Halo: Spartan Assault

Halo: Spartan Assault is an upcoming "twin-stick shooter" video game developed by Vanguard Games in collaboration with 343 Industries. It is designed for Microsoft Windows 8 (with support for both PC and tablets such as the Microsoft Surface), as well as Windows Phone 8. Set between the events of Halo 3 and Halo 4, the game will feature 25 missions that tell the story of the SPARTAN-IV Program's earliest operations.

Plot summary
Set sometime between March 2553 and July 2557, Halo: Spartan Assault explores the SPARTAN-IVs' first Spartan Ops during the Battle of Draetheus V. This battle is part of the second war between the UNSC and the remnants of the Covenant, which is still being waged during the events of Halo 4. The story unfolds through a historical computer simulation which the SPARTAN-IVs use for combat analysis and training, much like Halo 4 ' s War Games mode; this framing structure likely explains some of the game's arcade-like elements, such as weapons' ability to fire continuously.

The campaign has two protagonists, Commander Sarah Palmer and Spartan Davis, whose first meeting will be depicted in the Halo: Initiation limited comic series. Rather than the in-engine cutscenes used in most Halo games, Spartan Assault will instead make use of motion comic-style animations between missions, much like the terminals in Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary and Halo 4.

Control
As a twin-stick top-down shooter title, Halo: Spartan Assault is developed primarily for touchscreen platforms. The default controls for the game makes use of the common control mechanics common in touchscreen platform: the movement control is located on the left screen whereas the aiming and firing control is located on the right. Halo's staple abilities such as throwing a grenade and using vehicles are readily accessible to players and are placed next to the aiming and firing controls for ease of use.

The game can be played with a mouse and keyboard which uses a standard shooter format: keyboard's WASD controls movement and the mouse is for aim and fire. Abilities are

The game can be played with a mouse and keyboard by using a shooter format: movement is controlled by WASD control scheme with the mouse to aim and fire. An update will be applied to the game following its release which would enable the use of an Xbox controller.

Player loadout
Players would be able to customise their Spartan character's primary and secondary weapon loadout, armor ability and booster at the start of a mission.

Integration features
Halo: Spartan Assault will be closely integrated with the player's experience in Halo 4. Experience points, all-new Achievements, and unique emblems can all be unlocked for one's Halo 4 Spartan career. Additional integration features available after launch.

UNSC

 * Davis
 * Commander Sarah Palmer

Covenant

 * Shipmaster Jul 'Mdama
 * Parg Vol

Equipment and technology

 * Hard light
 * Z-90 Photonic Coalescence Emitter/Aegis
 * M2705 Regenerative Kinetic Dispersal Field
 * MJOLNIR Powered Assault Armor
 * MJOLNIR [GEN2]
 * MJOLNIR Powered Assault Armor/Recruit
 * MJOLNIR Powered Assault Armor/S variant
 * Sangheili combat harness
 * Zealot variant
 * Warrior variant
 * Type-27 Responsive Holographic Form Emulator
 * Unggoy combat harness

Vehicles

 * UNSC
 * AV-14 Hornet
 * D77H-TCI Pelican
 * M313 Heavy Recovery Vehicle
 * M808 Main Battle Tank
 * M850 Main Battle Tank
 * M9 Main Anti-Aircraft Tank
 * Covenant
 * Type-25 Troop Carrier
 * Type-26 Assault Gun Carriage
 * Type-26 Ground Support Aircraft
 * Type-29 Anti-Infantry Stationary Gun
 * Type-47 Ultra Heavy Assault Platform
 * Type-52 Anti-Aircraft Artillery
 * Type-52 Troop Carrier
 * Type-26 Ground Support Aircraft
 * Type-29 Anti-Infantry Stationary Gun
 * Type-47 Ultra Heavy Assault Platform
 * Type-52 Anti-Aircraft Artillery
 * Type-52 Troop Carrier

Weapons

 * UNSC
 * MA5D Individual Combat Weapon System
 * BR85 Heavy Barrel Service Rifle
 * M395 Designated Marksman Rifle
 * M6H Personal Defense Weapon System
 * M45D Tactical Shotgun
 * M7/Caseless Submachine Gun
 * M247 General Purpose Machine Gun
 * M247T Medium Machine Gun
 * M41 Surface-to-Surface Rocket Medium Anti-Vehicle/Assault Weapon
 * M363 Remote Projectile Detonator
 * M6 Grindell/Galilean Nonlinear Rifle
 * M9 High-Explosive Dual-Purpose grenade
 * Sniper Rifle System 99-Series 5 Anti-Matériel
 * Covenant
 * Type-1 Antipersonnel grenade
 * Type-1 Energy Weapon/Sword
 * Type-2 Energy Weapon/Hammer
 * Type-25 Directed Energy Pistol
 * Type-33 Guided Munitions Launcher
 * Type-51 Directed Energy Rifle/Improved
 * Type-52 Special Applications Rifle

Locations

 * Draetheus system
 * Draetheus V

Organizations

 * Covenant remnant
 * United Earth Government
 * United Nations Space Command
 * Spartan
 * SPARTAN-IV Program

Species

 * Human
 * Kig-Yar
 * Jiralhanae
 * Sangheili
 * Unggoy
 * Yanme'e