Halo Wars

 Xbox 360
User Score
7.6

Generally favorable reviews- based on 600 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 394 out of 600
  2. Mixed: 129 out of 600
  3. Negative: 77 out of 600
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  1. jeycevetta
    Mar 7, 2009
    6
    Halo has just become so over-rated that they are starting to do RTS for it now?? I mean come on sure Halo 1 and 3 were great but those were FPS and that just works for Halo but RTS sadly does not. If Halo Wars was a more position troops here here and here then play that in FPS i think it would live up to all the hype that has been caused by all of this.
  2. JamieD
    Mar 10, 2009
    7
    This is by far the best console rts game I have every played, it was obviously made with console play in mind. That being said it is incredibly average compared to normal rts. It has a familiar set of characters, and I do love how a Spartan can hijack a Banchi, also the cut scenes are very good. But there is nothing other than previously metioned that set it apart from every single other RTS.
  3. MSTR
    Sep 19, 2014
    7
    why everyone hate this game because this game is a slow-building game? hello? this game is a "strategy" game. If you're halo fan you should heard about halo wars is going to be "slow-building game" And because of this game is "slow-building game" you guys giving 0,1,2 ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR MIND this is a good solid "strategy" game. This game is rough around the edges but still 0/10? 1,2/10?why everyone hate this game because this game is a slow-building game? hello? this game is a "strategy" game. If you're halo fan you should heard about halo wars is going to be "slow-building game" And because of this game is "slow-building game" you guys giving 0,1,2 ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR MIND this is a good solid "strategy" game. This game is rough around the edges but still 0/10? 1,2/10? If you like strategy games you'll like this one, if you're a person who refers strategy game to "slow-building game" you'll hate this one.i mean seriously Star (user name) did you even see the back of the **** cover?… Expand
  4. wololooo
    Mar 19, 2012
    6
    It's not the cheap cash-out a lot of people accuse it of being, but Halo Wars is really nothing special. It's an extremely basic RTS with simplistic gameplay and awkward controls (why it exists on the 360 and not the PC is a mystery). Multiplayer was extremely disappointing - prepare to be warthog or ghost rushed within the first ten minutes of any given game. The biggest redeeming factorIt's not the cheap cash-out a lot of people accuse it of being, but Halo Wars is really nothing special. It's an extremely basic RTS with simplistic gameplay and awkward controls (why it exists on the 360 and not the PC is a mystery). Multiplayer was extremely disappointing - prepare to be warthog or ghost rushed within the first ten minutes of any given game. The biggest redeeming factor is the graphics - Ensemble Studios did a great job of capturing the visual style of the previous games in the series. All in all, Halo Wars is not necessarily a BAD game, but unless you're a diehard Halo fan you're much better off getting your RTS fix elsewhere.… Expand
  5. BaconConoisseur
    Nov 8, 2013
    7
    As far as RTS games go this is near the bottom of the list. However if you are a huge fan of the Halo universe then this game is a blast. It is full of downsides like only being able to build a maximum of 7 buildings per base and only being able to build bases in preset locations. However creating, controlling, and battling military units from the Halo universe makes you forget aboutAs far as RTS games go this is near the bottom of the list. However if you are a huge fan of the Halo universe then this game is a blast. It is full of downsides like only being able to build a maximum of 7 buildings per base and only being able to build bases in preset locations. However creating, controlling, and battling military units from the Halo universe makes you forget about most of the shortcomings. The cut scenes are spectacular and the basic level designs are very well thought out.… Expand
  6. Review9
    Aug 22, 2010
    6
    By far the worst halo game of all! It may have been fun for some people but not for me. It got repetetive and if you failed a mission you get to start from the begining! Some mission's were 20 minutes long just to fail in the dieing seconds? AHHHHHHHHH! I give it a 6.3 out of 10.
  7. Jagkid007
    Aug 29, 2010
    6
    This game is alright but to slap the halo name on it was just to get sales and maybe better ratings for a very average RTS game. The campaign was horrible. The gameplay was somewhat boring and not all that interesting. But this game does have some decent multiplayer. You can play with up to 6 players on xbox live. It is pretty fun but will only keep you interested for a little bit. ThisThis game is alright but to slap the halo name on it was just to get sales and maybe better ratings for a very average RTS game. The campaign was horrible. The gameplay was somewhat boring and not all that interesting. But this game does have some decent multiplayer. You can play with up to 6 players on xbox live. It is pretty fun but will only keep you interested for a little bit. This game is alright and if you are a hardcore RTS fan, this game probably is not for you, but if you a pretty big halo fan, you might want to take a look. This game is alright for a console RTS but with all of the excellent ones on the PC, this just falls flat on its face.… Expand
  8. BrandonMilby
    Mar 4, 2009
    5
    I suppose this could be interesting if this is your first time playing anything other than an FPS, but for the rest of us the game is overly simplistic, dumbed down, and simply not very interesting. There are so many other games that do what this is trying to accomplish, only much better.
  9. AlexR
    Jun 9, 2009
    6
    After playing multiplayer you can easily realize that this game is terribly unbalanced. A sound strategy is having a lot of just one thing and anyone who chooses to create an army of a variety of units will be stomped. This sort of gameplay creates matches that last less than 5 minutes and successful strategies implied, lack thought or real tactical skill. For example, a common strategy After playing multiplayer you can easily realize that this game is terribly unbalanced. A sound strategy is having a lot of just one thing and anyone who chooses to create an army of a variety of units will be stomped. This sort of gameplay creates matches that last less than 5 minutes and successful strategies implied, lack thought or real tactical skill. For example, a common strategy for this game is producing as many warthogs as quickly as possible and then simply sending them towards the general direction of your opposition. Since warthogs are cheep to upgrade, produce, and they build fast opposing this strategy can be very difficult. While the user only has to build one unit. Now for a greater tatical experience I emphasize players to try out Tom Clancy's Endwar.… Expand
  10. Tror123
    Mar 14, 2009
    6
    This game was really flat as far as being an rpg...however a great step towards bringing them to the console. But the bottom line was that this game was simply not fun at all. It breaks many if not all the trust hereustically speaking in an RTS. The AI is also sub par, why can't my vehicles path correctly? Why can't I buid that cool unit I built last mission? Its also not that This game was really flat as far as being an rpg...however a great step towards bringing them to the console. But the bottom line was that this game was simply not fun at all. It breaks many if not all the trust hereustically speaking in an RTS. The AI is also sub par, why can't my vehicles path correctly? Why can't I buid that cool unit I built last mission? Its also not that innovative as far as RTS's go...overall a very non paradigmatic move which I expected in an HALO IP...I had the feeling it was a little cheap and not having the entire soul of the brand is holds.… Expand
  11. RowanF
    Mar 19, 2009
    7
    A solid, interesting RTS which has a control scheme that realy works with the 360s controller, at the cost of any real depth or strategy. While Halo Wars looks pretty and has plenty of upgradable units pulled straight from the Halo universe, it realy does just boil down to spamming enormous amounts of the two or three most awsome units and using them to take down the enemy. The single A solid, interesting RTS which has a control scheme that realy works with the 360s controller, at the cost of any real depth or strategy. While Halo Wars looks pretty and has plenty of upgradable units pulled straight from the Halo universe, it realy does just boil down to spamming enormous amounts of the two or three most awsome units and using them to take down the enemy. The single player has a fairly interesting, yet terribly cliched, plot which is shown in some beautifuly rendered cutscenes but the multipalyer is probably the best feature of the game. Even so, the multiplayer can be totaly flawed in some instances: If your enemy decides to attack early with some realy basic units, you'll be competely pwerless to stop them if you'vebeen plannign on creaqting a big base first and attacking with a massive army later on. So it's nice... but far too shallow.… Expand
  12. Polish_Infidel
    Apr 7, 2013
    6
    I really wanted to love this game. I liked it, but did not love it. First and foremost, RTS games are way better on the PC, mouse and keyboard will beat a controller any time, and that is what plagues RTS games in general on a console. Being the Halo fan I am, the game provides enough of a story to get by and the units you can use are fun and interesting.
  13. TJplacitelli
    Oct 20, 2015
    6
    Halo Wars is not a first person shooter, it is a big real-time strategy game from Ensemble Studios in this game you can play as the UNSC and the Covenant. Halo Wars is aimed at age 13+ Halo Wars has less gore and violence that is why it has a lower age rating than other games in the series but it still has colourful language.
    Halo Wars is a nice twist in the Halo series as it breaks with    Halo Wars is not a first person shooter, it is a big real-time strategy game from Ensemble Studios in this game you can play as the UNSC and the Covenant. Halo Wars is aimed at age 13+ Halo Wars has less gore and violence that is why it has a lower age rating than other games in the series but it still has colourful language.
    Halo Wars is a nice twist in the Halo series as it breaks with tradition.
    The game controls are easy and simple to use. The sound quality is good. The graphics in game are decent it could be a bit beater.
    I think that Halo Wars is 1 of the best classic strategy games that I have played because it is a fun but challenging game.    … Expand
  14. RoninNinjaXL
    Sep 25, 2020
    7
    GREAT GAME WITH A BADASS SLAP CERTIFIED

    Story: 8
    Gameplay: 7
    ost: 7
    Characters: 9
  15. Panzerfaust44
    Mar 9, 2011
    7
    Looks really nice, best RTS UI on a console yet, the multiplayer is pretty fun and the code is stable. Stupid Halo story but it is what it is. Wonâ
  16. Scootsmen
    May 6, 2013
    6
    It's a worthy console RTS that is fairly enjoyable to play with friends. The single-player story fails to do anything interesting though and you'll probably be playing the multiplayer component more. The framerate can get seriously choppy to the point where massive battles feel like low-quality animated GIFs. It's also inexcusable, because the game is pretty ugly and doesn't have very muchIt's a worthy console RTS that is fairly enjoyable to play with friends. The single-player story fails to do anything interesting though and you'll probably be playing the multiplayer component more. The framerate can get seriously choppy to the point where massive battles feel like low-quality animated GIFs. It's also inexcusable, because the game is pretty ugly and doesn't have very much going on in the landscape. Covenant leader powers are also seriously dull and underpowered. Other than that, the gameplay is good and I like playing with my friends online. You can also play against bots, but you'll have to crank them up to Legendary for a challenge. The community isn't all that bad and it's one of the only decent RTS games on the Xbox 360. If you are a fan of RTS games looking for a good, multiplayer console RTS to play; look no further than Halo Wars.… Expand
  17. potatoes351
    Aug 13, 2012
    7
    As a firm hater of strategy games I only picked up Halo Wars as it was a Halo game. The gameplay was great for a console strategy game but that wasn't the saving grace for me. Halo Wars tells you the story of the events on Harvest, pre-Halo:CE you command marines and SPARTANS alike along with vehicles and even a UNSC frigate. By no means is Halo Wars great but its worth picking up if yourAs a firm hater of strategy games I only picked up Halo Wars as it was a Halo game. The gameplay was great for a console strategy game but that wasn't the saving grace for me. Halo Wars tells you the story of the events on Harvest, pre-Halo:CE you command marines and SPARTANS alike along with vehicles and even a UNSC frigate. By no means is Halo Wars great but its worth picking up if your a Halo fan… Expand
  18. OwtDaft
    Jun 2, 2019
    7
    + The story is ok.
    + Might be a good place to start if your looking to get into RTS games.
    + Very nice graphics.
    - The game is ultra simplistic.
    - The game has you waiting a lot.
    - There is no creativity with how you build your base.
  19. Rem
    Jan 24, 2015
    7
    I'd hate to admit, but I have very little to no experience with RTS games. Most of my strategy if I do play one is cheese a single type of unit and order them all to attack anyone who looks at me funny. This is the case with Halo Wars, which sees a departure from the FPS style of the franchise in favor of a more top-down approach. The story this time around has very little to do withI'd hate to admit, but I have very little to no experience with RTS games. Most of my strategy if I do play one is cheese a single type of unit and order them all to attack anyone who looks at me funny. This is the case with Halo Wars, which sees a departure from the FPS style of the franchise in favor of a more top-down approach. The story this time around has very little to do with Master Chief and his exploits instead dealing with the Human-Covenant War in its twilight years. The story while serviceable, is hardly memorable but does tend to wow with its CGI cutscenes. However I do praise the soundtrack mainly for incorporating a Halo-esque piano soundtrack without actually reiterating the original Halo theme. Despite this the game as a console RTS game is decent for the most part, mainly because of my inexperience with RTSs in general. Although the clear color coding of each faction is welcoming, I am sort of bummed that there is a lack of a return to base button, something sorely needed when I'm getting my schlong ripped apart because my Warthogs got caught in the geometry on their way back.… Expand
  20. savagejoe444
    Jun 1, 2013
    7
    Not bad, but...
    Its not the Halo game I remember. I don't mind a little originality, I mean, a Halo RTS, who wouldn't! The cutscenes, first of all, are great and the team-based strategy is fun for a while, but hardcore fans, like myself, probably won't be happy with this change. You don't get to fight from a first person view of the soldiers you control, which couldv'e been fun. Its not a    Not bad, but...
    Its not the Halo game I remember. I don't mind a little originality, I mean, a Halo RTS, who wouldn't! The cutscenes, first of all, are great and the team-based strategy is fun for a while, but hardcore fans, like myself, probably won't be happy with this change. You don't get to fight from a first person view of the soldiers you control, which couldv'e been fun. Its not a "bad" game, it just doesn't feel like the Halo game we know and love, that's all.    … Expand
  21. dyshpo
    Jul 29, 2013
    7
    Camera movement not the best but still is a very good game love it. Though the constant updates on ur movement do get on ones nerves it actually keeps u timely up to speed whats happening on the map
  22. FloodSlayer
    Nov 11, 2013
    7
    I've never played a stradegy game before but I liked this game, was fun & tough(tough as in other players). I just wish there was more stradegy based games on the Xbox.
  23. flametail23
    Dec 9, 2014
    5
    THIS IS NOT A BAD GAME. I just don't like it because it's not a Halo game and I'm not very big on the stategy genre as a whole.

    Verdict:
    Not a bad game.
    5/10
  24. Termin8ter
    Apr 21, 2016
    5
    Boring,boring,boring. Halo Wars is a very boring Halo game. The story is EXTREMELY hard to get invested in, the gameplay itself is so boring it can help you fall asleep. The only entertaining thing about Wars is the CGI cutscenes between levels. Skip this game, buy Halo 3 or Reach. Nuff said.
  25. PatheticPancake
    Sep 8, 2015
    7
    Halo wars takes a new approach at halo, it has gone back to its roots to tackle the RTS franchise and I have to say halo is a brilliant game to have an RTS instalment. The campaign is thought out and unlike other RTS's it is relevant to the missions and doesn't feel forced. As their is no PC port there are certain limitations such as the level design felt tight on nearly all maps whichHalo wars takes a new approach at halo, it has gone back to its roots to tackle the RTS franchise and I have to say halo is a brilliant game to have an RTS instalment. The campaign is thought out and unlike other RTS's it is relevant to the missions and doesn't feel forced. As their is no PC port there are certain limitations such as the level design felt tight on nearly all maps which combined with large units and some sloppy AI at times makes moving through the map very annoying, forcing you to move a single unit just so another one can move as the AI doesn't seem to know how to move for another unit. Skirmish allows up to 3v3 game on a variety of maps but the AI is either extremely stupid or stupidly hard in fact the AI on the higher settings feels like its cheating getting end game units 10 minuets in, instead of having clever tactics. So at the end I feel that if you play halo for the first person shooter don't bother but from a dedicated halo fan this is worth the buy. If you buy this for the RTS value its a fun experience but certain limitations and controls make this very stiff and annoying to a veteran RTS player.… Expand
  26. gameguardian21
    Mar 20, 2016
    7
    While the idea of halo having a real time strategy sounds awesome, it doesn't go on its full potential with its o.k story. Besides that, its fun to be playing online with others battling either the covent or unsc.
  27. Broyax
    Apr 13, 2017
    6
    Cette conversion de Halo au STR est plutôt réussie malgré quelques soucis ici et là. L'interface est très bien pensée pour la manette et les graphismes fort jolis (effets, animations des unités, explosions...). Et les cinématiques sont superbes ! rien à redire non plus du côté des effets sonores ou de la VF, du beau boulot.

    Les soucis concernent les ralentissements nombreux et surtout    Cette conversion de Halo au STR est plutôt réussie malgré quelques soucis ici et là. L'interface est très bien pensée pour la manette et les graphismes fort jolis (effets, animations des unités, explosions...). Et les cinématiques sont superbes ! rien à redire non plus du côté des effets sonores ou de la VF, du beau boulot.

    Les soucis concernent les ralentissements nombreux et surtout le niveau de dézoom très insuffisant, difficile d'avoir une vision globale du théâtre des opérations dans ces conditions et la mini-carte imprécise ne suffit pas à combler ce handicap. Plutôt rédhibitoire dans un STR ! l'interface à la manette montre aussi ses limites pour (re)grouper les unités comme on le voudrait à moins de perdre un temps fou en micro-gestion. Dommage aussi qu'on soit limité à un certain nombre d'unités maximum par mission...

    Halo Wars reste sympathique pour sa campagne bien menée et peut servir d'initiation ou de "STR pour les nuls" lorsqu'on est allergique à ce genre de jeux comme moi ! et c'est déjà pas mal finalement.    … Expand
  28. PalpetineSheev
    Mar 20, 2020
    6
    An odd yet fun outlier in the Halo series. There are certainly some issues in terms of story and gameplay mechanics, but not enough to tarnish the experience.
  29. Dperks
    Jan 16, 2022
    7
    As someone whos not a big fan of RTS games I'm surprised I enjoyed Halo Wars as much as I did. Originally I played this game years ago not long after it released and at the time was put off by the fact it wasn't a first person shooter. But regardless I gave it a shot and while it hasn't made me a fan of the RTS genre I still appreciate ands enjoy what the game offers both as an RTS and asAs someone whos not a big fan of RTS games I'm surprised I enjoyed Halo Wars as much as I did. Originally I played this game years ago not long after it released and at the time was put off by the fact it wasn't a first person shooter. But regardless I gave it a shot and while it hasn't made me a fan of the RTS genre I still appreciate ands enjoy what the game offers both as an RTS and as a piece of the Halo Universe. I've played a bit of other console RTS games in the past and Halo Wars certainly improve on Console RTS games as much of the genre is mainly on PC. The Story is fine enough taking place much earlier in the human covenant war is an interesting decision and fits the RTS style with it being an all out war at this point. Of course with prequels their are restrictions with what you can do but the ending with the whole ship going MIA adrift in space allowed the narrative more freedom to do stuff like have the flood and introduce us to a forerunner planet. And the ending allowed some leeway to a potential sequel that we would ultimately get with out making the story feel complete if we had never gotten one. The characters aren't that interesting nor do they grow or change during the story but they work fine enough to fit in the Halo character roles that we were accustomed to at the time. Wise leader tough sergeant intelligent scientist and snarky AI you know what I mean. When it come down to the gameplay theirs not much I can say other then it controls well and play's fine. I think the gameplay is mostly dependent on the levels themselves though and some of the levels are pretty good. The first handful of levels are fine and I enjoyed them the one with the scarab head being one of my favorites as it doesn't feel like a lot of the other levels and that's part of the problem by the end of the game the levels start to feel the same. But what really brings them down are the flood levels the first 3 flood levels are my least favorite possibly in the entire series. Fighting the flood is tedious, boring and frustrating and they don't serve as a good break from the covenant especially when the first 3 flood levels look very similar to each other. Another issue I found with the game is difficulty and to be fair this probably stems from my lack of experience with the genre but most levels are way to easy while other are way to difficult if you ask me. The game kind lacks a balance either I'm crushing the enemy or my situation seems hopeless. But when the level is balanced just right it is really good. Overall I like Halo wars it provides a story different but familiar and provides a different experience in the Halo Universe. And provides a bunch of background lore and some pretty cool vehicle designs I wish weed see in a main Halo gamer someday.… Expand
  30. zNeverSleeping
    Jan 23, 2020
    7
    É um bom jogo, mas há muito o que melhorar.

    A historia é legal de se acompanhar, e as Cutscenes são bem feitas para a época. A mecânica do jogo funciona bem, mas eu não notem um sistema de counter muito inteligente. Eu geralmente fazia um conjunto de unidade padrão e ele dava conta do recado. Era como se o jogo não me exigisse determinado set para determinadas ocasiões. O sistema de    É um bom jogo, mas há muito o que melhorar.

    A historia é legal de se acompanhar, e as Cutscenes são bem feitas para a época. A mecânica do jogo funciona bem, mas eu não notem um sistema de counter muito inteligente. Eu geralmente fazia um conjunto de unidade padrão e ele dava conta do recado. Era como se o jogo não me exigisse determinado set para determinadas ocasiões. O sistema de evolução é legal. No que se diz respeito as tropas, raramente eu notava uma diferença significativa, talvez porque não fosse muito visual. O problema é que existem poucos upgrades, e ter de fazê-los todos novamente a cada missão enjoa uma hora. A Inteligencia artificial é muito burra, principalmente quanto a mobilidade. Você não pode selecionar previamente quem vai na frente e quem fica atras - não de uma maneira dinâmica, dependendo muito dela. Isso estressava demais, e nas maiores dificuldades desestimula o jogador.    … Expand
  31. goodgriff33
    Dec 24, 2022
    7
    Answer: 75 characters is between 10 words and 19 words with spaces included in the character count. If spaces are not included in the character count, then 75 characters is between 12 words and 25 words.
  32. Yojimbo2015
    Jun 27, 2023
    7
    Essentially Command & Conquer set in the Halo universe, complete with appropriate story line to embellish the carnage. If you like either of those games, there's plenty to enjoy here. If you like both, you're in for a treat.
  33. Parrabam
    Jan 30, 2023
    7
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Un juego de Halo al estilo de Age of Empires II para Consola, es increible, cuenta una historia diferente, mostrando que Halo no es solo el Jefe Maestro, es un universo donde hay diferentes heroes, la historia es una precuela de la trilogia de juegos, contando desde casí el primer contacto con el Covenant, con un final que deja abierto a cualquier posibilidad en el futuro. La jugabilidad es algo nuevo, porque ahora usas el mando, y no un teclado y mouse, pero a la vez familiar, pues hay vehiculos y unidades conocidas pero tambien hay nuevas, y de ambas facciones, el punto negativo que tiene es que al ser un juego de estrategia en tiempo real, no hay pantalla dividida, pues no hay forma para que eso se pueda, solo puedes jugar Multijugador contra otra persona que tenga su Xbox 360 y Xbox Live Gold.… Expand

Awards & Rankings

43
#43 Best Xbox 360 Game of 2009
10
#10 Most Discussed Xbox 360 Game of 2009
5
#5 Most Shared Xbox 360 Game of 2009

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
82

Generally favorable reviews - based on 92 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 81 out of 92
  2. Mixed: 11 out of 92
  3. Negative: 0 out of 92
  1. Official Xbox Magazine
    90
    Though it's not a first-person shooter, Halo Wars packs all the Halo fixings you've come to expect: an engaging campaign, co-op play, engrossing multiplayer, efficient party-friendly matchmaking, hidden skulls, Legendary difficulty, and impeccable controls. We can confidently say that it's the foremost example of a real-time strategy game done right on a console. [Mar 2009, p.72]
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  2. Edge Magazine
    70
    It’s a feeling that never quite dissipates over the game’s core 15 missions, a sense of lean and focused game design which prizes the exhilarating tussle of conflict over long, drawn-out army building. [Mar 2009, p.86]
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  3. Game Informer
    90
    Halo Wars isn't perfect, but it's a huge step in the right direction for console RTS. For the first time in the sub-genre, I felt like I was playing a game instead of wrestling with a kludged-together control scheme. [Mar 2009, p.88]
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