Russ Fischer: The world and story were always the least interesting things about Halo, so the idea of building a new game around those elements leaves me cold and clammy. But I have a real love for real-time strategy games and an abiding interest in seeing them done right for consoles. So I can look past the Halo trappings and see Halo Wars as an interesting stab at making it happen. I spent some quality time with the game last year and, while it didn't threaten to eclipse Civilization IV or Civilization Revolution, I remain optimistic about how the relatively simple controls and unit sets will translate into hotly contested late-night matches over Live. If anyone is going to make that happen, Ensemble Studios is the team.

Gus Mastrapa: I'm straight-up terrible at real-time strategy games. Don't know what it is -- maybe I'm a chronic turtler. Or maybe I just plain suck. So, I view all games like this with fear. And Russ is right -- the story and setting for Halo aren't all that compelling. But their aesthetic is. There's something really appealing about Master Chief's armor. And I dig the Warthog -- it could be one of the cooler videogame vehicles ever created. So, yeah, I'm gonna play Halo Wars. But don't expect me to spend too much time playing this thing online. The idea of getting owned over and over again just doesn't appeal to me that much.

Outlook: We'll reluctantly finish the fight. Again.