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Halo: Spartan Assault |OT| Feels Like Halo

Alright I'm a bit further into the game now, in Operation B3 or something. I have to say they did a swell job with it. As the topic title says: "feels like Halo".
 

G_Berry

Banned
I think I just figured out why we have to wait for the controller support.

Using the controller would make the game way easier, thus making you less likely to spend money on the upgrades.

Milk it a few months, then add the support.

Clever girl.
 

Mrbob

Member
Bought it on PC, played a couple missions, enjoying the game. The top view works better than I thought and the controls are solid. Music is really good as well. The only thing I don't like is it seems you are forced to buy credits which is lame. Should be a way to earn things. Pay for weapons is not cool.
 
I'm getting the same error. Still doesn't work after synching the app license, resetting the Windows store, and rebooting my Surface.

I've tried just about everything I've found online about that error and nothing works. I cannot download any apps at all, free or paid.
 

StudioTan

Hold on, friend! I'd love to share with you some swell news about the Windows 8 Metro UI! Wait, where are you going?
The game works on my desktop PC but crashes at startup on my Asus Slate. Hopefully they can patch this soon since I'd rather play it on the tablet.
 
I've tried just about everything I've found online about that error and nothing works. I cannot download any apps at all, free or paid.

Try going into your bios and setting the internal system clock to the right day/time. I remember some log in issues with Xbox Live and stuff in Windows 8 Developer (or Release?) Preview being fixed by that.
 

Ghost

Chili Con Carnage!
I played through the first set of missions, really impressed with the touch controls (I'm playing on a tablet), though the generous auto aim helps a lot.
 

Caayn

Member
Did the "Dreatheus V archive" unlock for anyone here yet? It's under the intel section on the Halo Waypoint app for Xbox. In the desciption is says that you need to unlock the "recruit" achievement. I've got that achievement in both he WP8 and W8 versions. But for some reason the "Dreatheus V archive" doesn't unlock for me.
 
I haven't finished the game yet, so it's a bit early for me to talk about the canon. But there are some grave mistakes. For example the first active Spartan IVs was in 2553. Yet the first mission in the game takes place in 2552 with Sarah Palmer already as a Spartan IV instead of an ODST.

I'm aware that we still need to wait for the third book of the Kilo-Five trilogy. Maybe that book is going to explain things / rewrite things again.
Parangosky in Glasslands mentions in some capacity that Spartan IVs were actually active before the Human-Covenant War ended. So this isn't a canon break, really.
 

Tashi

343i Lead Esports Producer
What the hell I was on mission A5 and
successfully defended the base and was ready for extraction in the Hornet. I went around everywhere trying to get in the Hornet and couldn't find out how to get in.
Mission Failed. Made me turn the game off real quick. It's probably something really stupid that I just didn't see but just let me get in and move on to the next mission lol. A little frustrating, I really don't have patience for silly stuff like that.
 

Caayn

Member
Parangosky in Glasslands mentions in some capacity that Spartan IVs were actually active before the Human-Covenant War ended. So this isn't a canon break, really.
Not entirely. Glasslands takes place in 2552-2553. The only times that Spartan-IVs are mention in Glasslands is in the year 2553. On top of that the only two lines that can suggest that Spartan-IVs have been around since 2552 or earlier are these two.
Page: 354-355 / Date: February 2553
And we’ve had some Spartan-Fours out there for a while too.
Page: 422 / Date: March 2553
“We’ve just approved an extension for the ONI budget so Margaret can complete her Spartan-Four program.

Everywhere else in Glasslands they give you the impressions that the S-IV project is still in development. So it would be illogical to have active S-IV in 2552, when it's still in development in 2553.
 
I am about half way through the game now and wouldn't really recommend it to anyone. The gameplay itself is very basic with extremely linear (and short) levels. There isn't really anything to this game - it is a very shallow twin stick shooter and far more shallow if I try to fit it into any other genre. It would have been nice to see it be a true twin stick like Dead Nation but in the Halo Universe, or better something like Killzone: Liberation but there really isn't anything here except basic shooting and moving forward until the mission is accomplished.

Enemy encounters are very basic and your offensive options are far too simplified. I am not a hardcore Halo fan, but it would have been nice if weapons at least operated as they do in the mainline Halo game. Why do I not have to reload, or have the plasma weapons overheat? The game is designed around touch controls so why not have movement mapped to a virtual thumbstick and combat mapped to touch-to-target and a virtual button for fire and melee? Twin stick shooters don't really work when you are just moving forward and all engagements are directly ahead of you (there are a few arena levels, yes - but by and large the game so far is about moving forward) and a few more tactical elements (like actually having to manage weapons) would be nice. Enemy AI is also piss poor with many Elites just standing around not even shooting at you (even if I use the skull to make them tougher).

Also - I don't really see the point in spending experience points, or actual dollars. All they seem to do is get you the exact same weapons (sniper, RL, SL) for only one mission. The availability of weapons in-game is sufficient so it seems like a poor attempt at monetizing the game on 343's part.

All in all - not a fan. 343 is 2 for 2 in letting me down with the Halo franchise. $6 is too much for this experience. $2 with a better implemented experience/currency function would be fine - but for now, unless you just want to throw some money away, I would suggest passing on this.
 

hwalker84

Member
What the hell I was on mission A5 and
successfully defended the base and was ready for extraction in the Hornet. I went around everywhere trying to get in the Hornet and couldn't find out how to get in.
Mission Failed. Made me turn the game off real quick. It's probably something really stupid that I just didn't see but just let me get in and move on to the next mission lol. A little frustrating, I really don't have patience for silly stuff like that.
LOL. Not only did the radar tell you where to go but there was a clear indicator in the game.
 
Best phone controls omg

Really? I played it for about 10 minutes and then unpinned it, can't see myself ever going back to be honest. The touchscreen controls are /awful/. I'd be interested in playing on Windows 8 with a controller, but it sounds like that's not an option right now and I'm not spending another $7 on it.
 

R3TRO

Member
Really? I played it for about 10 minutes and then unpinned it, can't see myself ever going back to be honest. The touchscreen controls are /awful/. I'd be interested in playing on Windows 8 with a controller, but it sounds like that's not an option right now and I'm not spending another $7 on it.

Yes, I hate all phone games due to touch controls but I'm greatly enjoying this.
 
So, I'm currently re-downloading this game for the 10th time or so. Every single damn time it tells me that my phone is out of storage space.

The last time around I had 2 GB free. Now it says that I'm left with roughly 900 mb (which should STILL be enough) but, again: "out of storage space".

What the fuck.

I'm on an 820 by the way.

Did anyone have similar issues?

Edit: I also don't get why I have to re-download it every single time. Right now I've got 1 GB of temporary files, which obviously includes the Spartan Assault installer.

Edit 2: "phone storage" tells me that Other is bloated up with "2,79 GB". "storage check" tells me it's 864 MB. Seriously, this is getting on my nerves. Generally, I'm extremely happy and satisfied with Windows Phone 8, but this is just annoying.

Edit 3: Apparently this is a common issue. So basically there is no way for me to install it and my "Other" storage is now bloated for no good reason. Fantastic.
 

Conor 419

Banned
As stated in the 'Halo thread', I feel this game is very much the epitome of the Microsoft of the last few months, it represents yet another disaster for the series and begins to settle real, genuine doubt, as to whether incompetent Microsoft will be able to recover the series to previous standards.

Less than 10 seconds into the title and we already catch the very pro republican vibes this game exhibits. Customers who mainly reside in the 18-24 range are given a metaphorical fuck you as they are shamelessly told they must pay upward of £30 in order to unlock any weapons they would remotely care about such as the hugely popular sniper rifle.

When the gameplay eventually comes, it is overwhelmingly clear that outside of the character models and a few token references to specialist Halo terms, that this is lacking in just about everything which symbolised the original Halo trilogy. Fans sadly accept at this stage that we will never yet again here the OST we once loved so much. The narrative has similarly been perturbed, though at this stage I guess it should be expected that the array of space marine stereotypes as Sarah Palmer (who also serves as a clear allegory to Michelle Bachmann) and her lazy 'character development' via the various quotes from Marines, which are slapped into the loading menus, will now be the norm for this IP. The level design makes no reference to Halo's rich history, and less seasoned fans will help but wonder if they're playing Gears of War.

Overall, there are glimpses of fun in this title, racking up a killionaire with the sprint/shotgun combination is addictive, but for those who cannot bear to see what the future holds for this IP, stay well away,

[3]
 

Windu

never heard about the cat, apparently
So, I'm currently re-downloading this game for the 10th time or so. Every single damn time it tells me that my phone is out of storage space.

The last time around I had 2 GB free. Now it says that I'm left with roughly 900 mb (which should STILL be enough) but, again: "out of storage space".

What the fuck.

I'm on an 820 by the way.

Did anyone have similar issues?

Edit: I also don't get why I have to re-download it every single time. Right now I've got 1 GB of temporary files, which obviously includes the Spartan Assault installer.

Edit 2: "phone storage" tells me that Other is bloated up with "2,79 GB". "storage check" tells me it's 864 MB. Seriously, this is getting on my nerves. Generally, I'm extremely happy and satisfied with Windows Phone 8, but this is just annoying.

Edit 3: Apparently this is a common issue. So basically there is no way for me to install it and my "Other" storage is now bloated for no good reason. Fantastic.
if you have the latest firmware then there should be a Nokia storage check app in settings where you can clear the temp files. There are also a few third party apps in the store too.
 

Fuchsdh

Member
That's bad game design. Also don't use sprint while running close to a wraith. I just happened to run into one by mistake and died instantly. So running into vehicles just instantly kills you.

So it's just like Halo Combat Evolved.
 

JaggedSac

Member
Game is pretty shallow. It's fun in chuncks though. Don't see myself ever buying any credits. Different loadouts cost too much xp too.
 

clav

Member
The first chapter sucked (i.e. all the A levels.)

The game became fun in the middle of the second chapter.

Now on the third, and it's getting better.
 

clav

Member
The more I play this, the more I feel like this is like a Diablo/Torchlight dungeon crawler wannabe with just Halo weapons and one special ability.

Perhaps the game started as a dungeon crawler, and then 343 courted them to do a Halo themed game.

The top down view makes it seem this way.

Game is fun for a simple sit down and play for 5-10 minutes scenario.
 

zorbsie

Member
The escort/defend missions are totally killing this game for me. I'm on D4, I think, right now and that level can die in a fire.
 
Not entirely. Glasslands takes place in 2552-2553. The only times that Spartan-IVs are mention in Glasslands is in the year 2553. On top of that the only two lines that can suggest that Spartan-IVs have been around since 2552 or earlier are these two.



Everywhere else in Glasslands they give you the impressions that the S-IV project is still in development. So it would be illogical to have active S-IV in 2552, when it's still in development in 2553.
The Halo storyline doesn't make a whole lot of sense anymore, anyway. A lot of convoluted canon to sift through, especially in the wake of 343's appropriation of Halo.
 

clav

Member
The escort/defend missions are totally killing this game for me. I'm on D4, I think, right now and that level can die in a fire.

Just passed that one.

Beat it on my first try although I'm using keyboard setup.

At the last chapter now.

Fights are a lot more intense.
 
Not entirely. Glasslands takes place in 2552-2553. The only times that Spartan-IVs are mention in Glasslands is in the year 2553. On top of that the only two lines that can suggest that Spartan-IVs have been around since 2552 or earlier are these two.



Everywhere else in Glasslands they give you the impressions that the S-IV project is still in development. So it would be illogical to have active S-IV in 2552, when it's still in development in 2553.

Not exactly. The phrasing is letting her "complete the Spartain IV program". It would make sense to have a few prototypes/field-test soldiers out in the field to see how the program goes before greenlighting a fully-fledged program that requires an absolutely massive part of the budget.
 
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