Retro Replay Review

Gameplay

Army Men: World War – Final Front delivers a surprisingly robust gameplay package that expands beyond the series’ traditional lawn-and-garden skirmishes. The game offers 15 single-player missions that take your plastic green army from cluttered desktops to murky underwater trenches and even through winding underground tunnels. Each environment presents unique challenges—submerged combat slows your movement and limits visibility, while the claustrophobic underground passages demand careful navigation and strategic use of assault rafts and motorbikes.

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Multiplayer is a highlight, featuring 16 maps across classic modes and new variations such as Grudge Match and co-op battles. The inclusion of a two-player map editor lets friends craft custom arenas, tweaking terrain and spawn points to their liking. These user-created battlegrounds can breathe fresh life into skirmishes, offering endless replay value. The addition of new vehicles—submarines, motorbikes, and assault rafts—adds tactical depth, encouraging players to adapt their strategies based on which units are available.

Controls feel intuitive whether you’re mounting a bike to flank the enemy or diving deep to commandeer a submarine. Boot Camp mode is an especially welcome addition, allowing newcomers to learn the ropes in a structured firing range and various combat exercises. Veterans will appreciate the fine-tuning options for sensitivity and key mapping, ensuring that both novice and experienced players can feel comfortable orchestrating their micro-arena warfare. AI opponents are competent, providing a moderate challenge without veering into frustration—expect the tan army to set up ambushes in choke points and adapt to your tactics.

Mission variety is also a strong suit: Rescue operations, sabotage objectives, and full-scale assaults keep the pacing dynamic. The scenario design encourages experimentation—sometimes the direct assault works, but at other times, a stealthy underwater approach or a flanking run on a motorbike is the smarter play. Combined with unlockable weapon upgrades and ranked performance rewards, Final Front keeps you motivated to master each mode and map.

Graphics

Visually, Final Front remains true to the series’ charm by portraying its armies as colorful plastic soldiers set in oversized real-world environments. The vibrant green and tan color schemes stand out against household backdrops, giving each battlefield a playful, diorama-like quality. Textures on terrain objects—coffee cups, books, rocks—are crisp and well-defined, though close-up animations can appear slightly rigid when troops scramble up slopes or dive into water.

Underwater sequences benefit from subtle visual effects such as drifting sand particles, shimmering light beams, and air bubbles trailing your units. These touches immerse you in the watery depths, though the occasional pop-in of distant objects can momentarily break the illusion. Underground levels feature damp, tight corridors with muted lighting and echo effects that underscore their subterranean setting. The graphical fidelity here is commendable for a title of its era, balancing stylistic simplicity with enough detail to keep the environments engaging.

Vehicle models—submarines, motorbikes, and assault rafts—boast smooth animations and distinct color accents that help you identify unit types at a glance. Explosions, muzzle flashes, and water splashes are satisfyingly chunky, reinforcing the toy-like aesthetic rather than chasing high realism. The HUD and minimap are cleanly designed, offering clear icons for objectives, unit health, and ammo counts without cluttering the screen. Overall frame rates remain stable even amid multiplayer skirmishes, ensuring that the action never slows down when tensions peak.

Story

At its core, Final Front tells a straightforward tale: the devious Tan army has established a hidden weapons factory and is mass-producing armaments to crush your Green forces. There’s a classic “David vs. Goliath” feel as you lead a small battalion of plastic heroes against an industrious foe. Each mission’s objectives underscore this narrative, whether you’re sabotaging assembly lines, rescuing captured allies, or seizing enemy supply caches.

While the story doesn’t dive into deep character development, it excels as a framing device for the action. Brief cutscenes set up each operation, painting the Tan army as relentless and resourceful adversaries. You’ll feel a genuine sense of urgency as you race to shut down the factory before it turns the tide of war. Mission briefings are concise and to the point, ensuring that you know exactly what’s at stake without wading through excessive exposition.

The camaraderie between your plastic soldiers shines through in small dialogue snippets and victory quips, lending a lighthearted tone that complements the toy-soldier motif. The game’s narrative momentum never stalls; progress always feels meaningful as you chip away at the Tan stronghold. For players seeking a simple yet effective storyline to support the action, Final Front hits the right notes.

Overall Experience

Army Men: World War – Final Front is a solid entry in the toy-soldier franchise that balances addictive gameplay with creative extras. The blend of single-player and multiplayer content ensures that both solo strategists and competitive friends will find hours of entertainment. The new Boot Camp mode is particularly useful for newcomers, smoothing the learning curve and boosting confidence before heading into higher-stakes battles.

The map editor and multiplayer modes inject substantial replayability, allowing you to craft and share your own battlefields or face off in innovative gametypes like Grudge Match. Even after completing the campaign, there’s a strong incentive to revisit maps with custom rules or rally with a co-op partner to tackle objectives together. Collectibles and performance rewards in SP missions further extend the lifespan, encouraging mastery of each scenario.

While the graphics may not rival contemporary AAA shooters, their stylized simplicity adds to the game’s charm and accessibility. The environments remain varied enough to keep visual interest high, and the frame rate seldom stutters, even in hectic skirmishes. Story-wise, Final Front may not be a narrative tour de force, but it offers enough context and motivation to push you through the 15-mission campaign.

In conclusion, Army Men: World War – Final Front provides a well-rounded package for fans of lighthearted military action. Its mix of terrain types, vehicle classes, and multiplayer options delivers a satisfying experience that can be enjoyed solo or with friends. If you’re looking for strategic toy-soldier warfare with plenty of features and modes, Final Front is a worthy recruit for your gaming library.

Retro Replay Score

5.7/10