Retro Replay Review

Gameplay

War of the Worlds flips the familiar alien-invasion script by placing you in command of a towering tripod rather than the beleaguered humans. Across thirteen side-scrolling levels—set in Osaka, London, New Jersey, and war-torn wastelands—you’ll guide your alien war machine through city streets and open waters, blasting every resistance force in your path. The controls are straightforward: move the tripod platform and swivel the main turret to target incoming waves of tanks, helicopters, jets, bombers, and motorboats.

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Time is your greatest adversary. Although your tripod is more powerful than the human forces, successive kamikaze charges and strategically placed buildings can slow your advance. Each mission forces you to balance destructive firepower with swift progression. Fail to keep pace, and your limited clock ticks down to zero, ending the level prematurely. Boss encounters punctuate the action: you’ll face off against colossal tanks rolling through London’s streets, submarines surfacing in harbor levels, and bomber squadrons overhead—sometimes even racing to stop a ferry loaded with fleeing civilians.

Layered atop the basic shoot-’em-up mechanics are power-ups, chain reactions, and tactical grabs. Collect power cells to refill your power bar (displayed in the bottom-left corner) and upgrade your ammunition. The tripod carries up to three devastating bombs—screen-clearing explosions helpful in tight spots. As enemy waves swell, red-highlighted units or mines on the ground signal chain-explosion opportunities: destroying them triggers cascading blasts that wipe out entire formations and reward you with precious bonus time. You can even scoop up stray mines or human survivors to toss back at enemies, adding depth to the frantic combat loop.

Graphics

Visually, War of the Worlds adopts a gritty, industrial aesthetic that captures the apocalyptic mood of H.G. Wells’ tale. Cityscapes crumble under your devastating firepower, with building facades shattering into debris that litters the streets. The color palette leans toward muted grays and browns, punctuated by vibrant explosions and tracer rounds that cut through the haze. This contrast ensures every shot and blast stands out in the chaos.

Enemy sprites are well-detailed for a side-scrolling shooter of its era. Tanks clank across the ground with convincing treads, while helicopters and jets bank and roll with smooth animations. Boss units—especially the massive submersible or sky-borne bombers—loom over the playfield in imposing fashion, their scale emphasizing the tripod’s dominance. Backgrounds shift dynamically between urban centers, riverside docks, and burned-out wastelands, providing a sense of global conflict.

The user interface remains clean and informative. A compact HUD displays your power bar, remaining bombs, and the countdown timer without obscuring too much screen real estate. Periodic “CNN-style” news tickers at the bottom of the display also add a cinematic flair, updating you on the human counter-offensive as you carve a path of destruction. These graphical touches, though modest by today’s triple-A standards, contribute effectively to the game’s immersive arcade-style presentation.

Story

War of the Worlds draws its narrative from the classic H.G. Wells novel and the eponymous film adaptation, but with a twist: you are the invader. Rather than observing humanity’s desperate fight for survival, you lead the extraterrestrial war machine bent on human annihilation. This role reversal offers a fresh perspective on familiar events, as missions unfold in the same sequence of locations depicted in the movie, from Osaka’s bustling streets to London’s iconic landmarks.

Story moments are delivered primarily through in-game events rather than lengthy cutscenes. As you advance, intermittent news reports inform you of human strategies and mounting casualties, creating a running commentary on the conflict. These snippets serve to heighten tension, reminding players that every second counts in the struggle to maintain extraterrestrial supremacy.

Though the narrative framework is relatively straightforward, it effectively grounds the action in a recognizable world. Fans of the original novel or film will appreciate the nods to key plot points—particularly the final wasteland showdown—and the sense that you’re retracing the footsteps (or tripod-steps) of the movie’s invaders. The minimalist storytelling keeps the focus on gameplay, yet never loses sight of the epic scale of this interspecies war.

Overall Experience

War of the Worlds delivers a compelling arcade-style shooter experience with a unique premise: playing as the invader rather than the invaded. Its straightforward controls and escalating enemy waves make for an accessible yet challenging romp. The ticking clock injects urgency into every mission, while chain-reaction mechanics and power-up management add strategic depth beyond mere button-mashing.

Graphically and aurally, the game captures an apocalyptic atmosphere that complements its destructive gameplay. From crumbling cityscapes and dynamic explosions to the constant hum of alien weaponry, the audiovisual presentation serves its purpose without unnecessary frills. The occasional news ticker and boss battles break up the pacing, ensuring that each level feels distinct and memorable.

For players seeking a fast-paced shooter with a novel twist on the familiar alien-invasion trope, War of the Worlds offers solid value. Its thirteen levels provide several hours of frantic gameplay, and the hidden chain-reaction tactics reward repeated playthroughs. While it may lack the narrative depth of more modern titles, its arcade sensibilities and faithful nods to the source material make it an enjoyable pick for gamers curious to wreak havoc across Earth from an alien perspective.

Retro Replay Score

7.2/10