Editing Halo: Spartan Strike

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{{Game Infobox

|developer= [[343 Industries]], [[Vanguard Games]]<ref name="Waypoint"/>

|platform= [[Wikipedia:Windows 8|Windows 8]]/[[Wikipedia:Windows 8.1|8.1]]<ref name="Waypoint"/><br>

[[Wikipedia:Windows Phone 8|Windows Phone 8]]/[[Wikipedia:Windows Phone 8.1|8.1]]<ref name="Waypoint"/><br>

[[Wikipedia:Steam (software)|Steam]]<ref name="IGN">[http://www.ign.com/articles/2014/10/15/halo-spartan-strike-announced-for-windows-devices-and-steam-ign-first?watch '''IGN''', ''Halo: Spartan Strike Announced for Windows Devices and Steam – IGN First'']</ref>

|rating=[[Wikipedia:Entertainment Software Ratings Board|ESRB]]: Teen (T) for Blood and Violence<ref name="Waypoint"/>

'''''Halo: Spartan Strike''''' is an isometric shooter video game and the spiritual successor to ''[[Halo: Spartan Assault]]'', developed by [[Vanguard Games]] in collaboration with [[343 Industries]].<ref name="Waypoint">[https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/games/halo-spartan-strike/windows '''Halo Waypoint''': ''Halo: Spartan Strike'']</ref> The game was released on [[2015#April|April 16, 2015]]<ref name="released"/> on [[Wikipedia:Windows 8|Windows 8]] and [[Wikipedia:Windows 8.1|8.1]] devices, iPhone,<ref name="released"/> iPad,<ref name="released"/> and [[Wikipedia:Steam (software)|Steam]] for $5.99 (US).<ref name="IGN"/>

As with ''Spartan Assault'', ''Spartan Strike''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s campaign employs the [[UNSC Tactical Simulator]] as a framing device. Set in two time periods, the story centers on a [[Forerunner]] artifact known as the [[Conduit]]. The game begins during the [[Battle of Mombasa]] in [[2552#October|October 2552]]. The player assumes to role of a [[SPARTAN-IV program|Spartan-IV]] who is placed into the simulation in lieu of the [[ODST]] fireteam who actually carried out the [[Operation: WINDOW PANE|mission]].<ref name="Waypoint"/> After the first operation the narrative jumps to [[2557#July|July 2557]]. A Headhunter is deployed onto [[Installation 03|Gamma Halo]] to reacquire the Conduit from the [[Jul 'Mdama's Covenant faction|Covenant forces]] who have taken the artifact to a Forerunner site they refer to as the [[Altar]]. After the player is successful, they must deliver the Conduit to an [[ONI]] facility in [[New Phoenix]] on [[Earth]] in the hope of using the artifact to close a [[slipspace portal]] that has unleashed a [[Promethean]] invasion upon the city.<ref name="IGN"/>

{{Spoiler}}

During the Battle of New Mombasa in 2552, the [[Covenant]] brings the Conduit to the city. A [[Type-25 Spirit|Spirit]] [[dropship]] carrying information about the Conduit is shot down by UNSC forces and the Spartan is tasked with recovering the [[data pad]] containing the intel. After the Spartan retrieves the data pad, the Conduit's location is pinpointed elsewhere in [[New Mombasa]]. The [[Sangheili]] carrying the Conduit is killed and the Spartan brings the device to a nearby UNSC convoy. Furious at the loss of the Conduit, the Covenant assaults the convoy in hopes of regaining the device. During the ensuring firefight, a Sangheili [[Field Master]] escapes in a Spirit after recovering the Conduit from the convoy. The Spartan pursues the dropship and the Spirit is shot down shortly after. Arriving at the crash-site, the Spartan eliminates the Field Master and his [[Kig-Yar]] bodyguards. Once again recovering the Conduit, the Spartan is ordered to escape the city so the Conduit can be brought to a research facility in New Phoenix. However, at the same time, ''[[Solemn Penance]]'' is preparing to enter [[slipstream space]] over Mombasa. Fleeing in a [[M12 Warthog|Warthog]], the Spartan attempts to flee, but fails to escape the resulting slipspace rupture. Cutting back to 2557, Roland reveals that the ODSTs originally sent to retrieve the Conduit were killed when the slipspace rupture destroyed Mombasa. The Conduit was never found and the UNSC presume that the device was destroyed as well.

[[File:HSS-Cinematic-Altar.png|thumb|250px|left|The Covenant fleet arrives at the Altar.]]

Roland reveals that in 2557, a faint signal originating on Gamma Halo was detected by the orbiting [[Ivanoff Station]]. In response, a [[Headhunter]] was sent to investigate. It was discovered that the source was originating from the Conduit, and [[Jul 'Mdama]]'s [[Jul 'Mdama's Covenant faction|reformed Covenant faction]] has also detected the signal and is attempting to take the Conduit for themselves. The Spartan now simulates the actions of the Headhunter during the [[Battle of Installation 03]]. To prevent the UNSC from finding the Conduit, signal jammers are placed throughout the jungle in which the Conduit is located. The Spartan destroys the jammers and the device's signal is soon found to be emanating from a nearby Forerunner structure. Utilizing a stolen [[Type-26 Wraith|Wraith]] to destroy a power core, the Spartan disables a gate blocking the entrance to the structure. The Spartan is attacked by a [[Promethean Knight]] inside the structure and it is realized that the source was fabricated by the Covenant to distract the UNSC. Pinpointing the Conduit's true location through the use of UNSC transmitters, the Spartan departs the area in a Pelican. A terminal on Gamma Halo reveals that the Conduit is capable of opening Forerunner [[slipspace portal]]s throughout the [[Milky Way]]. Additionally, it is able to enter slipspace to save itself from destruction—as demonstrated at New Mombasa. Meanwhile, the Covenant discovers the [[Altar]], where they plan to use it to power the Conduit. Once the Conduit is powered, the Covenant intends to open slipspace portals all across Gamma Halo for their [[Promethean]] allies, from which they would take control of the Halo from the UNSC.

The Spartan, determined to stop the Covenant, attempts to travel to the Altar in the Pelican. However, the dropship is shot down. Surviving the crash, the Spartan fights past Covenant soldiers and discovers a deactivated portal that leads to the Altar. Using nearby power stations to activate the portal, the Spartan enters it and appears outside the Altar. Kwon determines that a [[M808 Scorpion|Scorpion]] is needed to break past the Covenant's defenses at the Altar. After the Spartan destroys several nearby [[Type-52 Anti-Aircraft Wraith|Anti-Aircraft Wraiths]] that were preventing the UNSC from dropping off the tank via dropship, a Pelican drops off a Scorpion and the Spartan uses it to fight his way to the Altar. The Spartan kills all Covenant forces at the Altar, and reclaims the Conduit. Realizing they have lost the battle, Covenant forces begin to retreat from Gamma Halo. Delivering the Conduit to a Pelican, the Spartan operates a Covenant Spirit to leave the ringworld and rendezvous with the Pelican in orbit. After returning to Ivanoff Station with the Conduit, the Spartan receives an emergency distress call from an [[New Phoenix ONI facility|ONI facility]] in New Phoenix on Earth. The Spartan learns that when the Covenant used the Conduit at the Altar, portals were opened across the galaxy; one portal opened at the New Phoenix ONI facility, where a [[unidentified Forerunner machine|Forerunner artifact]] was being studied. Jul 'Mdama's forces and Prometheans proceeded to [[Battle of New Phoenix|invade]] the city though the portal. Realizing that the Conduit was needed to shut down the portal, the Spartan traveled to Earth with the device to end the invasion.

After being inserted in New Phoenix, the Spartan makes his way through the ONI facility, completing various objectives to hinder the Covenant and Promethean incursion. In the end, the Spartan and an ONI research team use the Conduit to deactivate a Forerunner artifact at the heart of the complex that is generating the portals, halting the invasion. Before the UNSC can reacquire the Conduit from the artifact's core, it makes an automated slipspace jump with an unknown destination.

The ''Spartan Strike'' campaign features five chapters known as "Operations" with six missions each.<ref name="Waypoint"/><ref>[[:File:HSS-Ops&Missions.jpg|''Halo: Spartan Strike'' operation screens]]</ref>

*[[Mission 15: Til Death Do Us Part|Til Death Do Us Part]]

*[[Mission 21: We need to Talk|We Need to Talk]]

[[File:SpartanStrike - KestrelvsGhost.png|thumb|left|250px|A [[Kestrel]] versus a [[Type-32 Ghost|Ghost]]]]

''Halo: Spartan Strike'' includes a number of refinements to ''Spartan Assault''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s gameplay, including improved controls and having the player's virtual thumbsticks as visible circles on the screen. [[Grenade]] throwing has been made more precise and new [[armor abilities]] are included. The sandbox has also been expanded with the inclusion of the [[Promethean]] enemy units and weapons, as well as new vehicles including the [[Warthog]]. The game also introduces the [[Kestrel]], inspired by a vehicle cut during the development of ''Halo 2''.<ref name="IGN"/><ref name="Waypoint"/>

The missions and the campaign overall are longer: The overall campaign takes roughly five hours, wheras ''Spartan Assault''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s campaign lasts around three to four hours. The difficulty increases progressively throughout the campaign more prominently than in ''Spartan Assault''. Like the original version of its predecessor, ''Spartan Strike'' features no multiplayer mode.<ref name="IGN"/> The game has linked leaderboards and weekly challenges.<ref name="Waypoint"/>

The game features in-game credits which can be used to purchase weapons and equipment, the the microtransactions featured in ''Spartan Assault'' having been omitted. Credits will be earned only through gameplay, although three [[List of Achievements for Halo: The Master Chief Collection|Achievements]] in ''[[Halo: The Master Chief Collection]]'' awards the player a number of extra credits. Playing ''Spartan Strike'' also unlocks exclusive multiplayer content for ''The Master Chief Collection'', including an in-game nameplate, emblem and avatar.<ref name="IGN"/>

''Spartan Strike'' retains many of the specific game mechanics of ''[[Halo: Spartan Assault]]'', such as the simple touch of a moving vehicle resulting in an instant splatter kill and weapon racks enabling the player to have technically unlimited ammo on a given area. There is more variety to the weapons than before but some changes are made to vehicle operation. For example, the player can fire the Warthog's turret while driving albeit at a reduced rate of fire. Destroying vehicle debris now requires a certain speed; for example, the Grizzly tank cannot destroy Wraith or Scorpion debris if it is moving too slow. Overheat on the machine gun Turret and Shade Turret is removed. Some weapons are also given more ammo than standard, such as the plasma pistol, where the cap goes to 200 shots and each charged shot only consumes 3 shots, while thr rocket launcher is given 15 times more ammo than standard capacity (From 10 to 150) with reduced damage, and the Spartan laser has a shot that lasts for several seconds when firing, with for times the normal battery capacity.

The Windows version of ''Spartan Strike'' supports cross-platform integration; a copy of the game is playable on all Windows 8/8.1 devices irrespective of the platform the game was purchased on along with shared stats. As with ''Spartan Assault'', the Steam version is excluded from this integration as the Steam platform does not share the [[Xbox Live]] gaming profile.<ref name="IGN"/>

**[[Jul 'Mdama's Covenant faction]]

*[[Installation 03]]

**[[Altar]] {{1st}}

**[[Battle of Earth]]  

****[[Operation: WINDOW PANE]] {{1st}} {{Indirect mention}}

**[[Battle of New Phoenix]] {{1st}}

*[[Type-1 plasma grenade]]

*[[Type-29 Shade]]

*[[Type-51 plasma repeater]]

*[[Type-52 focus rifle]]

*[[Type-2 gravity hammer]]

*[[Type-25 plasma rifle]]

*[[M12 Warthog LRV]]

*[[Single Occupant Exoatmospheric Insertion Vehicle]]

*[[Type-25 Spirit]]

*[[Type-32 Ghost]]

*[[Type-47 Scarab]]

*[[Type-52 Anti-Aircraft Wraith]]

''Halo: Spartan Strike'' was announced by an article and gameplay video at the video gaming website IGN on October 15, 2014.<ref name="IGN"/> The following day, an announcement trailer was released on [[Halo Waypoint]]'s YouTube channel alongside the creation of an official page for the game at the Halo Waypoint website.<ref name="announce trailer">[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wZD8b2MNOF4 '''YouTube''': ''Halo: Spartan Strike Announce Trailer'']</ref><ref name="Waypoint"/> The game was initially scheduled for a December 12, 2014 release, however on December 5, 343 Industries announced that the game would be pushed back to early 2015 due to continuing issues with ''[[Halo: The Master Chief Collection]]'''s online multiplayer.<ref name="delay">[https://www.halowaypoint.com/en-us/community/blog-posts/halo-spartan-strike-coming-in-early-2015 '''Halo Waypoint''' - ''Halo: Spartan Strike Coming in Early 2015'']</ref> After months of no news on the game's release date, ''Spartan Strike'' was released on April 16, 2015.<ref name="released"/>

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{{Halo Games}}