A prequel to the classic Halo games, “Halo Wars” is a strategy game where players command armies against the alien Covenant which is threatening to obliterate mankind. In story mode, players join the crew aboard the “Spirit of Fire” starship, guided by Serina, an artificial intelligence. Various troops and vehicles all have their own strengths to be pitted against the alien menace or against other online players in skirmish mode. The game was crafted by Ensemble Studios, known for its “Age of Empires” game franchise. According to Microsoft, “Since inception, 'Halo Wars' was explicitly designed to cater to console gamers and bring to the Xbox 360 a genre that has typically been played on the PC.” Launch date: March 3, 2009.