Retro Replay Review

Gameplay

Jeff Wayne’s The War of the Worlds puts players in control of two radically different factions, each with its own strengths and challenges. As the Martians, you command powerful Tripod war machines equipped with deadly heat rays and devastating artillery. Every decision revolves around resource management: harvesting raw materials, assembling war machines, and expanding your foothold across Great Britain before human resistance solidifies.

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On the human side, you’re faced with a David vs. Goliath scenario. Lacking the Martians’ superior technology, you must exploit numerical superiority and guerrilla tactics. Infantry, mobile artillery, and captured alien components become your lifeline. Success hinges on scouting enemy positions, constructing covert manufacturing hubs, and coordinating multi-pronged counterattacks to reclaim territory.

The real-time strategy layer in The War of the Worlds is entirely non-linear, offering sandbox-style skirmishes rather than a rigid mission structure. You decide when and where to strike, which technologies to research first, and how aggressively to expand. This freedom ensures high replay value, as each match evolves unpredictably based on your tactical priorities and your opponent’s responses.

Graphics

Visually, the game captures the gritty atmosphere of late-Victorian Britain blended with alien design. The Martian Tripods stand tall against rolling green fields and stormy skies, their bronze plating meticulously detailed. Buildings and terrain elements are rendered in 2D sprites, yet they convey a surprising amount of depth through lighting and texture work.

Unit animations are smooth for their era, with Tripods striding ominously across the battlefield and human troops ducking behind cover or firing volleys. Explosion effects and heat-ray beams add cinematic flair, while the user interface strikes a balance between period aesthetics and functional clarity. You’ll appreciate the ease of selecting units, issuing move orders, and monitoring resources at a glance.

Although the graphics won’t rival modern 3D engines, the game’s art direction remains a highlight. Color palettes shift dynamically as battles progress—from the verdant calm of countryside to the charred remnants of scorched villages. These visual cues keep you immersed in the escalating conflict and underscore the stakes of every encounter.

Story

Inspired by H.G. Wells’s classic novel and Jeff Wayne’s iconic musical adaptation, the game weaves a narrative that unfolds through in-game events and evocative cutscenes. You won’t follow a fixed campaign storyline; instead, the drama emerges organically as you conquer sectors or fend off alien onslaughts. Each skirmish feels like a chapter in an unwritten chronicle of humanity’s struggle for survival.

Voice-over narration and musical motifs from Wayne’s original score punctuate key moments, lending emotional weight to your victories and setbacks. As a Martian commander, you experience the chilling ambition of an invader determined to harvest humanity’s life force. As a human leader, you feel the desperation of a besieged species fighting against seemingly insurmountable odds.

The absence of a traditional linear plot is intentional: it roots the story in player agency. Every choice—whether to mass-produce Tripods or to establish hidden human sniper nests—becomes part of your personal war diary. This emergent storytelling fosters a deeper connection between your strategic decisions and the overarching conflict.

Overall Experience

Jeff Wayne’s The War of the Worlds stands out as a unique entry in the RTS genre, blending classic science fiction lore with open-ended tactics. Its dual-faction design offers two distinct playstyles, ensuring that both aggressive and defensive strategists find something to love. The lack of a rigid campaign may not appeal to purists seeking a guided narrative, but it empowers creative problem solving.

As a historical curiosity, the game’s presentation and mechanics capture the late 1990s RTS spirit—think resource stacking, base-building, and hotkey-driven micro-management. Yet its setting and musical heritage give it character beyond generic medieval or sci-fi battlegrounds. Fans of H.G. Wells and Jeff Wayne’s score will appreciate the faithful adaptation of themes and atmosphere.

Whether you’re defending London’s foggy streets or unleashing Martian war machines on unsuspecting towns, the tension stays high from the first skirmish to the final sector conquest. If you’re looking for an immersive, replayable strategy experience that marries literary pedigree with tactical depth, Jeff Wayne’s The War of the Worlds is well worth your attention.

Retro Replay Score

6.8/10