As Halo Wars turns 15, we look back on this bold genre-breaking experiment
Little wars, big consequences
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15 years ago, theHalofranchise took a bold leap into the real-time strategy (RTS) genre, giving audiences a whole new perspective on a beloved franchise.Halo Warsrepresented a brave attempt byMicrosoftGame Studios to place its world-famous setting in a brand new context: the RTS game.
Until 2009, the sweeping sci-fi space opera of theHaloseries had been confined purely to the first-person shooter (FPS) formula. Generally, these games offered a bleak future, where humanity was stuck in an asymmetrical war with a superior alien enemy referred to as the Covenant; a society of religious zealots and fanatics. However, until the release ofHalo Wars, this conflict and the rich setting that underpinned it had only been explored from behind the iconic green helmet of Master Chief - the last Spartan supersoldier.
Halo Warswould be the firstHalotitle to follow from the trilogy, and the time was right for a fresh direction. Developed by Ensemble Studios, the folks behind the seminalAge of EmpiresRTS games,Halo Warswould offer a top-down look at the series. Taking place 21 years before the events ofHalo: Combat Evolved,Halo Warsoffered a broader look at the setting, focusing on one of humanity’s earlier battles with the Covenant.
However, in typical RTS fashion, players commanded an entire army, offering a far broader perspective and allowing for storytelling on a bigger scale. Instead of controlling one man, you now controlled an entire army with a singular mission.Halo Warsdemanded that you take a wider form of responsibility and, in doing so, allowed us to reckon with the breadth of humanity’s war with the Covenant.
Humanity isn’t quite as battered inHalo Warsas it is in theHalotrilogy. The United Nations Space Command (UNSC) has supersoldiers to spare. Seeing a group of Spartans battle hordes of aliens in a gorgeous cutscene blew my mind back in 2009 - the way they towered over their non-augmented counterparts and methodically dispatched their enemies was breathtaking. The notion of commandingmultipleSpartans in battle was as novel as it was empowering.
The view from above
Though Master Chief was always the focal point of theHaloseries, the overarching plot of the original trilogy was always about humanity’s fight for survival. However, untilHalo Warsarrived, we’d only seen this conflict from a very specific perspective.
Fortunately,Halo Warschanged this by giving you access to an entire army and through its compelling storytelling, which focused on more vulnerable, non-augmented characters. Instead of following the story of Master Chief, the main campaign centered around Captain Cutter, a grizzled naval officer, young buck Sergeant Forge, and the pragmatic Professor Anders. These characters offered a refreshing change of pace fromHalo’s past.
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By taking a broader look at the scale and human cost of conflict, Halo Wars helped pave the way for Halo 3: ODST
It’s a recurring theme in theHalouniverse that the humans are the underdogs. This was sometimes a hard sell in the originalHalotrilogy due to Master Chief’s superhuman killing abilities. As a Spartan, you were a powerhouse, shooting your way through scores of aliens in a manner reminiscent ofDoom. This made for a thrilling game experience, but this sometimes made the idea of our hero being the underdog seem a little farfetched.
This is something thatHalo Warsaddresses in a big way. Soldiers die in battle, and even the named characters are far from invulnerable. By taking a broader look at the scale and human cost of conflict,Halo Warshelped pave the way forHalo 3: ODST, a stand-alone FPS campaign that would follow a squad of drop-troopers stranded in the city of New Mombasa. Contrary to Master Chief, these soldiers lacked shields and couldn’t trivially dual-wield weapons, meaning that cover and planning were vital for survival. Much likeHalo Wars, it was a bold departure from what players had known before and became all the stronger for it.
Leap of faith
The move from FPS to RTS helped highlight how new genres can help shine fresh perspectives on existing settings and franchises, even for something as iconic asHalo. While far from perfect,Halo Wars’ slick and intuitive system for mass battles helped illustrate that new contexts can enrich established game worlds.Halo Wars’success in this regard doubtless helped getHalo Wars 2greenlit - a sequel that was released back in 2016.
We’ve seen other developers run with this idea, too. ATLUS, the studio behind the popularPersonaseries of role-playing games (RPGs), has released plenty of spin-offs for the series, which explore new genres, following in the footsteps ofHalo Warsin their own way. Speaking forPersona 5, the most recent mainline title, we’ve seen a dancing game, an action RPG, and even astrategy spin-off, all of which go to show how different genres can bring variety to existing settings.
Avowed,anupcoming gamefrom role-playing game (RPG) veterans Obsidian Entertainment, will be following inHalo Wars’footsteps, too, albeit in the opposite direction. The anticipated RPG is set to be a first-person adaptation of the fantasy setting used for the studio’sPillars of Eternityseries of isometric RPGs. LikeHalo Wars,Avowedwill give us adifferent sort of lookat the fantasy world of Eora.
Halo Warswas a brave experiment at the time it was released, and while it’s unlikely to have directly inspired the likes ofAvowedorPersona 5 Tactica, it’s a living, breathing example of how success is possible for those seeking to offer a new spin on a beloved series. It goes to show that that this kind of leap of faith can pay off; clearly showing developers and audiences everywhere that acts of lateral reinvention can deliver in big ways.
Want more iconic titles? Check out our lists of thebest Xbox Series X gamesand thebest PS5 exclusives.
An editor and freelance journalist, Cat Bussell has been writing about video games for more than four years and, frankly, she’s developed a taste for it. As seen on TechRadar, Technopedia, The Gamer, Wargamer, and SUPERJUMP, Cat’s reviews, features, and guides are lovingly curated for your reading pleasure.
A Cambridge graduate, recovering bartender, and Cloud Strife enjoyer, Cat’s foremost mission is to bring you the best coverage she can, whether that’s through helpful guides, even-handed reviews, or thought-provoking features. She’s interviewed indie darlings, triple-A greats, and legendary voice actors, all to help you get closer to the action. When she’s not writing, Cat can be found sticking her neck into a fresh RPG or running yet another Dungeons & Dragons game.
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