The War of the Worlds

Whose dire responsibility is it to report on such a disaster like an alien invasion? What manner of bravery does it take to keep one’s head focused enough to tell the tale of our imminent destruction? Author H.G. Wells once wrote a factual analysis of the apocalypse from Earth’s invasion at the hands or tentacles of the Martians. The world would never be the same again.

The War of the Worlds is a classic side-scrolling platformer, which links to the infamous, panic spreading novel of the same name. Noticeable right away is how the art design tries to recapture the severity of the story with its somber painted panels and murky effects, such as smoke combined with sterile lighting. Primarily dark shading only gets colored in with the bright lighting of alien invaders or raging infernos, furthering the gloomy setting. This is in direct line with the amazing audio that the game offers both in its haunting orchestra score and perfect narration by Sir Patrick Stewart himself. When summed up thusly, this game is reminding of Limbo with its dark sense of helplessness against the giant force.

This will also get portrayed in the game’s unfolding, as the platforming is kept minimal and somewhat realistic. Most of the game will consist of running away and making snap judgments to jump obstacles and survive the oncoming stampede. The traditional setting pays tribute to classic game schemes where difficult jumps and calculated decisions made the entire game. Unfortunately, this will also be apparent in the finicky controls of old times, where a few pixels more make all the difference and controlling the nameless protagonist is rather inflexible. The man turns, stops and jumps with very determined animations, which give a set structure for the entire game.

Pretty much armageddon as it unfolds.

It is also due to this fixed setting that there will be loads of trial and error; too much to simply be accounted for as a tribute to games past. Many of the snap judgments required will only become apparent after one or more deaths and some leaps of faith will exacerbate this. But even then, the stiff controls might spoil one of the many obstacle sections leading to certain death; which means a restart at a certain checkpoint. Yes, that’s exactly how older generations used to unfold, but it was hardly ever considered to be a desirable trait. Lacking controls are bad no matter what the justification.

The game is in fact so reminiscing of classic platformers that it almost looks like a complete reskin of the original Prince of Persia. Especially when our hero turns in that ostentatious manner, we’re reminded of the times spent doing nothing but pivoting with the prince. He walks, jumps, reaches and climbs exactly like his pioneer brethren and that isn’t as classy as The War of the Worlds would otherwise appear.

Is it a shameless clone though? No; luckily the vast alien encounters of giant tripods, crumbling buildings, open locales and asphyxiating black smoke tear it apart from that branding. The overall ambiance of the game is one of constant panic, which helps keep emotions elevated. But there is also hope. With each progression, there is a slight chance of reprisal, even if in the chaos our hero seems puny and insignificant. With a good use of level panels, debris and shadows make even that slight stance seem futile, as our hero periodically seems to disappear into the décor completely. But this again can become a little embarrassing at times, as to survive; one must first see where they are.

No time to look back, he can't be helped. Run along, sir.

It’s a shame that the classic gameplay appeal is linked with a structure that is too rigid for its own good, because The War of the Worlds is ultimately a captivating title. Its impeccable design sets a visually demanding tone that its somewhat lacking interaction can not cash fully. Still, there is definitely a classic appeal to go with the classy ambiance of this simple platformer and as an experience alone, it is enough to enjoy.

Daav Valentaten, NoobFeed. (@Daavpuke)