As in the main Halo games, players can add skulls to their loadout at the start of a mission to dynamically alter the challenge. Checkpoints would also encourage players to experiment with the game's difficulty. The large scale impresses, and some levels are so lengthy that they could actually use a few checkpoints to make restarts less time-consuming. Meanwhile, scouring a forest for enemy outposts was a relatively more relaxed and nonlinear objective. One set piece had me racing down crumbling highways alongside fellow Spartans to recover a stolen artifact. The 30 missions, spread across five areas, often feature multiple objectives, with players either shooting their way through scripted sequences or exploring an open map. The Warthog still has its slightly wonky driving physics, and special abilities like recharging health, speed boosts, and the Bubble Shield can still instantly turn the tide of battle.īeyond those surface details, Spartan Strike also marries Halo's more-measured pace with the typically more arcade-style gameplay of the top-down shooter genre. Guns like the Needler and the awesomely overpowered pistol behave like they always have. But as an excuse to revisit classic Halo locales, and use classic Halo weaponry, it works.Ĭarrying the classic Halo feel into this new perspective brings the game together. However, the actual plot, which has players reenacting famous historical battles in virtual reality, makes the timeline much murkier. War MachineWhereas Spartan Assault piggybacked off of the then-recent Halo 4 by taking place between that game and Halo 3, Spartan Strike similarly ties into the upcoming Halo 5 by setting its story before the events of the highly anticipated Xbox One exclusive. And Tom Salta's orchestral score adds an almost-unearned amount of poignancy to something as simple and silly as blasting hordes of monsters from the back of a space truck. Spartan soldiers, Covenant enemies, and signature vehicles from both sides of the conflict retain their iconic designs even when the view is zoomed out. Levels are large and lush, taking place in varied environments such as ravaged futuristic cities and dense alien jungles. Fortunately, the game's not nearly as broken as last year's Halo: The Master Chief Collection, whose ongoing issues caused this game to be delayed by several months.ĭespite running on more modest hardware, Spartan Strike features enough production value to make it a worthy younger sibling to its AAA console counterparts. At one point I got stuck inside some level geometry at the end of a mission and had to restart. I encountered mild frame-rate issues whenever the action got too hectic, and Spartan Assault's occasional glitches return as well. Just make sure you continue to get plenty of double and triple kills to get you those extra bonus points.However, supporting so many devices also means your own performance may vary. With the enemy taken down, return to the Hornet to end the mission.Īgain, getting a gold star in this mission is not that difficult. This yellow goon will roll around and fight back, but you should be fine with all the cover in the area. Reach the end of the map to find the Elite Commander.
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After discovering a blockade, head to the nearby Hornet where a satchel will be dispatched. Take down any enemy that appears within the minute time frame, then head to the right.įrom there you'll need to head to the crash site of the Spirit. Call the elevator and prepare for an incoming attack. Start off the mission by crossing bridges and scaling rooftops as you head towards the marker on your right, taking down Grunts as you go. Retrieve the data pad from the Covenant Commander. Covenant forces have dug in, awaiting extraction. The downed Covenant Spirit containing the data pad is on the far side of the high-rise roof.