10 Things You Need To Know About Halo Wars 2

5. New Villain Atriox Looks To Be One Of The Series Best

Not to devolve into fanboy territory, but as a species within Halo lore, the 'Jiralhanae' - known as Brutes - have consistently been some of the best enemies the games have thrown at us. We've tackled them atop Harley Davidson-esque Choppers, traded blows with Gravity Hammers and fought the powerful one-off Tartarus, at the close of Halo 2.

Now, in Halo Wars 2, the terrifyingly lethal Atriox has risen; a mound of muscle and intent that even "the whole damn Covenant couldn't contain".

Awoken by your Spirit of Fire ship after being held somewhat captive by the Covenant themselves, 343 have done a masterful job alluding to just how powerful and imposing Atriox is as a single entity, and that's before you get eyes on his army called The Banished, consisting of various species uniting to dominate the galaxy and get their revenge.

No matter what, going up against such a driven, somewhat empathetical enemy force - Jiralhanae aren't inherently 'evil', and there's a chance for a somewhat redemptive ending - is an incredibly interesting premise that should see Halo Wars 2's campaign be one of the best in years.