Third-person shooter set before the original trilogy, starting right after Emergence Day. You control Kilo Squad—Damon Baird and Augustus Cole leading the charge—defending Halvo Bay against an overwhelming assault. The campaign unfolds as a military tribunal, with each mission presented as testimony from squad members explaining their actions during the battle. Combat emphasizes faster movement and more aggressive tactics compared to earlier entries, with declassified missions that add optional difficulty modifiers for each chapter. Multiplayer introduces OverRun, a class-based mode where one team defends objectives while the other spawns as enemy creatures. Also includes free-for-all modes and competitive variants. The prequel setup means you're fighting to save a city that hasn't fallen yet, giving familiar faces different context.
