0 to Z of Playstation 1 Games - Army Men World War

       

Army Men World War is a third person world war 2 shooter on Playstation, while the PC version for the game is more of a strategic game, while promoted as a sequel to Army Men 3D the game is more of a spiritual successor with the games stories having no interactions what so ever.

Developed and published by The 3DO Company the game was released in early 2000 for both the Playstation and Windows, with the game releasing in North America and Europe, the European release was retitled as Army Men: Operation Meltdown.

Two modes are available for the single player part of the game the first is the boot camp, this mode allows the player to come to grips with the game controls, with this section set on an army base. A firing range allows the player to practice their shooting against stationary targets, a mortar range again with the player destroying stationary targets as well as a bazooka range again with stationary targets.

A combat range has the player shooting cardboard cut-outs of Tan soldiers while avoiding Green cut-outs, a heavy weapons range allows the player to practice with a cannon and a grenade range allows the player to practice against cardboard cut-outs of tanks. The Flame Thrower range has the player torching trees for practice.

The main campaign mode allows the player to name their solider before being thrown straight into the action no additional cut scene just to keep your presence on the island a secret and wipe out the enemy outpost and destroy their radio the first of a total of 16 missions using the arsenal that can be trained with in boot camp one addition to the game over the Sarge’s Heroes games tanks, and other vehicles are useable by the player.

The Windows and Playstations versions differ quite drastically, with the Playstation version going for the more fast paced third person shooter style of gameplay with a more realistic and gritty tone, while the Windows version is much more like its predecessors Army Men, Army Men II and Toys in Space with the player managing the army rather than fighting as a single soldier.

The opening cinematic has the feeling of a second World War news reel giving the premise for the games plot, the Tan army is rapidly encroaching upon the Green’s territory and that of their allies. After the collapse of peace talks, the Green army must push back against the Evil Tan onslaught, in a total 16 missions that await the player in this World War themed Army Men game.

As the player wages war against the evil Tan empire across the beaches, through thick jungles (or as thick as the PS1 could make them, and fighting the Tan through the streets of ruined cities to finally end the war and the Tan once and for all.

Critically like so many of the Army Men games it has reviewed pretty poorly with a couple of review scores above average while most range from below average to down right poor, as usual though I will start with the best which comes from German publication Video Games who scored Army Men World War at a 68/100.

Who praised the games potential, stating a little more technical skill the game would have been above average, with good approaches visible, as well as the atmospheric but sadly clipping prone graphics. They were critical of the lack of in game voices and boring menus in contrast to the FMV sequences which clearly have had time and effort put into.

PSX Extreme were the next highest scoring review with a 66/100 calling it the same old with nothing really changing since Sarge’s Heroes, making the game harder to play and more annoying, while the game supports analogue controls there is but has no sensitivity at all, they did concede the game may be worth a rental though.

GameSpot were next up with the review scores now slipping into the average scores with a 58/100 calling it a decent sequel to Army Men 3D but only barely superior with inadequate control, murky graphics and a cookie cutter plot. Concluding that if more time had been spent on the graphics and gameplay the game may have turned out more than just a good premise.

Dropping down now to the other end of the review scale we find an abysmal 20/100 from Game Informer Magazine, who concluded with one sentence to sum up the game. Don't get me wrong, if it wasn't for the uninteresting level design, poor controls, stupid AI, and lacklustre graphic engine, this game would really rock.

NowGamer rated the game slightly better only slightly though with their 28/100 review score calling the Tan army AI as intelligent as a colony of colons, with poor aiming mechanisms which don’t allow you to aim and run at the same time.

3DO are trying to milk the Army Men licence for all its worth, and that they should hang their heads in shame concluding with. If they think that the game-buying public is undiscerning enough to be soft-soaped into buying this old flannel, they should get back to the drawing board.

IGN In their 45/100 review while praising the definite strides that have been made to the graphics of the Army Men games they still concluded they have a long way to go to make them fun, at best they concluded the game may be worth a rental but you are just as likely to chuck the game faster than the review did

This is the part of 0 to Z where is visit four online retailers and see what the availability of the title is, and what price you would be looking at if you wanted to pick this title up, the sites that I will be using for this are Amazon.com, eStarland.com, retrogames.co.uk and Gamedude.com I know the last one is very location specific, but from a podcast I listen to, I’ve heard they have a huge stock of older games, Ebay has now been dropped unless the game is unavailable at other retailers.

So lets get down to business with Gamedude who will give you $4 if you are looking to trade in your copy of Army Men World War, if on the other hand you are looking to buy a copy of the game you will be looking at a $9 outlay for a copy form Gamedude.

Retrogames.co.uk currently do not stock Army Men World War or the European release Operation Meltdown so we quickly move on to eStarland.com, who do list the title on their site however at the time of writing this they are currently out of stock. The game is usually priced at between $4.48 and $8.95 for a used copy, they also offer a trade in if you are looking to get rid of your own copy of the game and will pay $3.50 for a copy, this price will fluctuate if the game is missing the manual or case or both.

Lastly on to Amazon.com where we find the first page of used copies all disc only ones except for one, a like new copy which can be picked up for $9.49 this copy also comes with free shipping. A good condition copy which is also complete is priced up at $14.74 this is shipped by Amazon so the free shipping only applies to Prime users and those spending over $25.

Another used copy again complete and in very good condition can be picked up for around $17 once shipping has been added in a couple more like new copies are around this price point as well both again ship with Amazon.com so free shipping for prime users and those spending over $25.

If on the other hand you are looking for a new copy of the game, you will have to fork out a significant amount of money for one of the two copies currently available on Amazon.com. The first is priced at $139.99 with an addition $4.49 for shipping bring the total to $144.48, the second copy is priced at $149.95 and is fulfilled by Amazon.com so comes with free shipping.

Written by

P J Gibbon