Halo Wars 2
The first Halo Wars game managed to streamline the structure and gameplay of a real-time strategy game and had a control scheme that felt great, making it one of the few games in the genre that felt at home on console. The sequel, released in February, added enough new content over its Xbox 360 predecessor that it is one of the best options for newcomers to the genre and veterans that want a console RTS experience.
The interface is clear and easy to navigate, the online multiplayer offering is substantial, and the single-player campaign is varied, offering you many different ways to play. Blitz mode is the best addition, however. In Blitz, you don’t construct bases, instead you’re given a deck of cards that lets you summon new units onto the battlefield or use powers from your current hand. It is a fast paced and thrilling take on classic real-time strategy that works excellently on console. A remaster of the original game was also released alongside the sequel, meaning you can return to it if you enjoyed this year’s game. Halo Wars 2 is arguably the best RTS available on console and is certainly one of the Xbox One’s best exclusives of the year so far.
