While the upcoming Halo realtime strategy game has had it’s gameplay shown off, the story and context of the battles you fight is a core foundation of a video game. In a newly published video, 343 Industries sets the stage for Halo Wars 2, a direct continuation of the Halo Wars story.
The heroes from the first game seemed to be put into some sort of sleep for 28 years. The developers say they wanted to introduce new characters in this story, understanding that RTS players have a higher expectation from that element of the game. Halo Wars 2 has the original crew waking up to find themselves near a Forerunner base known as the Ark, one of the most powerful creations from those people. The game’s developers call it the “birthplace of the Halos,” where all the rings were made.
The crew traces the source of an emergency beacon coming from the complex below, coming across an A.I. program known as Isabelle. She’s not designed for military related processes, rather she’s a logistics program. This computer program saw the destruction that unfolded around her creator’s homes, coming to the Halo Wars 2 in a state of concern and confusion. Isabelle delivers a warning to them about a danger that still lurks on the Ark. A group of investigating Spartans meet Atriox for the first time, being severely beaten in a battle with him. More than just a simple brute, Atriox has highly intelligent tactical qualities. As the leader of the Banished, he’s a mighty force to reckon with.
Halo Wars 2 is set to release on February 21st, 2017 for Xbox One and PC.