antagonists have about a minute of screentime and development. The Banished and their leader were described to us as being cunning and ruthless, yet none of that is ever shown in the game.

    The gameplay is fun though, and I'm enjoying the variety that multiplayer has to offer. On that side of things, Halo Wars 2 really builds on what made the first game so great, and offers a solid experience. That being said, the PC port is very poor. The UI is clearly not optimized for a mouse and keyboard, and the controls don't work very well. Unlike many modern RTS games, Halo Wars 2 is clunky and not always obvious to play.

    If anything, this is the final nail in the coffin for me, and I think I'm done with the Halo franchise. While Creative Assembly are technically the developers here, 343 Industries was clearly calling the shots here with everything else. Once again, 343 Industries shows to us that they do not know how to handle Bungie's legacy, and are more interested in making a quick buck than to give fans a quality game. It's sad, Halo went from being my absolute favourite franchise to some low quality generic series that fails to stand out. Halo Wars 2 is just the latest victim of 343 Industries's incompetence.    … Full Review »
  3. Deperon
    Feb 21, 2017
    10
    Прошел на одном дыхании. 1ю часть проходил еще на 360м, как я обрадовался когда запустил ее на ПК. 2я часть серии стала намного лучше. ОжидалПрошел на одном дыхании. 1ю часть проходил еще на 360м, как я обрадовался когда запустил ее на ПК. 2я часть серии стала намного лучше. Ожидал худшего... С жанром РТС в последнее время все очень плохо, Но Halo Wars 2 мастхэв к покупке! За 2 600 получить 1ю и 2ю часть+сизн пасс и копии на хуан. Вообще ништяк. 10 Логвиновых из 10, а то и 11, и даже 12, игра года, и.т.д.… Full Review »
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