Revamped for PlayStation 4, War of the Monsters is a PlayStation 2 classic perfect for waiting out the upcoming release of the film Godzilla vs. Kong. The game is set in the aftermath of an alien invasion where toxic substances have spawned giant monsters ready to battle among the city landscapes. Created by Incognito Entertainment, the developers of Twisted Metal, War of the Monsters pays homage to iconic kaiju and sci-fi films.
War of the Monsters deviates from the traditional one-on-one fighting game style. Instead, battles can include up to four players in a four-way split screen structure. With Godzilla vs. Kong set for a March 2021 release, War of the Monsters is the ideal vehicle for simulating giant monster fights while delivering a little PS2 nostalgia.
Whether playing solo or with friends, the camera remains in the third-person perspective, allowing players to focus solely on their character. As is standard in fighting games, monsters are equipped with a health and stamina bar. Stamina drops if monsters use a melee attack, pick up enemies or perform a ranged attack, such as throwing trucks or cars. If the stamina bar is completely full, monsters can perform special attacks that deal an impressive amount of damage.
Players can also roam freely within a city, which includes climbing and jumping from buildings and cliffs. This allows players to take advantage of the environment by making weapons from various objects found within each city. Monsters can turn a radio antenna into a spear or transform a stone column into a bat.
One of the most appealing aspects of War of the Monsters is that almost everything is breakable. As monsters battle, the city will crumble around them, meaning players should beware of toppling skyscrapers -- or use them to their advantage. If they fall sideways, they'll instantly crush any monsters in the way.
Those looking for a storyline can enjoy Adventure mode, in which players advance through a series of monster fights and boss battles. Bosses are much larger than playable monsters and require specific strategies to defeat. However, the main appeal of Adventure mode is earning Tokens, which can be used in the "Unlocks" shop to reveal more monsters, cities and skins.
War of the Monsters has 10 playable monsters to select from. While the game doesn't have any licenses, it's clear most characters were heavily inspired by monster movie icons. The resemblance is most apparent with Congar (a super-sized gorilla) and Togera (a spikey-backed lizard with icy fire breath). Still drawing inspiration from the Monsterverse, Raptros seems heavily inspired by Godzilla's rivals Rodan and King Ghidorah.
Aside from the kaiju world, War of the Monsters has an affinity for '50s sci-fi. Preytor is a nod to the 1957 film The Deadly Mantis, and Zorgulon closely resembles the Metaluna mutant from 1955's This Island Earth. Expanding beyond film, the War of the Monsters' character Ultra V is derived from the Japanese super robot manga Mazinger Z. On the other hand, Kineticlops and Magmo appear to be original characters, stemming from the developers' imaginations.
Each monster is equipped with a unique set of abilities, armor level and mobility, so there should be one to satisfy every playstyle, from mobile retreaters to heavy hitters. Raptros and Preytor can even fly. The only downside is that 10 monsters isn't enough. War of the Monsters' limited selection is lacking compared rosters of other fighting games like Mortal Kombat 11.
Nonetheless, this game offers a fun opportunity to smash buildings, terrorize cities and destroy rivals as a 100-foot creature. War of the Monsters is definitely a game for kaiju and bad sci-fi fans looking to satisfy their giant monster craving while waiting for Godzilla vs. Kong.
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