The Halo franchise is an odd one. The original trilogy was loved by the fans, be it for the hugely entertaining multiplayer content (Halo 2 is arguably the reason why Xbox Live initially succeeded) or

Accessible gameplay; but depth is there for veterans of RTS games; Story is great; for both fans and newcomers alike; Looks and sounds gorgeous; Blitz mode is a unique multiplayer addition; Skirmish modes against AI offer almost infinite replayability

Controls can still be an issue when things get hectic; Story sometimes feels like a setup for another game

2009's Halo Wars was perhaps the only game on a console to get real-time strategy right. It was made specifically for the Xbox, and the developers went in knowing that certain PC real-time strategy conventions would have to be sacrificed for it to work right.

Halo Wars 2 feels like the relic of two different histories. On the one side you'd find the real-time strategy genre, a collection of games that found a brief period of big-budget dominance on the PC and occasionally ventured onto consoles.

Consoles and real-time strategy games aren't exactly a match made in heaven. Even if the genre has its origins on console (Herzog Zwei on Mega Drive), it made PC its home in the early '90s and it wasn't really until Halo Wars arrived and we got a game designed from scratch for controllers that the...

The original Halo Wars was a bit of a cult-hit when it released in early 2009 as a legitimate console RTS, gaining a hardcore following that would keep the community alive for years to come.

Contained and focused story; Deep RTS gameplay; Blitz Mode; Blur CG cinematics; Fun cast of characters

A few slower missions

When I experienced the first Halo Wars title eight years ago, developed by the esteemed Ensemble Studios, I was the definition of a greenhorn when it came to the real-time strategy genre. Admittedly, I'm still coming to grips with the nuanced art of commanding legions in wartime scenarios.

Many, many years ago I got a glimpse of my first Real Time Strategy game in the form of Command and Conquer: Red Alert on the PlayStation. It was game that very much pushed the boundaries for strategy games on console - my excitement later turned to intrigue, confusion and frustration as I struggled...

Campaign is deep and thoroughly engrossing, Controls are streamlined and simple enough for anyone to pick up, Blitz is so much fun; breathes new life into the RTS genre

Skilled RTS players may find it too simple; Lack of freedom for base-building; Blitz deployment is a little iffy around the rest of your team

After the crew of the UNSC warship Spirit of Fire wakes up from a quarter-century cryogenic nap, they discover that humanity's war against the Covenant has ended. Stranded a galaxy from home, the crew responds to an emergency beacon only to encounter a bloodthirsty faction of the Covenant known as...

Rebuild and reclaim different areas as you race to stop a brand new enemy who is hell bent on wiping you out.

Diluvion is in that most tragic class of disappointing game: the kind with great ideas. There's so much to love and appreciate on the surface that the game's profound awkwardness and convoluted mechanics just hurt to experience.

Beautiful; painterly art styles; in 2D and 3D; Well-conceived setting; Wonderful soundtrack; Teeming with moody atmosphere

Confusing controls; Troubled navigation system; Combat seems to rely more on luck than skill; Too reliant on fetch quests