Halo: Spartan Assault coming to Windows Phone 8 and Windows 8 in July!

Windows Phone has boasted Xbox Live integration from its very beginnings in 2022. The features this integration brought, such equally games with Xbox Achievements, Xbox Live friends list and text messaging back up, and the promise of integration with actual console games all gave Microsoft's mobile OS a large in with hardcore Xbox 360 gamers.

One matter has long been missing though: an exclusive championship that would inspire people to buy a Windows Phone just to play it. Windows Phone eight didn't launch with such a game last year, and in fact neither did Microsoft's revolutionary PC and tablet OS, Windows 8. The lack of killer apps was enough to make united states question Microsoft's volition to bring the visitor'south major franchises to its own mobile platforms.

That all changes today, because Microsoft has just officially announced Halo: Spartan Assail for Windows Telephone 8 and Windows 8. That's right: Halo, one of the most popular franchises in gaming is coming exclusively to Windows platforms adjacent calendar month. And both versions volition be Xbox Alive enabled, consummate with shiny Achievements. At last, it looks like Microsoft is starting to take mobile Xbox gaming seriously.

From big screen to small

The first question Microsoft and 343 industries faced when adapting Halo for mobile devices had to be: how? Touch screen devices are intrinsically different from a game console with physical controller, to say zilch well-nigh varying levels of horsepower between Xbox 360, Windows Phone viii devices, and Windows 8 devices.

Should the Halo creators maintain the mainline series' showtime-person perspective and shooting gameplay that legions of Xbox gamers have come to know and dearest? It would hateful stricter hardware requirements in order to maintain the expected graphical fidelity. More than importantly, many mobile gamers observe FPS controls too complex and unwieldy on touch screen devices.

The other option would be finding a new genre and perspective for this offshoot of the venerable serial. Halo in one case branched out into the Existent-time Strategy (RTS) genre with Xbox 360 sleeper hit Halo Wars, after all. By maintaining Halo Wars' zoomed out third-person perspective, the developers could achieve more acceptable visuals on a diverseness of mobile hardware.

Would mainstream FPS fans take to a more niche genre like RTS? Halo Wars received positive critical reviews and it didn't tank at retail, only information technology hardly moved strong enough numbers to grow the Halo make, either. So for Halo: Spartan Assault, Microsoft and 343 decided to combine Halo Wars' look with traditional twin-stick shooter gameplay. The outcome is a game that looks a little dissimilar than fans are used to but notwithstanding plays just like Halo.

Filling in the story

In adapting Halo to mobile platforms, 343 wanted to maintain the series' AAA quality production values.Halo games always characteristic epic science-fiction stories, even if their narratives do leave far likewise many gaps for books and necktie-in products to fill in. Spartan Assault takes identify in the time between Halo 3 and 4 when humanity nonetheless thought the mainline series protagonist Primary Chief to be lost forever.

As such, the new story revolves around Commander Sarah Palmer, a grapheme first introduced in Halo 4. Sarah was 1 of the first marines to enter the Spartan-IV program. In the Halo games, Spartans are genetically enhanced humans capable of wearing specially designed armor and leading humanity's fight against hostile alien races. Joining her is Spartan Davis, a male person graphic symbol created specifically for this game. Microsoft won't say anything more about Davis merely yet. Maybe his first proper name actually is Spartan, making his participation in the program quite serendipitous.

Spartan Attack's storyline comes to life through panel-quality video cine as well as fully-voiced dialogue during gameplay. Players will experience Sarah Palmer's very first mission every bit a Spartan soldier, back before she allowable her young man Spartan-IV forces during Halo iv. We'll as well learn the origins of that game'due south conflict with the new sect of Covenant following the end of the Human-Covenant War. You didn't think the serial' lead antagonistic race would sit down this one out, did you?

Arcade-style

Since people play games on phones and tablets in much shorter sessions than on consoles, Spartan Assault's level blueprint must change by necessity. There are now 25 fast-paced levels, each of which can be completed in a unmarried sitting. Every stage has its own unique optional challenges for players to complete. Weekly challenges (equally seen in Halo Reach and Halo four) volition continue players coming dorsum for more than as well.

As I mentioned before, FPS games on bear on screens carry a serious learning bend. Spartan Set on, on the other paw was designed with simplicity of controls in mind. Virtual thumbsticks control movement, aiming, and firing, but as yous'd experience in twin-stick shooters like Zombies on the Phone. Secondary functions like throwing and swapping grenades, melee attacks, switching weapons, and even armor abilities are all mapped to buttons around the edges of the screen. The input simulates playing with a controller as closely as possible – without making things confusing for newcomers.

Whatever you're used to doing in a Halo game, just virtually all of it shows up in Spartan Attack. Palmer and Davis can pick up and use a multifariousness of weapons, human being and Covenant akin. The conflicting forces take cover backside glowing free energy shields that dissipate when they have plenty fire. Both sides bring plenty of vehicles into the fray, including jeep-like Warthogs, Scorpion Tanks, fast-moving Ghosts, tank-like Wraiths, and fifty-fifty flying Banshees. Yeah, players get to bulldoze these vehicles.

Unmarried-thespian assault

The ane attribute of Spartan Attack likely to disappoint series fans is its complete lack of multiplayer. The omission seems to stem from Microsoft'south reluctance to include real-fourth dimension multiplayer in its own Windows Phone and Windows 8 offerings. We're told that the disability to suspend and resume games on these platforms without disrupting the multiplayer feel is the cause for that general policy. I guess nobody told them that multiplayer games like Asphalt 7 and Modern Gainsay iv work just fine. Even Gameloft'south upcoming Halo clone N.O.V.A. 3 will sport online multiplayer. Who expects to resume a multiplayer game after switching applications or locking the screen anyway?

On the other hand, Spartan Assault does include crawly cloud and connectivity features. Both the Windows Phone and Windows eight games support Play/Interruption/Resume, meaning players can start a game on one device and resume information technology on the other. No worrying about loss of save data if you switch devices with this game!

Series fans volition be excited to know that Spartan Attack connects with Halo iv in multiple ways. Feel earned in the mobile game transfers to the console game. Other mobile accomplishments will unlock emblems for customizing multiplayer characters in the big-screen game. Microsoft promises "boosted integration features subsequently launch."

Coming before long to telephone, PC and tablet

Halo: Spartan Assault comes to Windows Phone 8 and Windows eight this July. Because nobody knows Microsoft's mobile platforms like Windows Phone Cardinal, we tin can tell you exactly which devices will run Spartan Assault equally well. The Windows Phone 8 game only requires 512 MB of RAM, making it compatible with low-cost handsets like the Lumia 520! And although Microsoft is pushing the Windows 8 version in a large way, Spartan Set on win run on Windows RT equally well. High v, Surface RT users!

Whenever a game launches on both Windows Phone and Windows eight, the issue of payment structure arises. Historically, Microsoft fans who wanted to play titles like Skulls of the Shogun on multiple platforms had to buy each version individually. The aforementioned applies hither likewise. Halo: Spartan Assault is a separate $half-dozen.99 purchase on Windows Telephone and Windows 8. Sure, we all desire universal apps to come to the Windows ecosystem in the worst manner. Merely $14 hardly seems similar too steep a cost to play Halo on your phone, tablet, and PC.

Don't miss the rest of our Halo: Spartan Attack reveal mean solar day coverage: WPCentral takes Spartan Assault for a spin and interviews the developers and Spartan Attack through the eyes of a die-hard Halo fan.

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Source: https://www.windowscentral.com/halo-spartan-assault-announced

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