14 DAY TRIAL // Ever since the gamers worldwide found out that Halo Wars was in the works, a lot of talk began on how the Halo universe will look like in an RTS, how an RTS would play on the Xbox 360 and so on. Since Ensemble started work on it, few details have been revealed, but luckily, this time around Halo and RTS fans have something solid to chew on (that... didn't sound right, did it?). Ensemble is prepping a demo for the game, just so everyone knows what to expect from a RTS Halo.
The confirmation that Halo Wars will indeed see a demo comes via Joystiq.com: "According to producer Chris Rippy, the demo will arrive "for sure before the game comes out." While we were generally impressed with the Halo Wars presentation, our one nagging concern was the control, so it's nice to know that we'll all be able to try before we buy," reads an excerpt of the gaming site's piece.
The game's official website says that "Halo Wars is a real-time action strategy game for the Xbox 360 that allows the player to control large armies and to shrewdly direct them in realistic warfare. Set early in the iconic war between the Covenant and UNSC - made famous by the Halo FPS games - Halo Wars provides a new angle on the war while bringing new heroes to the battle."
The E3 trailer shown this year is a montage of in-game footage. Warthogs race along canyons and jump crevasses, and an all out war rages as UNSC and Covenant troops assault bases. Scarab walkers are featured, as are many other vehicles and weapons, including a UNSC platform that shoots dozens of missiles at Banshees overhead. Several shots are seen of units massing in groups, Marines and groups of Grunts and Elites were seen in the trailer. An apparent orbital bombardment is mentioned, as is the notion of base building and an economy based on Pelican supply drops.
Stay close for updates. Although the game doesn't hit the 360 by 2008, the developer is just getting started on announcements regarding the RTS game. Keep your fingers crossed for a fall 2007 release of the demo.