
	Platform Playstation 2 Genre Fighting Publisher SCEA Developer Incog Inc. ETA January 14, 2003
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War of the Monsters

As always, we begin with the fact sheet:

From the developers of the critically acclaimed Twisted Metal: Black.

Select from ten 100-foot tall, raging, mutant monsters and man- made armored robots.

Clash with up to three opponents simultaneously for a four-monster battle royale – battle against three CPU-controlled monsters in single-player mode, or challenge a friend and two CPU-controlled opponents in two-player mode.

Multiple attack techniques are available for strategic combat – hurl projectiles at opponents, clobber them with uppercuts, karate kicks and thunderous slaps, or lock fists in a grapple for supremacy.

Two-player split screen view dramatically merges for full screen action as the combatants approach one another.

Climb, jump, strafe or rampage through 12 fully destructible environments.

Battlegrounds are alive with moving vehicles, towering buildings, people and military defenses.

Master each monster’s “rage” and unleash a special attack strong enough to flatten a 100-foot tall giant.

Pulverize opponents with body slams or send them hurling across cityscapes.

Scour the battlefield for weapons such as steel girders, army tanks and radio antenna; swing them to beat down opponents or throw them to impale and stun them.

Trigger environmental attacks such as tidal waves, earthquakes and vicious ant swarms.

Aggravate opponents with roaring battle taunts.

Epic musical score accompanies each furious battle.

Mini-games and multiple one- and two-player modes – Adventure, Free-for-All, Elimination and Endurance – to extend replay value.

Relive your favorite gargantuan monster movies!

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As Godzilla: Destroy All Monsters Melee (GC) is one of my favorite games of 2002, all the above sounds familiar, especially the “rage” attacks. But War of the Monsters (WotM) differs enough to set itself apart from Godzilla – not the least of which is that it will appear only on the Playstation 2.

Having no hands-on experience with WotM, my main concern is with the dynamically splitting split-screen utilized during two-player games. This arrangement worked well

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for Toejam & Earl III (XB) mostly because it was a co-operative effort – you weren’t trying to hit your buddy with a telephone pole or heave a rock at them. And how will the environmental attacks be implemented during these split-screen matches? I have only questions, questions, questions! (Fortunately, the answers will be forthcoming as it’s scheduled for release January 14, 2003.)

WotM reminds me strongly of a free-roaming Rampage. Climbing buildings, leveling cities, crushing military vehicles, and punching your teammates once in a while was all part of Rampage’s charm and WotM looks to capitalize on this nostalgia factor while adding an extra level of mayhem with the emphasis on fighting. In fact, it wouldn’t be farfetched to suggest that there will be a Destruction mini-game included.

Monster design is all “inspired” by classic B-movie monsters, which allows for some more creative characters since they aren’t limited by any particular movie license. This can only work in WotM’s favor.

When War of the Monsters stomps onto the PS2, fight and B-movie fans should have something to talk about.

- Omni

(January 8, 2002)