Halo Wars 2 Reviews

Halo Wars 2 is ranked in the 75th percentile of games scored on OpenCritic.
Dan Stapleton
Top Critic
7 / 10.0
Feb 22, 2017

Halo Wars 2 will scratch a real-time strategy itch and give you a dose of Halo-Universe flavor with a decent story, but it won't go much deeper than that. A run-of-the-mill campaign, controls that hamper micromanagement, conspicuous bugs, and multiplayer that relies on luck limit its long-term appeal, but its fast and flashy action makes it fun for a while.

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No Recommendation / Blank
Feb 22, 2017

Halo Wars 2 proves once again that an RTS can work on a controller, but that aside there's little to get excited about here.

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65 / 100
Feb 21, 2017

Halo Wars 2's cutscenes are pretty, but the controls remains too console-focused for PC and the strategy is a little thin.

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Feb 20, 2017

Halo Wars 2 is an accessible RTS with an engrossing campaign and exciting multiplayer matches, but suffers from technical issues and a lack of content for Blitz mode.

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Feb 16, 2017

Blitz mode aside, Halo Wars 2 sticks with a tried, tested and slightly tired RTS formula that's competent, but lacking in depth and originality.

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7.8 / 10.0
Feb 21, 2017

Halo Wars 2's story is engrossing and the battles are fun, but the mission design follows a predictable pattern

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6 / 10
Feb 16, 2017

Halo Wars 2 is an RTS game for Halo fans with stripped-down strategy elements and limited lasting appeal.

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Polygon
Top Critic
8 / 10.0
Feb 16, 2017

Halo Wars 2 can't stick its landing, but it remains accessible without feeling dumbed down

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Luke Plunkett
Top Critic
Unscored
Feb 20, 2017

If you want to play a Halo game with the simpler story, backs-to-the-wall tone and cinematic flair of Bungie's good ol' days go right ahead and play Halo Wars 2. Just don't expect the quality of the game to match that of the cutscenes.

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Unscored
Feb 16, 2017

Halo Wars 2's campaign is an exciting enough ride with a very plain final drop. Thankfully, there will be plenty of multiplayer modes to run with what the campaign teaches. Try it.

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4 / 5.0
Feb 16, 2017

The console market hasn’t had a solid RTS game since Halo Wars back in 2009, but that all changes with Halo Wars 2.

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Unscored
Feb 20, 2017

Halo Wars 2 is simultaneously conservative and inventive. It's definitely trying to evoke traditional RTS games – which is not entirely a bad thing given the recent dearth of them – especially when it comes to the campaign, but elements like base construction and Blitz mode make it stand out enough that it doesn't feel like you're just going through the motions for the hundredth time.

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9 / 10.0
Feb 16, 2017

With its intuitive controls and accessible nature, Halo Wars 2 could finally be the RTS to break the console market, and may even be able to take on the mighty Starcraft II.

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7.5 / 10.0
Feb 21, 2017

At the end of the day, Halo Wars 2 is still a highly recommendable title — in fact, likely one of the best RTS games that can be found on the current generation. However, accessibility on consoles came with a price to both controls and gameplay in both campaign and multiplayer modes. But don’t let that stop fans of the series or newcoming gamers to the genre enjoy the game — you are assured to have a blast.

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9 / 10.0
Feb 16, 2017

Halo Wars 2 is an excellent game for the fans of Halo and for the fans of RTS games with little to none flaws.

Review in Spanish | Read full review

83 / 100
Feb 16, 2017

A solid effort in the RTS genre. It may not be revolutionary, but delivers in transmitting the epic battles of the main series.

Review in Spanish | Read full review

8 / 10.0
Feb 16, 2017

Don't expect great new features compared to Halo Wars or some kind of strategic depth, but the Blitz mode and online multiplayer will entertain you in the long run.

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7 / 10
Feb 24, 2017

Halo Wars didn't rewrite the RTS playbook, and Halo Wars 2 is unlikely to bring on many converts who weren't convinced by the first attempt. In many ways this is an iterative sequel, with new units and balance, and a handful of additions. The campaign is well-made and the multiplayer shines thanks largely to Blitz Mode. It's a streamlined take on a genre that has faded even more in recent years, but in its own way, Halo Wars 2 is still carrying the flame.

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8 / 10
Feb 17, 2017

Halo Wars 2 is an excellent and long overdue return for the console RTS, doing everything that can be expected of a sequel. Bigger, better and fresher, the Blitz mode is a welcome addition to an already solid package, and while fans of the mainline Halo games may find the transition too hard to bear, this is a worthy addition to any Xbox One owner’s collection.

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9 / 10.0
Feb 16, 2017

Halo Wars 2 brings back the RTS genre for the console players. Featuring a very direct and not complex action, this game is accessible for everybody who wants to try this kind of games.

Review in Spanish | Read full review