Title: “Strategic Options” DLC for Halo Wars
Platform: 360
Publisher: Microsoft
Developer: Robot Entertainment
Review by: John Gustafson
A few months after the release of the surprisingly good Halo Wars, members of the development team Ensemble Studios, now called Robot Entertainment, have released the first piece of downloadable content support for the title.
Also surprising is just how much of a waste this add-on is. Those who elect to download this 800-Microsoft point selection will find very little in the way of satisfaction or expanded gameplay. Instead of addressing the largest complaint levied at Halo Wars – its lack of Covenant-themed campaign – or adding more units to the fray, or including the Flood as a playable faction for multiplayer, or simply new levels, fans will be ponying up for three, that’s right, only three multiplayer game modes.
The modes are…
Keepaway – Essentially a capture-the-flag styled game which tasks players with grabbing a form of technology left around by the Forerunners and holding it.
Tug-of-War – Is supposed to be about amassing the strongest army first and attacking, but it does not feel all that much different than a rush tactic.
Reinforcements – Units are given to the players instead of being manufactured or built. Strategic use of the forces must be employed by the player. It really is the only interesting variant to gameplay in this package.
Overall, this piece of DLC is garbage and should have been released as free content. Save the Microsoft points for a notable download for Halo Wars in the future… if more are released.
For more info, www.halowars.com
