free download Halo: Spartan Assault Lite

If you’ve ever played any twin-stick shooter then you know what to expect: one thumb controls your movement, the other controls the direction that you’re firing in. The top-down perspective may remind some of the series’ lone real-time strategy effort, Halo Wars, but the moment-to-moment action is much more direct. Image used with permission by copyright holderĮven if you’re not invested in the lore, this is unmistakably a Halo game. The “set between the events of Halo 3 and Halo 4” portion of the story is little more than a narrative wrapper, not that anyone other than a hardened Halo fan will really care. You’re seeing what happened through the eyes of Commander Sarah Palmer and Spartan Davis, both stationed aboard the UNSC Infinity. What’s actually going on is a series of battle simulations showcasing early engagements in the Spartan Ops program. Master Chief sits out this latest campaign against the Covenant, with a story set between the events of Halo 3 and Halo 4. Sort of. You could even say it’s the strongest Windows 8 exclusive to date, though it’s not like there’s a whole lot of competition up to this point. Best to just let it be and focus on the positive: Spartan Assault happens to be an entertaining little game. It’s a question that will cross your eyes if you spend too much time thinking about. Microsoft promises gamepad support eventually, but why exactly couldn’t this twin-stick shooter support even an Xbox 360 controller at launch? You can play it on any Windows 8 device, including the most decked-out gaming PC, and yet there are only two control options: virtual touchscreen buttons or mouse/keyboard.

It’s got Achievements, it’s got a story that explores previously unseen bits of lore, it’s got space marines in colorful body armor shooting hordes of alien zealots. We’re talking about a Microsoft-published Halo game, the first in the series to be delivered exclusively for Windows 8 platforms. This single absent feature is as baffling as it is unfortunate. Halo: Spartan Assault is a twin-stick shooter without the twin sticks. Pointless microtransactions diminish what could have been a decent hook for long-term play

Free download Halo: Spartan Assault Lite