Halo Wars was born as an attempt to create a real-time strategy game exclusively for consoles. In the past, some developers tried bringing RTS games to consoles, such as Warcraft for the PSX or Age of Empires 2 for the PS2. However, since these games were originally designed for PCs, they carried a level of complexity that worked well with a mouse and keyboard but didn’t always provide a great experience on a controller.

With that in mind, Halo Wars was developed as a console-first RTS. Ensemble Studios (RIP) did a great job, in my opinion, bringing RTS concepts to consoles while simplifying mechanics to create a fun experience. They significantly reduced the amount of micro-management required in traditional RTS games. While many RTS veterans might see this as a downside, it can be a great way for newcomers to enter the genre with a controller. For example, the game only has two resources to manage, and there’s no concept of workers/builders as seen in games like Age of Empires or Warcraft. Your base is a static structure with six slots where you can build constructions to manage your military and economic resources.

For civilizations, the game keeps things simple as well. There are two races (UNSC and Covenant), and each has three different "heroes" with unique abilities. So, overall, the gameplay is quite streamlined.

However, this simplicity doesn’t make the game “bad.” On the contrary, it makes the game more dynamic and fun to play, especially on a controller. And speaking of that, this game feels like a perfect fit for controllers. I played the entire campaign on my Steam Deck and had an amazing time, as I was able to enjoy the game in short bursts.

The story is solid—neither exceptional nor poor. It’s completely separate from the main Halo saga and serves more as fan service. If you’ve played the main saga, it’s a nice-to-know addition, but it’s not essential IMO. The campaign is short, but I don’t see that as a drawback—it feels like the ideal length. There are 15 chapters, each taking around 30–45 minutes to complete.

So, is this game for you? If you’re an RTS veteran seeking a complex, competitive game, the answer is definitely no. You won’t feel challenged due to the game’s simpler structure, and the multiplayer scene is nearly dead.

But, if you’re trying to get into the RTS genre, this is a great game. The simpler mechanics make it an excellent entry point for newcomers. If you’re a Halo fan, it’s also a great game. While it doesn’t have the best story in the franchise, it’s a solid one. If you’re looking to play an RTS on a controller or handheld device, this is one of the best options available right now. The short campaign chapters also make it perfect for short play sessions.

In my opinion, it’s impossible to recommend this game to hardcore RTS fans who love the complex micro-management found in StarCraft or Age of Empires. However, if you’re open to a different take on the genre, want to play with a controller, or explore more Halo lore, I highly recommend this game. It’s a solid experience.

Entry level RTS mechanics but quite satisfying in execution and given the love and attention to detail expected in a franchise of this calibre - I was messing around in skirmish for a while against the AI just experimenting and I noticed that the 'Elite Honor Guard' (?) unit that the Prophet gets has a very cool, unique set of animations for killing other enemy elite units (Spartans, namely) - lots of little things like this add a level of quality and polish that help mask what is an otherwise very basic, almost designed-to-the-point, entry level RTS game mechanically. You're probably never going to NEED to move 8 different unit groups of troops across the battlefield, but I guess, you could? If you really wanted to? It's not age of empires or other RTS games where specific units might have exclusive counters in other specific units and instead uses a general rock-paper-scissors type balance, this, though, honestly working in the games favour as with only 2 factions and 6 'characters' playable, the roster is quite limited, although each of the 3 characters on each side or faction has a unique unit or two, and differences in passive benefits and active abilities, outside of this the UNSC play like the UNSC and the Wort Wort Wort play like Wort Wort Wort. The story is your typical halo "as camp as starship troopers but twice as serious". There's really not much 'game' here in terms of replay-ability outside of skirmishing the AI unless you're keen on multiplayer against other players and if starting this in 2025 I imagine you're going probably going to get the welcome you expect as a new player in a somewhat hyperspecific 10 year old game - you're going to be beat like a runaway slave.

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