Tag Archives: halo wars

Gamesradar’s posted a video of all the cut-scenes in Halo Wars, giving you the game’s entire plot in 90 seconds.

For the sake of clarity, this will spoil it for you. We strongly advise you do not hit the link if you’re in any way sensitive on the subject of Halo Wars’ plot.

OK?

Microsoft just announced a “Halo Wars: Universe Expanded” video series.

It’s a three-part thing, showing how Halo Wars fits in with the rest of the Halo games.

The first part’s available on March 2.

Press release after the break. Halo Wars releases tomorrow.

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The Halo Wars review embargo just lifted, and pieces are starting to appear now. Eurogamer’s gone with 8/10, which is spot on as far as we’re concerned, having got our copy yesterday.

There’ll be more soon, no doubt. If you want anything added, drop a link in the comments. The game, Ensemble’s last, ships on February 27.

• Eurogamer – 8
• Joystiq – No score
• IGN UK – 8.2
• PlanetXbox360 – 8.7
• Strategy Informer – 8.2
• Gamikaze (Polish translation) – 8.8
• 1UP – B
• Eurogamer.fr – 8
• TheGameReviews – 8.5
• IGN video review – After the break

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Robot Entertainment is developing extra content for Halo Wars, as well as providing community support for Age of Empires.

The news was confirmed via press release this morning after word broke over the weekend that ex-Ensemble co-founder Tony Goodman had formed the new company.

“The video game industry is in a state of upheaval,” explained Goodman. “Not just games, but the entire landscape. Everything is changing: where we buy games, how we buy games, how much we pay, how long we play, who we play them with.

“As a fast-moving independent team of game developers, industry leaders and market experts, Robot Entertainment is ideally positioned to play a transformative role in the industry’s future.”

The studio is currently at work on an original property, and employs 45 other ex-Ensemble staff members.

Press release below.

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Microsoft confirmed in its post NPD statement this morning that the Halo Wars demo had been downloaded more than 2 million times in one week.

The demo was released on February 5.

The game itself, the last for developer Ensemble, launches for 360 on February 27.

Day and date with Killzone 2, as was the demo. You guys.

Microsoft just posted the Halo Wars demo on Live. Go go go.

Here’s the link if you want to queue it from the web.

It’s 1Gb in size.

After the break. The RTS’s latest vidoc shows heaps of aliens fighting and men talking over the top. That simple.

Doesn’t cost to look.

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After a slight leakage earlier this week, Microsoft’s finally decided to pop the bubble shield of silence surrounding Halo 3’s Mythic map pack. IGN has the scoop.

Map descriptions are as follows:

Sandbox — Combines large-scale vehicular combat with a limitless amount of Forge customization. Boasting a tiered, open-world layout, “Halo 3″ players will be able to build their own unique game experiences using the Forge map editor. Sandbox is a map unlike any Bungie has ever created.
Assembly — Set in the heart of a Covenant Scarab manufacturing facility. With two identical bases on either side of this medium-sized map, it’s a perfect environment for both Slayer and objective games like Capture the Flag and Assault.
Orbital — A small asymmetrical map, is set in the docking station of the Quito Space Tether. One-sided games like One Flag, and One Bomb are sure to become quick fan-favorites, but the Slayer faithful will also find plenty of action on this battleground.

Now the bad news: If you’ve built up a great big grunty thirst that can only be slaked by the Mythic pack, and absolutely must own it on day one, you’ll have to toss your piggy bank at Halo Wars. Otherwise, you’ll be forced to wait until “later this spring” when the maps hit Xbox Live Marketplace.

The last time this happened, though, we got Crackdown, so we think we’ll take our chances with Halo Wars. How about you?

By Nathan Grayson

Halo Wars lead producer Jason pace has to EG that a new company formed from the ashes of Ensemble will be taking care of aftercare for the console exclusive RTS.

“Ensemble is, as I’m sure you know, forming a new company, and they will be helping us support the title moving forward, so: bug patches, any kind of fixes – we’ll have all those folks available to work on it,” said Jason.

“As a studio right now, we’re talking about what we’d like to do to carry this game forward. We’re really excited about this game. We obviously have a lot of ideas of areas we’d like to go.

“We haven’t committed to anything yet, but I believe you’ll probably be hearing something soon.”

More through the link.

By Mike Bowden

Ensemble head Bruce Shelley’s made his final blog update before the studio closes, confirming that “at least” two new studios are to be born from the ashes.

“There are at least two new studios being formed by ES employees and I expect both to do very well,” he said.

“There were a lot of outstanding game developers here and it will be interesting to see how and what they do, both individually and as new groups, in the years ahead.”

Microsoft decided to close the studio following the completion of Halo Wars.

Shelley added a sentimental note to the closure: the development legend was employee number four at Ensemble in 1995.

“We are working our way through the final week with mixed emotions,” he said.

“We have a lot to be proud of and new opportunities are beckoning, but it is also sad to see this particular great adventure coming to an end.”

Halo Wars releases on February 27.

UK site Electricpig reports that the possibility of Halo Wars having some future downloadable content is a definite possibility.

“Additional downloadable content is something we’re looking in to,” said Halo Wars producer Jason Pace.

The statement comes somewhat as a surprise to us as all reports have suggested that Microsoft is to close Ensemble Studios after Halo Wars’ release in February.

We’ll check with Microsoft now.

By Mike Bowden

Both Planet Xbox 360 and MLGPRO are offering early access to the Halo Wars demo, assuming you can’t wait until February 5 for the general release.

Winning a code from either site means you’ll be able to get involved from January 29. That’s this Thursday.

The game’s out later in February. Thanks, Joystiq.

Below you can see twelve new Halo Wars images showing all the weapons and troops you will have at your disposal whether you choose to fight as Covenant or the marines.

The images are super-sharp and look very good indeed for what is to be Ensemble’s first and last console RTS.

Halo Wars went gold last week. Demo’s out on Feb 5, full thing at the end of that month.

By Mike Bowden

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Halo Wars is now gold, Microsoft’s announced, describing the RTS as “genre-defining”.

The Live demo will release on February 5 prior to launch on February 27.

Halo Wars is Ensemble’s last game: the studio will now close.

A series of vidocs is to be released in the run up to the game’s release, the first of which can now be downloaded from Live. Check Nelson for details.

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Microsoft confirmed yesterday that the Halo Wars review embargo will lift on February 20 at 2.00pm GMT.

The Ensemble RTS is to be shown off at the Cabinet War Rooms in London next week, an event to include multiplay and developer interviews.

Halo Wars will be the last Ensemble game before Microsoft closes the studio.

Sumthing Else Music Works and Microsoft games studios have lifted the lid on the Halo Wars soundtrack which is scheduled for release Feb. 17, 2009.

It will come on two discs, be over 50 minutes long and features performances by FILMharmonic Orchestra and Choir Prague.

“For Halo Wars I wanted to write music that fit both the size of the story and its sense of discovery,” said Stephen Rippy, Ensemble Studios music & sound director and composer for Halo Wars.

“Each of the various worlds in the game feels a little different; each of the main characters brings something to the mix. More than anything else, it was important that these tracks fit comfortably into the existing Halo universe. I hope they’ll take the listener to some new places as well.”

Halo Wars is an exclusive Xbox 360 RTS and is released on Feb. 27 with a demo on the 5th

Full details plus track listing after the break.

By Mike Bowden

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After the break. Although many people think an RTS can’t be adequately done on a console, we must say, this does look rather special.

Ensemble Studios’ swansong goes on sale Feb 27 in Europe with a demo due February 5.

By Mike Bowden

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Right, this is the last Halo Wars release date story we’re doing – well, this week, anyway.

It appears that Robbie’s Bach’s announcement that Halo Wars will ship in the US on February 28 was a mistake. The game wil ship at its original date of March 3, whilst the UK and Europe get theirs on Feb 27.

The demo, to be released on February 5, will be released in both regions, a Microsoft rep confirmed for us yesterday.

There.

Thanks, Kotaku.

By Mike Bowden

Microsoft has confirmed to videogaming247 that despite Microsoft’s announcement at CES 09 that Halo Wars has moved to February 28, the European date of the 27th remains unchanged.

“On Halo Wars, the actual European release date is the 27th Feb,” said a spokesperson earlier today.

The MS UK representative also confirmed to VG247 that the demo date of Feb 5 would also apply to Europe.

“The demo is due on the 5th Feb, and yes, it will be available to European LIVE subscribers.”

So there you have it.

By Mike Bowden

By far the most popular piece of news to emerge from last night’s CES 09 Microsoft Keynote was that Ensemble’s 360 exclusive RTS, Halo Wars, will be released on February 28 with a demo scheduled to hit Live on on the 5th of the same month.

Microsoft told the world last year that the US would get the game in March whilst Europe could grab it on Feb 27. This new date now brings parity between the regions.

Microsoft will close Ensemble Studios post Halo Wars release.

By Mike Bowden