Halo Wars is the real-time strategy prequel set before Halo: Combat Evolved. Developed by Ensemble Studios and released in 2009, it follows the UNSC Spirit of Fire during the early stages of the Human-Covenant War.
The campaign begins in 2531, decades before the events of the first mainline Halo game. Players command UNSC forces, including units led by Sergeant John Forge, while investigating Covenant activity connected to an ancient Forerunner fleet and a shield world.
Halo Wars adapted familiar Halo units and factions to console strategy controls rather than first-person shooting. It was designed specifically for Xbox 360, using streamlined resource gathering, base construction, and unit selection. Halo Wars 2 was developed by Creative Assembly and continues the Spirit of Fire’s story, but it is a sequel rather than the prequel that established the series’ strategy format.