War World - Tactical Combat

War World is a fast-paced, exciting game of mechanized combat. Instead of focusing in on heavy plot the game plays to its strengths - a unique combat experience, lightning-fast combat, and a smooth interface system that allows players of all levels to bring out their maximum potential. The outstanding graphics and solid sounds help immerse players in an involving world. The controls are easy to use, resembling a first-person-shooter more than the traditional joystick-and-throttle system that can make other mech games so difficult to play. With the customizable mech design comes a host of different ideas and strategies for players to try out. Players of all skill levels will find something to enjoy with this game.

War World is surprisingly addictive. The simplistic design for customizing a mech allows players to jump right into the battle without the endless worrying about the perfect build. Combat is fast-paced and very fun. Little things like sleep and food can easily become unimportant when you get wrapped up in the game. The controls are simple, allowing the player to easily maneuver around the killing fields. The interface is customizable, allowing players to find the right setup for their own unique style of play. The combination of mounted weapons, mortars, mines, and missiles brings new challenges to the game every time you play it.

Mech design and combat are vastly simplified over other games in the genre. Instead of equipping individual components in different slots around the chassis players only have a few areas to worry about. In addition there aren’t specific hit locations. While some might find this a drawback, others will enjoy not finding themselves slightly damaged and yet crippled because a lucky shot found their main weapon. There are several types of weapons available and three distinct mech bodies to use. The first robot that players are able to use is a lightning-quick skirmisher. Few hitpoints and small ammunition reserves are balanced out by extreme speed and maneuverability. The second mech available is a solid blend of speed and survivability that can fill several roles easily with the proper equipment. The final mech available, the Leviathan, is a heavy frame with massive hitpoints and huge ammunition storage. It is about as nimble as a brick, so don’t expect to pull off fancy strafing runs in it. The Leviathan is designed to shrug off hits while battering its opponents into pieces.

As you begin the game’s single-player mode you start on level 1 out of 100 possible. With limited funds to equip your mech you are forced to choose what meager weapons you will take into battle. As you conquer each level additional funds are added to your war chest. Before each level begins you will be able to fully outfit your mech with whatever hardware you can afford. It's even possible to completely redesign your mech from scratch every time you play a level. This flexibility is an outstanding feature for War World. Since each level brings different challenges players will often find themselves building new mechs to face the opposition. Players also have the option to equip devices like thrusters and short-duration shield emitters to add a new level of strategy to their game.

The weapons themselves come in several different varieties that can be built onto several hard-points for your mech. The first two are the weapons built onto the arms, with two additional mounts on the back for mortar launchers and missile launchers. Each weapon system has its own advantages and disadvantages. The two primary weapons are lasers and machine guns. Lasers can do more damage on a direct hit but have slower recharge rates and have limited ammunition. The machine guns do far less damage, but can fire continuously. Missile launchers have slow recharge rates and cannot be actively aimed. The missiles seek out their own targets when fired, and mortars take time to travel to the target. Both missiles and mortar weapons deal significant damage to compensate for their drawbacks.

The levels in War World are set up around a limited number of unique arenas. It's easy to learn the layout of the maps, and more importantly learn where the power-ups are hidden. You can find ammunition and power cells for your thrusters lying around. Remember to keep an eye on your reserves and return to the spawn points for more supplies. After a short time replacements will arrive. It's important to note that the enemies can also pick up ammunition and fuel if they run over the power-up. Keep this in mind when you are about to run out of bullets. The AI has a nasty habit of running circles around players - literally! If a fast-attack mech circles around you they can keep you from getting any supplies. Always have a plan to break off contact long enough to resupply. 

I was pleasantly surprised at the detail and smoothness of War World’s graphics. The graphics themselves are very good, rendering crisp and clean. The lighting effects from weapons fire, thrusters, and shields are all very well done. While there are a limited number of arenas to play in, each of them is well rendered with texture and color. The environment itself is both a work of art and a vital piece of combat as players will find themselves ducking behind buildings, jungle trees, and rocky terrain to find shelter from enemy fire. The sounds were less impressive than the graphics, but still well done. Weapons fire can feel generic at times if you are just listening to it. The interface sounds provide a wealth of information for players that can mean the difference between victory and defeat. The warning of a shield barrier collapsing or the hiss of empty jump jets can all be heard clearly - even when coming from your opponents.

War World brings an amazingly responsive interface system together with outstanding graphics and an exciting combat system. Any of these features would be enough to earn the game a second look. All of them combined make War World a solid buy for gamers of all flavors. New challengers and old masters of mechanized combat can enjoy this game. The game itself is easy to pick up, and yet has layers of intricacies that will keep players coming back. There are hundreds of possible weapon and mech configurations, and just as many strategies to try. If you’re ready to get wrapped up in a universe of combat, War World is waiting.

Tips:
They’re called anti-aircraft guns for a reason. Trying to shoot down a drop-ship with low-level lasers is an exercise in frustration. The low fire rate means you won’t be able to down the craft quickly. With its slow movements though, a drop-ship is easy prey to machine-gun fire.

Be careful when you take out a drop-ship. Everything directly under the wreckage takes a beating. This can be very useful if you manage to catch several enemies underneath, but it can also be a severe problem if you are caught in the blast radius.

Listen for the sound of shields deactivating. There is a distinctive chime when the emitters are about to shut down. For yourself it’s a warning to run if you are still being attacked. When an enemy has its shields raised, that’s when you know to drop the hammer. There’s a short period after shields are dropped when they cannot be raised again for any reason. Make the most of it.

Friendly fire isn’t! When you can try placing your enemy between you and the rest of your opponents. Its always fun to watch your enemy get shot in the back by his “comrades.” Its also good for another reason - if you miss, well, it's pretty likely that someone on the other team will be in line to catch your fire.

Kick them while they are down! When an enemy is defeated they will always drop a health bonus. If you can pick it up your damaged mech will instantly be repaired. The healing cubes will disappear after a short time so you can’t stockpile them. Enemies can also pick up the health packs, so try not to fire into a crowd too much if you are being heavily damaged.

Gameplay: 9.0
War World is easy to pick up and challenging to master. Some of the levels can be a little frustrating at times, but the game is very fun to play. The controls are by far some of the easiest to pick up of any mech-combat game I have seen in a long time.

Graphics: 9.0
When I began downloading War World, I was expecting to find a game with simple graphics. I was extremely impressed when I began the first mission. The graphics are very well done, and while they might not be as “perfect” as other games, they render as smooth as silk.

Sound: 8.0
The background music is well done. The weapons fire isn’t nearly as distinctive, but that is a small complaint compared to how good the interface sounds are. The game conveys a wealth of information to the player through sound quickly and clearly.

Difficulty: Easy/Medium
There is a bit of a learning curve in how to build a mech that will function well in combat. There is also a learning curve involved in building the right mech for each level. Both of these are small hurdles that experienced players will surpass with ease. The piloting system is very intuitive and extremely easy to pick up.

Concept: 8.5
War World is a solid game. It has some new twists on the old mech-combat genre, but the best feature is the streamlining. Anything from other games that detract from the gaming experience or makes things more complicated has to be has been carefully removed. It is far too easy to dive right in and enjoy the game any time.

Multiplayer: 8.5
The multiplayer aspects of War World can be just as much fun as the regular game. The downside is that the AI is programmed to miss occasionally. A quick player can evade damage at times, a nice touch considering how fast the combat can go. The wrong move against a skilled opponent can mean defeat in seconds.

Overall: 8.6
War World is fun, engaging, and has a high replay value. It has been a while since I played a mech game that had me saying “just one more level!” until well past midnight. Mech-combat fans should find a lot to keep them happy, but any gamer can enjoy the fun with the easy-to-learn interface and game design.