Platform: Steam
Genre: Real-Time Strategy
Completed: 04/01/2024
So here we go. First completed game of 2024 and it's not an Adventure game! Woohoo!
I had been planning to move away from the Adventure genre and this was the game that finally did it. Would have been Gunlok if it weren't for some unforeseen technical difficulties.
Moving away from the Adventure genre though also marked an important milestone in the challenge for me. At the time, I was selecting games, not just because I wanted to play them, but because most would be relatively short. I wanted to be able to get invested in the challenge without having it feel like a chore. I found that ease with the Adventure titles. But here, I was ready to expand because I was finding the challenge exciting.
So much so, that I was taking steps to plan things ahead. I wrote down a list on Excel with the games I was scheduled to play, and even back up games in case something were to go wrong. (To the left is a little sneak peek of what's in store).
I would say that I was now wholeheartedly into the idea and I could look forward to titles I intended to play without abandoning currently installed games. Would I get through my entire library? Probably not. But at least I don't have to waste time deciding what to play.
Now, on to Halo Wars: Definitive Edition. I had actually tried to play this game before, back when I was looking for a game that could satisfy my strategy hunger like Red Alert 2 did. So far, I have yet to find one that comes close to the Command & Conquer or Dune titles.
Halo Wars was the same for me. While I played it from beginning to end, it didn't offer me anything that made it feel outstanding. Most of the campaign missions were standard stuff that you would find across different titles in some variation or another. Even the selection of units didn't bring me much excitement. (Except for the Scarab, which you can steal in 2 separate campaign missions from the Covenant)
It wasn't necessarily a bad game. I didn't find the AI annoying; the combat felt balanced; I never felt like I was constantly on the defense (unless the mission parameters were designed that way). Just nothing stood out.
Actually, tell a lie, one thing stood out, and it was more of a nuisance than a positive thing. It was the base building itself. In strategy games, I like the freedom to lay out the base as I need. I don't like having a fixed platform with only a few available slots for structures. I am aware that for strategic purposes you need to prioritize which structures you need. Then you either tear down the structure and replace it or you clear an area to drop in a new site.
As I said, it was more of a nuisance rather than a deal breaker.
I am aware that there is a sequel and I will probably still play it at some point. Might have to play the Halo series first though, as I believe Halo Wars 2 takes place after Halo 5. So might be a while.
Next up will be - Indiana Jones and the Infernal Machine
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