The Weekly Site Poll 51 - Halo Wars 2 Blitz Beta

[I_Make_Big_Boom]

Heyy, welcome back to the Weekly Site Poll!  

 

Poll 50 - 'Nintendo Switch Impressions' - is here if you'd like to read the responses, or post a late reply.

 

This week we chit-chat about our experiences with a certain new Beta....

 

 

 

 

What are your thoughts on the Halo Wars 2 Blitz Beta so far?

 

 

The next Weekly Site Poll will be posted whenever, maybe. Feel free to suggest the topic for the NEXT Weekly Site Poll in your response!

 

SD, out!^_. 

[Composite Armour]

The PC version is dire, showing itself as a poorly done port rather than a dedicated PC version. I'll be brief about this, but the UI is pretty bad, controls are all over the shop and the options presented are poor. Also, forcing XBL integration is pretty bad and in the PC beta there's no way to add new people and play with them due to this system, it's really wonky. Controls are a pretty big part of an RTS and the way they've done it just doesn't work.

 

Performance wise there was no issue, but the recommended GTX 1060 is just not needed at all. The game in no way requires a card on that level for max settings.

 

If the game was on Steam, didn't require XBL account and reworked the UI, that's a good chunk done right there to give it a chance.

 

Alright, PC stuff done, on to ze blitz.

 

Let's start with the card system. Feck the micro-transaction card system. You can buy card packs, with RNG on what you get and a lot of game changing stuff being locked to start with. Duplicate cards will level up and make them better. It's a terrible, terrible way to do things and very P2W in the way it's presented. Need to cut this nonsense out. It's stupid.

 

Moving on.

 

The mode itself is very unbalanced. At least in 2v2s, but it'd very easily extend to 3v3 as well. But let's get a few issues out of the way first.

 

1. Energy spawns are random but determine the game. The initial spawn can all be on the other side of the map, giving your enemies an easy start and the ability to easily snowball.

2. You can constantly see the enemy units. It's stupid. Knowing exactly where your enemy is and what he has just kills any slight chance of a bit of tactical genius.

3. You can spawn units anywhere you can see. Just...what. The map is not that big, there's no punishment for not coming prepared since you can just spawn in units straight to the fight. Add a delay, spawn them at base only, anything really. Simple changes that add more to the game mode.

4. There's no timer to cap a point. Get a unit in and it's yours, unless there's an enemy unit present. Really easy to stay tied for points while just having a warthog lollygagging about capping points.

 

Alright, let's talk about the easy win. One player just spends all the time collecting energy, the other player assembles nothing but air units. Enemy builds a really big army, begins to fight....and the energy guy clicks them out with a MAC and super laser condor. Enemy has no time to react and has to watch as their army vanishes, most of which is ineffective anyway as there's few units that can stand to an all air army. From there it's a snowball, rinse and repeat. Easy. Also, if you buy card packs you have the chance to unlock even more anti-army click powers and level up your current ones. Neat right?

 

Also, asking me to buy the pre-order after every match? No, go away.

 

 

I was interested in how HW2 was going to be on PC, but this really is such a terrible first impression for the game. Blitz is a terrible game mode made even worse with the pure RNG cards. How would we every find issues with Spartans if no one ever unlocks the cards? This beta really is a joke and "Oh it's all fine it's just a beta" is in no way a valid excuse for the state it's in.

 

I want to like HW2, I really do, but it's going to be a youtube the story game for me. Blitz just left such a bad taste. If you're looking for something with the same concept as Blitz, just play End War, on xbox and PC.

 

They should just go back to having it as an xbox exclusive if this is any indication of the full game.

 

And to end with something positive, negative and then positive again, I really like the unit designs and a lot of what they've come up with. Pelican gunships and Condors? Cool! Scorpions with bulldozers? Hell yeah! Locking them behind RNG cards?! BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO-URNS!

 

And the music, digging the music. Looking forward to listening to the OST when the game comes out.