After hearing about an RTS(Real-time Strategy for the impaired ;-) based on the Halo universe, I admit I wasn't too excited. RTS games on the Xbox 360 have always been watered down with control schemes very difficult to master. I must say after playing the Halo Wars demo, it has become a must-play game for me this year.

First thing's first, Halo Wars is very accessible. Even if you have never played an RTS before, this game is very easy to jump right in and begin playing. This is important to me, because I have always strayed away from playing these types of games on the console mainly due to it being extremely difficult to play. Ensemble Studios, the creators behind Halo Wars, has nailed the controls flawlessly. Creating troops, gathering supplies, and maneuvering around the map is very easy to do with single button presses. Want to warp to your home base? Hit down on the directional pad. Want to go back to the action? Hit left on the D-pad. Simple as that.

The graphics are colorful and crisp, very similar to how Halo 3 looked. Alot of action can go on at once on the screen, leading into some massive battles. The CGI movies are nice to look at, although the voice acting isn't anything spectacular.

I only played single-player, so I won't comment on the multiplayer. The single-player is damn fun! The first mission has you rescuing fellow Marines in battle and clearing out the Covenant from one of your bases. The second mission has you entering a Temple overran by the Covenant plotting to blow it up. Along with the main objectives, there are a number of optional objectives, which I assume if completed will be tied to some sort of achievement in the release. I won't talk about the story to give away any spoilers, but it seems like they have a good plot going on to keep gamers interested in playing through to the end.

As I mentioned before, I planned on straying far away from Halo Wars, but after playing this demo my mind has definitely changed. I'm sure die-hard RTS gamers will not like the simple gameplay, but for gamers like myself who aren't RTS savvy will definitely enjoy this title.