Hey, I happen to like twin stick arcade shooters, so I was happy to see that this upcoming game is going to feed that need… provided I (*urgh!*) buy a twin stick-free Windows 8 PC, phone or other device. Which, by the way… is something I have zero intention of doing. Oh well. Still, I’ll give it up for Microsoft, developer Vanguard Entertainment and 343 Industries, who do have the right idea in trying to get fans to get into a portable Halo experience. Still, skipping the Xbox 360’s huge user base and Windows 7 PC’s (but probably not the upcoming Xbox One where it SHOULD be a free pack-in on the HDD to lure in more early adopters) and effectively enforcing an upgrade to play this one isn’t settling in with some folks who’d prefer the entire Halo series ported over at some point sooner than later…

That in and of itself is hilarious, given the rather intense (and always misplaced) hatred some die-hard PC gamers feel for consoles, but there are also plenty of Xbox and Xbox 360 owners who also run more powerful game rigs and yes, want to play PC versions of their favorite FPS series for the improved visuals and keyboard mouse support. The only games in the series to hit PC were the first two (in 2003 and 2004), but since then it’s been a console-only exclusive. Since Microsoft doesn’t invite me anywhere, I can’t say how Halo: Spartan Assault plays at all. But it looks as it will appeal to more than just the purely casual crowd, and yes, it’s coming in at a cheap price point ($6.99).

Of course, the big proof will be how many actually end up buying a new phone, upgrade to the troubled Windows 8 OS, or otherwise buy into what Microsoft is selling this year as an entertainment choice. Their “all our eggs in a basket” strategy here and into the future means that only their consumers willing to commit in full to how the company wants to get them content will see the true results of all these efforts made to keep their wallets lighter. I still think this would do much better on “older” Windows devices and as an Xbox Live Arcade exclusive, but I’m gathering there’s a micro-transaction model at play that can’t be implemented over XBLA in its current form. Welcome to the new age (again), I suppose…