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Review: War World

Oct. 7 8:07 AM by Ian Guss

War World has the worst demo in the history of Xbox Live Arcade. The demo lasts for only 50 seconds, which makes this review all the more important.

War World, an arcade style mech shooter, first made an appearance on the PC in 2005, but this version has even fewer customization options than the original release. A number of predetermined characters are available for your choosing instead. Each mech has different strengths, like stealth, hovering or penetrating lasers.

Unlike many of the newer games available, War World does not have any destructible environments. This omission makes the environments seem more like a background with no interaction. Giant mechs are no match for objects on the map.

There are two other minor problems worth mentioning. There is no way to check the leaderboard during the game and there is no countdown to signal the end of the round.

The best thing that War World has going for it is the graphics. This is one of the best looking arcade games out there. The lighting effects are particularly amazing for a downloadable release on the 360.

All of War World's enjoyment is from its Xbox Live play. Standard options are here in eight player form: Death Match, Team Death Match, Capture the Flag and Bomb Assault.

This game's longevity is based on the number of people who will be playing it online. With so many releases each week both on Arcade and in retail, it is unlikely that this title will have anyone online in a month or two.

Offline play is no fun at all. Single player with bots and an Arcade mode (100 short battles) are the only options.

War World is a game that almost everyone should pass on. If you are a fan of mech games, options like MechAssault or Chromehounds are a smarter choice than War World.

Pros: Beautiful graphics, easy to learn controls

Cons: Nothing unique about it, no strategy whatsoever

The Info: Platform: XBLA, Publisher: Ubisoft Entertainment, Developer: Third Wave Games, ESRB: T, Players: 1 (Up to 8 online), Price: 800 MS Points ($10)

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