As the game's background story goes, the monsters were spawned from radiation spilled from downed UFOs that were thwarted in their plans to take over Earth. Cities everywhere are now powerless to stop the rampaging savages, which include a King Kong rip-off named Congar and the Godzilla-inspired Togera, to name just two. The game is all about the thrill of bashing the other guy senseless in an unrelenting rampage that would leave city planners everywhere quivering in fear. The fighting is fierce and brutal--monsters are sent hurtling through the air with a variety of multi-hit combos; entire buildings are crumbled by either throwing your opponent into them or by an errant punch; cars, buses, radio antennae, steel pipes, and other objects are picked up and thrust into monster flesh. One can even hear the sound of tiny human bodies being squished underfoot.

Unfortunately, War of the Monsters seems to have a mind of its own at times since monsters are inexplicably difficult to control. Things are swell one moment as you're zeroing in for the kill but the next you're swaying side to side like a punch-drunk fool. The controls are frustratingly unresponsive when your monster gets stuck in a corner or pinned against a wall. And be prepared to hit the reset button several times, as the game tends to freeze quite often when paused. --Larry White

Pros:

• Satisfyingly brutal fighting action
• Well-done look and feel

• Unresponsive controls
• Limited replay value
• Fights devolve into button-mashing frenzy