GAME
Halo: Spartan Strike
Challenge your enemies, strike fast, be a Spartan
Halo: Spartan Strike is a top-down action shooter set in the famous Halo universe, experienced through a classified ONI simulation taking place during the events of Halo 2. Vanguard Games developed the game in conjunction with 343 Industries for Windows Phone 8, Windows 8, PC (Steam) and iOS.
Playing as a Spartan IV, players fight alongside UNSC troops and battle against Covenant and Promethean forces in order to save Earth. Halo: Spartan Strike includes a compelling new story and improved touch controls, delivering an epic adventure with thrilling battles and unparalleled visuals for mobile devices.
Responsibilities
I am one of around five designers that worked on this project, in an overall team of about twenty people. Before leaving Vanguard Games, I worked on this project from the start for around five months. Some of the tasks I’ve worked on are:
- Overall game design and its documentation, with a focus on weapons and abilities
- Designing and building mission building blocks (triggers, spawning systems, other interactive objects)
- Mission and level design
- Narrative research and design
- Designing Achievements and in-game challenges
- Design-related communication with and documentation for 343
Links & files
Features
- 30 missions spread out across New Mombasa and Gamma Halo, featuring new Promethean enemies
- All new weapons: Suppressor, Scatter Shot, Binary Rifle and Incineration Cannon
- All new Armor Abilities: Proximity Mine, Bubble Shield, Teleport, Shock Chain and Airstrike
- Keyboard/mouse, controller and touch control support
- Leaderboards and weekly challenges
- Earn Achievements to unlock exclusive Halo: The Master Chief Collection content
Critical acclaim
Halo: Spartan Strike got some great reviews. Here are some highlights:
"A gorgeous, surprisingly deep shooter that sucks you back into Halo's universe. Fun and flashy in all the right ways."
Pocket Gamer: 9.0
"As a sequel to Halo: Spartan Assault, it would make sense that Strike seeks to improve upon its predecessor and it succeeds in that regard. While the changes to the formula feel more evolutionary than revolutionary, those improvements are on a game that was already great to begin with making Strike an even better dual stick shooter."
Touch Arcade: 9.0
"Spartan Strike does a great job of building on the foundation of Spartan Assault."
148 Apps: 8.0
"If you're a Halo fan looking for a more digestible take on the series, a gamer with a Microsoft or Apple smartphone or tablet looking to play something meatier and more action-packed, or even a casual observer trying to figure out what all the Halo fuss is about, Halo: Spartan Strike is a great entry point."
PC Mag: 8.0
"Halo: Spartan Strike's upgraded parts aren't immediately apparent, but the sum total is pretty striking. A pinch of better aiming here, a heaping helping of Promethian enemies there, and annoying microtransactions nowhere make Spartan Strike worth the quick and cheap sub-ten-dollar tour."
IGN: 72
Many more can be found on the Metacritic page for the PC and iOS versions of Halo: Spartan Strike.