Halo: Spartan Assault - through the eyes of a die-hard Halo fan

"Wake up Sam", that'due south what my internal Cortana said on the morning time of May 14.

Paul and I were in Santa Monica, CA to become an early preview of an upcoming, unannounced, non-console "Halo" activity championship. That's all we knew, but the fact that Microsoft and 343 Industries invited Windows Phone Central gave the states an idea of what platform we would be playing this on.

Was it finally happening? Halo on Windows Phone? Every bit you know by now, the answer was a loud yes. And bonus, Windows 8 was getting in on the activity. If you read us regularly, you might take figured out by at present I'm a big Halo fan. So what do I think well-nigh Halo: Spartan Assail and so far?

Spoiler alert: Forget E3 and Build, I want it to be July already.

So what'southward this post about?

I'll requite yous guys and gals a journal blazon entry for that morn, my initial impressions and finally I'll try my manus at addressing some concerns I've seen on the spider web and have myself about the game. And then we're going to battle it out in the comments on what y'all all think of the game.

May 14, 2022

We were at Shutters on the Embankment, a hotel in Santa Monica that, believe it or not, is on the beach. The briefing room was situated correct next to the boardwalk (well, technically a cement walk), but you couldn't tell since all blinds were shut to keep Peeping-Toms at bay.

Shutters on the Embankment

Microsoft and 343i invited about a baker's dozen (or two or three) of gaming journalists, bloggers, and traditional news reporters to the result. First affair first, food and non-disclosure agreements. At that place was a full breakfast buffet to keep claret sugar levels from dropping besides low and the NDA'due south needed to be signed by everyone for the presentation to starting time.

Basically you agree to an embargo on everything discussed, breaking that embargo results in the forfeiture of your first born or something else of equal value. Bellies total from the breakfast buffet and papers signed, information technology was time to kick off the presentation. Unfortunately, no videos or photos were immune to be taken during the event, but that didn't matter so much since they were planning on sending media assets for the game closer to the mean solar day the embargo gets lifted.

The presentation itself was solid. The speaker had a Surface Pro powering the large HDTV in the room. PowerPoint slides, screenshots, and videos were seen past all. In add-on nosotros got our first glimpse of gameplay during a alive demo on that same display. But the most beneficial role of the morning came afterwards the presentation. When a handful of Surface Pros were handed out for journalists to attempt out the game for themselves. The team of developers and designers working on Spartan Assault walked around, helping people go the feel for the game while answering questions.

Thoughts on Spartan Assault from a Halo fan

Surprise. I'm a Halo fanboy. I've played (and loved) every Halo game since information technology landed on the original Xbox back in 2001. Always since I picked Windows Phone as my mobile platform in 2022 I've been to play the Halo series on my smartphone. Nearly 2 and one-half years have elapsed since and we're and then close to getting that game.

Was I surprised that the game wouldn't be a commencement-person shooter? Yes and no. While I'll always dream of playing a Halo FPS shooter away from my Xbox, it wouldn't be the same experience on a smartphone or tablet. Because by default you interact with touchscreens on those devices. Sure you could add a controller, but that adds an unnecessary barrier to playing a game that wouldn't sit with nigh gamers.

Tank beats everything

So what well-nigh a existent-time strategy game, like Halo Wars? Well that also presents some problems. While I think a hypothetical Halo Wars 2 would be amazing on a tablet, information technology could be awkward on a smaller display. I think 343i did the correct thing by giving the Halo universe a new genre: the top-down shooter. We've seen it work well on mobile devices, remember Z0MB1ES!!one (on the ph0ne)? Effort information technology out if you want a general idea of how Spartan Assault will play.

During the presentation I was a little hesitant about this twin-stick shooter for a Halo game. Information technology felt slightly sacrilegious as a Halo fan that it would not exist get-go-person, only then again so did Halo Wars. And similar Halo Wars, after playing the game for a few moments it clicked – this is exactly how Halo should work on a tablet or smartphone. The picture beneath gives you the idea of how the touchscreen controls will piece of work.

Abilities? Cheque. Melee? Check. Teabagging? Hmm...

And if you expect at the diagram above, you'll see how they managed to capture that Halo feel in a new game genre. Melee, weapons switch, grenades, vehicle controls, and armor abilities are all present in this game. It may look complicated, simply it didn't have long for me to get comfortable with the controls. I really can't await for yous to attempt it out for yourself, but information technology handled really well and tin can merely go better between now and then. Something I've never said about a touchscreen based commencement-person shooter.

Story time

It'southward piece of cake to dismiss Halo as only some other mindless shooter if you haven't really played. Merely fans of the series volition quickly talk near the Halo mythos and how it draws them in. The Halo universe spans many different story-telling mediums: books, comics, videos and more. It looks similar Halo: Spartan Assault will continue to acquit that torch of finding a adept balance between story and gameplay. Within the Halo community there are fans who enjoy and engage each other in specific segments of that universe. Most of yous are familiar with those who merely play online multiplayer. But there are solid groups who spend most their time in just entrada. There's also fans who have never played the game, but greatly bask the books. The in-game cinematics are of a quality that you usually find in AAA titles on console games and that has me excited.

Concept art for Spartan Assault

Cinematic from Spartan Assail

So what do nosotros know about the story then far? Well Spartan Assault is tied tightly into the Halo iv story. You're on board the UNSC Infinity, the chief ship in the Halo 4 campaign. The ship is used as training for Spartan IVs through an X-Men like Danger Room. Basically a grooming facility where Spartans can re-live past battles to hone their skills or practice skirmishes confronting one another in this simulator. The battles that you'll be re-experiencing focus on Sarah Palmer, an ODST who becomes part of the get-go wave of Spartan IVs. You'll also have a new character named Spartan Davis, who we don't know much about at this fourth dimension.

Weapons

This is the part where Spartan Attack clicked with me that forenoon. The weapons in Halo accept always had their ain unique experience and sound. Maybe it's the endless man hours I've sunk into the Halo series, but I can close my eyes and tell you lot what weapon is on screen by ear. You lot know that feeling when yous fear the pinkish mist as your trunk explodes after an opponent unleashes their Needler on you lot? Yous'll get that feeling playing Spartan Assault. I couldn't finish grinning every bit I played the demo and heard that grenade bounce, that gluey stick, or those Grunts begging for mercy.

Dual SMGs are back

Spartan Assault will come up with a variety of weapons. You'll see some old friends (dual SMGs anyone?) and some new weapons that we'll learn virtually at launch. But the moment that really clicked was how good the weapons work in this top-down perspective. Yous can pick your initial weapons at the start of each mission. I picked the sniper and went to town. A click moving picture in the general direction of an enemy volition result in that sniper bang followed by an Elite knocked off his socks.

Vehicles are all present likewise. During my short hands on with the game I was able to kick an Elite out of a Wraith. Like all Halo games before this, you can control the vehicles and wreak havoc. I quickly took out the surrounding enemy Wraiths with mine. It was satisfying to splatter Grunts along the way.

Concerns and some misses

Right now there is no multiplayer or co-op in Spartan Attack. To me, that'south a miss and something I wish 343i had pushed difficult to make happy. Why does Halo take such a high replay value on the Xbox? Because in one case you lot finish the entrada you can spend an insane amount of hours online doing multiplayer games in a variety of gametypes. Slayer, Capture the Flag, and others would have been fun fifty-fifty in this top-down perspective. I think information technology would take been possible to practice since they were able to create a compelling story and campaign with this new twist.

And even if online multiplayer would have been too fourth dimension consuming to add together, co-op would have been equally every bit rewarding. I'grand non certain how Spartan Assault volition stay relevant once you've beaten the game. The game will feature challenges, specific to each level and then weekly ones. Simply I'm not sure that'south plenty to keep people coming back. The attraction of multiplayer is that no two slayer games are the same. On the panel, new human opponents ever nowadays different challenges and examination y'all as a player on Xbox Alive. That could take translated well to this game.

Buy credits? Just I bought the game...

Across the cyberspace a scattering of people accept grumbled about this being just available for Windows 8 and Windows Phone 8. They run into it as a money catch and selling out of Halo for the purpose of pimping their new platforms and making cash. While information technology's true that most companies actually try to make money, you shouldn't allow that detract from enjoying Spartan Assault. Windows Telephone and Windows 8 are getting a game that'south produced similar it belongs on the console.

Notwithstanding information technology's hard to ignore the in-app purchases. When yous have to initially buy the game (6.99) and there are still IAPs in the game information technology kind of stings. 343i stressed that you can shell the game without using them. However, information technology's hard to gauge how true that statement is until we actually get to play it. As a game developer do you lot design a game to slightly encourage micro-transactions? If I had to estimate, 343i won't take that approach since they've generally shown a loyalty to their fan base.

What happens next?

Between now and the release in July there'southward still a lot more to learn almost Spartan Assault. Nosotros expect to become more hands on at E3 and learn more than nigh the game. For example we withal don't know what you'll unlock in Halo 4 while playing this game. Other mysteries include whether or not there are separate achievements between the phone and tablet versions. Will nosotros see a version for the Xbox I? All questions to inquire and notice out.

As a lifelong Halo fan I am extremely looking forward to this game. Non only for the small push that Windows Phone and Windows 8 might run into, just because information technology's the outset time we're getting to experience Halo away from the couch.

I'm curious what you Halo fans think of this game? What about non-Halo fans? Sound off with your thoughts beneath!

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Source: https://www.windowscentral.com/halo-spartan-assault-through-eyes-die-hard-halo-fan-0

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