Point, click, repeat. Not the typical terminology that one uses when discussing a Halo game, but alas, here we are, reviewing Halo Wars for the 360, a game that takes the First-Person Shooter extravaganza into the Real Time Strategy realm. Wait, what?

   That's right. Microsoft and the artists formerly known as Ensemble Studios have gone and taken Halo and turned it into a console-exclusive RTS. But by taking the guns out of the hands of the player and replacing them with, um, whatever it is you use to tactically move troops around a battlefield, they also sapped a bit of the fun from the franchise.

You there, go kill me some grunts!

   In the interest of full disclosure (and to prove that I'm not trying to be a total d-bag), I will point out at this time that I am not a fan of RTS games. I know they have their place, and I respect people who put lots of time in, mining for gold and building their armies to take over the virtual world. Hey, you're still playing a video game, so it can't be all bad, right? Well, they're just not for me. When someone hands me Halo, I want to pick up a gun with the Master Chief's hands (or Arbiter's, if I really have to) and shoot me some alien scum. What I don't want to do is tell someone else to pick up his gun, run from point A to point B and then, if he feels like it, please, shoot that grunt for me, thank you.

   At least, that's how I felt going into Halo Wars. I'm still not sold on the whole RTS thing, mind you, but I did get a fair amount of enjoyment out of the game; definitely more than I had anticipated based on my previous feelings for the genre. But enough about me - lets talk about the game.

   Halo Wars can be considered an RTS for dummies. Those who have no idea what resource gathering and army building are can still make a good run through the game, albeit with minor hiccups here and there. And, you'll be all the wiser for your mistakes. I, for instance, learned that it is a good thing to take your time building up your army in order to attack several positions at once, in the hope of a swift and easy victory. Then I learned that it is NOT in your best interest to take your time building your army (from your one and only base in the area) when your cover is being shot at repeatedly by a Scarab tank. Oops.

Control, control, you must learn control!

Oh beHAve!

   You can't just go building bases wherever you like, however. You have to wait for a base site to be cleared (if and when you find one), or destroy an enemy base and then clear away the wreckage prior to constructing your own. It can be tough to deal with in some of the campaign missions, but not having to think about overextending yourself over too many bases, or worry about the nitty-gritty details of building placement makes base management considerably easier for RTS newbies.

   Several upgrades are available once you build your bases, as well. Want faster marines? Build a research center and hit the books to learn how. (Don't worry, you won't actually be reading anything, it's just an upgrade process.) In some of the longer missions, if you gather enough resources and play them correctly, you can even enhance your normal, run-of-the-mill marines into battle-hardened Orbital Drop Shock Troopers. Want to add a Gauss cannon to your Warthog? Go for it! (Sadly, you can't add cup holders, not for any amount of money.)

   In the heat of battle, you can also access your special menu by pushing the directional pad, giving you the ability to heal units, send in bomber squads, or utilize the Spirit of Fire's MAC gun, a high-powered blast that severely damages anything in its path.

When do we get to the good parts?

   Oh, so you want some redeeming qualities from the time I spent with Halo Wars? Well, for one, it takes place in the Halo universe. That's always a plus, especially for story nerds like myself who take pride in having read all of the companion books and are anxiously awaiting the rest of the damn comic series.

   Your mission takes you to a time well before the Master Chief started his reign of ass-kickery throughout the galaxy, when humanity first squared off with the conglomerate of alien races known as the Covenant. The first few levels take place on the planet Harvest, where first contact was made five years earlier. The crew of the Spirit of Fire - a massive warship with an apparently unlimited supply of cannon-fodder marines - are tasked with trying to take back the planet and finding out what exactly the Covenant are after. Forerunner structures (leftover tech from the people who built the Halo rings) are soon found on Harvest, leading to other destinations and more battles throughout the universe.

   Taking place in the Halo timeline, the game sports plenty of cool things, like a more unified Covenant (before the Brutes went all apes&*@ on the Elites), and tons of Warthogs and Scorpions with which to blow stuff up, and the Flood... Wait, what, the Flood? I thought they were "discovered" by mankind during Halo: Combat Evolved? What's going on here? Where's Bungie?! I need an adult!

   Okay, that minor freak-out aside, there are some additional discontinuities that just don't seem to mesh with the rest of the story. Though the tale of the Spirit of Fire and her crew (and totally bitchy, British-accented AI) is pretty cool, it just doesn't seem right in the Halo universe. I mean, if the Spirit of Fire had so many damn Hornets at its disposal, how come we didn't see any in Halo 1 or 2? Ditto some of the other, more badass armaments at the UNSC's disposal, some of which - like the Wolverine tank and Vulture jet - are completely new to the saga.

   Of course, there are Spartans here, too. Spartan-I soldiers, mind you; John and his Spartan-II crew were still in training. These supersoldiers are certainly badass, and can help turn the tide in battle. They also provide some of the cooler moments in the campaign. You're sure to get a chuckle out of watching some poor Wraith driver get his head bashed in as his ride is snatched out from under him by one of the Spartans, turning that vehicle into another asset for your side. Of course, it's still more fun actually jumping on and bashing the Wraith yourself, but hey, we'll take what we can get here.

And... Action!

   As mentioned, the story is certainly a plus to the game, and the bulk of it is relayed in beautifully rendered cutscenes. The clips showcase some fine CGI art, and give a little life to the otherwise neutral characters that you are ordering around the battlefield. Serina, the Spirit of Fire's constantly-PMS-ing AI, has just enough humor to keep her from becoming totally worthless, while Captain Cutter and Sergeant Forge keep military stereotypes going strong well into the 26th century. Dr. Anders - obviously thrown in for some fanboy sex appeal - shows off her smarts during several scenes and almost makes story-hounds yearn for a real glimpse at Dr. Catherine Halsey (read The Fall of Reach, you'll understand).

   One of the drawbacks to having such awesome cutscenes, however, is that you run the risk of them stealing some of the fire from the game proper. As with the short movie between missions 14 and 15 which is cooler than, oh, 90% of the actual gameplay. While this does make repeated viewings pretty fun, it doesn't speak well for the game as a whole.

   The graphics during gameplay aren't as jaw-dropping as the CGI movies, but they definitely provide some stunning scenery. The backgrounds and planetscapes are sights to behold, even if the characters and vehicles are a little too far away to notice much detail. You can zoom in, to a point, but really there's no need; just pan back, watch the action unfold, command your troops, and feel free to scratch yourself whenever you feel the need.

It's like chess, only with more explosions. And cursing.

   This couldn't possibly be a Halo game without some form of multiplayer. You can amble your way through the campaign with a buddy, or take on the world in deathmatch or skirmish modes, commanding either UNSC or Covenant armies and attempting to beat up on your opponent. It definitely calls for some more intensive thinking than a round of Halo 3's multiplayer, but if you take your time, you can plot out some pretty cool moves.

   Of course, if you're doing this well, you probably know what you're doing with RTS games in the first place and, by default, are not me. If you are like me, you are probably going into online matches and getting smoked in very short order. But hey, if you get tired of being demolished on your own, you can always share the fun with friends, as 2v2 and 3v3 multiplayer options are available as well.

At ease, marines.

   All in all, Halo Wars is a very valiant effort to bring the fun and style of Real Time Strategy to the home consoles in a way that nearly anyone can enjoy. Halo fans will get a kick out of the timeline and seeing more than one Spartan in battle at a time, and RTS fans will relish the ability to kick the crap out of some Halo players for a change. It's not perfect by any stretch, but definitely worth a playthrough if you're in any way a fan of the series.

       ... Darthziggy