Retro Replay Review

Gameplay

Incoming + Incoming Forces delivers a twin pack of high-octane sci-fi shooters that hark back to the late ’90s arcade style. In the original Incoming, players take control of modifiable turrets, jets, and surface-to-air missiles, charged with repelling waves of increasingly aggressive alien invaders. The core loop is simple yet addictive: lock on, fire, and maneuver to survive relentless attacks.

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Incoming Forces builds on that foundation by introducing new hardware such as a deployable hover tank, advanced surface-to-air batteries, and even a cavern exploration drone. These additional units expand the tactical palette, giving players fresh ways to approach each mission. The mission variety—ranging from base defense to full-scale search-and-destroy sweeps—keeps the action from feeling stale, even after multiple playthroughs.

Both games feature a linear progression of missions with occasional branching paths for side objectives. While the structure can feel repetitive at higher difficulty levels, the increasing complexity of enemy behavior and new environmental hazards ensures a consistent challenge. The adjustable difficulty settings are also a boon for newcomers, allowing them to ease in before tackling the more punishing “Insane” modes.

Graphics

When Incoming first launched, its use of hardware acceleration marked a dramatic leap in polygonal detail and texture mapping. Though the original’s models and environments look dated by today’s standards, they still convey a charming, chunky sci-fi aesthetic. Explosions are bright, colorful affairs, with satisfying particle bursts and fiery debris trails that deliver a palpable punch even decades later.

Incoming Forces ups the ante with higher-resolution assets, more sophisticated lighting effects, and dynamic water reflections during amphibious stages. The new particle systems create denser shockwaves, while the improved terrain deformation under sustained fire adds a layer of visual feedback to each engagement. Environmental details—rocky caverns, snow-capped peaks, and stark desert canyons—are more varied, breathing new life into the series’ signature glass-and-steel architecture.

While neither game supports native widescreen resolutions out of the box, the compilation includes easy-to-install fan patches that unlock modern aspect ratios and improve texture filtering. The updated HUD in Forces is more streamlined, with clearer reticles and readouts, but both games maintain a relatively uncluttered interface that keeps the focus on the action.

Story

The narrative thread running through both Incoming and Incoming Forces is straightforward: alien forces have returned to Earth, and it’s up to the player to hold the line. Mission briefings are delivered via pre-rendered cutscenes, complete with voice-over, that set the stage for each battle. Though the plot itself offers few twists, the relentless pacing and stakes keep players invested in defending humanity’s last outposts.

Incoming Forces attempts to flesh out the backstory by introducing new characters and detailing the origins of the alien war machines. Supplementary dossiers unlock between missions, revealing snippets of lore about the enemy’s “Xenophage” project and the Earth Defense Coalition’s countermeasures. While still light on deep narrative arcs, these additions provide enough context to make the world feel larger and more lived-in.

Neither title hinges on an elaborate storyline, but the succinct, mission-focused storytelling delivers just enough drama to frame the gameplay. The episodic structure means you won’t get lost in intricate subplots—every battle advances you toward the ultimate goal of pushing the invaders back into space. For players who prioritize action over exposition, the lean narrative is actually a welcome change of pace.

Overall Experience

As a package, Incoming + Incoming Forces represents excellent bang for your buck. You’re getting two full-blown shooters, each offering around 10–15 hours of single-player content, plus multiplayer modes that still function via community servers. The seamless launcher lets you switch between titles and apply unofficial patches without digging through forums or config files.

If you’re itching for retro-style shooting that straddles the line between arcade simplicity and tactical depth, this compilation is hard to beat. The missions are fast-paced, the arsenal is varied, and the upgrade path in Forces gives veterans extra incentives to revisit familiar battlefields. Modern QoL improvements—like rebindable keys, resolution scaling, and quick saves—smooth out the rough edges of two decades-old software.

Of course, its age shows in some corners: the controls can feel floaty at first, and there’s a brief learning curve to mastering target prioritization across multiple weapon systems. But for fans of genre classics like Terminal Velocity or SubSpace, Incoming + Incoming Forces delivers a nostalgic trip that still packs a punch. Whether you’re a longtime series veteran or a newcomer curious about early 3D shooters, this digital compilation warrants a spot in your library.

Retro Replay Score

null/10