Two New ‘Halo’ Games Available In The App Store

Xbox Halo 5 — Master Chief walks in the rubble of a human city in the latest "Halo 5: Guardians" teaser trailer. Microsoft/Xbox

After years of waiting and anticipation, “Halo” has come to the App Store. Microsoft has released not one, but two different “Halo” games, both of which are dual stick shooters. The titles are “Halo: Spartan Assault” and its sequel, “Halo: Spartan Strike.”

“Halo: Spartan Assault” was actually released two years ago for the Windows 8 mobile platform, which was then released on Steam sometime last year. This twin-stick shooter is set sometime after “Halo 3” but before “Halo 4.” The title was originally said to be a Microsoft exclusive and seemed to be that way, but after the game’s release last weekend, it seems that the company had a change of heart.

The sequel, “Halo: Spartan Strike,” is a brand new adventure and was released simultaneously on the App Store for iOS devices and other platforms like Microsoft 8 and Steam. While both games were released at the same time in the App Store, Touch Arcade stated that “Spartan Strike” is the superior game, due to the number of improvements made from “Spartan Assault” like better vehicle controls, improved graphics and a more streamlined upgrade system.

Both games are currently available in the App Store for $5.99 each. However, players can save their money by purchasing a bundle that lets them get both games for $9.99, as stated by Pocket Gamer.

While the twin-stick shooter genre is a new one for the “Halo” series, this isn’t the first time the popular franchise decided to experiment with different gameplay styles. A “Halo” RTS was released a couple of years ago titled “Halo Wars” and differed greatly from the “Halo” formula, as it was a real time strategy game rather than any kind of shooter.

The hype for these “Halo” mobile games once again proves just how popular the “Halo” series continues to be. With the upcoming “Halo 5” getting a release sometime this year for the Xbox One and the recent Blu-Ray and Digital releases of “Halo: Nightfall” proving to be popular among fans, it’s clear that the series is not only here to stay but will continue to evolve.

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