Publisher:	Microsoft Game Studios
Developer:	Ensemble Studios
Released:	27 Feb 2009
Genre	Sport
Platform

“Halo Wars” is a strategy game based on the legendary “Halo” universe.Players will command armies of familiar and new UNSC units in itsinitial encounters against the Covenant, an alien coalition threateningto obliterate mankind. “Halo Wars” will immerse gamers in an earlyperiod of the storied “Halo” universe, allowing them to experienceevents leading up to the first “Halo” title for Xbox®.

With theguidance of Serina, a spirited artificial intelligence (AI) persona,gamers will direct legions of UNSC soldiers, Warthogs and Scorpionsagainst Covenant Grunts, Elites, Ghosts and Scarabs, each group havingits own strengths and uses in battle. Strategic-minded players whoreact well under pressure will emerge victorious.

Created fromthe ground up for the Xbox 360 console and Controller, “Halo Wars” isbeing developed by the veteran real-time strategy developer EnsembleStudios, the team responsible for the best-selling and criticallyacclaimed “Age of Empires®” franchise on the PC. “Halo Wars” can beplayed online via Xbox LIVE® and through the single-player campaign.Published by Microsoft Game Studios, “Halo Wars” is an exclusive titlefor the Xbox 360 video game system.

Features:
Features include the following:

• New take on a legendary world. Set in the iconic “Halo” universe, “Halo Wars” predates the originalfirst-person shooter “Halo.” Fans of the “Halo” franchise will have theopportunity to experience the early battles between the UNSC andCovenant, the far-reaching conflict that has been diligently followedby the masses in the blockbuster “Halo” series.

Players join thecrew onboard the Spirit of Fire, a Phoenix-class colony ship convertedfor UNSC military use and guided by the AI persona Serina. The “HaloWars” story line follows the Spirit of Fire’s discovery of an ancientartifact during a journey to the planet Harvest, the first planet to beattacked by the Covenant.

• Strategic command of armies in large-scale combat. “Halo Wars” put gamers in command of the battlefield, playing as eitherof two unique civilizations: UNSC and Covenant. They can counter andcrush their opponent by tactically fielding the superior army. Playerscan also choose among Leaders that possess elite skills which can turnthe tides of battle. Using various combinations of Leaders and units,players can create countless strategies tailored to their preferredplaying styles and personalized strategies.

• Groundbreaking strategy game for the Xbox 360. Since inception, “Halo Wars” was explicitly designed to cater toconsole gamers and bring to the Xbox 360 a genre that has typicallybeen played on the PC. Gamers can easily command and manage powerfularmies, effortlessly control troops and incredible machines, engage inepic battles and expand their empire using an intuitive user interfacefor the Xbox 360. “Halo Wars” represents the true next-generationexperience, combining a masterful control scheme using the Xbox 360Controller with the award-winning strategic gameplay only EnsembleStudios can provide.